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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/bodyofdivinitywh02ridgiala 


BODY    OF    DIVINITY: 


WHEREIN    THE 


DOCTRINES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION 

y 
ARE    EXPLAINED    AND    DEFENDED. 

BEING    THE   SUBSTANCE   OF  SEVERAL  LECTURES    ON   THE  ASSEMBLY'S 

LARGER  CATECHISM. 

BY  THOMAS  RIDGELEY,  D.D. 


A  NEW  EDITION,  REVISED,  CORRECTED,  AND  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  NOTES 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  M.  WILSON. 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
VOL.   II. 


NEW  YORK : 
ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS, 

No.    285    BROADWAY. 


1855. 


to' 


1° 


CONTENTS  01 


VOL.  II. 


Page 
QUESTIONS  LXI,  LXII,  LXIII,  LXIV. 

The  Church,  Visible  and  Invisible,  1 
The  meaning  of  the  word  Church,  .  1 
The  meaning  of  the  phrases,  'the  Vis- 
ible '  and  '  the  Invisible  Church,'  .  4 
The  invisible  church,  ...  5 
The  visible  church,  ....  7 
The  church  under  the  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tion,          10 

The  church  under  the  ministry  of  the 

Apostles,             13 

The  nature  and  government  of  the  Chris- 
tian church, 15 

Notes. — Various  significations  of  the  word 

'Church,' 36 

The  invisible  church,       ...  38 

The  holy  catholic  church,            .         .  38 

The  visible  church,          ...  40 

Qualifications  for  church-fellowship,  42 

The  office  of  a  ruling  elder,        .        .  43 

QUESTIONS  LXV,  LXVL 

The  Benefits  enjoyed  by  the  Invis- 
ible Church,     ....  44 
What  th%  benefits  are  which  the  Invis- 
ible Church  enjoys,     ....  44 
What  union  to  Christ  is,     .         .         .  44 

QUESTIONS  LXVII,  LXVIII. 

Effectual  Calling,        .                 .        .  48 

The  general  nature  of  the  Gospel  call,  48 

The  external  call  of  the  Gospel,          .  48 
The  previous  character  of  persons  who 

are  effectually  called,  .         .         .55 

The  change  wrought  in  effectual  calling,  57 

Effectual  Calling  a  Divine  work,         .  61 

Notes. — Common  grace,  .         .         .75 

Regeneration,           ....  77 

QUESTION  LXIX. 

'.'ommunion  in  Grace  with  Christ,  80 


QUESTIONS  LXX,  LXXI. 


81 


Justification 

The  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication,      ......  81 

The  meaning  of  the  word  'justify,'  82 

The  privileges  contained  in  justification,  83 

The  foundation  of  justification,  .  66 


Man's  inability  to  work  out  a  justifying 

righteousness, 86 

Christ's  righteousness  as  the  ground  of 

justification,                      ...  88 

Justification  an  act  of  God's  free  grace,  93 

QUESTIONS  LXXII,  LXXIII. 

The  Connection  of  Faith  with  Justi- 
fication, ....  95 
Other  graces  than  faith  do  not  justify,  95 
How  faith  justifies,  ...  98 
Inferences  from  the  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation, .  .  .  .  .  103 
The  nature,  kinds,  objects,  degrees,  and 

uses  of  faith, 106 

The  general  nature  of  faith,       .         .  107 
The  various  kinds  of  faith,            .         .  108 
The  objects  and  acts  of  saving  faith,  110 
How  faith  is  produced,      .         .         .  114 
The  degrees  of  faith,            .        .        .116 
The  use  of  faith  in  a  believer's  life,  117 
How  faith  is  attained  or  increased,  120 
Notes. — The  connection  of  faith  with  jus- 
tification,           .        .        .        .  121 
What  is  faith?           ....  124 
Are  there  several  kinds  of  faith  ?  126 
Acts  of  faith,  direct  and  reflex,      .  130 

QUESTION  LXXIV. 

Adoption, 131 

The  various  senses  of  the  name  '  Sons 

of  God,' 131 

The  difference  between  divine  and  hu- 
man adoption,            ....  132 
The  reference  of  the  sonship  of  believ- 
ers to  the  sonship  of  Christ,            .  133 
The  privileges  of  adoption,            .         .  134 
The  connection  between  adoption  and 
justification,           ....  136 

QUESTION  LXXV. 

Sanctification,          ....  137 

The  meaning  of  the  word  '  sanctify,'  137 

What  sanctification  includes,         .         .  138 

Practical  inferences  from  the  doctrine  of 

sanctification,         .        .         .         .  143 


QUESTION  LXXVI. 

Repentance, 

The  subjects  of  repentance, 


1 46 
146 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


Page 
Man's  natural  aversion  to  repentance,  146 
Repentance  wrought  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  147 
The  means  of  repentance,  .  .  147 
The  differences  between  legal  and  evan- 
gelical repentance,  ....  149 
The  various  acts  of  evangelical  repent- 
ance,       •        150 

Practical  inferences  from  the  doctrine  of 
repentance,        .....     151 
Note. — Legal  convictions  of  sin,  .        152 

QUESTION  LXXVIL 

The  Connection  and  the  Difference 
between      Justification      and 
Sanctification,       .'..•■      -        152 
The  connection  between  justification  and 

sanctification,  .        •         .         •     152 

The  difference  between  justification  and 
sanctification,         ....         153 

QUESTION  LXXVIII. 

The  Imperfection  of  Sanctification,    154 
The  imperfection  of  believers,       .         .     154 
Why  believers  are  allowed  to  be  imper- 
fect,      .         .         .         .         .         .         156 

How  the  imperfection  of  sanctification  is 

displayed, 157 

The  consequences  of  the  prevailing  power 

of  indwelling  sin,  .         .         .         161 

Practical  inferences  from  the  imperfect 
state  of  believers,      ....     161 

QUESTION  LXXIX. 

Perseverance  in  Grace,           .        .        164 
General  view  of  the  doctrine  of  perse- 
verance,   164 

Explanation  of  the  doctrine  of  persever- 
ance,       165 

Perseverance  the   result  of  the  Divine 

power  and  will,  .         .         .         .167 

Proofs  of  the  doctrine  of  perseverance,       168 
Examination   of  objections   against  the 

doctrine  of  perseverance,        .         .         179 
Practical  inferences  from  the  doctrine  of 

perseverance, 193 

Note The  characters  described  in  2  Pet. 

ii.  21,  22 194 

QUESTION  LXXX. 

Assurance  of  Salvation,  .  .  .194 
The  nature  and  degrees  of  assurance,  195 
The  attainableness  of  assurance,  .  196 
The  character  of  the  persons  who  enjoy 

assurance, 201 

The  means  of  attaining  assurance,         .     201 

QUESTION  LXXXI. 

Destitution  of  Assurance,  .  .  210 
Assurance  not  of  the  essence  of  faith,        210 

may  not  be  soon  obtained,        213 

may  be  weakened  and  inter- 
mitted  213 

The  state  of  believers  who  want  assur- 
ance,       215 

QUESTION  LXXXII. 
Communion  with  Christ  in  Glory,  217 


QUESTION  LXXXIII. 


P»ge 


Earnests  of  Glort,  and   Apprehen- 
sions of  Wrath,         .        .        .    217 

Earnests  of  glory 218 

Apprehensions  of  wrath,       .         .         .     223 
Practical  inferences  from   the   different 
prospects   of   the  righteous  and    the 
wicked, 224 

QUESTIONS  LXXXIV,  LXXXV. 

Death, 225 

The  certainty  of  death,    .        .        .  225 

The  sting  and  curse  of  death,       .        .  228 

Death  an  advantage  to  believers,       .  228 

QUESTION  LXXXVL 

The  Future  State,  ....  230 
The  immortality  of  the  soul,  .  .  230 
The  immediate  happiness  of  the  righteous 

after  death,        .         .         .         .         .236 
The  misery  of  the  wicked  at  death,  245 

Notes Christ's  preaching  to  the  spirits 

in  prison,  ....         245 

Arguments  against  purgatory,  .     246 

QUESTION  LXXXVIL 

The  Resurrection,           .        .        .        248 
The  meaning  of  the  resurrection,    .       .     249 
The  resurrection  not  contrary  to  reason,   249 
a  doctrine  purely  of  re- 
velation,          250 

Proofs  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  252 
Examination  of  objections  against  the  re- 
surrection,        .....     262 
The  resurrection  universal,        .         .         265 
The  condition  in  which  the  body  shall  be 

raised, 267 

Note. — The  identity  of  the  human  body,     269 

QUESTION  LXXXVIII. 

The  Final  Judgment,  .  .  .  270 
Proofs  of  the  final  judgment,  .  •.  271 
The  person  and  appearance  of  the  Judge,  272 
The  persons  judged,  .         .         .         274 

The  manner  of  the  judgment,        .         .     276 
The  place  and  time  of  the  judgment,  279 

Practical  inferences  from  the  doctrine  of 
the  final  judgment,         .         .         .         280 

QUESTION  LXXXIX. 

Final  Punishment 281 

The  nature  of  the  punishment,  .         282 

The  degree  of  the  punishment,      .         .     283 
The  duration  of  the  punishment,        .         283 
How  the  doctrine  of  final  punishment  is 
to  be  preached,  ....     285 

QUESTION  XC. 

Final  Blessedness,  .         .        .        286 

The  saints  acknowledged  and  acquitted,    286 

■ joining  Christ  in  judging,     .     287 

blessed  in  heaven,     .         .         289 

Practical  inferences  from  the  doctrine  of 
final  blessedness,        ....     296 


CONTENTS. 


QUESTIONS  XCI,  XCIL 


Page 


Moral  Obligation,    ....        298 
Man  bound  to  obey  God,      .        .        .     298 
Connection  of  revelation  with  moral  obli- 
gation,   299 

The  law  of  God  as  the  rule  of  obhgation,  299 

QUESTIONS   XCIII,  XCIV,  XCV,  XCVI, 
XCVII. 

The  Nature  and  Uses  of  the  Moral 
Law, 300 

The  nature  of  tbe  moral  law,     .         .        300 
The  uses  of  the  moral  law,  .        .    302 

Strictures  on  Antinomianism,    .         .         305 

QUESTION  XCVIIL 

The  Judicial  and  the   Ceremonial 

Law, 307 

The  judicial  law,       ....  307 

The  ceremonial  law,     ....  308 

The  legislation  from  Horeb,      .        .  311 

QUESTION  XCIX. 

Rules  for    understanding  the   Ten 
Commandments,      .        .    '    .        .    312 

QUESTIONS  C,  CI,  CIL 

The  .Preface  and   Sum  of  the  Ten 

Commandments,  .         .         .         314 

QUESTIONS  CIII,  CIV. 

The  Duties  Required  in  the   First 
Commandment,    ....        316 

QUESTIONS  CV,  CVI. 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  First  Com- 
mandment  318 

Atheism, 318 

Idolatry, 321 

Note Doctrines  of  Devils,        .        .        327 

QUESTIONS  CVII,  CVIII,  CIX,  CX. 

The  Second  Commandment,         .        .     328 

Difference  between  the  first  and  the 
second  commandment,  .         .         328 

The  duties  enjoined  in  the  second  com- 
mandment,    .....         329 

The  sins  forbidden  in  the  second  com- 
mandment,        .....     330 

The  reasons  annexed  to  tbe  second  com- 
mandment,      334 

QUESTIONS  CXI,  CXII,  CXIII,  CXIV. 

The  Third  Commandment,          .         .     335 
General  view  of  the  third  commandment,  335 
The  duties  enjoined  in  the  third  com- 
mandment,    .....         336 
The  sins  forbidden  in  the  third  command- 
ment,         337 

The  reasons  annexed  to  the  third  com- 
mandment,      341 


QUESTIONS  CXV,  CXVI. 
The  Sabbatic  Institution, 


341 


Page 

General  import  of  the  fourth  command- 
ment  34] 

The  nature  of  the  sabbatic  institution,  342 
The  date  of  the  sabbatic  institution,  .  344 
The  change  of  the  sabbath,  .  .  346 
The  relative  time  of  the  sabbath,  .    352 

QUESTIONS  CXVII,  CXVIIL 

The  Duties  Enjoined  in  the  Fourth 
Commandment,    ....        353 
Preparatory  duties  to  sabbath-sanctifica- 

tion, 353 

The  sabbatic  rest,  ....  355 
Works  of  necessity  and  mercy,  .  .  356 
The  sanctifying  of  the  sabbath,  .        358 

QUESTIONS  CXIX,  CXX,  CXXL 

The  Prohibitions  and  Motives  of  the 
Fourth  Commandment,         .        .    360 

The  sins  forbidden  in  the  fourth  com- 
mandment,    .....        360 

The  reasons  annexed  to  the  fourth  com- 
mandment,         361 

Import  of  the  word  •remember'  in  the 
fourth  commandment,    .         .        .        362 

Inferences  from  the  fourth  commandment,  363 

QUESTION  CXXIL 

The  Sum  of  the  Second  Table  of  the 

Law, 363 

Love  to  our  neighbour,  .  .  .  364 
Doing  as  we  would  be  done  by,    .        .    364 

QUESTIONS  CXXIII,  CXXIV,  CXXV, 
CXXVI. 

The  Relations  of  Life,   .        .        .        366 

The  meaning  of  'father'  and  'mother' 
in  the  fifth  commandment,  .         .     366 

Why  superiors  are  styled  father  and 
mother,  .  .  366 

The  bases  and  nature  of  the  social  rela- 
tions  367 

QUESTIONS  CXXVII,  CXXVIII,  CXXIX, 
CXXX,  CXXXI,  CXXXII. 

Relative  Duties 368 

The  duties  of  inferiors  to  superiors,       .  368 

The  sins  of  inferiors  against  superiors,  374 

The  duties  of  superiors  to  inferiors,     .  374 

The  sins  of  superiors  against  inferiors,  376 

The  duties  of  equals,         .        .  377 

The  sins  of  equals,        ....  377 

QUESTION  CXXXIII. 

The  Reasons  Annexed  to  the  Fifth 
Commandment,   ....        378 

QUESTIONS  CXXXIV,  CXXXV, 
CXXXVI. 

The  Sixth  Commandment,           .        .     380 
The  duties  enjoined  in  the  sixth  com- 
mandment  380 

The  sins  forbidden  in  the  sixth  command- 
ment,         38i 

Note — The  Judicial   Law The   Civil 

Punishment  of  Death,    .         .         .         386 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


Page 
QUESTIONS  CXXXVII,  CXXXVIII, 
CXXXIX. 

The  Seventh  Commandment,     .        .    392 

The  duties  required  in  the  seventh  com- 
mandment,      392 

The  sins  forbidden  in  the  seventh  com- 
mandment,       ......    392 

The  aggravations  of  sins  against  the  se- 
venth commandment,     .        .        .        394 

The  occasions  of  the  sins  against  the 
seventh  commandment,     .        .        .    395 

QUESTIONS  CXL,  CXLI. 

The  Duties  Enjoined  in  the  Eighth 
Commandment,    ....        396 
The  promotion  of  our  own  well-being,      396 
The  promotion  of  our  neighbour's  well- 
being 397 

QUESTION  CXLIL 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Eighth 

Commandment,       ....  399 

Self-robbery, 399 

Theft, 399 

Breach  of  trust,         .        .        .        .  400 

Non-payment  of  debt,  .        .        .  400 

Oppression,       ...        .        .        .  401 

Litigiousness, 402 

Usury, 402 

Restitution, 402 

QUESTIONS  CXLin,  CXLIV,  CXLV. 

The  Ninth  Commandment,      .        .        403 
The  duties  required  in  the  ninth  com- 
mandment*        .        .        ,         .         .     403 
The  sins  forbidden  in  the  ninth  com- 
mandment  405 

QUESTIONS  CXL VI,  CXL VII,  CXL VIII. 

The  Tenth  Commandment,         .        .    416 
The  duties  required  in  the  tenth  com- 
mandment,      416 

The  sins  forbidden  in  the  tenth  com- 
mandment,         419 

QUESTION  CXLIX. 

Man's    Inability    to  keep  the  Com- 
mandments,        ....        423 
The  nature  and  limits  of  man's  inability,   423 
The    uniform    and  constant   display  of 
man's  inability,  ....    424 

QUESTION  CL. 
The  Degrees  of  Sin,        .        .        .        426 

QUESTION  CLL 

The  Aggravations  of  Sin,  .         .    426 

Aggravations  from  the  person  offending,    426 

parties  offended,     427 

nature  and  quality 

of  the  offence,  ....  428 
— ■ —  circumstances    of 

time  and  place,  ....    429 


QUESTIONS  CLII,  CLIII. 


Page 


The  Desert  of  Sin,  and  the  Way  of 
Escape  from  it,      .        .        .        .    430 
The  desert  of  sin,      ....        430 
The  way  of  escape  from  the  desert  of  sin,  431 


QUESTION  CLIV. 

The  Ordinances, 

The  import  of  the  ordinances,  . 
Classification  of  the  ordinances, 
The  ordinance  of  praise,     . 

QUESTION  CLV. 


433 
433 
434 
434 


The  Ordinance  of  The  Word,  .  443 
The  Word  is  to  be  read  and  explained,  444 
The  Word  made  effectual  to  salvation,      444 

QUESTIONS  CLVI,  CLVII. 

By  Whom  and  How  the  Word  is  to  be 

read, 448 

The  Word  to  be  read  by  and  to  all  men,  448 
Directions  for  reading  the  Word  of  God,   452 

Note. — Scriptures  '  hard  to  be  understood,'  472 

QUESTIONS  CLVIII,  CLIX,  CLX. 

The  Preaching  and  Hearing  of  the 

Word, 473 

By  whom  the  Word  is  to  be  preached,       473 
How  the  Word  is  to  be  preached,      .        476 
The  hearing  of  the  Word,     .        .        .    480 
Note. — Are  unconverted  persons  to  be  ex- 
horted to  pray  ?  481 

QUESTIONS  CLXI,  CLXII,  CLXIII, 
CLXIV. 

The  Sacraments,  ....    483 

The  nature  and  parts  of  a  sacrament,         483 
How  the   sacraments  become    effectual 

means  of  salvation,         .         .         .         487 
What  the  sacraments  of  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation are,         ....         488 

Notes The  design  of  observing  the  Lord's 

Supper, 490 

Extreme  unction,       ....    490 


QUESTION  CLXV. 


492 
492 
493 

494 


Baptism 

The  nature  and  authority  of  baptism, 

The  form  of  baptism,    . 

What  baptism  signifies  and  entails,    . 

QUESTION  CLXVI. 

The  Subjects  and  Mode  of  Baptism,  496 

Who  are  excluded  from  baptism,        .  496 

The  profession  of  faith  made  in  baptism,  497 

Infant  baptism,  ....  497 

The  mode  of  baptism,   ....  506 

Abuse  of  the  ordinance  of  baptism,     .  511 

Note — The  connection  of  discipleship  and 

baptism 512 

QUESTION  CLXVII. 

The  Improvement  of  Baptism,  .  .  513 
Our  obligation  to  improve  baptism,  .  513 
How  baptism  is  to  be  improved,    .         .     514 


CONTENTS. 


VII 


Page 
QUESTIONS  CLXVIII,  CLXIX,  CLXX. 

The  Lord's  Supper,  .        .        .        517 

The  Lord's  Supper  an  ordinance  of  the 

New  Testament,    ....        518 
By  whom  the  Lord's  Supper  is  to  be  ad- 
ministered,    .....        518 
The  elements  used  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  519 
The  setting  apart  of  the  elements  in  the 

Lord's  Supper,  ....     519 

The  actions  performed  in  observing  the 

Lord's  Supper,  520 

What  is  signified  in  the  Lord's  Supper,     522 
The  qualifications  of  communicants,      .     524 

Notes Half-communion,   .        .        .        524 

Transubstantiation,  ....     525 

QUESTION  CLXXI. 

Preparation  for  the  Lord's  Supper,     527 
Self-examination,  .        .       • .        .    527 

Various  duties  of  preparation  for  the 
Lord's  Supper,  ....    534 

QUESTIONS  CLXXII,  CLXXIII. 

The  Partakers  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  535 
The  case  of  doubting  professors,  .        .     535 
i ignorant  and  immoral   pro- 
fessors,       537 

The  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  civil 
test, 540 

QUESTIONS  CLXXIV,  CLXXV. 

Duties  connected  with  the  Obser- 
vance of  the  Lord's  Sdpper,        .    541 
Duties  while  observing  the  Lord's  Supper,  541 
Duties  after  observing  the  Lord's  Supper,  546 

Note — Covenanting  and  Vowing,   .        .    549 

QUESTIONS  CLXXVI,  CLXXVII. 

The  Correspondence  and  the  Differ- 
ence between  Baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,       ....     550 

Correspondence  between  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,  ....     550 

Difference  between  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,  ....    551 

QUESTION  CLXXVIII. 

The  Kinds  and  Parts  of  Prayer,  .    552 

What  prayer  supposes,       .         .         .  553 

The  various  kinds  of  prayer,          .  .     553 

The  various  parts  of  prayer,      .         .  554 

QUESTIONS  CLXXIX,  CLXXX, 
CLXXXI. 

To  Whom  and  in  Whose  Name  Prayer 

is  made, 561 

Prayer  is  to  be  made  to  God  only,     .        561 

in  the  name  of  Christ,  562 

Why  prayer  is  to  be  made  in  the  name  of 
Christ 563 

QUESTION  CLXXXIL 
The  Holy  Spirit's  Help  in  Prayer,  .    563 


Page 
Prayer  cannot  be  made  without  the  Spi- 
rit's help, '563 

In  what  the  Spirit's  help  in  prayer  con- 
sists,          ..."...     565 
Raised  affections  in  prayer,         .         .        566 
Practical  inferences  from  the  Spirit's  help 
in  prayer, 567 

QUESTIONS  CLXXXIII,  CLXXXIV. 

For  Whom  and  for  What  Prayer  is 

to  be  made,  .....  568 
For  whom  prayer  is  to  be  made,  .  568 
For  whom  prayer  is  not  to  be  made,  .  571 
For  what  prayer  is  to  be  made,  .        575 

Note. — Is  any  sin  unpardonable?     .        .    576 

QUESTION  CLXXXV. 

How  Prayer  is  to  be  made,  .  .  580 
The  frame  of  mind  in  which  prayer  is  to 

be  made, 580 

The  graces  which  are  to  be  exercised  in 

prayer, 583 

Requisites  to  the  graces  which  are  to  be 

exercised  in  prayer,  .  .  .  587 
Perseverance  in  prayer,         .        .        .     588 

QUESTIONS  CLXXXVI,  CLXXXVII. 

The  Rule  of  Direction  for  Prayer,      590 

The  necessity  of  a  rule  of  direction  for 
prayer, 590 

The  word  of  God  the  rule  of  direction 
for  prayer, 590 

Practical  inferences  from  the  word  of  God 
being  a  rule  of  direction  for  prayer,    .     600 

The  Lord's  Prayer  a  special  rule  of  direc- 
tion for  prayer,  ....     600 

QUESTIONS  CLXXXVIII,  CLXXXIX. 
The  Preface  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,      602 

QUESTION  CXC. 

The  First   Petition  of   the   Lord's 

Prayer, 608 

QUESTION  CXCI. 

The  Second  Petition  of  the  Lord's 

Prayer, 617 

What  is  supposed  in  the  Second  Petition,  618 
What  is  prayed  for  in  the  Second  Petition,  619 

QUESTION  CXCIL* 

The   Third  Petition  of  the   Lord's 

Prayer, 623 

The  meaning  of  doing  the  will  of  God,  625 
What  is  prayed  for  in  the  Third  Petition,  6/6 
How  the  will  of  God  is  to  be  done,       .     o27 

QUESTION  CXCIII. 

The  Fourth  Petition  of  the  Lord's 

Prayer, 62f- 

The  meaning  of  the  word  *  Bread '  in  the 
Fourth  Petition 628 


CONTENTS. 


Page 
What  is  supposed  in  the  Fourth  Petition,  629 
What  is  prayed  for  in  the  Fourth  Petition,  629 

QUESTION  CXCIV. 

The   Fifth   Petition  of    the    Lord's 

Prayer 633 

Man's  uneasiness  under  a  sense  of  guilt,     634 

How  a  sinner  is  to  ask  forgiveness,  63  > 

The  connexion  between  forgiving  others 

and  enjoying  forgiveness  from  God,        638 

Note. — Prayer  for  Pardon,  .        .        643 


QUESTION  CXCV. 


P«fe 


The   Sixth  Petition  of  the  Lord's 

Prayer, 644 

The  meaning  of  the  word  *  temptation,'     644 
What  is  supposed  in  the  Sixth  Petition,     644 
Temptations,  and  prayer  for  deliverance 
from  them 646 

QUESTION  CXCVI. 
The  Conclusion  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  663 


THE 


DOCTRINES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION 

EXPLAINED  AND  DEFENDED. 


THE   CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

Question  LXI.  Are  all  they  saved  who  hear  the  gospel,  and  live  in  the  church  f 
Answer.  All  thnt  hear  the  gospel,  and  live  in  the  visible  church,  are  not  saved,  but  they  only 
who  arc  true  members  of  the  church  invisible. 

Question  LXII.   What  is  the  visible  church  ? 

Answer.  The  visible  church  is  a  society  made  up  of  all  such  as,  in  all  ages,  and  places  of  the 
world,  do  profess  the  true  religion,  and  of  their  children. 

Question  LXIII.   What  are  the  special  privileges  of  the  visible  church? 

Answer.  The  visible  church  hath  the  privilege  of  being  under  God's  special  care  and  government, 
of  being  protected  and  preserved  in  all  ages,  notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  all  enemies,  and  of 
enjoying  the  communion  of  saints,  the  ordinary  means  of  salvation,  offers  of  grace  by  Christ  to  all 
the  members  of  it  in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  testifying,  that' whosoever  believes  in  him  shall  be 
saved,  and  excluding  none  that  will  come  unto  him. 

Question  LXIV.   What  is  the  invisible  church  f 

Answer.  The  invisible  church  is  the  whole  number  of  the  elect,  that  have  been,  are,  or  shall 
be  gathered  into  one,  under  Christ  the  Head. 

They  who  are  made  partakers  of  Christ's  redemption,  and  are  brought  into  a  state 
of  salvation,  have  been  already  described  as  members  of  Christ's  body  the  church. 
We  are  now  led  to  consider  them  as  brought  into  this  relation  to  him.  Accord- 
ingly we  are  to  inquire  in  what  sense  they  are  members  of  Christ's  church  ;  and  to 
speak  of  this  church  as  to  its  nature,  constitution,  subjects,  and  privileges. 

The  Meaning  of  the  Word  '  Church.' 

We  shall  first  inquire  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  word  'church,'  as  we 
find  it  applied  in  scripture. 

I.  It  is  sometimes  used  to  signify  any  assembly  that  is  met  together,  whatever, 
be  the  design  of  their  meeting.  Though  it  is  very  seldom  taken  in  this  sense  in 
scripture  ;  yet  there  are  two  or  three  places  in  which  it  is  so  understood.  Thus 
the  multitude  who  met  together  at  Ephesus,  who  made  a  riot,  crying  out,  •  Great 
is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,'  are  called  'a  church  ;'  for  the  word  is  the  same  which 
we  generally  so  render.a  Our  translators,  indeed,  render  it,  '  the  assembly  was 
confused  ;'  and  it  is  said,  '  This  matter  ought  to  be  determined  in  a  lawful  assem- 
bly,'15 that  being  an  unlawful  one  ;  and,  •  the  town-clerk  dismissed  the  assembly.'0 
In  all  these  places,  the  word,  in  the  Greek, d  is  the  same  which  we,  in  other  places, 
render  '  church  ;'  and  the  reason  why  our  translators  have  rendered  it  'assembly,' 
is  that  the  word  'church'  is  used  in  a'very  uncommon  sense  in  these  places, — a 
sense  in  which  we  do  not  find  it  used  in  any  other  part  of  scripture. 

a  Acts  xix.  32.  b  Verse  39.  c  Verse  41.  d  cxxAixrva. 

II.  A 


60<b^ 


2  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

2.  The  word  'church'  is  frequently  used  by  the  Fathers  metonymically,  for  the 
place  in  which  the  church  met  together  for  religious  worship.  So  also  it  is  often 
understood  among  us,  and  some  other  reformed  churches,  as  well  as  among  the 
Papists.  But  it  does  not  sufficiently  appear  that  it  is  ever  so  understood  in  scrip- 
ture. Some,  it  is  true,  suppose  that  it  is  taken  in  this  sense  in  1  Cor.  xi.  18,  where 
it  is  said,  '  When  ye  come  together  in  the  church,  I  hear  that  there  are  divisions 
among  you ;'  and,  they  think,  it  is  farther  explained,  and  proved  to  be  taken  in 
this  sense,  from  what  the  apostle  adds,  'When  ye  come  together  into  one  place  ;'e 
■  Have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in,  or  despise  ye  the  church  of  God?'f  They 
hence  conclude  that  the  apostle  means  nothing  else  but  the  place  where  they  were 
convened  together;  more  especially,  as  'the  church'  is  here  opposed  to  their  own 
'houses.'  But  it  may  be  replied  that,  in  the  first  of  the  verses  now  mentioned, 
•When  ye  come  together  in  the  church,'  the  word  may  be  very  easily  understood 
of  particular  persons  met  together  with  the  rest  of  the  church.  As  to  its  being  said 
'when  ye  come  together  into  one  place,'  the  phrase  refers,  not  to  the  place  in  which 
they  were  assembled, s  but  to  their  meeting  together  with  one  design  or  accord. 
And  when  it  is  said,  '  Have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in,  or  despise  ye  the 
church  of  God?'  the  opposition  is  not  between  their  own  houses  and  the  place 
t  where  they  were  met  together ;  but  the  meaning  is,  '  By  your  not  eating  and  drink- 
ing in  your  own  houses,  but  doing  it  in  the  presence  of  the  church  or  the  assembly 
of  God's  people  that  are  met  together,  you  are  not  only  chargeable  with  indecency, 
and  with  interrupting  them  in  the  work  which  they  are  come  about,  but  you  make 
a  kind  of  schism  among  them,  as  doing  that  which  they  cannot  in  conscience  ap- 
prove of,  or  join  with  you  in  ;  and  their  disapproval  you  are  ready  to  call  caprice 
or  humour,  and  hereby  you  despise  them.'  Indeed,  the  place  of  worship  cannot, 
properly  speaking,  be  said  to  be  the  object  of  contempt.  We  conclude,  therefore, 
that  the  apostle  does  not  use  the  word,  in  this  metonymical  sense,  for  the  place  of 
worship,  but  for  the  worshipping  assembly. 

It  is  objected  that  the  word  'synagogue'  is  often  taken  metonymically,  in  scrip- 
ture, for  the  place  where  persons  were  assembled  to  worship.  Thus  our  Saviour  is 
said  sometimes  to  'teach  in  the  synagogues  of  the  Jews.'h  Elsewhere  we  read  of 
one,  concerning  whom  the  Jews  say,  '  He  loveth  our  nation,  and  hath  built  us  a 
synagogue.'1  The  psalmist  also,  speaking  concerning  the  church's  enemies,  says, 
'  They  have  burnt  up  all  the  synagogues  of  God  in  the  land.'k  The  apostle  James, 
likewise,  adapting  his  mode  ot  speaking  to  that  which  was  used  among  the  Jews, 
calls  the  church  of  God  '  a  synagogue. '  '  If, '  says  he, '  there  come  unto  your  assembly, ' 
or  synagogue,  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  'a  man  with  a  gold  ring,'1  &c;  where  the 
word  is  taken  for  the  place  where  they  were  assembled.  The  objectors  hence  infer 
that  we  have  as  much  reason  to  understand  the  word  '  church '  for  the  place  where 
the  church  meets  together.  Now,  though  the  word  '  synagogue, '  in  most  of  these 
scriptures,  certainly  denotes  the  place  where  persons  meet  together  on  a  religious 
account ;  it  is  very  much  to  be  doubted  whether  it  is  to  be  so  understood  in  the  last 
of  the  scriptures  referred  to.  Accordingly,  our  translators  render  it  'assembly;' 
and  so  the  meaning  is,  '  When  you  are  met  together,  if  a  poor  man  come  into  your 
assembly,  you  despise  him.'  But  suppose  the  word  'synagogue'  were  to  be  taken 
in  this,  as  it  is  in  the  other  scriptures,  for  the  place  of  worship  ;  suppose,  also,  that 
*by  a  parity  of  reason,  the  word  '  church'  may  be  taken  in  the  same  sense  ;  all  that 
can  be  inferred  is,  that  they  who  call  places  of  worship  '  churches'  speak  agreeably 
to  the  sense,  though  it  may  be  not  agreeably  to  the  express  words  of  scripture. 
This,  however,  is  so  trifling  a  controversy,  that  it  is  not  worth  our  while  to  say  any 
thing  more  respecting  it. 

The  learned  Medem  insists  largely  on  it,  in  a  discourse  founded  on  the  words  of 
the  apostle  already  mentioned,  '  Have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in,  or  de- 

e  1  Cor.  xi.  20.  f  Verse  22. 

g  The  words  iti  t«  aura,  when  used  elsewhere,  cannot  he  understood  of  the  place  where  persons 
were  met.  but  of  the  unanimity  of  those  who  were  engaged  in  the  same  action  ;  and  therefore  it  it 
rendered  'simul,'  in  Acts  iii.  1.  and  cliap.  iv.  26. 

h  Matt.  iv.  23.  i  L„ke  vii.  5.  k  Psal.  lxxiv.  8.  1  James  ii.  2. 

id  See  his  Works,'  vol.  i.  Book  ii.  p.  405,  et  seq. 


er.  > 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  3 

spise  ye  the  church  of  God  V  He  there  attempts  to  prove  from  the  opposition  that 
there  is  between  their  'own  houses'  and  'the  church  of  God,'  that  the  apostle,  by 
*  the  church,'  means  the  place  of  worship.  But  the  inconclusiveness  of  this  argu- 
ment has  been  already  considered.  What  he  farther  says,  to  prove  that  there  were 
places,  in  the  apostle's  days,  appropriated  or  set  apart  for  divine  worship,  and,  in  par- 
ticular, that  the  room  in  which  the  disciples  met  together  on  the  day  of  our  Saviour's 
resurrection  and  eight  days  after,  in  which  they  were  honoured  with  his  presence, 
was  the  same  in  which  he  ate  his  last  Passover  with  them,  and  instituted  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  that  it  was  in  that  place  that  they  constantly  met  together  for  worship, 
that  there  the  seven  deacons  were  afterwards  chosen,11  and  that  afterwards  a  goodly 
church  was  erected  on  the  same  spot  of  ground, — what  he  says  to  prove  these  points, 
is  mere  uncertain  conjecture.  That  the  disciples  met  together  in  an  apartment  or 
convenient  room  iu  the  dwelling-house  of  some  pious  one  of  their  number,  is  very  pro- 
bable. But  his  observation  that  it  was  an  upper  room,  on  account  of  being  freest  from 
disturbance  and  nearest  to  heaven,  seems  to  be  too  trifling  for  so  great  a  man.  As 
to  his  supposing  that  this  room  is  referred  to  in  the  account  of  the  disciples'  'break- 
ing bread  from  house  to  house,'0  a  phrase  which  he  contends  ought  to  be  rendered 
'breaking  bread  in  the  house,'  that  is,  in  this  house  appointed  for  the  purpose;  his 
rendering  and  the  opinion  founded  on  it,  are  not  so  agreeable  to  the  sense  of  the 
Greek  words.P  as  our  translation  is.  As  to  his  proving  that  there  were  particular 
places  appropriated  for  worship  in  the  three  first  centuries,  by  referring  to  several 
quotations  out  of  the  Fathers  who  lived  in  those  ages,  what  he  says  is  not  to  be 
contested.  Yet  the  objection  which  he  brings  against  this  being  universally  true, 
taken  from  what  Origen,  Minutius  Felix,  Arnobius,  and  Lactantius  say  concern- 
ing the  Christians,  in  their  time,  declining  to  build  them,  after  they  had  been  dis- 
turbed and  harassed  by  various  persecutions,  seems  to  have  some  weight,  and  is 
not  sufficiently  answered  by  him.  What  he  says  on  the  subject  may  be  consulted 
in  the  work  of  his  to  which  we  have  referred.  All  that  we  shall  say  is,  that  it  is 
beyond  dispute  that  as  the  church  was  obliged  to  convene  together  for  religious 
worship,  it  was  necessary  that  the  usual  place  in  which  this  was  performed  should 
be  known  by  them.  But  it  still  remains  uncertain  whether, — though,  at  some  times, 
in  the  more  peaceable  state  of  the  church,  they  met  constantly  in  one  place, — they 
did  not,  at  other  times,  adjourn  from  place  to  place,  or  sometimes  convene  in  the 
open  air,  in  places  where  they  might  meet  with  less  disturbance  from  their  enemies. 
All  who  are  conversant  in  the  history  of  the  church  in  those  ages,  know  that  they 
often  met,  especially  in  times  of  persecution,  in  caves  and  other  subterraneous 
places,  near  the  graves  of  those  who  had  suffered  martyrdom ;  their  object  in  doing 
this  was  not  only  to  encourage  one  another  to  bear  a  similar  testimony  to  Chris- 
tianity to  that  which  the  martyrs  had  done,  but  that  they  might  be  more  retired 
and  undisturbed  in  their  worship. 

But,  as  most  things  connected  with  this  subject  are  of  little  moment,  what  I  would 
principally  oppose  is  an  opinion  which  the  excellent  writer  now  mentioned  attempts 
to  prove,  in  his  following  Dissertation, °-  as  to  the  reverence  which  is  due  to  these 
churches,  not  only  whilst  divine  duties  are  performed  in  them,  but  at  other  times, 
as  supposing  that  they  retain  a  relative  sanctity  which  calls  for  veneration  at  all 
times.  The  main  stress  of  his  argument  rests  on  the  sanctity  of  those  places  which, 
by  divine  appointment,  were  consecrated  for  worship  under  the  ceremonial  law  ; 
and  on  the  reverence  which  was  expressed  by  persons  when  they  entered  them, 
which,  by  a  supposed  parity  of  reason,  he  applies  to  those  places  which  are  erected 
for  worship  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  But  it  does  not  follow  that,  because  the 
tabernacle  and  temple  had  a  relative  holiness  in  them,  the  same  thing  is  applicable 
to  places  of  worship  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  The  temple  was  a  type  of 
God's  presence  among  men,  and  in  particular  of  the  incarnation  of  Christ,  which 
was  a  glorious  instance  of  that  presence.  The  temple  was  also  an  ordinance  for  their 
faith  in  this  matter ;  and  on  that  account  it  was  holy.  Besides,  there  was  a  visible 
external  symbol  of  God's  presence,  whose  throne  was  upon  the  mercy-seat,  between 
the  cherubim,  in  the  holy  of  holies  ;  so  that  this  might  well  be  called  '  a  holy  place,' 

11  Acts  vi.  1 — 6.  o  Acts  ii.  46.  p  K«r'  cikov.  q  See  p.  432,  et  seq. 


4  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

even  when  worship  was  not  performed  in  it.  But  it  is  certain  that  other  places  of 
worship,  and,  in  particular,  the  synagogues,  were  not  then  reckoned  so,  when  no 
worship  was  performed  in  them,  though  they  were  erected  for  that  purpose.  More- 
over, our  Saviour  seems  to  intimate,  that  the  holiness  of  places  is  taken  away  un- 
der the  gospel-dispensation.  This  appears  from  his  reply  to  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
when,  speaking  concerning  their  '  fathers  worshipping  in  this  mountain,'  that  is,  in 
the  temple  which  was  erected  on  mount  Gerizim,  he  says,  '  The  hour  cometh 
when  ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father;'' 
that  is,  no  place  shall  he  so  consecrated  for  religious  worship  that  it  shall  be  more 
acceptable  there  than  elsewhere,  and  consequently  no  veneration  is  to  be  paid  to 
sny  such  place  more  than  another,  where  the  same  worship  may  be  performed.3 

3.  What  we  have  been  stating  is  little  other  than  a  digression  from  our  present 
design;  which  is  to  show  that  the  word  'church,'  in  scripture,  is,  for  the  most  part, 
if  not  always,  taken  for  an  assembly  of  Christians  met  together  for  religious  wor- 
ship, according  to  the  rules  which  Christ  has  given  for  their  direction.  The  He- 
brew word,  in  the  Old  Testament,  by  which  the  church  of  the  Jews  is  signified,  is 
generally  rendered  '  congregation,  'fc  or  assembly  ;  so  that,  in  our  translation,  we 
never  meet  with  the  word  'church'  in  the  Old  Testament.  Yet  what  is  there  called 
*  the  congregation,'  or  assembly  of  the  Israelites,  might  very  properly  be  called  'a 
church,'  inasmuch  as  it  is  so  styled  in  the  New  Testament.  Thus  it  is  said  con- 
cerning Moses,  that  '  he  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness.  'u  But  it  is  certain 
that  the  word  'church,'  is  peculiarly  adapted,  in  the  New  Testament,  to  signify 
the  Christian  church,  worshipping  God  according  to  the  rules  prescribed  by  our 
Saviour,  and  others  delivered  by  his  apostles,  under  the  Spirit's  direction.  This 
is  the  sense  in  which  we  are  to  understand  it,  in  discussing  these  Answers.  [See 
Note  A,  page  36.] 

The  meaning  of  the  phrases  '  the  Visible1  and  '  the  Invisible  Church.' 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  church  as  distinguished  into  visible  and  invisible. 
Each  of  these  is  particularly  defined,  and  will  be  farther  insisted  on  under  some  fol- 
lowing Heads.  At  present,  we  may  offer  something,  by  way  of  premisal,  concern- 
ing the  reason  of  this  distinction.  .The  word  'church,'  according  to  its  grammati- 
cal construction,  signifies  a  number  of  persons  who  are  called  ;  and,  in  its  applica- 
tion to  the  present  subject,  every  one  who  is  a  member  of  it,  may  be  said  to  be 
called  to  be  made  partaker  of  that  salvation  which  is  in  Christ.  Now,  there  is  a 
twofold  calling  spoken  of  in  scripture.  The  one  is  visible  and  external,  whereby  some 
are  made  partakers  of  the  external  privileges  of  the  gospel  and  all  its  ordinances  ; 
the  other  is  internal  and  saving,  whereby  others  are  made  partakers  of  those  special 
and  distinguishing  blessings  which  God  bestows  on  the  heirs  of  salvation.  The  for- 
mer our  Saviour  intends  when  he  says,  '  Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen  ;'x 
the  latter  is  what  the  apostle  speaks  of,  when  he  connects  it  with  'justification' and 

r  John  iv.  20,  21.  s  It  maybe  observed,  that  though  the  learned  author  formerly  mentioned 
gives  sufficient  evidence  from  the  Fathers,  that  there  were  several  places  appropriated,  and  some 
erected,  for  divine  worship,  during  the  three  first  centuries;  and  though  he  thinks  that  whether 
they  were  consecrated  or  not,  there  was  a  great  degree  of  reverence  paid  to  them,  even  at  times 
when  divine  service  was  not  performed  in  them  ;  yet  he  does  not  pioduce  any  proof  for  this  out  of 
the  writings  of  the  Fathers  in  those  centuries.  It  is  impossible,  indeed,  that  he  should  ;  for,  from 
Eusehius'  account  of  the  matter,  it  appears  that  the  consecration  of  churches  was  first  practised  in 
the  fourth  century.  [Vid.  ejusd.  Hist.  Ecil.  lib.  x.  cap.  3.]  As  for  the  quotations  which  Mr. 
Mede  brings  from  Chrysostom  and  Ambrose,  to  prove  that  reverence  was  paid  to  the  churches  in 
their  time,  it  must  be  observed  that  they  lived  in  the  fourth  century,  in  which  churches  being  not 
only  appropriated,  but  consecrated  for  public  worship,  it  is  no  wonder  to  find  the  Fathers  of  that  age 
expressing  a  reverence  for  them.  Nevertheless,  it  is  very  evident,  from  the  words  of  these  Fathers 
there  cited,  that  they  intend  nothing  but  a  reverent  behaviour,  which  ought  to  be  expressed  by 
those  who  come  into  the  church  to  perforin  any  act  of  divine  worship;  and  this  we  are  lar  from 
deinintf,  whether  the  external  rites  of  consecration  be  used  or  not.  As  for  his  quotation  from 
Tertullian,  who  lived  in  the  end  of  the  second  century,  it  does  not  prove  that  he  thought  reverence 
ought  to  be  expressed  to  the  places  of  worship,  but  that  the  highest  reverence  ought  to  be  used  in 
the  acts  of  worship,  and  particularly  in  prayer  ;  which  is  an  undoubted  truth,  whether  we  worship 
God  in  the  church  or  anywhere  else. 

t  mp.  u  Acts  vii.  Sa  x  Matt.  xx.  16. 


THE  CHURCH,   VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  5 

'  glorification. 'y  Now,  thej  who  are  called  in  the  former  of  these  senses,  are  in- 
cluded in  that  branch  of  the  distinction  which  respects  the  visible  church  ;  the  lat- 
ter are  members  of  that  church  which  is  styled  invisible.  The  former  are  members 
o£  Christ  by  profession  ;  the  latter  are  united  to  him  as  their  Head  and  Husband, 
are  made  partakers  of  spiritual  life  from  him,  and  shall  live  for  ever  with  him. 
The  members  of  the  visible  church  are  the  children  of  God,  as  made  partakers  of 
the  external  dispensation  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  These  God  speaks  of,  when 
he  says,  '  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children.'2  Elsewhere  also  he  says 
concerning  the  church  of  the  Jews,  who  were  externally  in  covenant  with  him, 
4  Israel  is  my  son,  even  my  first-born. 'a  But  the  members  of  the  invisible  church 
are  the  children  of  God  by  faith  ; b  and  because  children  in  this  sense,  '  heirs, — 
heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ.'0  These  things,  however,  must  be  parti- 
cularly insisted  on. 

The  Invisible  Church. 

Accordingly,  we  shall  say  something  concerning  the  invisible  church.  This  is 
described,  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining,  as  containing  the  whole  num- 
ber of  the  elect  who  have  been,  are,  or  shall  be  gathered  into  one,  under  Christ 
their  Head. 

1.  They  are  said  to  be  elect,  and  subject  to  Christ  their  Head.  On  this  account, 
some  have  included  in  the  number  the  holy  angels  ;  inasmuch  as  they  are  styled, 
by  the  apostle,  ■  elect  angels  ;'d  and  Christ  is,  in  some  respects,  their  Head,  as  the 
apostle  calls  him  '  the  Head  of  all  principality  and  power  ; ' e  and  elsewhere  the 
church  is  said  to  come  to  '  an  innumerable  company  of  angels. 'f  But  though  they 
are  indeed  elected,  it  may  be  questioned  whether  they  were  chosen  in  Christ,  as  the 
elect  among  the  children  of  men  are  said  to  be  ;  and  though  Christ  is  styled  their 
Head,  yet  his  headship  over  them  does  not  include  those  things  which  are  implied 
in  his  being  the  Head  of  his  chosen  people,  as  he  is  the  Head  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  on  which  their  salvation  is  founded,  or  •  the  Captain  of  their  salvation,  *  who, 
having  purchased  them  by  his  blood,  brings  them  into  a  state  of  grace,  and  then 
to  glory.  For  these,  and  similar  reasons,  I  would  not  assert  that  angels  are  pro- 
perly a  part  of  Christ's  invisible  church,  but  would  infer  that  it  includes  those  only 
who  are  elected  to  salvation  among  the  children  of  men. 

2.  They  are  farther  described  as  persons  who  have  been,  are,  or  shall  be  gathered 
into  one,  under  Christ  the  Head.  Hence,  there  is  a  part  of  them  that  are  not  ac- 
tually brought  in  to  him.  These  our  Saviour  speaks  of,  under  the  metaphor  of 
sheep  who  were  '  not  of  this  fold,'  concerning  whom  he  says,  '  Them  also  I  must 
bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice. 'h  There  is  also  another  part  of  them  who  are 
triumphant  in  heaven ;  as  well  as  those  who  are  actually  called  by  the  grace  of 
God,  and  are  on  their  way  to  heaven,  struggling,  at  present,  with  many  difficulties, 
through  the  prevalence  of  corruption, — and  conflicting  with  many  temptations,  and 
exposed  to  many  evils,  which  attend  the  present  state.  These  different  circum- 
stances of  those  who  are  brought  in  to  Christ,  give  occasion  to  the  known  distinction 
between  '  the  church  triumphant'  and  '  the  church  militant.' 

To  that  part  of  this  description  of  the  invisible  church  which  includes  those  who 
shall  be  gathered  unto  Christ,  it  is  objected  that  no  one  can  be  said  to  be  a  member 
of  this  church  who  is  not  actually  brought  in  unto  him ;  for  to  say  this  would  be  to 
suppose  that  unconverted  persons  might  be  members  of  it,  and  consequently  that 
Christ  is  their  Head,  Shepherd,  and  Saviour.  Yet  they  are  characterized,  in  scrip- 
ture, as  children  of  wrath,  running  in  all  excess  of  riot,  refusing  to  submit  to  him, 
and  neglecting  that  great  salvation  which  is  offered  in  the  gospel.  How,  then,  it 
is  asked,  can  such  be  members  of  Christ's  church,  and  that  in  the  highest  sense  of 
the  word  'church?'  Moreover,  it  is  objected,  against  the  account  given  of  the  in- 
visible church  in  this  Answer,  that  a  part  of  those  who  are  said  to  be  the  members 
of  it,  are  considered,  at  present,  as  not  existing.     It  must,  we  are  told,  be  a  very 

y  Rom.  viii.  30.  z  Isa.  i.  2.  a  Exod.  iv.  22.  b  Gal.  iii.  26.  c  Rom.  viii.  17. 

d  1  Tim.  v.  21.  e  Col.  ii.  10.       f  Heb.  xii.  22.  g  Chap.  ii.  10.  h  John  x.  16. 


6  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

improper,  if  not  absurd,  way  of  speaking,  to  say  that  such  are  members  of  Christ's 
church. 

Now,  I  am  not  inclined  to  extenuate  those  expressions  of  scripture  which  repre- 
sent unconverted  persons  as  children  of  wrath,  in  open  rebellion  against  God,  and 
refusing  to  submit  to  him ;  nor  would  I  say  any  thing  from  which  such  might  have 
the  least  ground  to  conclude  that  they  have  a  right  to  any  of  the  privileges  of  God's 
elect  or  of  Christ's  invisible  church,  or  that  they  are  included  in  that  number.  To 
do  this  would  be  to  expose  the  doctrine  of  election  to  one  of  the  main  objections  which 
are  brought  against  it, — that  it  leads  to  licentiousness.  Yet  let  it  be  considered 
that  this  Answer  treats  of  the  invisible  church  ;  so  that  whatever  privileges  are 
reserved  for  those  who,  though  elected,  are  in  an  unconverted  state,  are  altogether 
unknown  to  them,  and  it  would  be  an  unwarrantable  presumption  for  them  to  lay 
claim  to  them.  We  must  not  deny,  however,  that  God  knows  who  are  his,  who 
are  redeemed  by  Christ,  and  what  blessings,  pursuant  to  their  being  so,  shall  be 
applied  to  them.  He  knows  the  time  when  they  shall  be  made  a  willing  people,  in 
the  day  of  his  power  ;  and  what  graces  he  designs  to  work  in  them.  He  considers 
the  elect  in  general  as  given  to  Christ,  and  Christ  as  having  undertaken  to  do  all 
that  is  necessary  to  fit  them  for  the  heavenly  blessedness.  Moreover,  we  must 
suppose  that  God  knows,  without  the  least  doubt  and  uncertainty,  the  whole  num- 
ber of  those  who  shall  appear  with  Christ  in  glory,  at  his  second  coming.  For 
things  which  are  future  to  us,  are  present  with  respect  to  him  ;  as,  with  one  single 
view,  he  knows  all  things  past  and  to  come,  as  well  as  present.  Now,  if  the  ex- 
pression made  use  of  be  thus  qualified,  which  is  agreeable  to  the  design  of  this 
Answer,  I  cannot  see  that  the  objection  has  sufficient  force  to  overthrow  it ;  any 
more  than  those  arguments  which  are  usually  brought  against  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, can  render  it  less  worthy  to  be  received  by  us. 

The  other  branch  of  the  objection,  is  that  they  who  are  not  in  being  cannot  be 
denominated  members  of  Christ's  church  in  any  sense.  Now,  though  it  be  allowed 
that  such  cannot  be,  at  present,  the  subjects  of  any  privileges  ;  yet  we  must  consider 
that,  since  God  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  they  may,  in  his  eternal  purpose  to  save 
them,  be  considered  as  the  objects  of  his  grace,  and  therefore,  in  his  account,  be 
reckoned  members  of  Christ's  invisible  church,  that  is,  such  as  he  designs  to  bring 
into  being,  and  afterwards  to  make  meet  to  partake  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light.  I  see  no  reason,  therefore,  to  except  against  the  mode  of  speaking  in 
which  they  are  described  as  persons  who  shall  be  gathered  under  Christ  their 
Head.  If,  however,  the  objection  respected  only  the  propriety  or  impropriety  of  a 
word,  and  had  not  a  tendency  to  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  God's  certain  and  per- 
emptory election,  I  would  not  militate  against  it. 

3.  This  church,  which  is  said  to  consist  of  the  whole  number  of  the  elect,  is  styled 
invisible.  By  this  we  are«not  to  understand  that  their  election  of  God  cannot  be 
known  by  themselves  ;  for  we  have  sufficient  ground,  from  scripture,  to  conclude 
that  believers  may  attain  the  assurance  of  this  in  the  present  life.  But  the  church 
is  so  called,  because  many  of  them  have  finished  their  course  in  this  world,  and 
have  entered  into  that  state  in  which  they  are,  with  respect  to  those  who  live  here, 
no  more  seen.  Moreover,  the  number  of  those  who  are  styled  the  members  of  this 
church,  cannot  be  determined  by  any  creature.  It  is  known  to  God  only.  That 
grace,  also,  which  any  of  them  experience,  how  far  soever  they  may  arrive  at  the 
knowledge  of  it  themselves,  cannot  be  said  to  be  certainly  and  infallibly  known  by 
others.  Hence,  the  apostle  says  concerning  them,  that  'their  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God.'1  [See  Note  B,  p.  38.]  Although,  however,  this  church  is  at  present 
invisible ;  yet,  when  the  whole  number  of  the  elect  shall  be  brought  in  to  Christ, 
and,  as  the  apostle  says,  'gathered  together  unto  him,'k  it  shall  no  longer  remain 
invisible.  For  '  when  Christ,  who  is  their  life,  shall  appear,  then  they  shall  also 
appear  with  him  in  glory.'1 

We  may  farther  observe  concerning  the  church,  as  thus  described,  that  it  has 
many  glorious  characters  given  of  it.  It  is  frequently,  in  the  Song  of  Solomon, 
(•ailed  Christ's  spouse.  By  this  name,  the  inspired  writer  seems  to  intend  more 
than  what  could  well   be  said  concerning   the    Jewish  church  ;  for  the  descrip- 

i  Col.  iii.  3.  k  2  Thess.  ii.  1.  1  Col.  iii.  4. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  7 

tion  there  given  of  it,  as  being  all  fair,  and  without  spot,"*  is  applicable  rather  to 
the  state  in  which  the  saints  shall  be  hereafter,  than  to  that  in  which  they  are  at 
present,  so  that  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  he  speaks  of  the  invisible  church,  or  the 
election  of  grace.  The  character  which  he  gives  of  them  is  an  allusion  to  that 
conjugal  union  which  there  is  between  Christ  and  believers.  In  reference  to  this 
union,  it  is  said  elsewhere,  '  Thy  Maker  is  thine  Husband,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his 
name  ;  and  thy  Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.'11  The  psalmist,  also  in  a  very 
elegant  manner,  describes  the  church  as  thus  related  to  Christ,  when  he  says, 
'  Upon  thy  right  hand  did  stand  the  queen  in  gold  of  Ophir  ;'°  and  then  goes  on  to 
speak  of  it  as  arrived  at  the  highest  pitch  of  honour  and  happiness,  and  as  introduced 
into  the  king's  presence  'in  raiment  of  needle-work, 'with  gladness  and  rejoicing,  being 
brought  into  his  palace.P  The  apostle  calls  it,  '  the  general  assembly  and  church 
of  the  first-born,  which  are  written,'**  or,  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  enrolled,  'in  heaven.' 
It  is  considered  also,  when  brought  to  perfection,  and  'presented  '  by  Christ  'to 
himself,'  or  to  his  own  view  at  last,  as  '  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle, 
or  any  such  thing,  but  holy,  and  without  blemish. 'r  In  this  respect  it  may  be 
called,  'the  holy  catholic  church;'  though  many,  without  sufficient  ground,  under- 
stand the  words  of  the  Creed  in  which  it  is  so  called,  in  a  sense  very  different  from 
and  inferior  to  this.  [See  Note  C,  p.  38.] — Again,  the  invisible  church  is  but  one 
body,  and  therefore  not  divided,  like  the  visible  church,  into  many  particular  bodies, 
as  will  be  observed  under  a  following  Head.  This  seems  to  be  the  meaning  of  the 
expression  in  which  it  is  said,  'My  dove,  my  undefiled  is  but  one.'s — Further,  it  is 
not  the  seat  of  human  government,  as  the  visible  church  is ;  nor  are  persons  said 
to  be  received  into  its  communion.  Whatever  officers  Christ  has  appointed,  to 
secure  the  order  and  promote  the  edification  of  his  churches,  have  nothing  to  do 
in  the  church  considered  as  invisible.  It  is,  however,  eminently  under  Christ's 
special  government;  who  is  the  Head  as  well  as  the  Saviour  of  it. — Again,  there 
are  many  special  privileges  which  belong  to  it.  These  include  all  the  graces  and 
comforts  which  are  applied  to  its  members  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  so  they  are 
considered  as  enjoying  union  and  communion  with  Christ  in  grace  and  glory,  as 
being  called,  justified,  sanctified,  and  many  of  them  assured  of  their  interest  in 
Christ  here,  while  all  of  them  shall  be  glorified  with  him  hereafter.  These  privi- 
leges are  insisted  on,  in  several  following  Answers.  We  therefore  pass  them  over 
at  present,  and  proceed  to  consider  another  of  the  Answers  which  we  are  to  explain. 

The  Visible  Church. 

We  have  next  an  account  of  the  visible  church.  This  is  described  as  a  society 
made  up  of  all  those  who,  in  all  ages  and  places  of  the  world,  profess  the  true  reli- 
gion, and  of  their  children.  In  this  description  of  the  church,  we  may  observe 
that  it  is  called  visible,  not  only  because  the  worship  performed  in  it,  and  the  laws 
given  to  those  particular  churches  of  which  it  consists,  are  visible,  but  because  its 
members  are  so,  or  known  to  the  world,  and  because  the  profession  they  make  of 
the  true  religion,  or  subjection  to  Christ  as  their  Head  and  Sovereign,  is  open, 
free,  and  undisguised,  whereby  they  are  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  the  world. 

Moreover,  it  is  called  a  Society.  This  denomination  it  takes  from  the  com- 
munion which  its  members  have  with  one  another.  But  as  the  word  is  in  the 
singular  number,  as  denoting  but  one  body  of  men,  it  is  to  be  inquired  whether 
this  be  a  proper  mode  of  speaking,  though  frequently  used.  It  is  allowed  1by  all 
Protestants,  that  there  are,  and  have  been  ever  since  the  first  preaching  of  the 
gospel  by  the  apostles,  many  particular  churches  in  the  world.u     That  there  were 

m  Cant.  iv.   7,  et  seq.  n  Isa.  liv.  5.  o  Psal.  xlv.  9.  p  Verses  14, 15. 

q  Heb.  xii.  23.  r  Eph.  v.  27.  s  Cant.  vi.  9. 

t  The  Papists,  indeed,  pretend  that  there  is  no  church  in  the  world  but  that  which  they  style 
catholic  and  visible,  of  which  the  Bishop  of  Rome  is  the  head.  But  we  may  say,  in  answer  to  this 
vain  boast,  as  is  said  concerning  the  church  in  Sardis,  (Rev.  iii.  1.)  '  Thou  hast  a  name  that  thou 
livest,  and  art  dead.'  Protestants,  though  they  often  speak  of  the  visible  church  as  one,  yet  do 
rot  deny  that  there  are  many  particular  churches  contained  in  it.  See  the  Assembly's  Confession  of 
Faith,  chap.  25.  sect.  4. 


8  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

such  in  the  apostolic  times,  appears  from  what  we  often  read  in  the  New  Testament, 
as  the  apostle  Paul  directs  his  epistles  to  particular  churches,  such  as  those  at 
Ephesus,  Corinth,  Philippi,  &c.     Some  of  these  were  larger,  others  smaller  ;  yet 
they  are  equally  called  churches,  denoting  that  no  regard  is  to  he  had  to  the  numher 
of  persons  of  which  each  of  them  consists.     Thus  we  read  of  churches  in  particular 
houses  ;u  and  these,  for  the  reasons  above-mentioned,  may  each  of  them,  without 
the  least  impropriety  of  expression,  be  styled  a  visible  church. — But  it  must  also 
be  allowed,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  church  is  spoken  of  in  the  singular  number, 
in  scripture,  as  if  it  were  but  one.     Thus  it  is  said,  '  Saul  made  havoc  of  the  church, 
entering  into  every  house,  and  haling  men  and  women,  committed  them  to  prison.'* 
Speaking  of  himself,  he  says,  '  Concerning  zeal,  persecuting  the  church ;'?  and  else- 
where, '  Beyond  measure  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God,  and  wasted  it.'z     Now, 
it  is  certain  that  it  was  not  one  particular  church  that  he  directed  his  persecuting 
rage  against,  but  all  the  churches  of  Christ  wherever  he  went,  especially  those  in 
Judea.     These  he  speaks  of  in  ,the  plural  number  ;a  and,  by  doing  so,  he  explains 
what  he  means  by  his  •  persecuting  the  church  of  God  ;'  for  it  is  said,  •  He  which 
persecuted  us  in  times  past,  now  preacheth  the  faith  which  once  he  destroyed.'1* 
Elsewhere,  too,  it  is  said,  •  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church  ;  first,  apostles  ;  second- 
arily, prophets  ;  thirdly,  teachers.'0     By  'the  church,'  here,  we  are  to  understand 
all  the  churches  ;  for  the  apostles  were  not  pastors  of  any  particular  church,  but 
acted  as  pastors  in  all  the  churches  wherever  they  went.     Though  every  church 
had  its  own  respective  pastor  set  over  it,  who  was  in  a  peculiar  manner  related  to 
it,  yet  all  these  churches  are  called  in  this  place  'the  church.'     We  are  not,  there- 
fore, to  contend  about  the  use  of  a  word,  provided  it  be  rightly  explained,  whether 
persons  speak  of  the  church  in  the  singular,  or  churches  in  the  plural  number.     If 
we  speak  of  the  church  as  if  it  were  but  one,  the  word  is  to  be  taken  collectively  for  all 
the  churches  of  Christ  in  the  world.     This  the  apostle  explains,  when  he  speaks  of 
them  all  as  if  they  were  'one  body,'  under  the  influence  of  the  same  Spirit,  'called 
in  one  hope  of  their  calling,  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father 
of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  them  all.  'd     This  is  that  '  unity  of 
the  Spirit' which  they  were  to  'endeavour  to  keep,'  and,  in  keeping  which,  they  were 
to  act  agreeably  to  their  faith.    In  this  respect,  we  freely  allow  that  all  the  churches 
of  Christ  are  one.     There  is  but  one  foundation  on  which  they  are  built,  one  rule 
of  faith,  one  way  to  heaven,  in  which  they  all  professedly  walk.     Moreover,  not 
only  have  the  churches  of  Christ  communion  with  one  another  in  their  particular 
societies  ;  but  there  is  a  communion  of  churches,  whereby  they  own  one  another 
as  walking  in  the  same  fellowship  with  themselves,  express  a  sympathy  with  one 
another  in  afflictive  circumstances,  and  rejoice  in  one  another's  edification  and 
flourishing  state.     In  these  respects,  we  consider  the  churches  as  one  ;  and  so  call 
them  all  the  church  of  Christ.     This  is  to  be  understood,  however,  with  certain 
limitations.     We  are  not  to  suppose  that  the  church,  as  the  seat  of  government,  is 
one  ;  or  that  there  is  one  set  of  men  who  have  a  warrant  to  bear  rule  over  the  whole, 
that  is,  over  all  the  churches  of  Christ;  for  none  suppose  that  there  is  one  universal 
pastor  of  the  church,  except  the  Papists.     All  Protestants,  however  they  explain 
their  sentiments  about  the  catholic  visible  church,  allow  that  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment is  in  each  particular  church,  of  which  no  one  has  any  right  to  give  pastors  to 
other  churches,  or  to  appoint  who  shall  be  admitted  into  their  respective  communion. 
There  is  another  thing  in  this  description  of  the  visible  church  which  stands  in 
need  df  being  explained  and  defended.     It  is  said  that  it  consists  of  all  such  as,  in 
all  ages  and  places  of  the  world,  do  profess  the  true  religion.    If  nothing  be  intended 
hereby  but  that  none  have  a  right  to  the  privilege  of  communion  of  saints,  or  are 
fit  to  be  received  into  any  church  of  Christ,  but  those  who  profess  the  true  religion, 
or  the  faith  on  which  the  church  is  built,  I  am  far  from  denying  it ;  for  to  do  so 
would  be  to  suppose  that  the  church  professes  one  faith  and  some  of  its  members 
another,  or  that  it  builds  up  what  it  allows  others  to  throw  down.     But  I  am  a 
little  at  a  loss  to  account  for  the  propriety  of  the  expression,  when  the  church  is 

«i   1  Cor.  xvi.  19.  x  Acts  viii.  3.  y  Phil.  iii.  6.  z  Gal.  i.  13. 

a  Gal.  i.  22.  b  Ver.  23.  c  1  Cor.  xii.  28.  d  Eph.  iv.  4—6. 


THE   CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  Q 

I 

said  to  be  a  society  professing  the  true  religion  in  all  ages.  It  cannot  be  supposed 
that  the  church  or  churches  which  are  now  in  being  are  any  part  of  that  society  which 
professed  the  true  religion  in  Moses'  time,  or  in  the  apostolic  age.  It  is,  however, 
principally  the  propriety  of  expression  which  is  to  be  excepted  against;  for  I  suppose 
nothing  is  intended  by  it  but  that,  as  the  church  in  every  respective  foregoing  age  con- 
sisted of  those  who  embraced  the  true  religion,  so  it  consists  of  no  other  in  our  age. 

There  is  one  thing  more  which  I  would  take  leave  to  observe  in  this  descrip-' 
tion  of  the  church.  What  I  refer  to  is  a  defect  in  the  description,  which  ren- 
ders it  incomplete.  It  speaks  of  the  church  as  consisting  of  those  who  profess  the 
true  religion  ;  but  makes  no  mention  of  that  bond  of  union  which  constitutes  every 
particular  branch  of  the  universal  church,  a  church  of  Christ.  It  speaks,  indeed, 
of  those  qualifications  which  belong  to  every  one  as  a  Christian,  which  is  a  remote, 
though  necessary  condition,  of  being  received  into  church-communion ;  but  it  takes 
no  notice  of  that  mutual  consent  which  is  the  more  immediate  bond  by  which  the 
members  of  every  church  coalesce  together.  But  this  we  may  have  occasion  to 
consider  under  a  following  Head. 

The  last  thing  I  observe  in  this  description  of  the  visible  church  is,  that  it  con- 
sists not  only  of  the  professors  of  the  true  religion,  but  of  their  children.  This  is 
rather  to  be  explained  than  denied.  Yet  I  cannot  but  observe  that  many  have 
run  too  great  lengths  in  what  they  have  asserted  concerning  the  right  of  children 
to  this  privilege.  Some  of  the  Fathers  not  only  considered  them  as  members  of 
the  church,  but  brought  them  to  the  Lord's  table,  and  gave  them  the  bread  dipped 
in  the  wine,  in  the  same  way  as  food  is  applied  to  infants  when  they  are  too  young 
to  discover  anything  of  its  design.  That  which  led  them  into  this  mistake  was  their 
misunderstanding  the  sense  of  our  Saviour's  words,  •  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.'e  They  supposed  that 
these  words  were  meant  of  eating  bread  and  drinking  wine  in  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
though  they  might  easily  have  known  that  this  was  not  our  Saviour's  meaning, 
inasmuch  as  the  Lord's  Supper  was  not  instituted  till  some  time  after,  and,  when 
instituted,  was  not  designed  to  be  reckoned  so  necessary  to  salvation  that  the  mere 
not  partaking  of  it  should  exclude  from  it.  Cyprian  gives  an  account  of  his  ad- 
ministering it  to  an  infant  brought  by  her  mother,  and  relates  a  circumstance 
attending  the  ministration  which  savours  so  much  of  superstition  in  that  grave  and 
pious  Father,  that  I  forbear  to  mention  it.f  The  giving  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to 
children,  was  practised  not  only  by  him,  but  by  several  others  in  some  following 
ages.  Many,  also,  in  later  ages,  speak  of  children  as  incomplete  members  of  the 
church.  Some  suppose  that  their  being  so  is  the  result  of  their  baptismal  dedica- 
tion. Others  suppose  that  it  is  their  birthright ;  and  they  have,  in  consequence, 
maintained  that  when  the  children  come  to  be  adult,  they  rather  claim  their  right 
to  church-communion  than  are  admitted  to  it,  as  those  who  are  not  the  children  of 
church-members.  As  a  farther  consequence  of  their  opinion,  they  assert  that,  if 
they  are  guilty  of  vile  enormities,  and  thereby  forfeit  their  privilege,  they  are  in  a 
formal  way  to  be  excommunicated ;  and  that  it  is  a  defect  in  the  government  of  the 
churches  in  our  day  that  this  is  not  practised.  The  opinion  of  these  parties,  how- 
ever, is  not  what  is  meant,  in  the  Answer  under  consideration,  by  children  being 
members  of  churches,  together  with  their  parents.  What  is  meant  will,  I  think, 
be  allowed  by  all :  it  is,  that  children  being  the  property  of  parents,  the  latter  are 
obliged  to  dedicate  them,  together  with  themselves,  to  God,  and,  pursuant  to  their 
doing  so,  to  endeavour  to  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord, 
hoping  that,  through  his  blessing  on  education,  they  may,  in  his  own  time  and  way, 
be  qualified  for  church-communion,  and  then  admitted  to  it,  that  hereby  the  churches 
of  Christ  may  have  an  addition  of  members  to  fill  up  the  places  of  those  who  are 
called  off  the  stage.  As  to  the  concern  of  the  church  in  this  matter,  which  in  some 
respect  redounds  to  the  advantage  of  the  children  of  those  who  are  members  of  it, 
they  are  obliged  to  show  their  regard  to  them,  so  far  as  to  exhort  their  parents,  if 
there  be  occasion,  to  express  a  due  concern  for  their  spiritual  welfare ;  or,  if  the  chil- 
dren are  defective  in  religion,  to  extend  their  censure  rather  to  the  parents  than,  to 

e  John  vi.  53.  f  Vid.  Cypr.  de  baps.  cap.  1,  §  13. 

II.  B 


10  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

them,  as  neglecting  a  moral  duty,  and  so  acting  unbecoming  the  relation  they  stajid 
in  to  them. 

Having  thus  spoken  concerning  the  description  given  of  the  visible  church  in 
this  Answer,  we  shall  now  proceed  to  discuss  it  more  particularly,  and  accordingly 
shall  consider  its  former  and  present  constitution  and  government.  [See  Note  D, 
page  40.] 

The  Church  under  the  Mosaic  Dispensation. 

As  to  the  Jewish  church  before  the  gospel-dispensation,  it  was  erected  in  the 
wilderness,  and  the  laws  by  which  it  was  governed  were  given  by  God,  and  trans- 
mitted to  Israel  by  the  hand  of  Moses.  We  read  of  a  very  remarkable  occurrence 
preceding  their  being  settled  as  a  church.  God  demanded  an  explicit  consent  from 
the  whole  congregation  to  be  his  people,  and  to  be  governed  by  those  laws  he  should 
give  them.  They  then  made  a  public  declaration,  '  All  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
we  will  do  ;'  and  '  Moses  returned  the  words  of  the  people  unto  the  Lord.'  Soon 
after,  there  was  another  covenant-transaction  between  God  and  them,  mentioned 
in  a  following  chapter :  '  Moses  came  and  told  the  people  all  the  words  of  the 
Lord,  and  all  the  judgments  ;  and  all  the  people  answered  with  one  voice,  and 
said,  All  the  words  which  the  Lord  hath  said  will  we  do. '  This  was  confirmed  by 
sacrifice.  •  He  took  half  of  the  blood,  and  put  it  in  basons,  and  half  of  the  blood 
he  sprinkled  on  the  altar,  and  he  took  the  book  of  the  covenant  and  read  in  the 
audience  of  the  people.'  They  here  repeated  their  engagement,  '  All  that  the 
Lord  hath  said  will  we  do,  and  be  obedient:'  and  then  'he  took  the  blood  and 
sprinkled  it  on  the  people,  and  said,  Behold  the  blood  of  the  covenant  which  the 
Lord  hath  made  with  you,  concerning  all  these  words. '»  Immediately  after,  we 
have  an  account  of  an  extraordinary  display  which  they  had  of  the  divine  glory : 
'  They  saw  God,  and  did  eat  and  drink, 'h  which  was  a  farther  confirming  of  the 
covenant.  On  some  important  occasions  they  renewed  this  covenant  with  God. 
They  '  avouched  him  to  be  their  God  ;'  and  he  condescended,  at  the  same  time, 
to  'avouch  them  to  be  his  peculiar  people.'1  Thus  they  were  settled  in  a  church- 
relation  by  God's  appointment,  and  by  their  solemn  covenant  and  consent  to  be  his 
people. 

After  this,  we  read  of  God's  settling  the  form  of  their  church-government,  ap- 
pointing the  various  ordinances  and  institutions  which  are  contained  in  the  cere- 
monial law,  settling  a  ministry  among  them,  and  giving  directions  concerning  every 
branch  of  the  work  which  was  to  be  performed.  Aaron  and  his  sons  had  the  priest- 
hood committed  to  them  ;  and  they  were  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices.  The  high 
priest  was  to  be  chief  minister  in  holy  things  ;  the  other  priests  assistants  to  him 
in  most  branches  of  his  office.  And  when  the  temple  was  built,  and  the  service  to 
be  performed  in  it  established,  the  priests  attended  in  their  respective  courses,  each 
course  entering  on  their  ministry  every  sabbath  ;k  and  there  being  twenty-four 
courses,1  it  came  to  their  respective  turns  twice  every  year.  The  porters,  also, 
who  were  to  wait  continually  at  the  avenues  of  the  temple  day  and  night,  to  pre- 
vent any  unclean  person  or  thing  from  coming  into  it,  as  well  as  its  being  plundered 
of  the  treasures  which  were  laid  up  in  chambers  adjoining  to  it, — they  also,  the 
number  of  whom  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  priests, m  ministered  in  their  courses. 
The  singers,  too,  who  attended  some  parts  of  the  worship,  ministered  in  their  courses.11 
Besides  these,  there  were  some  appointed  to  represent  the  people,  who  were  chosen 
to  come  up  from  their  respective  places  of  abode  with  the  priests  when  they  minis- 
tered in  their  courses.  These  are  called  stationary  men.  Dr.  Lightfoot0  gives 
an  account  of  them  from  some  Jewish  writers  who  treat  on  the  subject.  Not  that 
we  have  any  mention  of  them  in  scripture  ;  but  it  is  supposed  that  the  appointment 
of  them  took  its  rise  from  the  law?  which  obliged  those  who  brought  an  offering  to 
the  Lord  to  be  present,  and  to  '  put  their  hands  upon  the  head '  of  it,  as  well  as 

g  Exod.  xxiv.  3,  5—9.  h  Verse  11.  i  Dent.  xxvi.  17,  18.  k  2  Chron.  xxiii.  4. 

1  1  Chron.  xxiv.  m  1  Chron.  xxiii.  5.  romp,  with  chap.  xxvi.  n  1  Chron.  xxiii.  5. 

comp.  with  chap.  xxv.  o  See  his  works,  vol.  i.  pages  92-1,  925.  p  Lev.  i.  3,  4. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  1  [ 

the  priests  who  had  the  main  concern  in  the  service.  From  this  law  it  is  inferred 
that,  as,  besides  the  sacrifices  which  were  offered  for  particular  persons,  there  were 
daily  sacrifices  offered  in  behalf  of  the  whole  congregation,  and  as  it  was  impos- 
sible for  them  to  be  present  to  bear  a  part  in  this  service,  it  was  necessary  that 
some  should  be  deputed  to  represent  the  whole  body  of  the  people,  that  so  there 
might  be  a  number  present  to  assist  in  this  service,  and  that  these  acts  of  worship 
might  be  performed  in  the  most  public  manner.  Inasmuch,  too,  as  this  was  to  be 
performed  daily,  it  was  necessary  that  some  should  be  deputed  whose  proper  busi- 
ness it  was  to  attend.  Dr.  Lightfoot  thinks  also,  that,  as  there  were  priests  deputed 
to  minister  in  their  courses,  so  there  was  a  number  of  persons  deputed  to  repre- 
sent the  people,  who  went  up  to  Jerusalem  with  the  priests  of  the  respective  course. 
He  adds,  that  at  the  same  time  that  these  were  ministering  in  the  temple,  the  peo- 
ple met  together,  and  spent  the  week  in  those  synagogues  which  were  near  the 
place  of  their  abode,  in  fasting  and  other  acts  of  religious  worship  ;  in  which, 
though  at  a  distance,  they  implored  a  blessing  on  the  service  which  their  brethren 
were  performing.  As  to  the  rest  of  the  people,  they  were  obliged  to  be  present  at 
Jerusalem  at  the  solemn  and  public  festivals  performed  three  times  a-year.  Such 
of  them  as  had  committed  any  sin  which  was  to  be  expiated  by  sacrifice,  were  to 
go  up  thither  to  the  temple  at  other  times,  and  bring  their  sacrifices  to  atone  for 
the  guilt  which  they  had  contracted. 

It  may  be  said  that  though  this  was,  indeed,  a  solemn  method  of  worship,  exceed- 
ingly beautiful,  and  having  a  feature  which  was  its  glory,  namely,  that  the  temple- 
service  was  typical  of  Christ  and  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  him ;  yet  it  seems  to 
have  included  no  means  for  instructing  the  people  in  the  doctrines  of  religion,  as 
there  would  be  but  a  small  attainment  of  this  end  in  coming  up  to  Jerusalem  to  wor- 
ship at  the  three  yearly  festivals.  How,  it  is  asked,  did  they  spend  their  sabbaths  ? 
Or,  what  acts  of  worship  were  they  engaged  in,  in  their  respective  places  of  abode  ? 
We  answer,  that  God  appointed  a  sufficient  number  to  be  their  ministers  in  holy 
things,  helpers  of  their  faith  as  to  this  matter  ;  he  appointed  not  only  the  priests, 
but  the  whole  tribe  of  Levi,  whose  place  of  residence  was  conveniently  situated. 
They  had  forty-eight  cities  in  various  parts  of  the  land  ;  some  of  which  were  not 
far  distant  from  any  of  the  people.  These  instructed  them  in  the  way  of  God. 
The  people  sought  knowledge  from  their  mouths.**  Besides,  in  addition  to  the 
temple,  there  were  several  other  places  appointed  for  religious  worship.  These 
were  of  two  sorts,  synagogues,  and  places  of  prayer. 

The  synagogues  were  generally  built  in  cities,  of  which  hardly  any  were  with- 
out them,  if  they  consisted  of  a  number  of  persons  who  were  able  to  erect  them, 
and  had  leisure  from  their  secular  employments  to  preside  over,  and  set  forward 
the  work  to  be  performed  in  them.1"  This  work  was  of  a  different  nature  from  the 
temple-service,  in  which  gifts  and  sacrifices  were  to  be  offered,  God  having  expressly 
forbidden  the  erecting  of  any  altars  elsewhere  than  in  the  temple.  The  worship 
performed  in  the  synagogues  was  prayer,  reading,  and  expounding  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  and  instructing  the  people  in  all  other  duties  of  religion  which  were  neces- 
sary to  be  performed  in  the  conduct  of  their  lives.  The  manner  of  doing  this,  was 
not  only  by  delivering  set  discourses,  agreeably  to  our  common  method  of  preach- 
ing,8 but  by  holding  disputations  and  conferences  about  some  important  matters  of 
religion.  Thus  the  apostle  Paul  '  disputed  in  the  synagogues.''  Disputations  were 
held  occasionally  ;  but  the  Jews  met  constantly  in  the  synagogues  for  religious 
worship ;  and  our  Saviour  encouraged  them  in  doing  so  by  his  presence  and  instruc- 
tions. Thus  it  is  said,  not  only  that 'he  taught  in  their  synagogues,' but  that 
this  was  his  constant  practice  ;  for  it  is  said,  '  He  came  to  Nazareth,  and  as  his 
custom  was,  he  went  into  the  synagogue  on  the  sabbath-day,  and  stood  up  for  to 
read.'u     There  were  also  certain  officers  appointed  over  every  synagogue.     Thus 

q  Mai.  ii.  7. 

r  These  were  called  t5"3bu3  Otiosi.  See  Lightfoot's  Works,  vol.  i.  p.  610 — 613.  and  Vitring.  de 
Synag.  Vet.  p.  530,  et  seq.  Lightfoot  says,  from  one  of  the  Talmuds,  that  there  were  no  less  than 
460  synagogues  in  Jerusalem,  vol.  i.  p.  363,  370,  and  that  the  land  was  full  of  them;  in  which  the 
people  met  every  sabbath,  and  some  other  days  of  the  week. 

s  Acts  xiii.  15,  et  seq.  t  Chap.  xvii.  17.  u  Luke  iv.  15,  16. 


12  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

we  read  sometimes  of  '  the  rulers  of  the  synagogues,'*  whose  business  was  to  prevent 
the  doing  of  any  thing  which  was  indecent  and  disorderly.  And  there  were  some 
persons  from  whom  a  word  of  exhortation  was  expected,  who  were  called  ministers  * 
of  the  synagogue.2  Nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  this  method  of  promoting  religion 
in  the  synagogues,  was  practised  only  m  the  last  and  most  degenerate  age  of  the 
Jewish  church  ;  for  they  had  their  synagogues  in  the  more  early  and  purer  ages. 
If  we  had  no  express  account  of  this  in  the  Old  Testament,  yet  it  might  be  inferred 
from  the  notices  of  the  synagogues  in  our  Saviour's  time  ;  for  certainly  there  were 
then  no  methods  used  by  the  Jews  to  instruct  the  people  in  matters  of  religion, 
which  were  not  as  necessary,  and  consequently  in  use,  in  preceding  ages.  It  is 
true,  we  do  not  often  read  of  synagogues  in  the  Old  Testament.  Yet  there  is  men- 
tion of  them  in  the  scripture  formerly  referred  to,a  in  which  the  psalmist  complains, 
that  •  they  had  burnt  up  all  the  synagogues  of  God  in  the  land  ;'  where  the  word, 
being  in  the  plural  number,  cannot  be  meant,  as  the  Chaldee  Paraphrast  renders 
it,  of  the  temple.  This  appears  from  the  context,  in  which  the  psalmist  speaks  of 
'  the  enemies  of  God  roaring  in  the  midst  of  the  congregations.'  Besides,  he  ex- 
pressly mentions  their  burning  the  temple,  by  '  casting  fire  into  the  sanctuary  of 
God,  and  casting  down  the  dwelling-place  of  his  name  to  the  ground. 'b 

Besides  the  synagogues,  there  were  other  places  in  which  public  worship  was  per- 
formed, called  places  of  prayer.0  Mr.  Mede  gives  an  account,  from  Epiphanius, 
of  the  difference  that  there  was  between  these  and  the  synagogues.  He  says,  that 
a  '  proseucha,'  or  a  place  appointed  for  prayer,  was  a  plot  of  ground  encompassed 
with  a  wall  or  some  other-like  mound  or  enclosure,  open  above,  much  like  our  courts ; 
whereas  a  synagogue  was  a  covered  edifice,  as  our  houses  and  churches  are.  He 
adds,  that  the  former  were  generally  fixed  in  places  without  the  cities,  in  the  fields, 
in  places  of  retirement ;  and  that  they  were  generally  rendered  more  private,  and 
fit  for  the  work  which  was  to  be  performed  in  them,  by  being  surrounded  with  a 
plantation  of  trees.  He  supposes  that  these  were  not  only  made  use  of  in  our 
Saviour's  and  the  apostles'  time,  but  in  preceding  ages ;  and  that  the  grove,  which 
Abraham  is  said  to  have  planted,  in  which  he  called  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,d 
was  nothing  else  but  one  of  these  convenient  places,  planted  for  that  purpose,  in 
which  public  worship  was  performed.  This  seems  very  probable.*5  Moreover,  we 
read,  in  scripture,  concerning  'high  places.'  These,  as  Lightfoot  observes, f  are 
sometimes  spoken  of  in  scripture  in  a  commendable  sense.  Thus  Samuel  is  said 
to  have  gone  up  into  one  of  these  'high  places, 's  to  perform  some  acts  of  religious 
worship.  We  read  also  of  another  'high  place,'  in  which  there  was  '  a  company  of 
prophets,  with  a  psaltery,  and  a  tabret,  and  a  pipe,  and  a  harp  before  them,  and 
they  did  prophesy.'11  It  is  true,  in  other  scriptures,  we  read  of  them  as  abused  by 
that  idolatry  which  was  performed  in  them.1  These  the  pious  kings  of  Judah,  who 
reformed  religion,  took  away.  And  as  to  its  being  said  in  the  history  of  some  of 
their  reigns,  that  how  much  soever  they  destroyed  idolatrous  worship,  yet  'the 
high  places  were  not  taken  away  ;'k  Lightfoot  thinks  that  they  should  not  have  been 
destroyed  as  places  of  worship  or  public  assemblies  ;  that  it  is  not  reckoned  a  blem- 
ish in  the  reign  of  those  kings,  that  the  high  places  were  not  taken  away  ;  and  that, 
whatever  abuse  there  was,  consisted  in  sacrifice  and  incense  being  offered  there, 
which  were  parts  of  worship  confined  to  the  temple.  So  that  if  the  kings  had  not 
only  reformed  them  from  the  abuse  of  those  who  exercised  their  idolatry  in  them, 
but  had  proceeded  to  reform  this  abuse  of  their  sacrificing  there,  they  might  law- 
fully have  met  there  to  perform  religious  worship ;  which  it  is  supposed,  they  did  in 
synagogues,  high  places,  and  groves,  which  were  appointed  for  that  purpose.  Thus, 
then,  they  met  together  for  religious  worship  in  other  places  besides  the  synagogues. 
— Again,  we  read  in  the  New  Testament,  that  Paul  went,  on  the  sabbath-day,  out 
of  the  city  of  Philippi,  '  by  a  river  side,  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made ;''  and 
there  he  preached  the  word  by  which  Lydia  was  converted.     This  some  think  to 

x  Mark  v.  22.  Luke  viii.  41,  49.  y  Luke  iv.  20.  z  See  more  of  this  in  the  pages  of 

Lightfoot,  before  referred  to.  a  Psal.  lxxiv.  8.  b  Psal.  lxxiv.  3,  7.  c  n^nvxat, 

Proseuchae.     Evxrtip*,  «-?««u*r»{i«,  Oratoria.         d  Gen.  xxi.  33.  e  See  Mede's  Works,  voi.  i. 

book  i.  disc.  8.         f  See  vol.  i.  p.  608.         g  1  Sam.  ix.  19.         h  Chap.  x.  5.  i  1  Kings  xi.  7; 

xii.  31.  k  2  Kings  xii.  3;  xiv.  4;  xv.  4.  1  Acts  xvi.  13. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE   A.ND  INVISIBLE.  13 

have  been  one  of  those  places  to  which  the  Jews  resorted  for  prayer  and  other  pub- 
lic worship.  Others  suppose  also  that  the  place  mentioned  in  the  gospel,  to  which 
our  Saviour  resorted,  was  one  of  these  ;  and  that  the  words,  '  he  went  out  into  a 
mountain  to  pray,  and  continued  all  night  in  prayer  to  God,  'm  ought  to  be  rendered, 
1  in  that  particular  place  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made  to  God. ' n  But  the 
Greek  words  may  as  well  be  rendered  as  they  are  in  our  translation  ;  and  then 
they  have  reference  to  no  particular  place  of  prayer,  but  import  his  retirement  to 
perform  this  duty. 

We  have  thus  endeavoured  to  prove,  that  the  church  of  the  Jews  had  other 
places  in  which  worship  was  performed,  besides  the  temple, — a  circumstance  which 
was  of  very  great  advantage  for  propagating  religion  among  them.  We  might 
have  farther  proceeded  to  consider  their  church- censures,  ordained  by  God  for  crimes 
committed,  whereby,  when  the  crimes  they  were  guilty  of  did  not  deserve  death, 
persons  were  cut  off  from  among  their  people  by  excommunication.  But  I  shall 
not  enlarge  any  farther  upon  this  Head,  but  proceed  to  speak  concerning  the  gos- 
pel-church. 

The  Church  under  the  Ministry  of  the  Apostles. 

Here  we  shall  consider  the  methods  taken,  in  order  to  the  first  planting  and  in- 
crease of  the  church,  by  the  apostles.  When  our  Saviour  had  finished  the  work 
of  redemption,  he,  ■  after  his  resurrection,  altered  the  form  of  the  church,  and  ap- 
pointed his  apostles  not  only  to  signify  to  the  world  that  he  had  done  so,  but  to  be 
instruments  in  erecting  the  new  church.  We  have  already  considered  the  apostles 
as  qualified  to  be  witnesses  of  Christ's  resurrection,  and  also  as  having  received  a 
commission  from  him  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  and  an  order  to  tarry  at 
Jerusalem  till  they  received  those  extraordinary  gifts  from  the  Holy  Ghost  which 
were  necessary  for  their  performing  the  work  they  were  to  engage  in.  Agreeably 
to  the  instructions  given  them,  they  all  now  resided  at  Jerusalem  ;  and,  a  few  days 
after  Christ's  ascension  into  heaven,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  poured  upon  them  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost.0  They  then  immediately  began  to  exercise  their  public  ministry 
in  that  city  ;  and  they  had  there  the  advantage  of  publishing  the  gospel  to  a  numer- 
ous concourse  of  people,  who  had  resorted  thither  from  the  various  parts  of  the 
world  in  which  the  Jews  were  dispersed,  to  celebrate  the  festival.  Some  suppose 
that  there  was  a  greater  number  gathered  together  than  was  usual,  it  being  one  of 
those  three  feasts  to  which  the  Jews  resorted  from  all  the  parts  of  the  land.  A 
learned  writer p  supposes,  indeed,  that  the  Jews  were  not  obliged  to  go  to  this  feast 
from  other  nations  ;  and  that  those  who  did  go  were  not  said,  as  these  are,  to  dwell 
at  Jerusalem.  He  thinks,  therefore,  that  what  brought  them  thither  from  the 
several  parts  of  the  world,  was  the  expectation  which  the  Jews  generally  had  that 
the  Messiah  would  appear,  and  erect  a  temporal  kingdom,  and  that  Jerusalem  was 
the  place  where  he  would  fix  his  throne  ;  so  that  they  would  be  there  to  wait  on 
him,  and  share  the  honours  they  expected  from  him.  But,  whatever  occasion 
brought  them  thither,  it  was  a  seasonable  opportunity  for  the  gospel  first  to  be 
preached.  Accordingly,  Peter  preached  his  first  sermon  to  a  multitude  who  were 
gathered  together  ;  and  therein  he  exercised  the  gift  of  tongues,  by  which  means, 
not  only  was  his  discourse  understood  by  men  of  different  languages,  but  they  had 
a  plain  proof  that  he  was  under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  takes  oc- 
casion also  to  improve  this  amazing  dispensation  of  providence,  by  telling  them 
that  it  was  an  accomplishment  of  what  had  been  predicted  by  the  prophet  Joel ; 
and  then  he  preached  Christ  to  them,  declaring  that  he  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles, 
were  all  witnesses  that  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  exalted  him  by  his  right 
hand,  and  that,  in  consequence  of  this,  the  extraordinary  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  conferred  upon  them.  The  success  of  his  first  sermon  was  very  remarkable  ; 
for  there  were  added  to  the  church,  as  the  first-fruits  of  his  ministry,  'three  thou- 
sand souls. 'i    We  read  also  that  '  the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily  such  as  should 

m  Luke  vi.  12.  n  E»  rri  tr^co-i-j^ri  rev  Bieu,  in  proseucha.  Dei.  o  Acts  ii.  i,  2. 

p  See  Light  foot  on  Acts  ii.  o.  vol.  i.  pwjjes  751,  7o2.  q  Acts  ii.  41,  47. 


14  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

be  saved.'  Soon  after  it  is  said  that  '  the  number  of  the  men,'  of  whom  the  church 
consisted,  'was  about  five  thousand.'1-  This  was  a  very  large  and  numerous 
church  ;  and,  as  is  more  than  probable,  it  met  in  the  same  city.  For  we  must 
conclude  that  they  fixed  their  abode  there,  rather  than  that  they  returned  to  the 
respective  places  whence  they  came,  that  they  might  have  an  opportunity  to  sit  un- 
der the  sound  of  the  gospel,  which  was  at  that  time  preached  nowhere  else.  What 
makes  this  more  probable  is  the  method  they  adopted  for  their  subsistence  in  the 
world.  There  would  have  been  no  occasion  for  those  who  had  possessions  to  sell 
them,  and  dispose  of  the  price  to  supply  the  exigencies  of  their  fellow-members, 
had  they  not  removed  from  their  habitations,  and  forsaken  all  ior  the  sake  of  the 
gospel. 

Tins  church  had  wonderful  instances  of  the  presence  of  God  among  them,  which 
did  more  than  compensate  for  the  loss  they  must  be  supposed  to  have  sustained  as 
to  their  secular  affairs.  We  read,  for  some  time,  of  little  else  but  success  attend- 
ing the  gospel,  and  of  persecutions  raised  by  the  Jews  against  it  which  rather  tend- 
ed to  their  own  shame  and  confusion  than  to  the  extirpating  of  it.  When  the  Jews, 
at  length,  so  far  prevailed  that,  after  the  death  of  Stephen,  the  first  martyr,  a 
new  persecution  was  begun  by  the  instigation  of  Saul,  as  yet  not  converted  to  the 
faith,  the  immediate  consequence  was  the  scattering  of  the  church  'throughout  the 
regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria,8'  but  the  eventual  result  was  the  furtherance  of  the 
gospel  ;  for,  wherever  the  brethren  went,  they  preached,  and  many  believed.  The 
apostles,  at  the  same  time,  obeying  the  order  which  was  previously  given  them, 
continued  at  Jerusalem  ;  *  and  there  still  remained  a  church  in  that  city  sitting  un- 
der their  ministry.  This  was  wisely  ordered  by  the  providence  of  God,  not  only 
as  an  accomplishment  of  those  predictions  which  respected  the  gospel  being  first 
sounded  thence,  but  that,  in  this  church,  a  sufficient  number  might  be  trained  up 
for  the  exercise  of  the  ministry  in  other  places,  when  there  should  be  occasion  for 
their  services  ;  and,  in  order  to  this,  they  had  some  advantages  which  no  schools  of 
learning  could  afford  them,  for  they  had  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Here  it  was  that  the  prophets  and  evangelists  were  first  raised  up,  being  imme- 
diately taught  by  God.  This  was  the  first  scene  of  the  gospel-church.  Here  it  con- 
tinued till  the  apostles  were  ordered,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  travel  into  those  parts 
of  the  world  in  which,  by  his  direction,  their  ministry  was  to  be  exercised.  The 
greatest  part  of  them  were  ordered  to  those  places  in  which  some  of  the  Jews 
resided.  But  Paul  was  ordained  to  exercise  his  ministry  among  the  Gentiles. 
Accordingly,  we  read  that  '  the  Holy  Ghost  said,  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul 
for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.'u  This  divine  command  they  imme- 
diately obeyed  ;  and  then  we  read  of  churches  erected  in  various  parts  of  the  world 
by  his  ministry  who  is  styled  '  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles.' 

There  are  several  things  observable  in  the  exercise  of  Paul's  ministry.  Wher- 
ever he  went,  he  preached  the  gospel,  and  confirmed  it  by  miracles,  as  occasion 
served.  This  was  attended  with  such  wonderful  success  and  expedition,  that  the 
multitudes  which  were  converted  by  his  ministry  exceeded  not  only  what  might 
be  gathered  by  one  man  in  the  compass  of  his  life,  but  by  several  ages  of  men, 
unless  their  ministry  should  be  accompanied  by  a  remarkable  hand  of  providence. 
At  one  time,  we  read  of  him  exercising  his  ministry  '  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about 
unto  IllyricAim  ;'x  at  other  times,  in  several  parts  of  Asia  Minor ;  then  in  Spain,  and 
at  Rome,  and  in  some  pans  of  Greece  ;?  and  wherever  he  went,  his  ministry  was 
attended  with  such  wonderful  success  as  might  be  described  in  the  words  of  the 
Roman  emperor,  'I  came,  I  saw,  I  conquered.'  When  the  apostle  had,  by  the 
success  of  his  ministry,  prepared  in  any  place  fit  materials  for  a  church,  as  it  would 
have  taken  up  too  much  of  his  time  to  reside  among  them  till  they  were  provided 
with  a  pastor  and  other  officers,  who  were  necessary  to  carry  on  the  work  which 
was  begun,  he  sent  for  one  of  the  evangelists,  who,  as  was  formerly  observed,  were 
fitted  for  this  service  by  those  extraordinary  gifts  which  they  had  received,  while 
they  continued  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem.     The  office  of  these  evangelists  seems 

r  Acts  iv.  4.  s  Chap.  viii.  1.  t  Chap.  i.  4.  u  Chap.  xiii.  2.  x  Rom.  xv.  19. 

y  Ver.  28. 


THE  CUUltCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  15 

to  have  been  principally  this  ;  they  were  to  '  set  in  order  the  things  that  were  want- 
ing,' or  left  by  the  apostles  to  be  done,  and  to  '  ordain  elders  in  every  city  ;'  as  the 
apostle  Paul  intimates  in  his  charge  to  Titus,  z  who  appears  to  have  been  an 
evangelist  particularly  ordained  to  minister  to  him,  and  to  build  upon  the  founda- 
tion he  had  laid.  The  evangelists  appear  to  have  had  all  the  qualifications  for  the 
ministry  which  the  apostles  had,  excepting  what  respected  the  latter  having  seen 
Jesus,  and  having  been  thereby  qualified  to  be  witnesses  of  his  resurrection  ;  and 
they  continued  till  they  had  performed  their  work,  in  settling  pastors  and  other 
officers  in  churches  ;  and  then  they  were  ready  to  obey  another  call,  to  succeed 
the  apostles  in  some  other  places,  and  so  perform  the  same  work  there. 

While  the  apostles  were  thus  concerned  for  the  gathering  and  building  up  of 
churches,  and  were  assisted  in  this  work  by  the  evangelists,  there  was  a  continual 
intercourse  between  them  and  those  churches  Avhose  rise  was  owing  to  the  success 
of  their  ministry.  Accordingly,  they  conversed  with  them  by  epistles  ;  some  of 
which  they  received  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  designed  to  be  a  rule 
of  the  church's  faith  in  all  succeeding  ages.  Some  of  these  epistles  were  written 
by  other  apostles,  but  most  of  them  by  Paul.*  He  sometimes  desires  to  '  know  the 
state'  of  the  churches  to  whom  he  wrote  ;  at  other  times,  he  informs  them  of  his 
own,  the  opposition  he  met  with,  the  success  of  his  ministry,  the  persecutions  he 
was  exposed  to  for  it,b  and  the  necessity  of  the  churches  which  required  contribu- 
tion for  their  support ;  and  in  doing  this,  he  often  enlarges  on  those  important  truths, 
which,  had  he  been  among  those  to  whom  he  wrote,  would  have  been  the  subject  of 
his  ministry.  This  was  necessary  to  strengthen  their  hands,  and  encourage  them 
to  persevere  in  that  faith  which  they  made  profession  of.  We  may  add,  that  there 
were,  upon  several  occasions,  messengers  sent  from  the  churches  to  the  apostle,  to  in- 
form him  of  their  state,  to  transmit  to  him  those  contributions  which  were  necessary 
for  the  relief  of  other  churches,  and  to  give  him  the  countenance,  encouragement, 
and  assistance,  which  his  necessities  required.  Some  of  these  were  very  excellent 
persons,  the  best  that  could  be  chosen  out  of  the  church  for  the  service.  The  apos- 
tle calls  some  of  them,  '  the  messengers  of  the  churches,  and  the  glory  of  Christ,'0 
which  is  an  extraordinary  character.  Some  think,  that  he  means,  by  the  expres- 
sion, that  they  were  the  messengers  of  churches  which  were  the  glory  of  Christ, 
that  is,  the  seat  in  which  he  displays  his  glory.  Others  suppose,  that  he  calls  the 
messengers,  'the  glory  of  Christ,'  as  they,  by  their  wise  and  faithful  conduct,  pro- 
moted his  glory  ;  which  was  not  dependent  on,  but  illustrated  thereby.  Sometimes 
they  were  ministers  of  churches,  sent  occasionally  on  these  errands.  Thus  Epa- 
phroditus  was  a  messenger  and  minister  of  the  church  at  Philippi  ;d  and  One- 
siphorus  was  sent  to  strengthen  and  encourage  the  hands  of  the  apostle,  when  he 
was  a  prisoner  at  Rome,  whom  Paul  speaks  of  with  great  affection,  when  he  says, 
•  He  sought  me  out  very  diligently,  and  found  me,  and  was  not  ashamed  of  my 
chain.  'e  These  were  very  useful  persons  to  promote  the  interest  of  Christ,  which 
was  carried  on  by  the  apostles  ;  though  it  does  not  appear  that  theirs  was  a  stand- 
ing office  in  the  church,  their  service  being  only  occasional. 

The  Nature  and  Government  of  the  Christian  Church. 

Having  thus  considered  the  apostle  as  engaged  in  gathering  and  building  up 
churches,  in  the  way  which  was  peculiar  to  them  in  the  first  age  of  the  gospel,  we 
shall  now  proceed  to  speak  concerning  that  state  and  government  of  the  church, 
which  was  designed  to  continue  longer  than  the  apostolic  age,  and  is  a  rule  to  the 
churches  of  Christ  in  our  day.  We  have  already  considered  the  evangelists  as 
succeeding  the  apostles,  in  appointing  officers  over  churches,  directing  them  to  fit 
persons  who  might  be  called  to  the  ministry,  and  instructing  these  how  they  should 
behave  themselves  in  that  relation.  This  was  necessary,  in  consequence  of  these 
officers  not  having  ground  to  expect  such  extraordinary  assistances  from  the  Spirit 
of  God  as  the  apostles  and  the  evangelists  had  received,  any  more  than  pastors  and 

z  Tit.  i.  5.  a  Phil.  ii.  19.  b  Col.  iv.  7 ;  2  Cor.  i.  8;  I  Cor.  xvi.  9. 

c  2  Cor.  viii.  23.  d  Phil.  ii.  25.  e  2  Tim.  i.  16,  17. 


16  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

other  church-officers  are  to  expect  them  in  our  day.  This  leads  us  to  consider  the 
nature,  constitution,  and  government  of  the  churches  of  Christ  in  all  ages. 

I.  We  shall  first  consider  what  we  are  to  understand  by  a  particular  church, 
and  what  is  the  foundation  of  it.  A  church  is  a  number  of  visible  professors,  called 
to  be  saints,  or,  at  least,  denominated,  and,  by  a  judgment  of  charity,  esteemed 
saints  ;  united  together  by  consent,  in  order  to  their  having  communion  with  one 
another  ;  and  testifying  their  subjection  to  Christ,  and  hope  of  his  presence  in  all 
his  ordinances  ;  designing  hereby  to  glorify  his  name,  propagate  his  gospel  and  in- 
terest in  the  world,  and  promote  their  mutual  edification  in  that  holy  faith  which 
is  founded  on  scripture  revelation.  For  these  purposes  they  are  obliged  to  call  and 
set  over  them  such  pastors  and  other  officers  as  God  has  qualified  for  the  service, 
to  be  helpers  of  their  faith,  and  to  endeavour  to  promote  their  order,  whereby  the 
great  and  valuable  ends  of  church  communion  may  be  answered,  and  God  therein 
be  glorified.  This  description  of  a  particular  church  is  agreeable  to  scripture,  and 
founded  on  it,  as  may  be  easily  made  appear  by  referring  to  several  scriptures  in  the 
New  Testament  relating  to  this  matter.  We  read  that  the  members  of  Christ  are  char- 
acterized as  saints  by  calling,  or  '  called  to  be  saints. 'f  The  churches  in  Macedonia 
are  said  to  '  give  their  own  selves  to  the  Lord,  and  to  the  apostles  by  the  will  of 
God,'? — to  sit  under  their  ministry,  and  follow  their  directions,  so  far  as  they  im- 
parted to  them  the  mind  of  Christ,  and  were  helpers  of  their  faith  and  order,  to  his 
glory  ;  and  we  read  of  their  '  professed  subjection  unto  the  gospel  of  Christ. 'h  The 
church  at  Ephesus  also  is  described  as  '  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,'  namely,  the  doctrines  laid  down  by  them,  as  the  only  rule  of  faith 
and  obedience,  'Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone.'  As  to  their 
duty  towards  one  another,  they  are  farther  said  '  to  build  up  themselves  in  their 
most  holy  faith,  and  to  keep  themselves  in  the  love  of  God  ;'  that  is,  to  do  every 
thing,  by  the  divine  assistance,  which  is  necessary  for  these  ends,  '  looking  for  the 
mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life  ;' '  or,  as  it  is  said  elsewhere,  to 
'  consider  one  another,  to  provoke  unto  love,  and  to  good  works,  not  forsaking  the 
assembling  of  themselves  together,  'k  inasmuch  as  this  is  an  instituted  means  for 
answering  that  great  end.  Many  other  scriptures  might  have  been  brought  to  the 
same  purpose,  tending  to  prove  and  illustrate  the  description  we  have  given  of  a 
gospel-church. 

But  this  may  be  evinced,  also,  in  a  reasoning  from  the  laws  of  society,  as  founded 
on  the  law  of  nature,  and  applied  to  a  religious  society,  which  takes  its  rise  from 
divine  revelation  and  is  founded  on  it.  In  order  to  our  doing  this,  we  shall  lay 
down  the  following  propositions.  First,  it  is  agreeable  to  the  law  of  nature,  and 
the  whole  tenor  of  scripture,  that  God  should  be  glorified  by  social  worship,  and 
that  all  the  members  of  worshipping  societies  should  endeavour  to  promote  the  spirit- 
ual interest  of  one  another.  Man  is,  by  the  excellency  of  his  nature,  fitted  for 
conversation ;  and  he  is  obliged  to  it,  by  his  relation  to  others  who  have  the  same 
capacities  and  qualifications.  As,  moreover,  the  glory  of  God  is  the  end  of  his  be- 
ing, it  ought  to  be  the  end  of  all  those  intercourses  which  we  have  with  one  an- 
other ;  and,  as  divine  worship  is  the  highest  instance  of  our  glorifying  God,  we 
are,  as  intelligent  creatures,  obliged  to  worship  him  in  a  social  way. — Again,  it  is  the 
great  design  of  Christianity  to  direct  us  how  this  social  worship  should  be  performed 
by  us  as  Christians,  paying  a  due  regard  to  the  gospel,  and  the  glory  of  the  divine 
perfections  as  displayed  in  it.  These  are  the  subject  of  divine  revelation,  especially 
of  that  part  of  it  whence  the  laws  of  Christian  society  are  taken. — Further,  they 
who  have  been  made  partakers  of  the  grace  of  God,  are  obliged,  out  of  gratitude 
to  him,  as  the  author  of  it,  to  proclaim  his  glory  to  the  world.  And  as  the  experi- 
ence of  that  grace,  and  the  obligations  which  it  lays  persons  under,  are  extended  to 
others  as  well  as  ourselves,  so  all  who  are  under  like  engagements,  ought  to  be 
helpers  of  the  faith  and  joy  of  one  another,  and  to  promote  their  mutual  edification 
and  salvation.  Now,  that  this  may  be  done,  it  is  necessary  that  they  consent  or 
agree  to  have  communion  with  one  another  in  those  duties  in  which  they  express 

f  Rom.  i.  7.  g  2  Cor.  viiL  5.  h  Chap.  ix.  13.  i  Jude,  ver.  20,  21. 

k  Heh.  x.  24,  25. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  17 

their  subjection  to  Christ,  and  desire  to  wait  on  him  together  in  all  his  holy  insti- 
tutions. And  the  rule  for  their  direction  in  this  is  contained  in  scripture  ;  which  sets 
forth  the  Mediator's  glory,  as  King  of  saints,  gives  a  perfect  directory  for  gospel- 
worship,  and  encouragement  to  hope  for  his  presence  in  it  whereby  it  may  be  at- 
tended with  its  desired  success.  Finally,  as  Christ,  in  scripture,  has  described  some 
persons  as  qualified  to  assist  and  direct  us  in  this  matter,  as  well  as  called  them  to 
this  service,  it  is  necessary  that  these  religious  societies  should  choose  and  appoint 
persons  to  preside  over  them,  who  are  styled  pastors  after  his  own  heart,  who  may 
feed  them  with  knowledge  and  understanding,  so  that  his  ordinances  may  be  rightly 
administered,  and  the  ends  of  church  communion  answered,  to  his  glory,  and  their 
mutual  advantage. 

In  this  method  of  reasoning,  the  constitution  of  churches  appears  to  be  agreeable 
to  the  law  of  nature.  We  are  not  to  suppose,  however,  with  the  Erastians  and 
others,  that  the  church  is  wholly  founded  on  the  laws  of  civil  society,  as  if  Christ 
had  left  no  certain  rules  by  which  it  is  to  be  governed,  besides  those  which  are 
common  to  all  societies,  as  an  expedient  to  maintain  peace  and  order.  For  there 
are  other  ends  to  be  answered  by  church  communion,  which  are  more  immediately 
conducive  to  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  promoting  of  revealed  religion,  which  the 
law  of  nature,  and  the  laws  of  society  founded  on  it,  can  give  us  no  direction  in. 
It  is  a  great  dishonour  to  Christ,  the  King  and  Head  of  his  church,  to  suppose 
that  he  has  left  them  without  a  rule  to  direct  them  in  what  respects  the  communion 
of  saints  ;  as  much  as  it  would  be  to  assert  that  he  has  left  them  without  a  rule  of 
faith.  If  God  was  so  particular  in  giving  directions  concerning  every  part  of  that 
worship  which  was  to  be  performed  in  the  church  before  Christ's  coming,  so  that 
they  were  not,  on  pain  of  his  highest  displeasure,  to  deviate  from  it ;  certainly  we 
must  not  think  that  our  Saviour  has  neglected  to  give  laws,  by  which  the  gospel- 
church  is  to  be  governed,  distinct  from  such  as  are  contained  in  the  law  of  nature. 

It  may  hence  be  inferred,  that  no  church,  or  religious  society  of  Christians,  has 
power  to  make  laws  for  its  own  government,  in  those  things  that  pertain  to  religious 
worship,  or  are  to  be  deemed  a  part  of  it.  I  do  not  say  that  a  church  has  no  power 
to  appoint  some  discretionary  rules  to  be  observed  by  those  who  are  of  the  same 
communion,  provided  they  are  kept  within  due  bounds,  and  Christ's  kingly  office 
be  not  invaded.  There  is  a  very  great  controversy  in  the  world,  about  the 
church's  power  to  decree  some  things  which  are  styled  indifferent ;  but  persons  are 
not  generally  agreed  in  determining  what  they  mean  by  indifferent  things.  Some 
understand  by  them  those  rites  and  ceremonies  which  are  used  in  religious  matters. 
These  they  call  indifferent,  because  they  are  of  less  importance  ;  but  by  being 
made  terms  of  communion,  they  cease  to  be  indifferent.  Besides,  whether  they  are 
of  greater  or  less  importance,  if  they  respect  a  necessary  mode  of  worship,  con- 
ducive to  the  glory  of  God,  such  as  occasions  him  to  be  more  honoured  than  he  would 
be  by  the  neglect  of  it,  to  call  them  indifferent  is  to  carry  the  idea  of  indifference  too 
far,  and  to  extend  the  power  of  the  church  beyond  its  due  bounds.  For  as  the 
terms  of  communion  are  to  be  fixed  only  by  Christ,  and  as  the  means  by  which  he 
is  to  be  glorified,  which  have  the  nature  of  ordinances  in  which  we  hope  for  his  pre- 
sence and  blessing,  must  be  sought  for  from  him  ;  so  the  church  has  not  power  to 
ordain  or  sanction  them  without  his  warrant.  Hence,  when  we  speak  of  those  in- 
different matters  which  the  church  has  power  to  appoint,  we  mean  those  things 
which  are  no  part  of  religious  worship,  but  merely  discretionary,  which  may  be  ob- 
served or  not,  without  any  guilt  contracted,  or  censure  ensuing. 

II.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  matter  of  a  church,  or  the  character  of  those 
persons  who  are  qualified  for  church  communion.  We  have  already  considered  the 
church  as  a  religious  society.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary  that  all  the  members  of 
it  embrace  the  true  religion  ;  and,  in  particular,  that  they  deny  none  of  those  funda- 
mental articles  of  faith  which  are  necessary  to  salvation.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  the  members  of  any  society  have  a  perfect  unanimity  in  their  sentiments  about 
all  religious  matters  ;  for  that  is  hardly  to  be  expected  in  this  world.  They  are- 
all  obliged,  however,  as  the  apostle  says,  'to  hold  the  head,  from  which  all  the  body, 
by  joints  and  bands,  having  nourish  dent  ministered,  and  knit  together,  increased^ 

n.  c 


18  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

with  the  increase  of  God,'1  and  puhlicly  to  avow  or  maintain  no  doctrine  which  is 
subversive  of  the  foundation  on  which  the  church  is  built.  Revealed  religion  cen- 
tres in  Christ,  and  is  referred  to  his  glory  as  Mediator.  Hence,  all  the  members 
of  a  church  ought  to  profess  their  faith  in  him  and  willingness  to  own  him  as  their  Lord 
and  Lawgiver,  and  to  give  him  the  glory  which  is  due  to  him  as  a  divine  Person,  and 
as  one  who  is  appointed  to  execute  the  offices  of  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King.  The  apos- 
tle gives  a  short  but  very  comprehensive  description  of  those  who  are  fit  members  of  • 
a  church,  when  he  says,  '  We  are  the  circumcision  which  worship  God  in  the  Spirit, 
and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh. 'm  It  follows,  that 
every  religious  society  is  not  a  church.  False  religions  have  been  propagated  among 
the  heathen  and  others,  in  distinct  societies  of  those  who  performed  religious  wor- 
ship, who  yet  had  no  relation  to  Christ,  and  therefore  were  not  reckoned  among  his 
churches.  On  the  other  hand,  we  cannot  determine  concerning  every  member  of 
a  particular  church,  that  his  heart  is  right  with  God.  That  is  a  prerogative  which 
belongs  only  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts.  It  is  the  external  profession  which  is  our 
rule  of  judging.  All  are  not  in  a  state  of  salvation  who  are  church-members,  as 
the  apostle  says,  '  They  are  not  all  Israel  which  are  of  Israel.'11  He  makes  a  dis- 
tinction between  a  real  subjection  to  Christ  by  faith,  and  a  professed  subjection  to 
him.  He  says,  concerning  the  church  of  the  Jews,  '  He  is  not  a  Jew  which  is 
one  outwardly,  neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh  ;  but  he 
is  a  Jew  which  is  one  inwardly,  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  Spirit, 
and  not  in  the  letter  ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God.'°  Yet  they  were  all 
church-members,  professedly  or  apparently  devoted  to  God.  Concerning  such  we 
are  bound,  by  a  judgment  of  charity,  to  conclude,  that  they  are  what  they  profess 
themselves  to  be,  till  their  conduct  plainly  gives  the  lie  to  their  profession.  The 
visible  church  is  compared  to  the  net,  which  had  good  and  bad  fish  in  it  ;P  and 
to  '  the  great  house'  in  which  are  '  vessels'  of  various  kinds, — '  some  to  honour,  and 
some  to  dishonour,'^ — some  fit  for  the  master's  use,  others  to  be  broken  as  '  vessels 
wherein  is  no  pleasure,'1" — some  sincere,  others  hypocrites.  Yet  till  their  hypocrisy 
is  made  manifest,  they  are  supposed  to  be  fit  matter  for  a  church.  [See  Note  E, 
p.  42-.] 

III.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  form  or  bond  of  union,  whereby  the  members 
are  incorporated  into  a  society,  and  so  denominated  a  church  of  Christ.  It  is  neither 
profession  of  faith,  nor  conduct  agreeable  to  it,  which  constitutes  a  person  a  mem- 
ber of  a  particular  church  ;  for,  according  to  the  laws  of  society,  there  must  be  a 
mutual  consent  to  walk  together,  or  to  have  communion  one  with  another  in  all 
the  ordinances  which  Christ  has  established.  As  the  materials  of  which  a  building 
consists,  do  not  constitute  the  building  unless  they  are  cemented  and  joined  to- 
gether ;  so  the  union  of  professing  Christians,  whereby  they  are  joined  together  and 
become  one  body  by  mutual  consent,  is  necessary  to  constitute  them  a  church,  as 
much  as  their  professed  subjection  to  Christ  to  denominate  them  a  church  of 
Christ.  Hereby  they  become  a  confederate  body ;  and  as  every  one,  in  a  private 
capacity,  was  before  engaged  to  perform  those  duties  which  are  incumbent  on  all 
men  as  Christians,  now  they  bring  themselves,  pursuant  to  Christ's  appointment, 
under  an  obligation  to  endeavour,  by  the  assistance  of  divine  grace,  to  walk  becom- 
ing the  relation  they  stand  in  to  each  other,  or,  as  the  apostle  expresses  himself, 
'to  build  up  themselves  in  their  most  holy  faith,'3  so  that  the  ends  of  Christian 
society  may  be  answered,  and  the  glory  of  Christ  secured ;  and  they  have  ground  to 
expect  his  presence  in  waiting  on  him  in  all  his  holy  institutions.  By  means  of  this 
union  they  who  were  before  considered  as  fit  subjects  for  church-fellowship  are  said 
to  be  united  together  as  a  church  of  Christ.  But  as  this  principally  respects  the 
foundation  or  erection  of  churches,  there  are  other  things  necessary  for  their  increase, 
for  the  maintaining  of  that  purity  which  is  their  glory,  and  for  thereby  preventing 
their  contracting  the  guilt  which  would  otherwise  ensue. 

IV.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  power  which  Christ  has  given  them,  and 
the  rules  which  he  has  laid  down  to  be  observed  by  them,  in  the  admission  of  per- 
sons to  church  communion,  and  in  the  exclusion  of  them  from  it. 

1  Col.  ii.  19.  m  Phil.  iii.  3.  n  Rom.  ix.  6.  o  Chap.  ii.  28,  29. 

p  Matt.  xiii.  47.  q  2  Tim.  ii.  20.  r  Jer.  xxii.  28.  s  Jude  20. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  19 

1.  As  to  the  admission  of  members  who  may  fill  up  the  places  of  those  whose 
relation  to  them  is  dissolved  by  death,  it  is  highly  reasonable  that  the  churches 
should  have  all  the  satisfaction  which  is  necessary  concerning  their  fitness  lor 
church  communion.  But  we  must  inquire  what  terms  or  conditions  are  to  be  insisted 
on,  and  complied  with,  in  order  to  admission.  We  must  not  suppose  that  these 
are  arbitrary,  or  such  as  a  church  shall  please  to  impose  ;  for  it  is  no  more  in  their 
power  to  make  terms  of  communion,  than  it  is  to  make  a  rule  of  faith  or  worship. 
In  this,  a  church  differs  from  a  civil  society.  The  terms  of  admission  into  the  lat- 
ter are  arbitrary,  provided  they  do  not  interfere  with  any  of  the  laws  of  God  or  man. 
But  the  terms  of  Christian  communion  are  fixed  by  Christ,  the  Head  of  his  church  ; 
and  therefore  no  society  of  men  have  a  right  to  make  the  door  of  admission  into 
their  own  communion  straiter  or  wider  than  Christ  has  made  it.  This  is  a  matter 
in  which  some  of  the  reformed  churches  differ  among  themselves ;  though  the  dis- 
sention  ought  not  to  rise  so  high  as  to  cause  any  alienation  of  affection,  or  any  de- 
gree of  uncharitableness,  so  as  to  occasion  any  to  think  that  because  they  do  not 
in  all  things  agree  as  to  this  matter,  they  ought  not  to  treat  one  another  as  those 
who  hold  the  Head,  and  are  designing  to  advance  the  interest  of  Christ  in  the  various 
methods  they  are  pursuing  to  advance  it.  I  think  it  is  allowed  by  most  of  the 
churches  of  Christ — at  least  by  those  who  suppose  that  persons  have  no  right  to 
church  communion,  without  the  consent  of  that  particular  society  of  which  any  one 
is  to  be  made  a  member — that  nothing  short  of  a  professed  subjection  to  Christ, 
and  a  desire  to  adhere  to  him  in  all  his  offices,  as  well  as  worship  him  in  all  his 
ordinances,  can  be  reckoned  a  term  of  church  communion.  For  we  suppose  the 
church  to  be  built  upon  this  foundation ;  and  nothing  short  of  it  can  sufficiently  set 
forth  the  glory  of  Christ  as  its  Head,  or  answer  the  valuable  ends  of  church  com- 
munion. It  follows  that,  as  ignorance  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ  dis- 
qualifies for  church  communion,  so  also  does  immorality  in  conduct ;  for  both  of 
these  evince  a  person  to  be  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  a  stranger  to  the  cove- 
nant of  promise,  and  in  subjection  to  Satan,  the  god  of  this  world,  which  is  incon- 
sistent with  a  professed  subjection  to  Christ.  Hence,  a  mind  rightly  informed  in 
the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  with  a  conduct  in  life  corresponding  to  it,  is  to  be 
insisted  on,  as  a  term  of  church  communion. 

But  that  in  which  the  sentiments  of  men  differ,  is  the  way  and  manner  in  which 
this  qualification  for  church  communion  is  to  be  rendered  visible  ;  and  whether 
some  things  which  are  merely  circumstantial  are  to  be  insisted  on  as  terms  of  com- 
munion. That  those  qualifications  which  are  necessary  to  church  communion 
ought  to  be,  in  some  way  or  other,  made  visible,  is  taken  for  granted  by  many  on 
both  sides.  Indeed,  without  it  the  church  could  not  be  called  'visible,'  or  a  society 
of  such  as  profess  the  true  religion,  and,  together  with  it,  their  subjection  to  Christ. 
Qualification  for  fellowship  must,  in  a  special  manner,  be  made  known  to  those  who 
are  to  hold  communion  with  the  persons  admitted,  as  called  to  be  saints  ;  for  this 
communion  cannot,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  be  held,  unless  the  character  of 
saints  be,  in  some  way  or  other,  made  to  appear.  If  it  be  said  that  there  is  no 
occasion  for  this  character  to  be  explicit,  or  the  profession  of  it  to  be  made  other- 
wise than  as  their  relation  to  a  church  declares  them  visible  professors  ;  we  must 
observe  that  that  relation  is  only  a  presumptive  evidence  that  they  are  Christians, 
and  does  not  sufficiently  distinguish  them  from  the  world,  especially  from  that  part 
of  it  who  make  an  outward  show  of  religion,  and  attend  on  several  branches  of 
.public  worship.  This  mere  outward  profession  is  certainly  very  remote  from  the 
character  given  of  all  those  churches  which  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, concerning  some  of  whom  the  apostle  says,  that  'their  faith'  was  not  only 
known  to  the  particular  society  to  which  they  belonged,  but  was  'spread  abroad,' 
or  'spoken  of  throughout  the  whole  world.'*  This  it  could  never  have  been,  if 
they  who  were  more  immediately  concerned  to  know  it,  had  received  no  other  con- 
viction than  what  is  the  result  of  their  joining  with  them  in  some  external  acts  of 
worship.  That  Christian  character  must  be  made  visible  may  be  inferred,  also, 
from  what  is  generally  allowed  by  those  who  explain  the  nature  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 

t  1  Thess.  i.  8,  compared  with  Rom.  i.  8. 


20  THE   CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

per,  which  is  a  church  ordinance,  and  lay  down  the  qualifications  of  those  wlio  are 
deemed  fit  to  partake  of  it,  particularly  that  they  are  under  an  obligation  to  ox- 
mine  themselves,  not  only  concerning  their  knowledge  to  discern  the  Lord's  body, 
but  concerning  their  faith  to  feed  on  him,  their  repentance,  love,  and  new.  obedience, 
their  trusting  in  his  mercy,  and  rejoicing  in  his  love,  and  that  they  are  tmder  a 
necessity  of  renewing  the  exercise  of  those  graces  which  may  render  them  meet  for 
this  ordinance."  This  is  consonant  to  the  practice  of  many  of  the  reformed  churches  ; 
who  will  not  admit  any  into  their  communion,  without  receiving  satisfaction  as  to 
their  having  these  qualifications  for  this  ordinance.  Now,  as  the  matter  in  contro- 
versy with  them  principally  respects  the  manner  in  which  this  is  to  be  given,  and 
the  concern  of  the  church  in  it,  we  may  infer  that  there  is  the  highest  reason  that 
the  church  should  receive  satisfaction,  as  well  as  those  who  preside  over  it.  They 
are  obliged,  in  conscience,  to  have  communion  with  the  persons  admitted,  and  to 
reckon  them  among  the  number  of  those  who  have  been  made  partakers  of  the 
grace  of  Christ;  and  this  they  cannot  well  be  said  to  do,  unless  the  Christian  char- 
acter of  the  persons  admitted  be  in  some  way  or  other  made  visible  to  them. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  manner  in  which  a  profession  of  Christianity  is 
to  be  made  visible, — whether  it  is  to  be  done  by  every  one  in  his  own  person,  or 
whether  a  report  of  it  by  another  in  his  name  may  be  deemed  sufficient.  This  I 
can  reckon  no  other  than  a  circumstance.  Hence,  I  am  of  opinion  that  one  of 
these  ways  is  not  so  far  to  be  insisted  on,  as  that  a  person  whose  qualifications  for 
it  are  not  to  be  questioned,  should  be  denied  the  privilege  of  church  communion 
because  he  is  unwilling  to  comply  with  it,  as  thinking  that  the  main  end  designed 
by  it  may  be  as  effectually  answered  by  the  other.  If  a  person  be  duly  qualified, 
as  the  apostle  says  concerning  Timothy,  to  make  '  a  good  profession  before  many 
witnesses  ;'x  if  his  making  such  a  profession  may  not  only  have  a  tendency  to  an- 
swer the  end  of  giving  satisfaction  to  the  church,  but  be  an  expedient,  in  an  un- 
common degree,  to  promote  their  edification  ;  if  he  have  something  remarkable  to 
impart,  and  desire  to  bear  his  testimony  to  the  grace  of  God  which  he  has  experi- 
enced in  his  own  person,  and  thereby  to  induce  others  to  join  with  him  in  giving 
him  the  glory  of  it ;  there  is  no  law  of  God  or  nature  which  prohibits  or  forbids 
him  to  do  it.  Nor  ought  such  a  public  profession  to  be  censured,  as  if  it  could 
not  be  made  without  being  liable  to  the  common  imputation  that  pride  must  be  the 
necessary  inducement  to  it ;  for  that  is  such  a  censure  and  reproach  as  is  unbe- 
coming Christians,  especially  when  it  is  alleged  as  an  universal  exception.  I  am 
far,  however,  from  pleading  for  such  a  public  profession  as  a  necessary  term  of 
communion  ;  nor  do  I  think  that  a  person's  desire  to  give  the  church  satisfaction 
in  such  a  way,  ought  always  to  be  complied  with  ;  for  whatever  occasion  some  may 
suppose  they  have  for  it,  all  are  not  fit  to  do  it  in  such  a  way  as  may  tend  to  the 
church's  edification.  There  are  various  other  ways  by  which  a  church  may  know 
that  those  who  are  proposed  to  its  communion  have  a  right  to  it,  which  I  forbear. 
to  mention.  But  one  of  them  is  not  to  be  so  far  insisted  on,  as  that  a  refusal  to 
comply  with  it  rather  than  another,  provided  the  general  end  be  answered,  should 
debar  a  person,  otherwise  qualified,  from  church  communion.  The  church  being 
satisfied,  he  is  joined  to  them  by  their  consent ;  and  is,  in  consequence,  laid  under 
equal  engagements  with  them,  to  walk  in  all  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of 
the  Lord,  blameless. 

2.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  exclusion  of  members  from  church  communion. 
This  is  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  society,  as  well  as  their  admission  into  it ;  and 
hereby  a  becoming  zeal  is  expressed  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  a  public  testimony 
given  against  those  who  discover  the  insincerity  of  their  professed  subjection  to 
Christ,  which  was  the  ground  and  reason  of  their  being  admitted  into  that  relation 
which  now  they  appear  to  have  forfeited. 

Now,  the  church  has  a  right  to  exclude  those  from  its  communion  who  appear  to  be 
unqualified  for  it,  or  a  reproach  to  it.  Here  I  cannot  but  take  notice  of  the  opinion 
of  the  Erastians,  that  a  church  has  no  power,  distinct  from  the  civil  government, 
to  exclude  persons  from  its  communion.    This  opinion  was  advanced  by  Erastus,  a 

u  See  Quert.  clxxi,  clxxiv.  x  1  Tim.  vi.  12. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  21 

physician  in  Germany,  soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation.  What  seems 
to  have  given  occasion  to  it,  was  the  just  prejudice  which  he  entertained  against 
the  Popish  doctrine,  concerning  the  independence  of  the  church  upon  the  state. 
This  was  then,  and  is  at  this  day,  maintained  and  abused  to  such  a  degree,  that 
if  a  clergyman  insults  the  government,  and  sets  himself  at  the  head  of  a  rebellion 
against  his  lawful  prince,  or  is  guilty  of  any  other  enormous  crimes,  he  flies  to  the 
church  for  protection,  and  generally  finds  it  there  ;  especially  if  the  king  should, 
in  any  respect,  disoblige  him,  or  refuse  to  lay  his  crown  at  his  feet,  if  he  desire 
it.  Opposition  to  this  was,  I  say,  a  just  prejudice  ;  and  gave  first  rise  to  the  opinion 
of  Erastus,  who,  in  opposing  one  extreme,  ran  into  another.  The  argument  by 
which  his  opinion  is  generally  supported,  is,  that  the  independence  of  the  church 
upon  the  state  tends  to  erect  or  set  up  one  government  within  another/  But  this 
is  not  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature  and  nations,  when  a  smaller  government  is  not 
co-ordinate  with  the  other,  but  allowed  and  protected  by  it.  The  government  of  a 
family  or  corporation  must  be  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  a  smaller  government  in- 
cluded in  a  greater.  But  will  any  one  deny  that  they  are  inconsistent  with  it  ? 
May  not  a  master  admit  into  his  family  whom  he  pleases,  or  exclude  them  from 
being  members  of  it  ?  Or  may  not  a  corporation  make  the  by-laws  by  which  it  is 
governed,  without  being  supposed  to  interfere  with  the  civil  government  ?  And, 
by  a  parity  of  reason,  may  not  a  church,  pursuant  not  only  to  the  laws  of  society, 
but  to  the  rule  which  Christ  has  given,  exclude  members  from  its  communion,  with- 
out being  supposed  to  subvert  the  fundamental  laws  of  civil  government  ?  We  do 
not  deny  that,  if  the  church  should  pretend  to  inflict  corporal  punishments  on  its 
members,  or  make  use  of  the  civil  sword,  which  is  committed  into  the  hand  of  the 
magistrate  ;  or  if  it  should  act  contrary  to  the  laws  of  Christ,  by  defending,  en- 
couraging, or  abetting  those  who  are  enemies  to  the  civil  government,  or  excluding 
them  from  those  privileges  which  the  laws  of  the  land  give  them  a  right  to,  its  do- 
ing so  would  be  a  notoriously  unwarrantable  instance  of  erecting  one  government 
within  another,  subversive  of  it.  But  this  is  not  the  design  of  excommunication, 
as  one  of  those  ordinances  which  Christ  has  given  to  his  church. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  causes  of  inflicting  censure  on  persons.  These  are 
no  other  than  those  things  which,  had  they  been  before  known,  would  have  been  a 
hinderance  to  their  being  admitte'd  to  church  communion.  Hence,  when  a  person 
is  guilty  of  those  crimes  which,  had  they  been  known  before,  he  ought  not  to  have 
been  received,  and  when  these  are  made  to  appear,  he  is  deemed  unqualified  for 
that  privilege  which  he  was  before  admitted  to  partake  of.  On  this  account  we 
generally  say,  that  every  one  first  excludes  himself,  by  being  guilty  of  those  crimes 
which  disqualify  him  for  church  communion,  before  he  is  to  be  excluded  from  it  by 
the  sentence  of  the  church. — But,  that  we  may  be  a  little  more  particular  on  this 
subject,  let  us  consider  that  they  who  disturb  the  tranquillity  of  the  church,  by  the 
uneasiness  of  their  tempers,  or  who  are  not  only  unwilling  to  comply  with  the  me- 
thod of  its  government,  but  endeavour  to  make  others  so,  or  who  are  restless  in  their 
attempts  to  bring  innovations  into  it,  or  to  propagate  doctrines  which  are  contrary  to 
scripture,  and  the  general  faith  of  the  church  founded  on  it,  though  these  be  not  di- 
rectly subversive  of  the  gospel,  yet,  inasmuch  as  the  persons  are  not  satisfied  in  retain- 
ing their  own  sentiments,  without  giving  disturbance  to  others  who  cannot  adhere 
to  them,  such,  I  think,  ought  to  be  separated  from  the  communion  of  the  church, 
purely  out  of  a  principle  of  self-preservation  ;  though  it  is  not  the  church's  im- 
mediate duty  to  judge  the  state  so  much  as  the  temper  of  the  persons,  whom 
they  withdraw  from. — Again,  if  a  person  propagate  a  doctrine  subversive  of  the 
gospel,  or  of  that  faith  on  which  the  church  is  founded,  he  is  to  be  excluded.  It 
is  such  an  one,  as  I  humbly  conceive,  whom  the  apostle  styles  '  an  heretic,'  and 
advises  Titus  •  to  reject,'  and  of  whom  he  speaks  as  one  that  'is  subverted,  and  sin- 
neth,  being  condemned  of  himself. 'z  Some  think  that  the  person  here  spoken  of, 
is  one  who  pretends  to  believe  one  doctrine,  but  really  believes  another  which  is 
of  a  most  pernicious  tendency  ;  that  he  is  to  be  rejected,  not  for  his  sentiments, 
but  for  his  insincerity;  and  that  on  this  account  he  is  said  to  be  '  self-condemned.'* 
But  I  cannot  acquiesce  in  this  sense  of  the  text.     For  though  there  may  be  some 

y  Imperium  in  imperio.  z  Tit.  iii.  10,  11.  a   AvrtKarax^rtt. 


22  THE  CHUKCH,  VISIBLE   AND  INVISIBLE. 

in  the  world  who  think  to  find  their  account,  gain  popular  applause,  or,  some  way 
or  other,  serve  their  worldly  interest,  by  pretending  to  believe  those  doctrines  which 
they  really  deny  ;  yet  this  cannot  be  truly  said  of  the  person  whom  the  apostle, 
in  this  scripture,  describes  as  'an  heretic'  He  is,  indeed,  represented  as  inconsis- 
tent with  himself ;  and  his  being  so  is  supposed  to  be  known  and  alleged,  as  an  ag- 
gravation of  the  charge  on  which  his  expulsion  from  the  religious  society  of  which 
he  was  a  member  is  founded  ;  but  did  ever  any  man  propagate  one  doctrine,  and 
tell  the  world  that  he  believed  another,  so  that  he  might,  for  this  conduct,  be  con- 
victed as  an  hypocrite  ?  Certainly  his  acting  thus  could  not  be  known  without  his 
own  confession  ;  and  the  church  could  not  censure  him,  but  upon  sufficient  evidence. 
It  may  be  said  that  they  might  know  this  by  divine  inspiration.  But  though  it  is 
true  that  they  were  favoured  with  divine  inspiration  in  that  age,  in  which,  among 
other  extraordinary  gifts,  they  had  that  of  '  discerning  spirits ; '  yet  it  is  greatly 
to  be  questioned,  whether  they  ever  proceeded  against  any  one  upon  extraordinary 
intimations,  without  some  apparent  matter  of  accusation,  which  was  known  by 
those  who  had  not  this  extraordinary  gift.  For,  if  they  had  a  liberty  to  proceed 
against  persons  in  such  a  way,  why  did  not  our  Saviour  reject  Judas,  who  was  one 
of  that  society  who  attended  on  his  ministry,  when  he  knew  him  to  be  an  hypocrite, 
or  'self-condemned,'  in  a  most  notorious  degree?  Yet  our  Saviour  did  not  reject 
him  ;  and  the  reason,  doubtless,  was,  that  he  designed  that  his  churches,  in  succeed- 
ing ages,  should,  in  all  their  judicial  proceedings,  go  upon  evidence  which  might 
easily  be  known  by  all,  when  they  expelled  any  one  from  their  communion.  Besides, 
if  the  sense  contended  for  be  the  true  sense  of  the  text,  and  the  ground  on  which 
persons  are  to  be  rejected,  no  one  can  be  known  to  be  self-condemned  now  ;  for 
we  have  no  extraordinary  intimations  since  miraculous  gifts  ceased ;  nor  can  we 
believe  that  any  thing  was  instituted  as  essential  to  the  church's  proceedings,  in 
the  modes  of  government,  which  could  not  be  put  in  practice  except  in  the  apostolic 
age ;  and  if  so,  then  having  recourse  to  extraordinary  discerning  of  spirits,  as  a 
foundation  of  proceeding  against  persons  to  be  excluded  from  church  communion,  will 
not  serve  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  alleged.  It  must  be  concluded,  therefore,  that 
the  person  here  said  to  be  'self-condemned,'  was  deemed  so,  not  because  he  pre- 
tended to  hold  that  faith  which  he  really  denied,  but  because  his  present  professed 
sentiments  were  the  reverse  of  what  he  had  before  pretended  to  hold,  his  profession 
of  which  was  a  term  on  which  he  was  admitted  into  the  church.  In  this  sense  he 
is  said  to  be  '  self-condemned  ; '  his  present  errors  being  a  contradiction  to  the  faith 
which  he  then  professed,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  society  of  which  he  was  ad- 
mitted a  member. — Further,  persons  are  to  be  excluded  from  church  communion  for 
immoral  practices,  which  not  only  contradict  their  professed  subjection  to  Christ, 
but  argue  them  to  be  in  an  unconverted  state.  When  they  were  first  received  into 
the  church,  they  were  supposed,  by  a  judgment  of  charity,  to  be  Christ's  subjects 
and  servants.  Their  own  profession,  which  was  not  then  contradicted  by  any  ap- 
parent blemishes  in  their  conversation,  was  the  foundation  of  this  opinion,  which 
the  church  was  then  bound  to  entertain  concerning  them.  But,  when  thev  are 
guilty  of  any  crimes  which  are  contrary  to  their  professed  subjection  to  Christ,  the 
church  is  to  take  away  the  privilege  which  they  had  before  granted  them.  For 
by  these  crimes  they  appear  to  be  disqualified  for  their  commuuion ;  and  the  church's 
excluding  them  is  necessary,  inasmuch  as  by  it  they  express  a  just  detestation  of 
every  thing  which  would  be  a  reproach  to  them,  or  an  instance  of  disloyalty  to 
Christ,  or  rebellion  against  him  as  their  Head  and  Saviour. 

We  are  now  to  speak  concerning  the  method  of  proceeding  in  excluding  persons 
from  church  communion.  We  must  consider  this  as  a  judicial  act,  and  therefore 
not  to  be  done  without  trying  and  judging  impartially  the  merits  of  the  cause.  A 
crime  committed  is  supposed  to  be  first  known  by  particular  persons,  who  are  mem- 
bers of  the  church  ;  or  if  any  injury  be  done,  whereby  another  has  received  just 
matter  of  offence,  he  is  supposed  to  be  first  apprized  of  it  before  it  be  brought  be- 
fore the  church.  In  this  case,  our  Saviour  has  expressly  given  direction  concern- 
ing the  method  in  which  he  is  to  proceed.  He  says,  '  If  thy  brother  shall  trespass 
against  thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone.  If  he  shall 
hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother.     But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then 


THE  CHUKCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  23 

take  with  thee  one   or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses 
every  word  may  be  established.     And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto 
the  church.     But  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  an  hea- 
then man  and  a  publican. 'b     If  this  scripture  be  rightly  understood,  it  will  give 
great    light  to   the  method  of  proceeding  in  this  matter.      Here  we  must  consider, 
that  the  crime,  is  called  'a  trespass.'     Accordingly,   it  is,   in  some  respects,  in- 
jurious to  others  ;  and  by  its  being  so,  the  offender  contracts  some  degree  of  guilt 
lor  which  he  is  to  be  reproved.     Were  it  otherwise,  there  would  be  no  room  for  a 
private  rebuke  or  admonition,  in  order  to  bring  him  to  repentance  ;  nor,  upon 
his  obstinate  refusal  to  repent,  would  the  church  have  ground  to  proceed  in  excluding 
him  from  its  communion.     We  are  not  to  suppose,  however,  that  the  crime  is  of 
such  a  nature  as  is,  in    itself,   inconsistent  with  a  state  of  grace,  or  as  affords 
matter  of  open   scandal  to   the   Christian  name,  as  if  a  person  were  guilty  of 
adultery,  theft,  or  some  other  notorious  crime  ;  for,  in  this  case,  it  would  not  be 
sufficient  for  the  person  who  is  apprized  of  it  to  give  the  offender  a  friendly  and  gentle 
reproof,  so  that,  upon  his  confessing  his  fault,  and  repenting  of  it,  all  farther    pro- 
ceedings against  him  ought  to  be  stopped.     For,  in  such  a  case,  I  humbly  conceive 
that  he  who  has  received  information  concerning  it,  ought  to  make  it   known  to 
the  church,  that  so  the  matter  may  not  only  be  fully  charged  upon  him,  but  his 
repentance  be  as  visible  as  the  scandal  he  lias  brought  to  religion,  by  his  crime,  has 
been.     If  I  know  a  person  to  be  a  traitor  to  his  prince,  a  murderer,  or  guilty  of 
any  other  crime  whereby  he  has  forfeited  his  life,  it  is  not  sufficient  for  me  to  re- 
prove him  privately  for  it,  in  order  to  bring  him  to  repentance  ;  but  I  must  dis- 
cover it  to  proper  persons,  that  he  may  be  brought  to  condign  punishment.     So, 
in  this  case,  if  a  person  be  guilty  of  a  crime  which  in  itself  disqualifies  for  church 
communion,  and  brings  a  reproach  on  the  ways  of  God,  the  church  ought  to  ex- 
press their  public  resentment  against  it ;  which  will  tend  to  secure  the  honour 
of  religion.     Hence,    it   ought   to   be   brought   before   them   immediately  ;   and 
they  ought  to  proceed  against  the  offender,  by  excluding  him  from  their  communion, 
even  though,  for  the  present,  he  seem  to  express  some  degree  of  sorrow  for  his 
crime,  as  being  made  public.     And  if  they  judge  that  his  repentance  is  sincere,  and 
that  the  world  has  sufficient  ground  to  conclude  it  to  be  so,  then  they  may  express 
their  forgiveness  of  it,  and  so  withdraw  the  censure  they  have  passed  upon  him. 
But,  in  crimes  of  a  lesser  nature,  a  private  admonition  ought  to  be  given  ;  and  if 
this  be  to  no  purpose,  but  the  person  go  on  in  his  sin,  so  that  it  appears  to  be  ha- 
bitual, and  his  repentance  not  sincere,  the  cause  is  then  to  be  brought  before  the 
church.     But,  in  order  to  this,  the  person  who  first  reproved  the  offender  must  take 
one  or  two  more,  that  they  may  join  in  the  second  reproof  ;  and  if  all  this  be  to  no 
purpose,  then  they  are  to  appear  as  evidences  against  him,  and  the  church  is  to 
give  him  a  public  admonition  ;  and  if  this  solemn  ordinance  prove  ineffectual,  then 
he  is  to  be  excluded.     His  exclusion  is  styled  his  '  being  to  them  as  an  heathen 
man  or  publican  ; '  that  is,  they  have  no  farther  relation  to  him,  any  more  than 
they  have  to  the  heathen  or  publicans,  or  no  immediate  care  of  him,  otherwise 
than  as  they  are  to  desire  to  know  whether  the  censure  inflicted  on  him  be  blessed 
for  his  advantage. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  temper  with  which  the  sentence  of  exclu- 
sion from  church  communion  ought  to  be  denounced,  and  the  consequences  of 
it,  with  respect  to  him  who  falls  under  it.  The  same  frame  of  spirit  ought  to 
discover  itself  in  this  as  in  all  other  reproofs  for  sin  committed.  There  ought  to 
be  a  zeal  expressed  for  the  glory  of  God,  and,  at  the  same  time,  compassion  to 
the  souls  of  those  who  have  rendered  themselves  obnoxious  to  it ;  without 
the  least  degree  of  hatred  being  felt  toward  their  persons.  The  crime  is  to  be 
aggravated  in  proportion  to  its  nature,  so  that  he  who  has  committed  it  may  be 
brought  under  conviction,  and  be  humbled  for  his  sin  ;  yet  he  is  to  be  made  sensi- 
ble that  his  spiritual  advantage  is  intended  by  the  discipline  to  which  he  is  subjected. 
This  is  very  contrary  to  those  methods  which  were  taken  in  the  corrupt  state  of 
the  Jewish  church;  who,  when  they  excommunicated  persons,  denounced  several 
curses  against  them,  and  whose  consequent  behaviour  was  altogether  unjustifiable. 

b  Matt,  xviii.  15 — 17. 


t 
24  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

"We  have  an  account,  in  some  of  their  writings,  of  two  degrees  of  excommunication 
practised  among  them.  One  of  these  deprived  them  of  only  some  privileges  which 
that  church  enjoyed,  but  not  of  all.  Another  carried  in  it  more  terror,  by  reason 
of  several  anathemas  annexed  to  it ;  which  were  a  great  abuse  and  perversion  of 
the  design  of  the  law  relating  to  the  curses  which  were  to  be  denounced  on  mount 
Ebal.c  This  law  was  given,  not  as  a  form  to  be  used  in  excommunication,  but  to 
show  the  Israelites  what  sin  deserved,  and  to  be  an  expedient  to  prevent  those  sins 
which  would  expose  them  to  the  divine  wrath  and  curse. d  The  Jews  pretend,  too, 
to  have  a  warrant  for  their  excommunications  by  anathema  from  Deborah  and 
Barak's  cursing  Meroz,e  and  from  Joshua's  denouncing  a  curse  upon  him  who 
should  rebuild  Jericho.f  But  these  instances  do  not  give  countenance  to  their 
proceedings ;  for  we  must  distinguish  between  anathemas  denounced  by  immediate 
divine  direction  by  persons  who  had  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  and  those  curses 
which  were  denounced  by  others  who  were  altogether  destitute  of  it.s — Moreover, 
as  the  Jews,  in  the  degenerate  ages  of  their  church,  abused  the  ordinance  of 
excommunication,  so  they  discovered  such  a  degree  of  hatred  to  those  whom  they 
excommunicated,  as  ought  not  to  be  expressed  to  the  vilest  of  men.  An  instance 
of  this  we  have  in  their  behaviour  towards  the  Samaritans ;  who,  according  to  the 
account  we  have  from  Jewish  writers,  were  excommunicated  in  Ezra's  time,  for 
building  a  temple  on  mount  Gerizzim,  and  setting  up  corrupt  worship  there,  in 
opposition  to  that  which  ought  to  have  been  performed  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 
For  this  they  were  justly  excluded  from  the  Jewish  church  ;h  but  their  morose 
behaviour  towards  them  was  unwarrantable.  That  there  was  an  irreconcilable 
enmity  between  them,  appears  from  the  woman  of  Samaria's  answer  to  our  Saviour, 
when  desiring  her  to  give  him  water ;  and  it  is  evident  that  he  was  far  from  approv- 
ing of  the  behaviour  of  the  Jews  towards  them.  The  woman  was  amazed  that  he 
should  ask  water  of  her,  and  said  to  him,  '  How  is  it  that  thou,  being  a  Jew,  askest 
drink  of  me,  which  am  a  woman  of  Samaria?  for  the  Jews  have  no  dealings  with 
the  Samaritans  ;M  that  is,  they  retain  the  old  rancour  and  prejudice  against  them, 
that  they  will  not  have  any  dealings  with  them  which  involve  the  least  obligation 
on  either  side.  These  things  were  consequences  of  excommunication,  which  they 
had  no  ground  for  in  scripture. 

As  to  the  Christian  church,  they  seem  to  have  followed  the  Jews  too  much  in 
that  in  which  they  are  not  to  be  imitated.  Hence  arose  the  distinction  between 
the  greater  and  the  lesser  excommunication ;  which  is  agreeable,  though  expressed 
in  other  words,  to  that  which  we  have  already  mentioned.  Their  denouncing  ana- 
themas against  persons  excommunicated  by  them,  how  much  soever  it  might  have 
argued  their  zeal  against  the  crimes  they  committed,  is  no  example  for  us  to  follow. 
It  is  beyond  dispute,  that  they  endeavoured  to  make  this  censure  as  much  dreaded 
as  was  possible,  to  deter  men  from  committing  those  crimes  which  might  deserve  it. 
Tertullian  calls  it,  '  an  anticipation  ol  the  future  judgment  ;'k  and  Cyprian  supposes 
a  person  on  whom  it  is  inflicted  to  be  '  far  from  a  state  of  salvation.'1  Moreover,  some 
have  supposed  that  persons,  when  excommunicated,  were  possessed  by  the  devil. 
This  they  conclude  to  be  the  sense  of  the  apostle, m  when  he  speaks  of  '  delivering' 
such  'unto  Satan.  'n     They  think  that  Satan  actually  seized  and  took  possession 

c  Deut.  xxvii. 

d  The  former  of  these,  Jewish  writers  call  "TT3  Niddui.  The  latter  they  call  Erin  Cherem,  or 
Know  Schammatha.  This  was  performed  with  sevtral  execrations,  by  which  they,  as  it  were, 
bound  them  over  to  suffer  both  temporal  and  eternal  punishments.  See  Lightfoot's  Horoe  Hebr. 
and  Talmud,  in  Cor.  v.  5. 

e  Judges  v.  23.  f  Josh.  vi.  26. 

g  See  more  on  this  subject  in  Vitringa  de  Synagog.  Vet.  page  745,  and  also  the  form  used,  and 
the  instrument  drawn  up,  when  a  person  was  excommunicated  and  anathematized,  in  Seliien  de 
Jure  Nat.  et  Gent.  lib.  iv.  cap.  7.  and  Buxt.  Lex.  Talm.  in  voce  CHEREM. 

h  See  an  account  of  the  manner  of  their  excommunication,  and  the  curse  denounced  apainst  them 
at  that  time,  and  the  first  cause  of  it,  taken  from  Josephus  and  other  Jewish  writers,  in  Lightfoot's 
Works,  vol.  ii.  pp.  538 — 540,  and  vol.  i.  page  599. 

i  John  iv.  9.  k  Vid.  Tert.  Apol.  cap.  39.   '  Summum  futuri  judicii  praejudicium.' 

1  Vid.  C\  pr.  de  Orat.  Dom.  '  Timendum  est,  et  orandum,  ne  dum  quis  absUntus  seperatur  a 
Christi  corpore,  procul  remaneat  a  salute.' 

m  1  Cor.  v.  5.  n  Vid.  Cave's  Prim.  Christ.  Part  III.  can.  5. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  25 

of  them  ;  that  God  permitted  this  as  an  expedient  to  strike  terror  into  the  minds 
of  men,  to  .prevent  many  sins  from  heing  committed ;  and  that  it  was  more  neces- 
sary at  the  time  when  the  church  was  destitute  of  the  assistance  of  the  civil  magis- 
trate, who  took  no  care  to  defend  the  church,  or  to  punish  crimes  committed  by  its 
members.  But  I  cannot  think  that  there  was  ever  such  a  power  granted  to  the 
church,  how  much  soever  the  necessity  of  affairs  might  be  supposed  to  require  it. 
We  read  nothing  of  it  in  the  writings  of  those  Fathers  who  lived  in  the  early  ages, 
such  as  Justin  Martyr,  Tertullian,  Origen,  or  Cyprian ;  who  would,  doubtless,  have 
taken  some  notice  of  this  extraordinary  miraculous  punishment  attending  excom- 
munication, had  there  been  any  such  thing.  Some  of  them,  indeed,  speak  oi  the 
church's  being  favoured,  in  some  instances,  after  the  apostle's  time,0  with  the  ex- 
traordinary gift  of  miracles,  and  particularly  that  of  casting  out  devils  ;  but  we  have 
no  account  of  the  devil's  possessing  any  upon  their  being  cast  out  of  the  church. 
We  read  in  scripture,  indeed,  of  '  delivering'  a  person  excommunicated  'to  Satan. *P 
But  I  cannot  think  that  the  apostle  intends  any  more  by  the  phrase  than  a  person's 
being  declared  to  be  in  Satan's  kingdom,  that  is,  in  the  world,  where  Satan  rules 
over  the  children  of  disobedience.  If,  too,  his  crime  be  so  great  as  is  inconsistent  with 
a  state  of  gtface,  he  must,  without  doubt,  be  reckoned  a  servant  of  Satan,  and  in 
this  sense  be  delivered  to  him.  Besides,  there  is  a  particular  design  of  the  deliver- 
ing to  Satan  mentioned  by  the  apostle,  namely,  'the  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that 
the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;'  so  that  the  person's  good  is  to 
be  intended  by  it,  that  he  may  be  humbled,  brought  to  repentance,  and  alterwards 
received  again  into  the  bosom  of  the  church. 

We  have  thus  considered  the  general  description  of  a  church,  the  matter  and 
form  of  it,  and  the  power  granted  to  it  of  receiving  persons  into  its  communion  or 
excluding  them  from  it.  From  what  has  been  stated  on  these  subjects,  we  may 
infer  that  nearness  of  habitation,  how  much  soever  it  may  contribute  to  the  answer- 
ing of  some  ends  of  church  communion,  which  cannot  be  attained  by  those  who 
live  many  miles  distant  from  one  another,  is  not  sufficient  to  constitute  persons 
church  members,  or  to  give  them  a  right  to  the  privileges  which  attend  that 
relation.  Parochial  churches  have  no  foundation  in  scripture  ;  for  they  want 
both  the  matter  and  form  of  a  church  ;  nor  are  they  any  other  than  a  human 
constitution. — Again,  the  scripture  gives  no  account  of  the  church  as  national  or 
provincial.  Though  persons  have  a  right  to  many  civil  privileges,  as  born  in 
particular  nations  or  provinces,  it  does  not  follow  that  they  are  professedly  subject 
to  Christ,  or  united  together  in  the  bonds  of  the  gospel.  If  a  church  which  styles 
itself  national,  exclude  persons  from  its  communion,  whether  it  be  for  real  or  sup- 
posed crimes,  it  takes  away  a  right  which  it  had  no  power  to  confer,  but  which  is 
founded  on  the  laws  of  men,  which  are  very  distinct  from  those  which  Christ  has 
given  to  his  churches. 

V.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  government  of  the  church,  by  those  officers 
which  Christ  has  appointed  in  it.     Tyranny  and  anarchy  are  extremes,  inconsistent 

o  Justin  Martyr  tells  the  Jews,  [Vid.  ejusd.  Colloq.  cum  Trypb.]  that  the  church,  in  his  time, 
had  the  gift  of  prophecy.  This  Eusebius  [in  Hist.  Eccles.  lib.  iv.  cap.  17-]  takes  notice  of,  and, 
doubtless,  believed  to  be  true  in  fact;  though  it  is  very  much  questioned  whether  there  were 
any  such  thing  in  the  fourth  century,  in  which  he  lived.  Gregory  Nyssen  and  Basil,  who  lived  a 
little  after  Eusebius,  assert  that  there  were  many  miracles  wrought  in  the  third  century  by  Gregory 
of  Neo-Csesarea,  for  which  reason  he  is  called  Thaumaturgus;  though  it  is  not  improbable  that  they 
might  be  imposed  on  in  some  things  which  they  relate  concerning  him,  especially  when  they  com- 
pare him  with  the  apostles  and  ancient  prophets,  not  exceptii  g  Moses  himself  in  this  respect.  It 
is  certain  that  many  things  are  related  of  his  miracles  which  seem  too  fabulous  to  obtain  credit. 
Yet  there  is  ground  enough,  from  all  that  they  say,  to  suppose  that  he  wrought  some,  and  that, 
therefore,  in  his  time,  they  had  not  wholly  ceased.  [Vid.  Greg.  Nyss.  in  vit.  Greg.  Thaum.  and 
Basil  de  Sp.  Sanct.  cap.  29.]  Origen  affirms  that,  in  his  time,  the  Christians  had  a  power  to  per- 
form many  miraculous  cures,  and  to  foretell  things  to  come.  [Vid.  lib.  i.  Contr.  Gels.]  *  K*»  i« 
'Xyr>  Teu  *y"u  txiit'u  Hnvf4.tt.rc;  ira^a.  %£imavei(  eofyrmi  i!nr*Jay#7  iaiftoms  xai  xeXXas  i*eu(  tvrirtXtufi 
tcai  oouat  riva  xara  re  €t>uXyf<ia  rot/  Xoytu  *i/>i  fjuXXniruv.1  If  this  had  not  been  true,  Celsus,  w  ho 
wanted  neither  malice  nor  a  will  to  oppose,  would  certainly  have  detected  the  fallacy.  Tertullian 
.  [Vid.  Apologet.  cap.  23.]  appeals  to  it  for  the  proof  of  the  Christian  religion,  offering  to  lay  his 
life  and  reputation  at  stake,  if  the  Christians,  when  publicly  calling  upon  God,  did  not  cure  those 
who  were  possessed  with  devils, 
p  I  Cor.  v.  5. 
II.  D 


2t)  THE   CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

with  the  good  of  civil  society,  and  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature,  and  are  sufficiently 
guarded  against  by  the  government  which  Christ  has  fixed  in  his  church,  lie  has 
appointed  officers  to  secure  its  peace  and  order,  and  has  limited  their  power,  and 
given  directions  which  concern  the  exercise  of  it,  so  that  the  church  may  be  gov- 
erned without  oppression,  its  religious  rights  maintained,  and  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  mutual  edification  of  its  members  promoted. 

We  have  already  considered  those  extraordinary  officers  whom  Christ  set  over  the 
gospel-church,  when  it  was  first  constituted,  namely,  the  apostles  and  evangelists. 
But  there  are  others  whom  he  has  given  to  his  churches.  These  are  either  sucli 
as  are  appointed  to  bear  rule,  more  especially  in  what  respects  the  promoting  of 
faith  and  order,  who  are  styled  pastors  and  elders ;  or  they  are  such  as  have  the  over- 
sight of  the  secular  affairs  of  the  church,  and  the  trust  of  providing  for  the  neces- 
sities of  the  poor  committed  to  them,  who  are  called  deacons. 

As  to  the  former,  namely,  pastors  and  elders,  we  often  read  of  them  in  the  New 
Testament.  All,  however,  are  not  agreed  in  their  sentiments  as  to  whether  the 
elders  spoken  of  in  scripture  are  distinct  officers  from  pastors,  or  whether  Christ 
has  appointed  two  sorts  of  them,  namely,  preaching  and  ruling  elders.  Some  think 
the  apostle  distinguishes  between  them,  when  he  says,  '  Let  the  elder%  that  rule 
well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honour,  especially  they  who  labour  in  the  word 
and  doctrine. 'q  The  '  double  honour'  here  intended,  seems  to  be  not  only  civil 
respect,  but  maintenance,  as  appears  from  the  following  words,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
muzzle  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  corn;  and  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his 
reward.'  Now,  the  parties  to  whom  I  refer  suppose  that  this  maintenance  belongs 
to  such  only  as  'labour  in  word  and  doctrine,'  and  not  to  the  other  elders  who  are 
said  to  'rule  well.'  They  hence  conclude  that  there  are  elders  who  'rule  well,' 
distinct  from  those  who  'labour  in  word  and  doctrine.'  Others,  indeed,  think  that 
the  apostle,  in  this  text,  speaks  only  of  the  latter  sort ;  and  then  the  stress  of  his 
argument  is  laid  principally  on  the  word  '  labouring,'  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Let  erery 
one  who  preaches  the  gospel  and  presides  over  the  church,  have  that  honour  conferred 
on  him  which  is  his  due  ;  but  let  this  be  greater  in  proportion  to  the  pains  and  dili- 
gence which  he  shows  for  the  church's  edification.'  I  cannot  but  think,  however, 
since  it  is  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  society,  and  not  in  the  least  repugnant  to  any 
thing  we  read  in  scripture  concerning  the  office  of  an  elder,  that,  in  case  of  emer- 
gency, when  the  necessity  of  the  church  requires"it,  or  when  the  work  of  preaching 
and  ruling  is  too  much  for  a  pastor,  the  church  being  very  numerous,  it  is  advisable 
that  some  should  be  chosen  from  among  themselves,  to  assist  him  in  managing  the 
affairs  of  government  and  performing  some  branches  of  his  office  distinct  from  that 
of  preaching,  a  work  to  which  they  are  not  called,  as  not  being  duly  qualified  for 
it.  These  are  helpers  or  assistants  in  government ;  and  their  office  may  have  in 
it  a  very  great  expediency ;  as  in  the  multitude  of  counsellors  there  is  safety,  and 
the  direction  and  advice  of  those  who  are  men  of  prudence  and  esteem  in  the 
church  will  be  very  conducive  to  maintain  its  peace  and  order.  But  I  cannot 
think  that  the  office  of  ruling  elders  is  necessary  in  smaller  churches,  in  which 
the  pastors  need  not  their  assistance.     [See  Note  F,  page  43.] 

We  shall  now  speak  concerning  the  office  of  a  pastor.  This  consists  of  two 
branches,  namely,  preaching  the  word  and  administering  the  sacraments  on  the  one 
hand,  and  performing  the  office  of  a  ruling  elder  on  the  other. 

We  may  first  consider  him  as  qualified  and  called  to  preach  the  gospel.  This  is 
an  honourable  and  important  work,  and  has  always  been  reckoned  so  by  those  who 
have  had  any  concern  for  the  promoting  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  world.  The 
apostle  Paul  was  very  thankful  to  Christ  that  he  conferred  upon  him  the  honour 
of  being  employed  in  this  work,  or,  as  he  expresses  it,  that  '  he  counted  him  faith- 
ful, putting  him  into  the  ministry.'1"  Elsewhere  he  concludes,  that  it  is  necessary 
that  they  who  engage  in  this  work  be  sent  by  God,  *  How  shall  they  preach,  except 
they  be  sent  ?'*  This  is  a  necessary  prerequisite  to  the  pastoral  office,  as  much  as 
speech  is  necessary  to  an  orator,  or  conduct  to  a  governor.  Yet  persons  may  be 
employed  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  who  are  not  pastors.     These,  if  they  faith- 

q  1  Tim.  v.  17.  r  Chap.  i.  12.  •  Rom.  x.  15. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  27 

fully  discharge  the  work  they  are  called  to,  may  be  reckoned  a  blessing  to  the  world, 
and  a  valuable  part  of  the  church's  treasure.  Considered  as  distinct  from  pastors, 
however,  they  are  not  reckoned  among  its  officers.  This  is  a  subject  which  very 
well  deserves  our  consideration.  But,  as  we  have  an  account  elsewhere  *  of  the 
qualifications  and  call  of  ministers  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  of  the  manner  in  which 
their  work  is  to  be  done,  we  pass  the  subject  over  at  present. 

We  shall  next  consider  a  minister  as  invested  with  the  pastoral  office,  and  so  re- 
lated to  a  particular  church.  The  characters  by  which  those  who  are  called  to  it 
are  described  in  the  New  Testament,  besides  that  of  a  pastor,  are  a  bishop  or  over- 
seer, and  a  presbyter  or  elder,  who  labours  in  word  and  doctrine.  The  world,  it  is 
certain,  is  very  much  divided  in  their  sentiments  about  this  matter.  Some  conclude 
that  a  bishop  is  not  only  distinct  from,  but  superior,  both  in  order  and  degree,  to 
those  who  are  styled  presbyters  or  elders ;  while  others  think  either  that  there  is 
no  difference  between  them,  or,  at  least,  that  it  is  not  so  great  that  they  should  be 
reckoned  distinct  officers  in  a  church.  The  account  we  have,  in  scripture;  of  this 
matter,  seems  to  be  somewhat  different  from  what  were  the  sentiments  of  the  church 
in  following  ages.  Sometimes  we  read  of  several  bishops  in  one  church.  Thus 
the  apostle,  writing  to  the  church  at  Philippi,  directs  his  epistle  to  the  bishops  and 
deacons.u  Elsewhere  he  seems  to  call  the  same  persons  bishops  and  elders  or  pres- 
byters ;  for  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  'and called  the  elders  of  the  church, 'x  and  advised 
them  to  '  take  heed  to  themselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  over  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
had  made  them  overseers'  or  bishops. *  At  another  time,  he  charges  Titus  to 
'ordain  elders,'  or  presbyters,  'in  every  city.'  He  then  gives  the  character  of 
those  whom  he  was  to  ordain,  bidding  him  take  care  that  they  were  '  blameless,' 
and  had  other  qualifications  necessary  for  this  office  ;  and,  in  assigning  a  reason 
for  his  doing  so,  he  adds,  '  For  a  bishop  must  be  blameless,'  <fec.  Here  it  is  plain, 
the  words  '  elder'  and  'bishop'  are  indifferently  used  by  him,  as  respecting  the  same 
person.  The  apostle  Peterz  also  addresses  himself  to  '  the  elders'  of  the  churches 
to  whom  he  writes,  styling  himself  '  an  elder  together  with  them,'a  and  'a  witness 
of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,'  which  was  his  character  as  an  apostle  ;  and  he  exhorts 
them  to  perform  the  office  of  '  bishops,'  or  '  overseers, 'b  as  the  word  which  we  render 
'  taking  the  oversight'  signifies  ;  whence  it  is  evident  that  elders  and  presbyters 
had  the  character  of  bishops,  from  the  work  they  were  to  perform.  Moreover,  the 
venerable  assembly  who  met  at  Jerusalem  to  discuss  an  important  question  brought 
before  them  by  Paul  and  Barnabas,  is  said  to  have  consisted  of  the  apostles  and 
elders.0  Now,  if  bishops  had  been  not  only  distinct  from  elders  but  a  superior 
order  to  them,  they  would  have  been  mentioned  as  such,  and,  doubtless,  have  met 
with  them  ;  but  it  seems  probable  that  they  are  included  in  the  general  character 
of  '  elders.'  Some  think  that  the  same  persons  are  called  bishops,  because  they 
had  the  oversight  of  their  respective  churches,  and  elders,  because  theywere  quali- 
fied for  this  work  by  the  age  and  experience  to  which  they  had,  for  the  most  part, 
arrived  ;  as  the  word  '  elder '  signifies  not  only  one  who  is  invested  with  an  oifice,d 
but  one  who,  by  reason  of  his  age,  and  of  the  wisdom  which  often  attends  it,  is 
fitted  to  discharge  its  duties.*5 

We  read  nothing  in  scripture  of  diocesan  churches,  or  bishops  over  them  ;  how 
much  soever  diocesan  episcopacy  was  pleaded  for  in  many  following  ages.  They 
who  maintain  it  generally  have  recourse  to  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  and  church 
historians  ;  but  were  the  proofs  taken  thence  more  strong  and  conclusive  than  they 
are,  they  would  not  be  sufficient  to  support  its  divine  right.  I  shall  not  enlarge  on 
this  particular  branch  of  the  controversy  ;  as  it  has  been  handled  with  much  learn- 
ing and  judgment  by  many  others/  who  refer  to  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
three  first  centuries,  to  prove  that  churches  were  no  larger  in  those  times  than  one 
person  could  have  the  oversight  of,  and  that  these  chose  their  own  bishops.  Some 
think,  indeed,  that  there  is  ground  to  conclude,  from  what  we  find  in  the  writings 

t  See  Quest,  clviii,  clix.         u  Phil.  i.  1.         x  Acts  xx.  17-         y  Verse  28.  z  1  Pet.  v.  1. 

a  cvffr^\a^vTi^t(.  h  inraoronrif  c  Acts  xv.  6.  (1  Legatus.  e  I  Tim.  v.  1. 

f  Set*  0:itile">i(N)(l,  Altar.  Dhiimsc.  Jameson's  Fundamentals  of  the  Hierarchy  examined;  For- 
rest.t's  Hierarchical  Bishop-'  Claim.  &c. ;  nrid  Clarkson's  '  No  Evidence  for  Diocesan  Churches,'  and 
liis  •D.octs..ij  Cuutchea  not  \et  discovered,'  &c. 


28  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

of  Ignatius,  Tertullian,  Cyprian,  and  other  Fathers  in  these  ages,  that  there  was  a 
superiority  of  bishops  to  presbyters,  at  least  in  degree,  though  not  in  order  ;  that 
the  presbyter  performed  all  the  branches  of  the  work  which  properly  belonged  to 
bishops,  with  only  this  difference,  that  it  was  done  with  their  leave,  or  by  their 
order,  or  in  their  absence  ;  and  that,  there  being  several  elders  in  the  same  church, 
one  of  these,  when  a  bishop  died,  was  ready  to  succeed  him  in  his  office.  Some  of 
the  Fathers  speak  also  of  the  church  as  parochial,  and  contradistinguished  from 
diocesan.  But  as  it  does  not  appear,  by  their  writings,  that  the  parochial  churches 
of  which  they  speak  had  no  bond  of  union  but  nearness  of  habitation,  I  cannot  so 
readily  conclude  that  their  church  state  depended  principally  on  this  political  cir- 
cumstance. I  am  of  opinion  rather  that  Christians  thought  it  most  convenient  for 
those  to  enter  into  a  church  relation,  who,  by  reason  of  the  nearness  of  their  situa- 
tion to  each  other,  could  better  perform  the  duties  which  were  incumbent  on  them 
as  church  members.  It  appears,  too,  from  several  things  occasionally  mentioned 
by  the  Fathers,  that  the  church  admitted  none  into  its  communion  but  those  whom 
they  judged  qualified  for  it,  not  only  by  understanding  the  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
but  by  a  conduct  becoming  their  profession  ;  and  that  they  caused  them  to  remain 
a  considerable  time  in  a  state  of  probation,  admitting  them  to  attend  on  the  prayers 
and  instructions  of  the  church,  but  ordering  them  to  withdraw  before  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per was  administered.  These  are  sometimes  called  '  hearers,'  by  Cyprian,  at  other 
times,  'candidates,'  but  most  commonly  'catechumens.'  And  there  were  persons 
appointed  not  only  to  instruct  them,  but  to  examine  what  proficiency  they  made  in 
religion,  in  order  to  their  being  received  into  the  church.  In  this  state  of  trial 
they  continued  generally  two  or  three  years.s  Such  was  the  care  taken  that  per- 
sons might  not  deceive  themselves  and  the  church,  by  their  being  joined  in  com- 
munion with  it,  without  having  the  necessary  qualifications.  This  was  a  very  different 
state  of  things  from  that  of  parochial  churches,  as  understood  and  defended  by 
many  in  our  day.  Hence,  the  calling  of  churches  '  parishes,'  in  the  three  first  cen- 
turies, was  only  a  circumstantial  description  of  them.  In  every  one  of  these 
churches,  too,  there  was  one  who  was  called  a  bishop  or  overseer,  with  a  convenient 
number  of  elders  or  presbyters  ;  and  it  is  observed  by  the  learned  writer  just  refer- 
red to,  that  the  churches  were  at  first  comparatively  small,  and  not  exceeding  the 
bigness  ot  the  city  or  village  in  which  they  were  situated,  each  of  which  was  under 
the  care  o*  oversight  of  its  respective  pastor  or  bishop.  This  was  the  state  of  the 
church,  more  especially,  in  the  three  first  centuries.  But,  if  we  descend  a  little 
lower  to  the  fourth  century,  when  it  arrived  at  a  peaceable  and  flourishing  state, 
we  shall  find  that  its  government  was  very  much  altered.  Then,  indeed,  the  bish- 
ops had  the  oversight  of  larger  dioceses  than  they  had  before.  This  proceeded 
from  the  aspiring  temper  of  particular  persons,11  who  were  not  content  till  they  had 
added  some  .neighbouring  parishes  to  their  own ;  and  so  their  churches  became  very 
large,  till  they  extended  themselves  over  whole  provinces.  But  even  this  was  com- 
plained of  by  some  as  an  abuse.  Chrysostom  frequently  insisted  on  the  inconve- 
nience of  bishops  having  churches  too  large  for  them  to  take  the  oversight  of,  and 
of  their  not  so  much  regarding  the  qualifications  as  the  number  of  those  over  whom 
they  presided  ;  and  he  signifies  his  earnest  desire  that  those  under  his  care  might 
excel  rather  in  piety  than  in  number,  as  it  would  be  an  expedient  for  his  better  dis- 
charging the  work  committed  to  him.' 

We  have  thus  spoken  concerning  the  character  and  distinction  of  the  pastors  of 
churches,  together  with  the  form  of  the  church  in  the  first  ages  of  Christianity, 
and  what  is  observed  by  many  concerning  the  agreement  and  difference  which  there 
was  between  bishops  and  presbyters.     But  this  last  point  has  been  so  largely  in- 

g  See  Clarkson's  Primitive  Episcopacy,  chap.  7,  in  which  he  observes,  that  it  was  decreed,  by 
some  councils,  that  they  should  continue  in  this  state  of  probation  at  least  two  or  three  years:  and 
that  Augustin  continued  thus  long  a  catechumen,  as  appears  from  the  account  that  Father  gives  of 
his  age  when  converted  to  Christianity,  and  afterwards  of  his  being  received  into  the  church  by 
Ambrose. 

h  See  Primitive  Episcopacy,  pp.  189—197- 

i  See  Clarkson's  Primitive  Episcopacy,  chap.  8,  in  which  he  refers  to  several  places  in  the  writ- 
ings of  that  excellent  Father  to  the  same  purpose. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  29 

sistcd  on  by  many  who  have  written  on  both  sides  of  the  question,  and  the  contro- 
versy turns  so  very  much  on  critical  remarks  on  occasional  passages  taken  out  of 
the  writings  of  the  Fathers  without  recourse  to  scripture,  that  it  is  less  necessary  or 
agreeable  to  our  present  design  to  enlarge  on  it.  We  may  observe,  however,  that 
some  of  those  who  have  written  in  defence  of  diocesan  episcopacy,  have  been  forced 
to  acknowledge  that  Jerome,  Augustin,  Ambrose,  Chrysostom,  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, and  Sedulius,  Primatius,  Theodoret,  and  Theophylact,  in  some  following 
ages,  all  held  the  identity  of  both  name  and  order  of  bishops  and  presbyters  in  the 
primitive  church. k  Jerome,  in  particular,  is  more  express  on  this  subject  than  any 
of  them,  and  proves  it  from  some  arguments  taken  from  scripture.  He  also  speaks 
of  the  distinction  between  bishops  and  elders,  as  the  result  of  those  divisions  by 
which  the  peace  and  order  of  the  church  was  broken  ;  and  says  that  it  was  no  other 
than  a  human  constitution. x  This  opinion  of  Jerome  is  largely  defended  by  a 
learned  writer  ;m  who  shows  that  it  is  agreeable  to  the  sentiments  of  other  Fathers 
who  lived  before  and  after  him. 

Having  thus  spoken  concerning  a  pastor  as  styled  a  bishop  or  presbyter,  we  shall 
now  consider  him  as  invested  with  his  office,  whereby  he  becomes  related  to  a  par- 
ticular church  of  Christ.  That  no  one  is  pastor  of  the  catholic  church,  was  ob- 
served under  a  foregoing  Head.n  We  there  showed  that  the  church,  when  styled 
catholic,  is  not  to  be  reckoned  the  seat  of  government ;  that,  therefore,  we  must 
consider  a  pastor  as  presiding  over  a  particular  church  ;  and,  that,  in  order  to  his 
doing  so,  he  must  be  called  or  chosen,  on  their  part,  to  take  the  oversight  of  them, 
and  comply  with  the  invitation  on  his  own  part,  and  afterwards  be  solemnly  invested 
with  this  office,  or  set  apart  to  it.  Let  us  now  consider  what  more  especially  re- 
spects the  church,  who  have  a  right  to  choose  or  call  qualified  persons,  to  engage  in 
this  service,  and  to  perform  the  two  branches  of  the  pastoral  office,  namely,  instruct- 
ing and  governing.  This  right  of  a  church  to  choose  their  pastor  is  not  only  agree- 
able to  the  laws  of  society,  but  is  plainly  taught  in  scripture,  and  appears  to  have 
been  the  sentiment  and  practice  of  the  church  in  the  three  first  centuries.  The 
church's  power  of  choosing  their  own  officers,  is  sufficiently  evident  from  scripture. 
If  there  were  any  exception,  it  must  be  in  those  instances  in  which  there  was  an 
extraordinary  hand  of  providence  in  the  appointment  of  officers  over  the  churches ; 
but  even  then  God  sometimes  referred  the  matter  to  their  own  choice.  Thus, 
when  Moses  made  several  persons  rulers  over  Israel,  to  bear  a  part  of  the  burden 
which  before  was  wholly  laid  on  him,  he  refers  the  matter  to  their  own  election. 
'  Take  ye  wise  men,'  says  he,  'and  understanding,  and  known  among  your  tribes, 
and  I  will  make  them  rulers  over  you.'°  The  gospel-church,  also,  which  at  first 
consisted  of  '  about  an  hundred  and  twenty '  members,?  when  an  apostle  was  to 
be  chosen  to  succeed  Judas,  'appointed  two'  out  of  their  number,  and  prayed  that 
God  would  '  signify  whether  of  them  he  had  chosen  ;'  and,  when  they  had  '  given 
forth  their  lots,  the  lot  fell  upon  Matthias,  and  he  was  numbered  with  the  eleven 
apostles. 'i  So  we  render  the  words  ;  but  if  they  had  been  rendered,  'he  was  num- 
bered among  the  eleven  apostles  by  common  suffrage,'  or  vote,  the  translation 
would  have  been  more  expressive  of  the  sense.1-  Soon  after,  we  read  of  the  choice 
of  other  officers  in  the  church,  namely,  deacons  ;s  and  the  apostles  said  to  the  church, 
'  Look  ye  out  among  you  seven  men,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  business.' 
And  afterwards,  in  their  appointing  elders  or  pastors  over  particular  churches,  we 

k  See  Stillingfleet  Iren.  p.  276. 

1  Vid.  Hieron.  in  Tit.  i.  5.  '  Sicut  ergo  Presbyteri  sciunt  se  ex  Ecclesia  consuetudine,  ci  qui  sibl 
propositus  fuerit  esse  suljectos,  ita  Episcopi  noveriiit  se  magis  consuetudine  quam  dispositionis 
doiniincae  veritate,  Presbyteris  esse  mnjores,  et  in  commune  debere  Ecclesiam  regere.' 

m  Vi<i.  Blomiel.  Apol.  pro  Sent.  Hieron. 

n  S.e  Sect.  '  The  Visible  Church,'  under  Quest,  lxi — Ixiv.  Some,  indeed,  choose  to  say  that 
persons  who  stand  mori'  immediately  related  to  th,eir  respective  churches,  are  pastors  in  the  catho- 
lic church,  though  not  of  it;  which,  if  the  words  be  rightly  understood,  does  not  militate  against 
whnt   we  assert. 

o  1).  ut.  i.  13.  p  Arts  i.  15.  q  Verses  23—25. 

r  ivyKari^inifiKrSn  ptra  ru*  Uhxa  arofreXut,  which  Beza  renders,  'Commuuibus  calculis  allectus 
est  rum  uudecim  apostolis.' 

s  Arts  vi.  3. 


30  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

read  of  their  choosing  them  by  vote  or  suffrage.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  When  they  had 
ordained  them  elders  in  every  church.'*  So  we  translate  the  words  ;u  but  they 
might  be  better  rendered,  '  When  they  had  chosen  elders  in  every  church  by  the 
lifting  up  of  the  hand.'  This  lifting  up  of  the  hand  was,  and  is  at  this  day,  a  com- 
mon mode  of  electing  persons  either  to  civil  or  religious  offices.  And  it  might  be 
easily  proved  from  the  Fathers,  that  it  was  the  universal  practice  of  the  church  in 
the  three  first  centuries,  and  not  wholly  laid  aside  in  following  ages,  till  civil  policy 
and  secular  interest  usurped  and  invaded  the  church's  rights.  But  this  argument 
having  been  judiciously  managed  by  Br.  Owen,x  I  pass  it  over,  and  proceed  to  con- 
sider the  question  of  ordination. 

A  pastor  having  been  chosen  by  the  church,  and  having  confirmed  his  election 
by  his  own  consent,  then  follows  his  being  separated  or  publicly  set  apart  to  his 
office,  with  fasting  and  prayer.  This  is  generally  called  ordination.  It  does  not, 
indeed,  constitute  a  person  a  pastor  of  a  church  ;  so  that  his  election,  confirmed  by 
his  consent,  would  not  have  been  valid  without  it.  Yet  it  is  not  only  agreeable  to 
the  scripture  rule,  but  highly  expedient,  that,  as  his  ministerial  acts  are  to  be  pub- 
lic, his  entering  into  his  office  should  be  so  likewise,  and,  in  order  to  this,  that  other 
pastors  or  elders  should  join  in  the  solemnity  ;  for,  though  they  do  not  confer  the 
office  upon  him,  yet  they  testify  their  approbation  of  the  person  chosen  to  it ;  and 
so  a  foundation  is  laid  for  that  harmony  of  pastors  and  churches  which  tends  to 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  promoting  of  the  common  interest.  Ordination  also 
protects  against  several  inconveniences  which  might  follow  without  it  ;  since  it  is 
possible  that  a  church  may  choose  a  person  to  be  their  pastor,  whose  call  to,  and 
qualification  for,  his  office  may  be  questioned.  It  is,  moreover,  natural  to  suppose, 
that  they  would  expect  their  proceedings  in  the  settlement  of  their  pastor  to  be 
justified  and  defended  by  other  pastors  and  churches,  so  that  the  communion  of 
churches  may  be  maintained.  But  how  can  this  be  done,  if  no  expedient  be  used 
to  render  the  matter  public  and  visible  ;  which  this  way  of  ordaining  or  setting 
apart  to  the  pastoral  office  does  ?  For  they  who  join  in  it  testify  their  approbation 
of  what  is  done,  as  being  agreeable  to  the  rule  of  the  gospel. 

Public  inauguration  or  investiture  in  the  pastoral  office,  is,  for  the  most  part,  per- 
formed with  imposition  of  hands.  As  this  is  so  frequently  mentioned  in  scripture, 
and  appears  to  have  been  practised  by  the  church  in  all  succeeding  ages,  it  will  be 
reckoned  by  many  to  be  no  other  than  a  fruitless  attempt,  if  not  an  offending  against 
the  generation  of  God's  people,  to  call  in  question  its  warrantableness.  It  is  cer 
tain  that  it  was  used  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  particularly  in  public  and 
solemn  benedictions.  Thus  Jacob  laid  his  hands  on  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  when 
he  blessed  them.  It  was  used  also  in  conferring  political  offices  ;*  in  healing  dis- 
eases in  a  miraculous  way ; z  and  sometimes  in  receiving  persons  who  were  emi- 
nently converted  to  the  Christian  faith  and  baptized. a  These  things  are  very 
evident  from  scripture.  Yet  it  may  be  observed,  that,  in  several  of  these  instances, 
it  has,  for  some  ages  past,  been  laid  aside,  by  reason  of  the  discontinuance  of  those 
extraordinary  gifts  which  were  signified  by  it.  There  was,  doubtless,  something 
extraordinary  in  the  patriarchal  benediction  ;  as  Jacob  did  not  only  pray  for  a  bless- 
ing on  the  sons  of  Joseph,  but,  as  a  prophet,  he  foretold  that  the  divine  blessing, 
which  he  spake  of,  should  descend  on  their  posterity.  Hence  we  do  not  read  of 
this  ceremony  having  been  used  in  the  more  common  instances,  when  persons  who 

t  Acts  xiv.  23. 

u  Xu^arottiratrif  etureis  tr^ia-SvTi^ov!  xar  ixxXtivitc*,  '  Cum  ipsi  per  suffragia  creassent  per  singulas 
ecclesias  presbvteros.'  The  learned  Dr.  Owen,  in  his  'True  Nature  of  a  Gospel-church,'  &c.  pp.  68 
— 71.  proves,  that  the  word  xui'T,nu'  hi  several  Greek  writers,  is  used  to  signify  the  choice  of 
a  person  to  office  by  suffrage  or  vote,  which  was  done  by  lifting  up  the  hand.  And  he  observes 
that  all  our  old  English  translations  render  the  words,  in  this  text,  ordaining  or  creating  elders  by 
the  siiffrape  of  the  disciples.  He  farther  observ.es  that  the  word  is  but  once  more  used  in  the  New 
Testament,  namely,  in  2  Cor.  viii.  19,  where  it  is  rendered,  'he  was  chosen,' &c.  See  more  to  this 
purpose  in  the  place  just-mentioned. 

x  See  the  'True  Nature  of  a  Gospel-church,'  pp.  78 — 83.  where  it  appears,  from  Ignatius,  Tertul- 
lian,  Origen,  and  Cyprian,  that  this  was  practised  in  the  three  first  centuries,  and  from  Blondel's 
Apology,  which  he  refers  to,  that  it  was  continued  in  some  following  ages. 

y  Numb,  xxvii.  18.  Deut.  xxxiv.  9.  z  2  Kings  v.  11  ;  Mark  vii.  32.  a  Acts  ix.  17. 


THE   CHURCH,  YISIELE  AND  INVISIBLE.  31 

were  not  endowed  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  put  up  prayers  or  supplications  to 
God  for  others.  Though  it  was  sometimes  used  in  the  designation  of  persons  to 
political  offices  ;  yet  it  was  so  in  those  times  in  which  the  church  of  the  Jews  was 
under  the  divine  theocracy,  and  when  extraordinary  gifts  were  expected  to  qualify 
persons  for  the  office  they  were  called  to  perform.  As  to  the  cases  mentioned  in 
scripture,  of  imposition  of  hands  in  the  ordination  or  setting  apart  of  ministers  to 
the  pastoral  office,  when  extraordinary  gifts  were  conferred,  or  when  these  gifts 
were  bestowed  on  persons  who  were  converted  to  the  Christian  faith  and  baptized ; 
in  all  these  and  similar  cases,  the  ceremony  was  used  as  a  significant  sign  and  or- 
dinance for  their  faith.  But  it  is  certain  that  the  conferring  of  extraordinary  gifts 
to  qualify  for  the  pastoral  office,  is  not  now  to  be  expected  ;  so  that  it  must  either 
be  proved  that  something  besides  this  was  signified,  which  may  be  now  expected, 
or  the  use  of  the  ceremony,  as  a  significant  sign  or  an  ordinance  for  our  faith,  can- 
not be  well  defended.  If  it  be  said  that  the  conferring  of  the  pastoral  office  is 
signified  by  it,  it  must  be  proved  that  they  who  use  the  sign  have  a  right  to  confer 
the  office,  or  to  constitute  a  person  a  pastor  of  a  particular  church.  If  these  things 
cannot  easily  be  proved,  we  must  suppose  that  the  external  action  is  used  without 
its  having  the  nature  of  a  sign  ;  and  then  it  is  to  be  included  among  things  which 
are  indifferent ;  and  a  person's  right  to  exercise  the  pastoral  office,  does  not  depend 
on  its  use,  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  is  that  right  to  be  called  in  question  by  reason 
of  the  neglect  of  it.  To  conclude  this  Head,  if  the  only  thing  intended  by  the  cere- 
mony be  what  Augustin  understood  to  be  the  meaning  of  imposition  of  hands 
on  those  who  were  baptized  in  his  day,  namely,  that  it  was  merely  a  praying  over 
persons,b  I  have  nothing  to  object  against  it.  But  if  more  be  intended  by  it,  and 
especially  if  it  be  reckoned  so  necessary  to  the  pastoral  office  that  the  duties  of 
that  office  cannot  be  acceptably  performed  without  it,  there  may  be  just  reason  for 
many  to  except  against  it. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  pastor  as  discharging  his  office.  This  more  imme- 
diately respects  the  church  to  which  he  stands  related,  especially  in  what  concerns 
his  presiding  or  ruling  over  them.  If  there  be  more  elders  joined  with  him,  with 
whom  he  is  to  act  in  concert,  they  constitute  what  is  generally  called  a  Consistory. 
This  I  cannot  think  essential  to  the  exercise  of  that  government  which  Christ  has 
appointed  ;  though  sometimes,  as  was  before  observed,  it  may  be  expedient.  But 
whether  there  be  one  or  more  who  bear  rule  in  the  church,  their  power  is  subjected 
to  certain  limitations,  agreeably  to  the  laws  of  society,  and  particularly  to  those 
which  Christ  has  given  to  his  church.  As  the  nature  of  the  office  we  are  speaking 
of  does  not  argue  that  the  church  is  without  any  government,  or  under  such  a  de- 
mocracy as  infers  confusion,  or  supposes  that  every  one  has  a  right  to  give  laws  to 
the  whole  body ;  so  it  has  not  those  ingredients  of  absolute  and  unlimited  monarchy 
or  aristocracy  which  are  inconsistent  with  liberty.  We  suppose,  therefore,  that  a 
pastor  and  other  elders,  if  such  be  joined  with  him,  are  not  to  rule  according  to 
their  own  will,  or  to  act  separately  from  the  church  in  the  affairs  of  government, 
but  are  to  rule  and  act  in  their  name,  and  with  their  consent.  Accordingly,  they 
are  generally  styled  the  instruments  by  which  the  church  exerts  that  power  which 
Christ  has  given  it ;  and  a  church,  when  officers  are  set  over  it,  is  said  to  be  organ- 
ized. This  is  called,  in  scripture,  the  power  of  the  keys ;  which,  agreeably  to  the 
laws  of  society,  is  originally  in  them,  and  is  to  be  exercised  in  their  name,  and 
with  their  consent,  by  their  officers  ;  so  that  a  pastor,  or  other  elders  with  him, 
have  no  power  to  act  without  the  consent  of  the  church,  in  receiving  members  into 
or  excluding  them  from  its  communion.  This  I  cannot  but  think  to  be  agreeable 
to  the  law  of  nature,  on  which  the  laws  of  society  are  founded,  as  well  as  to  the  gos- 
pel rule.  I  am  aware  that  many  of  the  reformed  churches  who  allow  that  this 
power  is  originally  in  them,  conclude,  notwithstanding,  that  it  may  be  consigned 
over  to  the  pastor  and  elders,  and  that  it  actually  is  consigned  over  to  them  when 
they  are  chosen  to  their  office.  The  principal  argument  by  which  this  opinion  is  gen- 
erally defended,  is,  that  because  they  are  fit  to  teach,  they  are  fit  to  govern,  with- 

b  Vid.  Aug.  de  Bapt.  contr.  Donat.  lib.  iii.  cap.  6.  Quid  est  aliud  manus  impositio  quam  oratio 
super  bominem? 


32  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

out  being  directed  iii  any  thing  relating  to  government.  But  the  question  is  not 
concerning  the  fitness  of  persons,  which  is  not  to  be  denied,  but  whether  the  church 
ought  to  divest  itself  of  that  power  which  Christ  has  given  it  ;  especially  when  it 
may  be  exerted  without  anarchy  or  confusion, — which  it  certainly  may,  if  it  be  not 
abused,  or  the  due  exercise  of  it  neglected.  In  order  to  this,  a  church  officer  is  to 
prepare  matters  for  the  church,  that  nothing  trifling,  vain,  or  contentious  may  be 
brought  before  them  ;  and  to  communicate  them  to  it,  to  desire  to  know  their  sen- 
timents about  them,  and  to  declare,  improve,  and  act  according  to  these.  There 
are,  indeed,  some  branches  of  the  pastoral  office  which  are  to  be  performed  without 
their  immediate  direction  ;  such  as  preaching  the  word,  administering  the  sacra- 
ments, visiting  the  sick,  comforting  the  afflicted,  endeavouring  to  satisfy  those  who 
are  under  doubts  or  scruples  of  conscience,  and  exciting  and  encouraging  all  to 
perform  those  duties,  to  which  their  professed  subjection  to  Christ  and  their  re- 
lation to  his  church  oblige  them. 

We  shall  now  consider  pastors  or  elders  of  churches,  as  employed  occasionally 
in  using  their  best  endeavours  to  assist  others  in  some  difficulties  in  which  their 
direction  is  needed  or  desired.  An  assembly  of  them  for  this  purpose  is  what  we 
call  a  synod.  This  word  is  very  much  disrelished  by  some  in  our  age  ;  and  it 
were  to  be  wished  that  there  had  been  no  occasion  for  this  prejudice,  from  the 
account  we  have  of  the  abuses  practised  by  synods  and  councils  in  former  ages. 
These  abuses  gave  great  uneasiness  to  Gregory  Nazianzen,  who  complains  of  con- 
fusions and  want  01  temper,  which  were  too  notorious  in  some  synods  in  the  age  in 
which  he  lived.0  Afterwards  we  find  that  almost  all  the  coiruptions  which  were 
brought  into  the  church  were  countenanced  by  some  synod  or  other.  Many  of  the 
synods  assumed  to  themselves  a  power  of  making  laws  which  were  to  be  received 
with  the  same  obligation  as  if  they  had  been  delivered  by  the  immediate  inspira- 
tion of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  also  opened  a  door  to  persecution  ;  so  that  they,  in 
many  instances,  took  away  not  only  the  religious  but  the  civil  rights  of  mankind. 
It  will,  therefore,  be  thought  strange  that  I  should  so  much  as  mention  the  word  ; 
but,  though  I  detest  every  thing  of  this  nature  which  has  been  practised  by  them, 
it  is  not  impossible  to  treat  on  the  subject  in  an  unexceptionable  manner.  It  is 
certainly  a  warrantable  practice,  founded  in  the  law  of  nature,  for  persons  who 
cannot  compromise  a  matter  in  debate,  to  desire  the  advice  of  others.  The  same 
is,  doubtless,  true  in  religious  matters.  We  suppose,  therefore,  that  there  may  be 
some  matters  debated  in  a  church  which  cannot  be  decided  among  themselves. 
Now,  in  a  case  of  this  kind,  provided  it  be  an  affair  of  importance,  it  is  expedient 
for  them  to  apply  themselves  to  other  churches,  to  give  their  advice  by  their  pas- 
tors and  elders.  If  it  be  some  corruption  in  doctrine  which  has  insinuated  itself 
into  the  church,  they  may  desire  to  know  the  sense  of  others  about  it ;  still  reserv- 
ing to  themselves  a  judgment  of  discretion,  without  reckoning  their  decrees  infal- 
lible. Or  if  it  be  a  matter  of  conduct,  which,  through  the  perverseness  of  some, 
and  the  ignorance  of  others,  may  be  of  pernicious  tendency  if  suitable  advice  be 
not  given ;  then  advice  ought  to  be  desired  and  complied  with,  so  far  as  it  appears 
to  be  agreeable  to  the  mind  of  Christ.  Such  a  course  is  not  only  allowable,  but 
very  expedient.  I  have  nothing  to  say  as  to  the  number  of  persons  to  whom  the 
matter  may  be  referred.  A  multitude  of  counsellors  may  sometimes  be  mistaken, 
when  a  smaller  number  have  given  better  advice.  Nor  have  I  any  thing  to  allege 
in  defence  of  ecumenical  councils  ;  much  less  such  as  have  been  convened  by  the 
usurped  power  of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  We  are  speaking  of  a  particular  church 
under  some  difficulties,  desiring  the  advice  of  as  many  as  they  think  meet  to  refer 
the  matter  to.  Or  if  a  Christian  magistrate  demands  the  advice  of  the  pastors  or 
elders  of  churches  in  his  dominions,  in  those  religious  affairs  which  are  subservient 
to  his  government,  they  ought  to  obey  him.  These  things  are  altogether  unexcep- 
tionable. But  when  ministers  give  vent  to  their  own  passions,  and  pretend  to  give 
a  sanction  to  doctrines  which  are  unscriptural ;  or  when  they  annex  anathemas  to 
their  decrees,  or  enforce  them  by  excommunication,  or  put  the  civil  magistrate  on 
methods  of  persecution  ;  they  go  beyond  the  rule,  and  offer  prejudice  rather  than 

c  Vid.  Grog.  Naz.  Epist.  42,  ad  Procop. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  33 

do  service  to  the  interest  of  Christ.  When,  however,  they  only  signify  what  is 
their  judgment,  when  it  is  desired,  about  some  important  articles  of  faith  or 
church-discipline,  or  some  intricate  cases  of  conscience,  and  endeavour  to  give 
conviction  rather  by  arguments  than  by  their  authority,  not  only  do  they  perform 
a  duty,  but  they  are  an  advantage  to  the  church,  as  the  synod  which  met  at  Jeru- 
salem was  to  the  church  at  Antioch.d 

Having  thus  considered  the  office  of  a  pastor,  it  might  be  expected  that  we  should 
consider  that  of  a  teacher.  This  many  think  to  be  a  distinct  officer  in  the  church  ; 
as  the  apostle  says,  '  He  gave  some  pastors  and  teachers. 'e  Many  who  treat  on  this 
matter,  while  they  suppose  a  teacher  to  be  a  distinct  officer  from  a  pastor,  yet, 
when  they  call  him  a  teaching  elder,  and  allow  him  to  have  a  part  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church,  as  well  as  to  be  employed  in  the  work  of  preaching,  use  a 
method  of  explaining  the  nature  of  his  office  which  supposes  it  to  differ  little  or 
nothing  from  that  of  a  pastor,  except  in  name.  They  may  say  that  the  difference 
consists  in  the  pastor  being  superior  in  honour  and  degree  to  a  teacher,  and  may 
make  the  latter  no  more  than  a  provisionary  officer  in  the  church,  appointed  to  per- 
form what  properly  belongs  to  the  pastor,  when  he  is  absent  or  indisposed,  or  when, 
for  any  other  reason,  he  desires  him  to  officiate  for  him.  But  I  cannot  see  reason 
to  conclude  that  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  'teacher,'  as  mentioned  by  the 
apostle.  Hence,  while  they  plead  for  its  being  a  distinct  office  in  the  church,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  explain  it  in  such  a  way,  there  seems  to  be  little  else  but  a  dis- 
tinction without  a  difference.  Others  think  that  it  was,  indeed,  a  distinct  office,  but 
that  a  teacher  was  called,  by  the  church,  to  some  branches  of  teaching  which  the 
pastor  could  not  well  attend  to,  and  that  he  is  of  the  class  who  were  styled  by  the 
primitive  church,  'catechists.'  This  opinion  deserves  our  consideration.  We  read, 
in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  of  persons  who  had  this  office  and  character.  Their 
work  was  such  as  needed,  as  much  as  any  other,  those  gifts  which  our  blessed 
Saviour  was  pleased  to  bestow  on  men,  for  the  propagating  of  his  interest  in  the 
world.  For  whether  they  preached  publicly  or  not,  as  the  pastor  was  called  to  do, 
their  business  was  to  instruct  not  only  the  catechumens  who  were  disposed  to  em- 
brace the  Christian  doctrine,  but  all  who  were  willing  to  be  taught  by  them.  For 
this  end  there  were  public  schools  erected,  which  were  under  the  direction,  care, 
and  countenance  of  the  church.  In  these  the  method  of  instruction  was,  to  explain 
the  scriptures,  and,  in  public  and  set  disputations,  to  defend  the  Christian  religion 
against  those  who  opposed  it.  By  these  means  many  were  converted  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith  from  among  the  heathen ;  and  others,  who  were  initiated  in  it,  were  thereby 
as  well  as  by  public  preaching,  established  and  confirmed  in  it,  and,  in  consequence, 
qualified  for  church  communion,  and  then  baptized  and  joined  to  the  church.  We 
read  in  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  and  church  historians,  of  several  who  performed 
this  office  with  very  great  reputation  and  usefulness/  And  it  is  thought  by  some  to 
have  been  not  only  agreeable  to  the  practice  of  the  church  in  the  apostle's  days, 
but  derived  from  it ;  and  though  it  is  not  so  plainly  mentioned  in  scripture  as  some 
other  offices  are,  yet  that  the  apostle  refers  to  it,  when  he  says,  '  Let  him  that  is 
taught  in  the  word  communicate  unto  him  that  teacheth,  's  that  is,  '  Let  him  that 
is  catechized  communicate  to  the  catechist.'h  But  this  is,  at  best,  but  a  probable 
sense  of  the  word  ;  and  therefore  not  sufficient  of  itself  to  give  ground  to  conclude 
that  the  apostle  means  this  office  when  he  speaks  of  teachers  as  distinct  officers 
from  pastors.  Though,  doubtless,  the  practice  of  the  church,  as  above-mentioned, 
in  appointing  such  officers,  was  commendable  ;  yet  it  does  not  fully  appear  that 
this  is  what  the  apostle  intends.     I  will  not,  however,  deny  it  to  be  a  probable  con- 

d  Acts  xv.  31—33.  '     e  Eph.  iv.  11. 

f  Near  the  latter  end  of  the  second  century,  Pantaenus  was  a  celebrated  catechist,  in  the  school 
supported  by  the  church  at  Alexandria ;  and  Clemens  Alexandrinus  was  first  his  scholar,  and  after- 
wards succeeded  him  in  the  work  of  a  teacher;  and  Origen  was  Clement's  scholar,  and  was  after- 
wards employed  in  the  same  work  in  that  school.  In  the  fourth  century,  Athanasius,  who  stren- 
uously defended  the  faith,  in  the  council  of  Nice,  aganst  Arius,  had  his  education  in  the  same  school; 
and  Didymus,  who  flourished  about  the  middle  of  that  century,  was  a  catechist  in  it,  and  Jerome 
and  Ruffinus  were  his  scholars. 

g  Gal.  vi.  6.  h  So  the  vulgar  Latin  translation  renders  the  word  K«m*««/»r/,  '  Ei  qui  sc 

Catechizat.' 

II.  E 


34  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

jecture,  and  I  should  acquiesce  in  it,  rather  than  in  any  other  sense  of  the  text 
which  I  have  hitherto  met  with,  did  I  not  think  that  the  words  '  pastors  and 
teachers'  might  he  as  well,  if  not  better,  understood,  as  signifying  one  and  the 
same  office.  I  would  rather,'  therefore,  understand  them  as  Jerome  and  Augustin 
do, l  and  paraphrase  them  thus  :  '  He  gave  some  pastors,  namely,  teachers,  or 
pastors  that  are  teachers  or  engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel,  which  is  the  principal 
branch  of  their  office.'  What  gives  me  farther  ground  to  understand  the  words  in 
this  sense,  is,  that  the  apostle,  when  he  enumerates  the  officers  of  a  church  else- 
where, speaks  of  teachers  without  any  mention  of  pastors  :  '  God  hath  set  some  in 
the  church;  first,  apostles;  secondarily,  prophets;  thirdly,  teachers. 'k  Here  no 
mention  is  made  of  pastors,  they  being  included  in  the  word  'teachers.'  This  is 
agreeable  to  what  we  observed  elsewhere  51  and  it  is  all  we  shall  add  on  this  Head. 
The  next  officer  in  the  church  is  a  deacon.  His  work  is  described  as  '  serving 
tables,'"1  that  is,  the  Lord's  Table,  by  providing  what  is  necessary  for  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, and  assisting  in  the  distribution  of  the  elements.  He  is  also  to  supply  the  poor 
with  necessaries,  and  to  take  care  that  the  minister  may  be  maintained  and  other  ex- 
penses defrayed.  In  order  to  his  attending  to  his  work,  he  is  to  receive  the  contribu- 
tions raised  by  the  church  for  the  purposes  mentioned.  The  office,  therefore,  is  proper- 
ly secular,  though  necessary  and  useful,  as  subservient  to  others  which  are  of  a  spiri- 
tual nature.  The  apostle  gives  an  account  of  the  qualifications  of  those  who  are 
to  engage  in  it,n  and,  in  doing  so,  he  speaks  of  deacons  as  persons  of  an  unblem- 
ished character,  of  great  gravity  and  sobriety,  and  of  other  endowments  which  may 
render  them  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  their  trust,  and  exemplary  and  useful  in 
their  station.  In  the  first  age  of  the  church  after  the  apostles'  days,  when  it  was 
under  persecution,  it  was  the  deacon's  work  to  visit  and  give  necessary  relief  to  the 
martyrs  and  confessors.  But  we  do  not  find  that  they  performed  any  branches  of 
service  besides  this,  and  those  above-mentioned.  Tertullian,  indeed,  speaks  of 
them,  in  his  time,  as  being  permitted  to  baptize  in  the  absence  of  bishops  and  pres- 
byters ;°  in  doing  which,  they  wen.t  beyond  the  scripture  rule.  Afterwards,  they 
preached  ;  and  this  practice  has  been  defended  to  this  day,  by  all  who  plead  for 
diocesan  episcopacy.  But  the  arguments  they  bring  for  it,  from  scripture,  are  not 
sufficiently  conclusive.  They  say,  that  Stephen  and  Philip,  who  were~the  first 
deacons,  preached  ;  but  this  they  did  as  evangelists,  not  as  deacons.  It  is  pleaded, 
too,  that  deacons  are  required  to  be  'apt  to  teach  ;'p  but  the  meaning  of  this  is, 
that  they  must  be  fit  to  edify  those,  by  their  instructions,  whom  they  relieve,  in 
giving  them  a  part  of  the  church's  contributions,  that,  by  their  conversation,  they 
may  do  good  to  their  souls,  as  well  as,  by  what  they  give  them,  to  their  bodies. 
Its  being  farther  said,  that  '  they  who  have  used  the  office  of  a  deacon  well  purchase 
to  themselves  a  good  degree,  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith, '«  does  not  sufficiently 
prove,  as  many  ancient  and  modern  writers  suppose,  that  they  are  qualified  for  the 
office  of  presbyters ;  for  there  is  no  affinity  between  the  two  offices,  and  one  can- 
not, properly  speaking,  be  a  qualification  for  the  other.  The  '  good  degree '  is, 
probably,  to  be  understood  of  their  having  great  honour  in  the  church,  as  persons 
eminently  useful  to  it;  and  'great  boldness  in  the  faith,'  is  not  boldness  in  preach- 
ing the  gospel,  but  resolution  and  steadfastness  in  adhering  to  the  faith, — and,  in 
their  proper  station,  defending  it,  and  being  ready,  when  called,  to  suffer  for  it. 
We  have  thus  considered  the  government  of  the  church,  and  the  officers  whom 
Christ  has  appointed  in  it. 

VI.  The  last  thing  to  be  considered,  is  the  privileges  of  the  visible  church,  par- 

i  Vid.  Hieron.  in  Eph.  iv.  11.  Non  ait  alios  Pastores,  *t  alios  magistros  ;  sed  alios  Pastores,  et 
tnagistros,  ut  qui  Pastor  est,  esse  debeat  et  magister,  nee  in  E^clesiis  Pastoris  sibi  nomen  assumere, 
nisi  posset  docere  quos  pascit ;  et  Aug.  Epist.  59.  Pastores  et  Doctores  eosdem  puto  esse,  ut 
non  alios  Pastores  alios  Doctores  intelligamus,  sed  ideo  cum  praedixisset  Pastores  subjunxisse  Doc- 
tores ut  intelligerent  Pastores  ad  officium  suum  pertinere  doctrinam. 

k  1  Cor.  xii.  28. 

1  The  particle  x<u  seems  to  be  exegetical,  and  ought  to  be  rendered  even.  See  the  note  in  vol.  i. 
p.  184.     The  words  are  i$&»*i  rent  roipivas  xai  iilao-xxkov;. 

m  Acts  vi.  2.  n  1  Tim.  iii.  1 — 11.  o  Vid.  Tertull.  de  Bapt.  Baptizandi  habet  jus 

Episcopus,  doctrinae  Presbyteri  et  Diaconi.  p  1  Tim.  iii.  2.  c  Verse  13. 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  35 

ticularly  as  its  members  are  said  to  be  under  God's  special  care  and  government, 
and,  in  consequence,  have  safe  protection  and  preservation,  whatever  opposition 
they  may  meet  with  from  their  enemies,  and  also  enjoy  communion  of  saints,  and 
the  ordinary  means  of  salvation. 

1.  We  shall  consider  the  church  as  under  the  care  of  Christ.  This  is  the  result 
of  his  propriety  in  them,  and  his  having  undertaken  to  do  for  them,  as  Mediator, 
all  things  which  are  necessary  to  their  salvation.  This  care,  extended  towards 
them,  is  called  special,  and  so  diifers  from  that  which  is  expressed  in  the  methods 
of  his  common  providence  in  the  world,  and  confers  many  distinct  and  superior 
privileges.  There  are  several  metaphorical  expressions  used  in  scripture,  to  denote 
Christ's  care  of  his  church,  and  the  particular  relation  he  stands  in  to  it.  Thus 
he  is  described  as  their  '  Shepherd,'  performing  those  things  for  them  which  such 
a  relation  imports,1"  namely,  his  giving  them,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  rest  and  safety, 
gathering,  leading,  and  defending  them.  And  as  their  Shepherd  he  does  more  for 
his  people  than  the  shepherd  who,  being  faithful  to  his  trust,  hazards  his  life  ;  for 
Christ  is  expressly  said  to  '  give  his  life  for  his  sheep.'3  Moreover,  his  care  of  his 
church  is  set  forth  by  his  standing  in  the  relation  of  a  '  Father '  to  them  ;  which 
argues  his  tender  and  compassionate  concern  for  their  welfare,  as  well  as  safety.* 
Now,  his  care  extended  to  his  church,  consists  in  his  separating  them  from  the 
world,  and,  as  it  were,  gathering  them  out  of  it,  or  out  of  that  part  of  it  which 
'lieth  in  wickedness.'  '  The  whole  world,'  says  the  apostle,  'lieth  in  wickedness, 'u 
or,  as  the  word  may  be  rendered,  'in  the  wicked  one ;'  on  which  account  it  is  called 
Satan's  kingdom.  Christ  gives  his  people  restraining  grace,  brings  them  under 
conviction  of  sin,  and  humbles  them  for  it ;  and,  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
not  only  informs  them  of  the  way  of  salvation,  but  brings  them  into  it.  Again,  he 
raises  up  and  animates  some  amongst  them  for  extraordinary  service  and  useful- 
ness in  their  station,  adorning  them  with  those  graces  whereby  their  conversation 
is  exemplary,  and  they  are  made  to  shine  as  lights  in  the  world.  Not  only  in  some 
particular  instances,  but  by  a  constant  succession,  he  fills  up  the  places  of  those 
who  are  removed  to  a  better  world,  with  others  who  are  added  to  the  church  daily, 
such  as  shall  be  saved.  Further,  his  care  of  his  people  is  extended  by  fatherly 
correction,  to  prevent  their  ruin  and  apostacy  ;  which,  as  the  apostle  says,  is  a 
manifestation  of  his  '  love'  to  them.*  He  also  keeps  them  from  and  '  in  the  hour 
of  temptation,'?  'bruises  Satan  under  their  feet,'z  and  supports  them  under  and 
fortifies  them  against  the  many  difficulties,  reproaches,  and  persecutions  they  are 
exposed  to  in  this  world  ;  as  Moses  says,  in  the  blessing  of  Asher,  '  As  thy  days, 
so  shall  thy  strength  be  ;  the  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  are  the 
everlasting  arms.'a 

2.  The  visible  church  is  under  Christ's  special  government.  It  is  a  part  of  liis 
glory,  as  Mediator,  that  he  is  its  supreme  Head  and  Lord.  This  cannot  but  re- 
dound to  the  advantage  of  his  subjects  ;  who  profess  subjection  to  him,  not  only 
as  their  duty,  but  as  their  peculiar  glory,  they  being  thereby  distinguished  from 
the  world,  and  entitled  to  his  special  regard.  As  their  King,  he  gives  them  laws 
by  which  they  are  visibly  governed  ;  so  that  they  are  not  destitute  of  a  rule  of 
government,  any  more  than  of  a  r«le  of  faith.  Their  peace,  order,  edification,  and 
salvation,  are,  in  consequence,  promoted.  And  all  the  advantages  which  they  re- 
ceive from  the  wisdom  and  conduct  of  pastors  or  other  officers,  whom  he  has  ap- 
pointed to  go  in  and  out  before  them,  '  to  feed  them  with  knowledge  and  under- 
standing,'1' 'to  watch  for  their  souls,'0  are  Christ's  gifts,  and  therefore  privileges 
which  the  church  enjoys  as  under  his  government.  Again,  lie  protects  and  pre- 
serves them,  notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  all  their  enemies  ;  so  that  whatever 
attempts  have  been  hitherto  made  to  extirpate  or  ruin  them,  have  been  ineffec- 
tual. The  church  has  weathered  many  a  tempest,  and  has  enjoyed  safety,  as  well 
as  various  marks  of  the  divine  honour  and  favour,  under  all  the  persecutions  to 
which  it  has  been  exposed ;  so  that,  according  to  our  Saviour's  prediction,  *  the 

r  Psal.  xxiii.  1,2;  lxxx.  1  ;  Isa.  xl.  11 ;  Jer.  xxxi.  10.  s  John  x.  11.  t  Deut.  xxxii.  7; 

Psal.  ciii.  13;   Isa.  lxiii.  16;  Jer.  xxxi.  9.  u  1  John  v.  19.  x  Heb.  xii.  6,  7. 

y  Rev.  iii.  10.  z  Rom.  xvi.  22.  a  Deut.  xxxiii.  25,  27.  b  Jer.  iii.  15. 

c  Heb.  xiii.  17. 


3G  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

gates  of  hell  have  not  prevailed  against  it,'a  and  all  these  afflictive  dispensations 
of  providence  are  overruled  for  promoting  his  own  glory  and  their  spiritual  advan- 
tage. 

3.  Another  privilege,  which  the  church  enjoys,  is  communion  of  saints.  Com- 
munion is  the  consequence  of  union.  Hence,  as  they  are  united  together  as  visible 
saints,  they  enjoy  that  communion  which  is  the  result.  The  apostle  speaks  of  a 
twofold  fellowship  which  the  church  enjoys,  their  attaining  of  which  he  reckoned 
the  great  end  and  design  of  his  ministry  :  '  That  which  we  have  seen  and  heard 
declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us  ;  and  truly  our  fel- 
lowship is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.'6  The  former  is  included 
in  church-communion  ;  the  latter  is  an  honour  which  God  is  pleased  sometimes  to 
confer  on* those  who  are  brought  into  this  relation.  It  is  what  all  are  to  hope  for, 
though  none  but  they  who  are  Christ's  subjects  by  faith  are  made  partakers 
of  it.  The  communion  of  saints,  however,  is  in  itself  a  great  privilege,  inasmuch 
as  the  common  profession  which  they  make  of  subjection  to  Christ,  and  the  hope  of 
the  gospel  with  which  they  are  favoured,  are  a  strong  motive  and  inducement  to  holi- 
ness. Nor  is  it  the  smallest  part  of  the  advantage  arising  hence,  that  they  are  in- 
terested in  the  prayers  of  all  the  faithful  which  are  daily  put  up  to  God  for  those 
blessings  on  all  his  churches  which  may  tend  to  their  edification  and  salvation. 
As  to  the  members  of  particular  churches  who  have  communion  with  one  an- 
other, there  is  a  great  advantage  arising  from  mutual  conversation  about  divine 
things,  and  the  endeavours  which  they  are  obliged  to  use,  '  to  build  up  themselves 
in  their  holy  faith,,f  and  '  to  consider  one  another  to  provoke  unto  love,  and  to  good 
works,  not  forsaking  the  assembling  of  themselves  together,  but  exhorting  one  an- 
other, 's  and  from  the  obligations  they  are  under  to  'bear  one  another's  burdens, 
and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ,  'h  and  to  express  sympathy  and  compassion  for  one 
another  under  the  various  afflictions  and  trials  to  which  they  are  exposed.  Another 
privilege  which  they  are  made  partakers  of,  is,  that  they  have  communion  with  one 
another  in  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  ;  in  which  they  hope  for  and  enjoy 
communion  with  him  whose  death  is  showed  forth,  and  in  which  the  benefits  of 
his  death  are  applied  to  those  who  believe. 

4.  The  church  is  farther  said  to  enjoy  the  ordinary  means  of  salvation,  and  the 
offers  of  grace  to  all  its  members,  in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  This  is  what  we 
are  to  understand  by  '  the  word  preached  and  prayer.'  These  are  called  the  ordi- 
nary means  of  salvation,  as  distinguished  from  the  powerful  influences  of  the  Spirit ; 
which  are  the  internal  and  efficacious  means  of  grace,  producing  such  effects  as  in- 
fer the  right  which  those  who  enjoy  them  have  to  eternal  life.  These  ordinary 
means  of  grace  the  church  is  said  to  partake  of.  It  is  for  their  sake  that  the  gos- 
pel is  continued  to  be  preached  ;  and  a  public  testimony  to  the  truth  of  it  is  given 
by  them  to  the  world.  Accordingly,  in  the  preaching  of  it,  Christ  is  offered  to 
sinners  ;  and  grace  is  given  whereby  the  church  is  increased  and  built  up  by  the 
addition  to  it  of  those  who  are  taken  out  of  the  world,  as  God  makes  these  ordinances 
effectual  to  answer  that  end.  The  duty  of  waiting  on  him  in  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  is  ours  ;  the  success  of  the  preaching  is  entirely  owing  to  the  divine  blessing 
attending  it.  These  are  the  privileges  whicri  the  visible  church  enjoys.  We 
might  have  proceeded  to  consider  those  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church 
are  made  partakers  of,  namely,  union  and  communion  with  Christ  in  grace  am! 
glory  ;  but  these  are  particularly  insisted  on  in  some  following  Answers. 

d  Matt.  xvi.  18.  e  1  John  i.  3.  f  Jude  20.  g  Heb.  x.  24,  25.  h  Gal.  vi. 

[Note  A.  Various  Significations  of  the  word  'Church.' — Dr.  Ridgeley  formally  states  thr 
senses  of  the  word  *  church.'  The  first  of  these  is  the  derivational  meaning  of  the  word,  ami  do 
not  affect  the  discussion  of  any  question  in  ecclesiastical  economy.  The  second  is  a  meaning  which 
he  successfully  shows  to  he  unsanctioned  in  scripture.  The  third  alone  has  connexion  with  the 
doctrines  he  discusses  ;  and  is,  he  says,  'the  sense  in  which  we  are  to  understand  the  word  in  dis- 
cussing these  Answers.'  Here,  surely,  is  great  simplicity  and  uniqueness  of  definition. — one  sens.- 
ot  the  word  church  to  stand  in  room  of  those  twelve  or  twenty  senses  which  are  imposed  on  it  in 
the  lucubrations  of  it. any  theological  writers!  'The  word  church  in  scripture,  is,  lor  the  UiOrt 
part,  it  uotalwa\s,  taken  for  an  assembly  of  Christians  met  together  for  religious  wt.rship.  hccohI- 
ing  to  the  rules  which  Christ  has  given  for  their  direction.'  Does  Dr.  ltidgeley.  then,  anlit  re  to 
this  simple  and  only  definition  ?    Not  at  all.    He  either  totally-  turrets  it,  anu  bulistitulta  tlifiiiiuoii 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  37 

a'trr  definition  ns  occasion  suits  him  ;  or,  in  utter  inconsistency  with  its  terms,  he  makes  it  include 
h  s  notion  o  'the  visible  church,'  'the  invisible  church,'  'the  church  militant,'  and  'the  church 
triumphant,'  as  well  as  other  modified  senses  of  the  word.  It  hence  is  as  necessary  as  if  he  had 
off.  red  no  definition  whatever,  to  attempt  to  show  what  the  scriptural  meaning  or  rather  mean- 
ings of  the  word  are. 

Apart  from  the  use  of  the  word  church  in  reference'to  the  former  dispensation — an  use  of  it  which 
would  probably  establish  two  peculiar  meanings,  or  meanings  distinct  from  its  use  in  reference  to 
the  economy  of  redemption  or  the  Christian  dispensation,  but  meanings  which  lie  dormant  with  the 
temporary  or  prefigurative  and  abolished  state  of  things  to  which  they  applied — it  appears  to  be 
employed,  in  the  New  Testament,  in  only  two  senses.  Some  scope  must  be  allowed,  itideed,  for 
greater  or  less  latitude  of  signification.  I  speak  not  of  degrees  of  meaning,  but  of  distinct  kinds 
or  generic  varieties  of  meaning ;  and,  in  opposition  to  the  theory  which  makes  it  mean  a  cluster  of 
Christian  congregations,  the  aggiegate  body  of  congregations  in  a  province  or  kingdom,  the  office- 
bearers of  a  congregation,  a  court  or  assembly  of  ecclesiastical  rulers,  a  body  of  governors  or  pastors, 
the  whole  baptized  population  of  a  state,  the  aggregate  multitude  of  professing  Christians  in  the 
world,  or  any  delegated  or  ruling  representative  power  over  the  Christian  faith  and  discipline,  I  am 
inclined  to  state  that,  as  appears  to  me,  it  means  only  the  aggregate  body  of  the  redeemed,  or  a 
single  congregation,  no  matter  how  small,  of  professing  Christians. 

1.  The  word  church  means  the  aggregate  body  of  the  redeemed  in  such  passages  as  the  follow- 
ing : — 'And  he  is  the  head' of  the  body,  the  church;  who  is  the  beginning,  the  first-born  from  the 
dead  ;  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  pre-eminence;'  'And  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet, 
and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church;'  '  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as 
Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  tor  it :  this  is  a  great  mystery  ;  but  I  speak  con- 
cerning Christ  and  the  church,'  Col.  i.  18;  Eph.  i.  22;  v.  25,  32.  That 'the  church,' in  these  and 
similar  passages,  means  simply  and  collectively  the  redeemed,  cannot  admit  of  doubt.  Now,  by  a 
symedoche — a  figure  of  speech  very  frequently  used  by  the  inspired  writers,  by  which  a  part  is  taken 
for  the  whole — it  appears,  in  some  other  passages,  to  mean  either  the  redeemed  in  their  successive 
generations  on  earth,  or  those  of  them  who  are  cotemporary  or  who  communicate  in  concurrent 
circumstances.  But  I  would  no  more  call  this  a  distinct  sense  of  the  word  church,  than  I  would 
say  that  the  word  atonement  has  one  meaning  when  it  is  expressed  by  the  phrase  'Christ  was  made 
under  the  law,'  or  '  he  bore  our  griefs  and  carried  our  sorrows,'  and  another  meaning  when  it  is 
expressed  by  the  phrase  'he  died  for  us,'  or  he  '  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross.'  The  figure  of  a  part  for  the  whole  affects  not  the  generic  nature  or  the  distinctiveness  of 
a  meaning,  but  only  its  extent  or  degree.  The  multitude  of  the  redeemed  are  so  completely  one 
body,  that  whatever  is  affirmed  of  any  part  of  it  may  well  be  described  by  epithets,_or  designated 
by  an  appellative,  proper  to  the  whole.  Such  texts,  then,  as  these, — '  On  this  rock  I  will  build 
my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it;'  'And  God  hath  set  some  in  the 
church,  first  apostles,  secondarily  prophets,'  (Matt.  xvi.  IB;  I  Cor.  xii.  28.)  are  not  exceptions  to 
the  definition  of  '  the  church'  as  meaning  the  aggregate  body  of  the  redeemed.  At  all  events,  they 
are  tar  from  sanctioning  any  one  of  the  many  varied  meanings  which  are  contended  for  by  most 
writers  on  ecclesiastical  economy. 

2.  The  word  'church'  means,  in  a  large  number  of  passages,  a  single  congregation  of  professing 
Christians.  Two  or  three  instances  will  sufficiently  serve  tor  illustration.  '  Unto  the  church  of  God 
which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints,  with  all  that 
in  every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours  ;'  '  And  when  this 
episile  is  read  among  you,  cause  that  it  be  read  also  in  the  church  of  the  Laodictans  ;  and  that  ye 
likewise  read  the  epistle  from  Laodicea;'  '  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches;  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  lite,  which  is  in. the 
midst  of  the  paradise  of  God,'  1  Cor.  i.  2;  Coi.  iv.  16;  Rev.  ii.  7.  The  current  and  emphatic 
manner  in  which  this  sense  of  the  word  occurs,  to  the  exclusion  of  such  senses  as  make  it  mean 
a  number  of  neighbouring  congregations,  or  the  congregations  of  any  district,  province,  or  state, 
remarkably  appears  in  the  seemingly  uniform  use  of  the  plural 'churches'  whenever  more  congrega- 
tions than  one  are  mentioned.  The  following  passages  may  be  consulted  in  illustration,  1  Cor.  xvi. 
1,  19;  2  Cor.  viii.  1  ;  Gal.  i.  22;  Rev.  i.  4,  11,  20;  ii.  7,  I  I,  17.  19,  23;  Acts  ix.  31  ;  xv.  41  ; 
xvi.  5;  Rom.  xvi.  4,  16;  1  Cor.  vii.  17;  xi.  16;  xiv.  33,  34;  2  Cor.  viii.  19,  23;  xi.  8,28;  xii. 
13  ;   1  Thess.  ii.  14  ;  2  Thess.  i.  4. 

Some  writers  contend  that  the  word  designates  two  or  more  congregations  in  the  same  city  in  the 
phrases  '  the  church  at  Epbesus '  and  '  the  church  at  Jerusalem  ;'  and  the  reason  they  assign  tor  their 
opinion  is,  that  at  Ephesus  there  appear  to  have  been  several  pastors,  and  at  Jerusalem  more  church- 
members  than  could  assemble  in  one  place  of  meeting.  A  plurality  of  pastors,  however,  is  no  evi- 
dence of  a  plurality  of  congregations.  Most  of  the  Christian  congregations  during  the  first,  second, 
and  third  centuries — at  least  most  if  not  all  in  large  towns — appear,  on  unquestionable  testimony,  to 
have  had  each  a  college  of  pastors.  As  to  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  I  have  no  inclination  to  make  it 
seem  less  numerous,  than  the  highest  calculations  will  warrant;  but,  whatever  were  its  numbers,  it 
clearly,  so  long  as  we  have  notices  of  it  in  the  New  Testament,  held  all  its  public  meetings  as  a  single 
congregation.  We  have  no  hint  either  oi  two  simultaneous  meetings  having  been  held,  or  of  the  mem- 
bers having  been  partitioned  into  two  or  more  sections  ;  but,  on  the  oilier  hand,  we  have  an  account 
ot  '  all  the  multitude,' '  the  apostles  and  elders,  with  the  whole  church,'  so  late  as  thirteen  years  after 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  holding  their  meeting  in  one  place,  Acts  xv.  12,  22.  A  very  large  proportion 
of  the  converts  or  original  members  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  it  must  be  remembered,  were 

strangers  or  temporary  visiters  from  almost  every  province  of  the  Roman  empire  (Acts  ii.  7 11.); 

and  they  must  be  supposed,  like  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  to  have  soon  returned  to  their  respective 
homes,  there  to  live  in  a  dispersed  condition  as  'the  salt  ot  the  earth.'  Resides,  however  num.  rous  the 


38  THE  CHUIt.CH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

resident  members  of  the  ehureh  were,  they  had  scarcely  tasted  the  enjoy  merits  of  church-fellow- 
ship when  '  thev  were  all  scattered  abroad'  throughout  the  regions  ol  Judea  and  Samaria,  except 
the  apostles,'  Acts  viii.  1.  No  stronger  a  presumption,  peihaps,  against  a  theoretic  possibility  of 
any  ehureh  being  able  to  meet  and  to  observe  Christian  ordinances  in  one  place,  could  lie  urged 
than  the  events  of  the  ehureh  at  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  '  They  that  gladly  received 
the  word,'  we  are  toM,  '  were  baptized  j  and  the  same  day  there  were  added  about  three  thousand 
souls,'  Acts  ii.  41.  Now,  is  it  conceivable,  a  theorist  might  exclaim,  that  a  church  could  meet  in 
company  v\ith  so  enormous  a  multitude  that  three  thousand  of  the  latter  should  at  a  single 
meeting  be  converted?  Is  it  conceivable  that,  in  one  place  of  assembly,  three  thousand  persons 
could  be  baptized — that  a  church  of  more  than  this  number  of  persons  could,  in  one  place,  hold 
stated  meetings  and  observe  Christian  ordinances?  Yes,  says  the  narrative,  not  only  is  it  possible, 
but  it  was  the  fact ;  for  apart  from  the  circumstance  that  the  conversion  and  the  baptism  of  the 
three  thousand  occurred  at  the  church's  public  meeting,  'the  church,' after  the  three  thousand  were 
added  to  them,  and  while  constantly  receiving  fresh  accessions,  'continued  daily  with  one  accord 
in  the  temple,*  Acts  ii.  46.  See  also  chap.  iv.  23,  24,  31,  32;  v.  41,  42.  The  instances  of  Ephesus 
and  Jerusalem,  then,  are  no  exceptions  to  the  current  and  remarkably  frequent  use  of  the  word 
'church'  to  designate  a  single  Christian  congregation. 

Another  class  of  theological  writers  allege  that  the  word  '  church  '  bears  two  meanings  distinct 
from  anv  we  have  yet  mentioned.  One  of  these  is,  a  Christian  congregation  as  actually  assembled. 
They  distinguish  this  sense  of  the  word  from  a  Christian  congregation  simply  as  such,  and  found 
particularly  on  the  passage,  '  It  is  a  shame  for  women  to  speak  in  the  cburch;'(l  Cor.  xiv.  35.)  re- 
marking that  if  '  church  '  be  not  here  understood  as  something  distinct  from  a  congregation,  female 
church-members  are  virtually  prohibited  from  ever  speaking.  But  is  it  not  clear  that  '  in  the 
church'  means  in  the  church  as  such  ¥  If  by  church  were  meant  chuich-fellou  ship,  or  the  relation 
of  church-membership,  women  might,  indeed,  be  said  to  lie  under  an  obligation  of  perpetual  silence. 
But  what  is  said  is,  '  It  is  a  shame  for  women  to  speak  in  the  church,' — not  in  the  condition  of 
church-members,  not  in  the  family  circle,  not  in  the  presence  of  a  few  fellow-members,  but  either 
in  the  congregation  as  assembled  or  in  any  manner  involving  address  to  all  its  members.  The 
writers  to  whom  I  allude  seem  thus  to  fall  into  a  non-sequitur  when  they  argue  for  the  distinctness 
of  a  church  as  such,  and  of  a  church  as  assembled.  Nor  do  they  reason  better  in  support  of  their 
other  sense  of  the  word, — that  it  means  a  family  of  believers  together  with  any  Christians  statedly 
meeting  with  them  for  worship.  This  meaning  they  found  on  the  phrase  which  occurs  in  three 
texts,  in  reference  to  three  distinct  bodies,  'the  church  which  is  in  their  house,'  Rom.  xvi.  5; 
Col.  iv.  15;  Philem.  2.  But  who,  except  a  person  habituated  to  make  distinctions  almost  for  the 
sake  of  making  them,  can  see  any  difference  between  a  church  in  a  private  house  and  a  church  in 
a  vast  area  like  that  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  except  that  the  one  was  very  small  and  the  other 
very  large?  Various  principalities  on  the  continent  of  Europe  do  not  number  half  a  million  of  sub- 
jects, while  the  principality  of  China  is  said  to  number  upwards  of  three  hundred  millions;  are 
the  former,  on  account  of  their  comparative  littleness,  not  really  sovereign  states? 

The  two  senses,  then,  of  the  word  church — that  it  means  the  aggregate  body  of  the  redeemed, 
and  that  it  means  a  single  congregation  of  Christians — appear,  so  far  as  we  have  examined  the  sub- 
ject, to  be  the  only  ones  sanctioned  in  reference  to  the  Christian  dispensation. — Ed.] 

[Note  B.  The  Invisible  Church. — Not  one  scripture  is  quoted  as  even  remotely  sanctioning  the 
use  of  the  word  'church '  in  the  sense  of  'the  invisible  church.'  Nor,  in  fact,  are  we  told  or  helped 
to  conceive  what  '  the  invisible  church,'  as  distinct  from  the  church  in  the  sense  of  the  aggregate 
body  Of  the  redeemed,  is.  So  far  as  appears  from  either  definition  or  evidence,  the  thing  talked 
about  eludes  not  more  completely  the  sense  of  sight,  than  every  other  sense,  and  the  understanding 
to  boot.  Dr.  Riogeley  speaks  of  it,  under  three  particulars,  as  elect  and  subject  to  Christ,  as  only 
in  the  progress  of  being  gathered  to  its  living  Head,  and  as  '  hid  with  Christ  in  God.'  But  so  far 
as  these  ideas  are  correlative  with  any  meaning  of  the  word  church,  they  describe  simply  the  general 
body  of  the  saved,  or  denote  some  features  by  which  it  is  characterized.  If,  on  such  grounds,  or 
on  account  of  distinguishing  phases  in  the  condition  or  history  of  the  redeemed,  we  are  to  have  the 
distinction  of 'the  church  invisible,'  we  not  only  may,  with  Dr.  Ridgeley,  have  the  further  distinc- 
tions of  '  the  church  militant,'  and  '  the  church  triumphant,'  but  may  also  have  the  distinctions  of 
'the  church  elect,'  '  the  church  regenerated,'  'the  church  millennial,'  '  the  church  ante-resuirec- 
tional,'  '  the  church  post-resurrectional,'  '  the  church  in  sackcloth,'  '  the  church  in  royal  robes," 
'  the  church  imperfect,'  '  the  church  perfect,'  '  the  church  missionary,'  '  the  church  terrestrial, 
'the  church  associate  With  angels.'  There  is,  in  fact,  no  end  to  distinctions,  when  the  passion  for 
making  them  usurps  the  place  of  simplification  and  exposition.  The  scholars  of  the  nineteenth 
century  could  probably  add  tenfold  to  the  long  list  of  them  in  the  writings  of  the  schoolmen  of  the 
dark  ages,  who  regarded  the  making  of  them  as  the  only  creditable  achievement  in  theological 
pursuit.  But  modern  writers,  instead  of  perpetuating  the  practice  of  the  schoolmen,  are  b.  iter 
employed  when  they  discard  every  distinction  not  sanctioned  by  the  Bible.  The  simple  fact  that 
the  idea  ol  '  the  church  invisible'  has  not  the  countenance  of  oiie  text  of  scripture,  and  is  incom- 
petent to  throw  light  on  am  doctrine  of  revelation,  or  any  scriptural  view  of  ecclesiastical  economy, 
is  a  sufficient  reason  for  its  being  entirely  rejected. Ed.] 

[Note  C.^  The  Holy  Catholic  Church — The  ancient  Christians  held  no  such  opinion  respecting 
•the  church'  as  seems  indicated  in  what  is  popularly  but  erroneously  termed  'the  Apostles'  Creed.' 
Neither  the  apostolic  Christians,  as  distinguished  from  each  errorists,  nor  the  senior  Christian  com. 
inunity,  as  distinguished  from  the  first  dissenters,  were  called  '  the  Catholic  church.'  Those  sum- 
maries of  the  primitive  faith  which  are  preserved  in  the  extant  writings  of  the  three  earliest  centu- 
n.  s,  are  free  from  such  phraseology,  on  the  subject  of  '  the  church,'  as  figures  in  some  creeds  of 
later  periods.  One  of  them  given  by  Ongen,  says  merely,  that  "the  true  faith  is  very  clearly 
preached  in  all  the  churches;"  another,  given  by  Cyprian,  speaks  of  '*  the  remission  ol  sins,  and  life 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  39 

everlasting,  through  the  holy  church ;"  and  all  the  others  are  silent  as  to  either  '  the  church '  or 
•churches.'  The  general  writings  of  the  period  pursue  a  similar  course.  Tertullian,  and  even 
earlier  authors,  made  frequent  use.  indeed,  of  the  word  '  church  ;'  yet  they  employed  it  in  no  such 
exclusive  sense  as  was  attached  to  it  in  the  fourth  and  following  centuries;  hut  identified  it  chiefly 
with  *  the  body  of  Christ,'  or  with  the  presence  and  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  "  Where  the 
church  is."  says  Irenaeus.  "there  is  the  Spirit;  and  where  the  Spirit  of  God  is,  there  is  the  church, 
and  every  grace."  '*  The  Spirit,"  says  Tertullian,  "gathers  together  that  church  which  the  Lord 
hath  established;  and  hence  any  number  of  persons  who  may  have  jointly  adopted  this  faith,  are 
esteemed  a  church  by  its  author,  who  set  it  apart.  The  church,  therefore,  will  indeed  give  remis- 
sions; but  the  church  is  the  Spirit  acting  through  the  spiritual  man  ;  the  church  is  not  a  number  of 
bishops  (ministers)." 

Early  in  the  third  century  undue  importance  began  to  be  attached  to  the  administering  and  re- 
moving of  church  censures.  Sins  against  the  brethren  came  to  be  in  a  degree  undistinguished  from 
sins  against  God;  or,  more  properly,  sins  as  disqualifying  for  Christian  fellowship,  came  to  be  un- 
distinguished from,  sins  as  affecting  the  condition  of  the  soul.  The  province  of  the  churches  to 
judge  of  the  evidences  of  Christian  character,  began  gradually  to  be  viewed  as  a  province  to  decide 
on  the  state  of  a  professing  Christian's  heart.  All  the  early  chuiches  justly  regarded  their  discipline 
as  the  use  of  '  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,'  or  as  the  exert  ise  of  the  po>i  er  of  '  binding  and 
loosing,'  which  was  committed  to  the  apostles.  But  what,  in  the  two  earliest  centuries,  was 
viewed  as  admission  to  mere  fraternal  confidence,  began,  in  the  third,  to  be  viewed  as  in  a  degVee 
the  imparting  of  a  character,  or  the  deciding  of  a  moral  condition.  What  chiefly,  and  perhaps  solely, 
occasioned  this  change,  was  the  gradual  usurpation  by  the  pastors  or  '  bishops'  of  undue  ecclesias- 
tical power.  When  the  ecclesiastics  of  the  third  century  set  up  pretensions  to  a  loftier  domination 
than  comported  with  the  simplicity  of  more  primitive  times,  they  claimed  for  their  authority  every 
possible  kind  of  importance,  and  naturally  promulged  new  and  strange  doctrines,  such  as  miuht  i  in  - 
press  the  people  with  awe,  respecting  the  nature  and  consequences  of  their  acts  of  discipline.  To 
admit  or  to  excommunicate  members,  was  hence  represented  as  '  a  binding'  or  'a  loosing'  in  some 
mysterious  or  peculiarly  solemn  sense, — 'a  binding'  or  'a  loosing'  of  such  a  character,  as  to  involve 
more  or  less  the  highest  interests  of  the  soul.  This  error,  which  was  destined  to  assume,  in  the  course 
of  a  few  centuries,  the  settled  form  of  the  Romish  doctrine  of  absolution  from  all  sins  by  ordained  priests, 
bail  acquired  sufficient  distinctness  of  outline  to  be  perceptible,  even  in  the  days  of  Tertullian;  and 
as  first  mooted,  or  as  existing  in  a  shadowy  and  unacknowledged  state,  it  is  exactly  what  that  primi- 
tive writer  denounces  in  the  quotation  which  closed  our  last  paragraph:  "The  church  will,  indeed, 
give  remissions;  but  the  church  is  the  Spirit  acting  through  the  spiritual  man;  the  church  is  not  a 
number  of  bishops."  Tertullian's  doctrine,  promulged  during  the  first  years  of  the  third  century, 
was  extensively  undermined  between  the  years  248  and  2C0, — a  period  which  was  distinguishedby 
alike  the  pious  labours  and  the  injurious  influences  of  the  celebrated  Cyprian.  That  generally  ex- 
cellent man  was  the  worst  innovator,  whom  the  churches  had  hitherto  encountered,  on  the  rights  and 
liberties  of  the  Christian  people;  and,  without  intending  or  foreseeing  so  painful  a  result,  he  did 
more  than  many  of  his  predecessors  united,  to  convert  the  primitive  form  of  church  order  into  an 
incipient  system  of  unscriptural  domination. 

Now,  excepting  one  given  by  Origen  which  talks  simply  of  '  the  preaching  of  truth  in  the  churches,' 
that  given  by  Cyprian  is  the  only  one  of  the  primitive  summaries  of  faith,  which  affords  even  a  re- 
mote sanction  to  the  clause  in  the  apostles'  creed  :  '  The  Holy  Catholic  Church.'  Yet  even  Cyprian 
says  nothing  respecting  'the  Catholic  church,'  and  he  speaks  of  'the  Holy  church,'  not  as  a  distinct' 
article  of  belief,  but  as  connected  with  'remission  of  sins  and  lite  eternal.'  He  identifies — not  in 
his  creed,  indeed,  but  in  bis  accompanying  writings — first,  'the  church'  wiih  the  church's  bishops, 
and  next,  the  bishops'  acts  of  discipline  with  some  loose  or  floating  ideas  of  absolution  from  sin  or 
of  infliction  of  punishment  as  affecting  the  permanent  condition  of  the  soul.  He  no  doubt  repre- 
sents faithfully  the  belief  which  prevailed  at  the  period,  especially  among  hiso  ,\  n  immediate  people; 
yet  he  states  it  as  a  belief  simply  in  the  doctrine  of  '  remission  of  sins  through  the  holy  church  ;'  and 
he  leaves  us  to  infer,  what  is  rendered  abundantly  certain  by  even  later  records  than  his  writings, 
that  all  such  notions  of  '  the  Holy  Catholic  Church'  as  prevailed  from  near  the  commencement  of 
the  fourth  century,  generally  till  the  epoch  of  the  Reformation,  and  in  a  degree  till  the  present 
time,  were  unknown  and  uuthought  of  at  the  period  when  he  wrote. 

We  must  thus  look  to  later  documents  than  the  primitive  summaries  of  faith,  iti  order  to  find 
sanction  for  the  phrase,  'the  Holy  Catholic  Church.'  The  earnest  creed. in  which  it  appears  is  the 
JS/icene.  No  writer  mentions  any  thing  of  'the  church'  as  an  article  of  belief,  or  says  any  thing  like 
'  1  believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,'  before  Alexander  bishop  of  Alexandria;  and  even  tie  is 
known  or  thought  to  have  written  so,  only  as  he  is  reported  in  tlie  ecclesiastical  history  of  Theo- 
doret,  who  wrote  about  the  year  430.  Alexander  himself  was  the  cotemporary  of  the  council  of 
Nice,  and  was  a  chief  party  in  bringing  before  it  both  the  Ariaus  and  the  orthodox  sect  of  Miletians; 
and,  as  represented  by  Theodoret,  he  speaks  of  'the  one  only  Catholic  and  apostolic  church,'  in  the 
course  of  a  professed  commentary  on  the  enactments  of  Nice.  Alter  him,  except  as  existing  in  the 
Nicene  creed,  there  is  no  further  trace  of  the  clause  till  the  time  of  Epiphanius,  who  wrote  ahout 
the  year  390.  This  writer,  as  well  as  several  cotemporary  or  immediately  subsequent  Greek  authors, 
record  it  as  begun  to  be  incorporated,  among  the  eastern  chuiches.  with  copies  ot  the  apostles'  creed. 
Yet,  even  at  the  late  dale  of  the  close  of  the  lourih  century,  when  this  clause  began  to  lie  copied 
from  the  Nicene  creed  into  the  apostles',  it  r<  ad  for  a  season  in  all  copies  ot  the  latter,  not  '  the 
Holy  Catholic  Church,'  but  simply  'the  Holy  Church.'  Rutin  us,  who  was  cotemporary  with  Epi- 
phanius, remarks, — "  We  do  not  say  *  we  believe  in  the  Holy  Church,'  but  '  we  believe  the  Holy 
Church,'  not  as  in  God.  but  as  a  church  congregated  by  God;"  and  Augustine,  writing  about  the 
year  410,  and  expounding  the  apostles'  creed,  says,  "  We  believe  the  Holy  Church,  to  wit,  the 


40  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

Catholic  one."  clearly  adding  the  word  'catholic' as  a  term  expository  of  the  phrase,  'the  Holy 
Church,'  winch  was  all  his  copv  of  the  creed  contained. 

Tiis  phrase,  then,  'the  Holy  Catholic  Church,'  belongs,  in  all  its  authority  and  parts,  to  the 
creed  of  Nice,  and  in  no  degree  or  resp  ct  whatever  to  the  apostles'  creed,  except  as  carried  into  it 
Iroin  the  other  toward  the  end  of  the  fourth  century,  and  during  the  progress  of  the  filth.  If  we 
would  know  either  its  history  or  its  intended  meaning,  we  must  look  solely  to  the  proceedings  of 
the  Nicene  council.  In  the  creed  of  that  assembly,  it  reads,  '  I  believe  one  Holy  Catholic  and 
Apostolic  church.'  This  is  its  legitimate  shape,  that  which  it  originally  possessed,  and  the  only  one 
in  uhuh  it  ought  ever  to  have  appeared.  Let  the  clause  retain  this  form,  and  let  a  glance  be  given 
at  the  occasion  and  the  objects  of  convoking  the  council  of  Nice,  and  all  its  intended  meaning,  as  well  as 
its  utter  want  of  sanction  in  the  consent  ol  the  three  earliest  centuries,  will  be  distinctly  understood. 
The  Nicene  council  was  summoned  by  Constantine  the  Great,  to  settle  existing  differences  among 
the  various  parties  and  sects  of  the  professing  Christians.  It  dealt,  in- the  fiist  instance  and  chiefly, 
with  the  Aiians,  who  were  a  heterodox  party  in  the  bosom  of  the  general  communion;  and  next  to 
them,  it  dealt  most  prominently  with  the  Novatians  and  the  Miletians.  who  were  two  large  sects  of  or- 
thodox dissenters,  or  according  to  the  language  of  the  period,  orthodox  '  schismatics.'  One  of  its  twenty 
canons  is  occupied  wholly  u  it li  the  affairs  of  the  Novatians.  Now,  as  regarded  doctrine,  it  declared 
— fitly  enough — that  the  Arians  were  not  believers  in  Christ's  true  gospel;  and  as  regarded  commu- 
nion, it  declared — most  unfitly — that  the  Novatians  and  the  Miletians  were  not  members  of  Christ's 
true' church;  or  what  amounted  to  the  same  thing,  it  enacted  that  the  Arians  should  not  be  treated 
as  Christian  brethren  because  tbey  were  '  heretics,'  and  that  the  Novatians  and  Miletians,  except 
on  condition  of  tneir  'conforming,'  should  not  be  treated  as  such,  because  they  were  '  schismatics.' 
What  the  council  decreed  against  error  was  summed  up  in  the  numerous  clauses  ol  their  creed  which 
assert  the  true  Deist  of  Christ;  and  what  they  decreed  against  the  orthodox  sects  was  summed  up 
in  the  words,  '  the  one  Holy  Catholic  and  Apostolic  church.'  Their  conduct  virtually  amounted 
to  the  foreshadowing,  though  unwittingly,  of  those  baneful  claims  which  have,  for  so  many  centu- 
ries, been  pleaded  by  the  Church  of  Rome.  The  words  '  Holy  Catholic  Church,'  if  interpreted 
either  by  the  light  of  bistort',  the  concurrent  usage  of  early  authors,  or  the  original  intention  of  the 
council  of  Nice,  intaii  little  else  than  that  the  large  sect  protected  and  endowed  by  the  Christian 
Roman  Emperors,  anil  afterwards  presided  over  by  'the  patriarchs'  of  Rome,  is  the  one  only  church 
built  on  the  apostles  or  acknowledged  by  Christ,  whilst  the  holiest  and  most  orthodox  communities 
who  dissented  from  it,  in  common  with  such  egregious  errorists  as  the  Valentinians,  the  Basilidians, 
and  the  Carpocratiatis,  lie  under  the  displeasure  of  the  great  King  of  the  Christian  dispensation. 
We  might  quote  several  early  writers  on  the  clause  to  show  that  this  view  of  its  original  meaning 
is  correct;  but  we  shall  content  ourselves  with  one  quotation  from  Augustine:  "  We  believe  the 
Holy  Church,  to  wit,  the  Catholic  one ;  for  heretics  and  schismatics  call  their  congregations  churches; 
but  heretics,  by  false  opinions  concerning  God,  violate  the  faith;  and  schismatics,  by  unjust  separa- 
tions, depart  from  brotherly  love,  although  they  believe  what  we  believe.  Wherefore  a  heretic 
doth  not  belong  to  the  catholic  church,  because  she  loves  God;  nor  a  schismatic,  because  she  loves 
her  neighbour." 

So  far,  then,  as  the  apostles'  creed  represents  the  Christian  sentiments  of  the  three  earliest  cen- 
turies, the  clause,  '  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,'  must  be  expunged ;  and  so  far  as  it  represents  the 
sentiments  of  later  ages,  that  clause  must  be  treated  as  at  war  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  and 
as  a  defence  of  the  corruptions  which  pioneered  the  papacy.  The  best  possible  apology  which  can 
be  made  for  it  is,  that,  viewed  apart  from  its  history,  it  absolutely  wants  meaning.  '  To  believe  a 
church,'  in  any  such  sense  as  to  believe  a  doctrine,  such  as  '  the  resurrection  of  the  body,'  or  '  the 
life  everlasting,'  is  manifestly  absurd;  and  'to  believe  in  a  church,'  would  be  to  make  erring  mor- 
tals the  guides  of  unerring  faith,  or  to  invest  them  with  an  authority  over  the  conscience  which 
should  be  inconsistent  with  the  supreme  claims  of  revelation.  The  scriptures  invite  us  to  'believe' 
only  in  doctrines  revealed;  and  they  invite  us  to  'believe  in'  only  the  living  God,  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit.  Christ's  churches  upon  earth  are  simply  communities  of  '  saints,'  '  faithful  men,' 
'called,'  'brethren;'  they  are  bodies  of  believers  who  must  'bear  one  another's  burdens,'  and 
'  each  esteem  others  better  than  himself '—' fed'  and  'taught'  by  ministers  who  are  not  'lords 
over  thein,  but  helpers  01  their  joy' — and  bound  to  'stand  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath 
made  them  free.' — Ed.] 

[Note  D.  The  Visible  Church — Used  as  a  collective  term  to  denote  all  Christian  congregations, 
or  the  aggregate  body  of  professing, Christians,  the  word  'church'  is  convenient  and  expressive, 
and  can  hardly,  even  by  a  fastidious  thinker,  be  regarded  as  liable  to  exception.  This  sense  of  it, 
however,  must  not,  1  thinly  be  exhibited  as  having  the  sanction  of  scripture;  nor  must  it  be  allowed 
to  have  any  influence  or  place  in  questions  of  ecclesiastical  economy.  To  speak  of  the  church  in  a 
general  way  as  expressive  of  the  aggregate  body  of  professing  Christians,  is  only  a  convenient  usage, 
which  saves  a  writer  from  periphrases,  or  from  the  cacophonous  use  of  such  phrases  as  '  the  pro- 
fessing Christian  churches  of  the  world,'  'the  professedly  Christian  population  of  the  earth;'  but 
to  speak  ol  '  the  church'  in  the  technical  and  distinctive  manner  intended  by  the  designation  '  the 
visible  church,'  is  to  introduce  interminable  confusion  into  our  ideas  of  ecclesiastical  economy,  and 
afford  an  inlet  and  a  sanction  to  innumerable  abuses  in  the  practice  of  discipline  and  the  observance 
of  ordinanees.  The  phrase  '  visible  church,'  if  viewed  in  the  light  of  history,  or  even  in  that  of 
present  usage,  is  a  perfect  pohglott  of  significations, — sometimes  exhibiting  six  or  eight  languages 
in  a  row.  Even  an  alleged  part  of  "the  visible  church ' — 'the  national  church' of  an>  given  country 
—is  not  unfrequentlj  understood  in  a  variety  of  conflicting  senses.  At  one  time  it  means  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  soil ;  at  another,  all  the  baptized  inhabitants;  at  another,  all  the  baptized  who 
ba.e  received  baptism  m  the  established  communion ;  at  another,  all  the  Christian  communicants 
ol  the  country;  at  another,  all  the  communicants  of  the  established  sect;  at  another,  all  the  church 
judicatories  of  the  country  ;  at  another,  the  supreme  ecclesiastical  judicatory  of  the  establishment 


THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  41 

co-operating  with  the  state.     In  all  these  senses,  and   perhaps  in  some  others,  the  phrase  *  the 

church  of ,'  as  designative  of  the  sect  established  by  law  in  a  country,  is  often  understood. 

Yet  this  phrase,  with  all  its  diversity  of  meanings,  designates  only  a  part  of  what  is  meant  to  be 
expressed  by  the  phrase,  'the  visible  church.'  How  perplexingly  contused,  then,  how  surpassingly 
indefinite,  how  exquisitely  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  subterfuge  and  corruption,  must  the  latter 
phrase  be!  The  grossest  outrages  on  Christian  liberty,  the  most  latitudinarian  or  licentious  invasions 
on  scriptural  views  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  the  wildest  efforts  to  extend  the  Christian  name  to 
almost  any  thing  in  faith  and  almost  every  thing  in  morals,  the  most  audacious  courses  of  antichris- 
tian  usurpation  and  tyranny,  have  all  careered  over  the  phrase  'visible  church'  as  a  field  of  summer 
dust,  a  wilderness  of  impalpable  sand,  throwing  up  such  clouds  as  have  at  once  concealed  their  own 
movements  and  blinded  the  eyes  of  onlookers  or  pursuers. 

The  only  definition  of  'the  visible  church'  which  can  at  all  bear  examination,  is  that  which 
makes  it  a  colL  ctive  name  lor  all  single  Christian  congregations,  or  a  designation  of  the  aggregate 
body  of  professing  Christians.  This  seems  to  he,  with  some  deviations,  the  sense  attached  to  it 
throughout  Dr.  Ridgeley 's  remarks;  it  is,  at  all  events,  the  sense  in  which  he  understands  it  «  hen 
he  claims  for  it  a  scriptural  sanction.  As  tar,  then,  as  he  is  concerned,  the  only  question  is,  whe- 
ther the  use  of  the  word  'church,'  thus  understood,  is  simply  a  matter  of  convenience,  or  whether 
it  possesses  sacred  authority,  ami,  in  consequence,  ought  to  influence  our  views  of  ecclesiastical 
economy  ? 

Now,  Dr.  Ridgeley  does  appear  to  me  to  fail  in  his  attempt  to  adduce  scriptural  proof.  As 
to  the  passage,  'God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles;  secondarily  prophets,'  &c, 
(1  Cor.  xii.  28.)  it  would  be  hard  to  >how  that  '  the  church'  of  which  it  speaks  is  the  aggregate 
body  of  Christian  congregations  cotemporaueously  existing  at  any  period  on  the  earth.  Just  to 
that  church,  to  those  persons,  to  that  elected  multitude  whom  Christ  bought  with  his  blood,  ha? 
God  given,  as  they  pass  in  their  successive  generations  through  the  world,  all  those  ordinances, 
whether  the  ministry  of  apostles,  or  the  ministry  of  prophets,  or  the  ministry  of  evangelists,  or  the 
ministry  ot  pastors  and  teachers,  which  are  for  'the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  till  they  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God, . 
unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ,'  Eph.  iv.  1 1 — 13.  The 
apostles,  in  particular — on  the  peculiarity  of  whose  office  Dr.  Ridgeley  appears  wholly  to  rest  his 
argument — were  not  given  to  the  aggregate  body  of  single  congregations  in  the  primitive  age,  nor 
to  the  aggregate  body  of  professing  Christians  in  any  one  period  of  the  world's  history,  hut  to  "the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born  which  are  written  in  heaven,' or  to  that  entire  church 
over  whom  their  inspired  writings  will  have  an  everlasting  influence.  Hence,  the  wall  of  the  new 
Jerusalem,  the  emblem  of  the  entire  body  ot  the  saved  in  a  state  of  celestial  glorification,  is  said  to 
have  't.'tKe  foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb,' Rev.  xxi.  14. 
Hence,  ioo.  the  united  multitude  of  Jewish  and  Gentile  believers — all  who  have  'access  by  one  Spirit 
to  the  Father' — are  said  to  be  'built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
himselt  being  the  chief  corner-stone;  in  whom  all  the  buildmg,  fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto 
an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,'  Eph.  ii.  20,  21. 

As  io  the  passages  which  speak  of  Paul's  persecuting  '  the  church,'  they  may  not  be  of  so  easy 
explanation.  If,  however,  any  one  should  assert  that  by  '  the  church'  of  which  they  speak  is  to 
be  understood  only  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  the  obligation  to  prove  the  opposite  would  lie  with 
persons  who  adopt  Dr.  Ridgeley 's  exposition.  For  before  it  can  he  alleged  that  the  word  is  an 
aggregate  designation  of  several  churches  or  congregations,  proof  must  be  furnished  that  such 
churches  existed  at  the  time  to  which  the  passages  refer.  Now,  where  is  the  proof  that,  at  the 
period  of  Paul's  being  a  persecutor,  there  had  been  formed  any  other  stated  congregation  than 
that  at  Jerusalem?  Paul,  it  is  to  be  remembered,  was  converted  in  the  year  33;  and  be  is 
first  noticed  as  a  persecutor  only  in  the  previous  year,  when,  in  consequence  apparently  of  his 
proceedings,  the  church  at  Jerusalem  '  were  all  scattered  abroad  throughout  Judea  and  Samaria.' 
His  persecution  is  noticed  in  the  book  of  Acts  seemingly  in  connexion  with  Jerusalem  only,  and 
with  his  purpose  to  make  inquisition  in  Damascus.  He  appears  to  have  remained  at  Jerusalem  till 
'  he  went  to  the  high  priest ;  and  desired  of  him  letters  to  Damascus  to  the  sy  nagogues.'  He  speaks, 
indeed,  of  '  the  churches  ot  Judea;'  but  he  not  only  says  that  '  he  was  unknown  by  face  to  them,' 
but  makes  mention  ot  them  as  cotempoianeous  with  his  'going  into  the  regions  of  Syria  and  Cilicia,' 
Gal.  i.  21,  22.  Now,  as  we  learn  from  comparing  Gal.  i.  17,  IS.  with  Acts  ix.  22 — 30,  he  did  not 
go  lino  '  Syria  and  Cilicia,'  or  toward  '  Csesurea  and  Tarsus,'  till  at  least  three  years — possibly  not 
till  tour  or  five  or  six — after  his  conversion.  Is  it  not  probable,  then,  that  'the  churches  ot  Judea* 
which  then  existed  had  sprung  out  of  the  labours  of  the  brethren  composing  the  church  at  Jerusalem 
who,  a  little  while  before  his  conversion,  •  were  scattered  through  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Samaria,' 
and  who  '  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word?'  Acts  viii.  1,  4.  If  so,  these  churches  'hearing 
tiiat  he  who  persecuted  us  in  tunes  past,  now  preacheth  the  faith  which  onee  he  destroyed,'  (Gal. 
i.  23.)  must  refer  simply  to  his  persecuting  persons  ot  their  views  and  character, — persecuting  the 
class  ot  men  to  which  they  belonged.  Had  ihey  existed  as  churches  in  the  days  of  his  being  perse- 
cutor, and  been  subjected,  as  Dr.  Ridgeley 's  argument  assumes,  to  his  persecuting  rage,  he  could 
i  ardly  have  been  •  unknown  to  them  by  face.'  At  whatever  time  these  churches  were  planted, 
they  were,  so  late  as  at  least  three  years  after  his  conversion,  unacquainted  with  bis  person,  and 
had  only  heard  of  bis  character  and  history. 

Two  tilings  may  seem  strange  in  the  supposition  I  have  made, — that,  so  late  as  the  date  of  Paul's 
conversion,  or  in  the  fourth  year  atfer  the  day  of  Pentecost,  there  was  no  Christian  church  except 
that  of  Jerusalem;  and  that,  so  early  after  that  interval  as  the  date  ol  his  going  to  Syria  and  Cilicia, 
churches  bad  sprung  up  in  Judea.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  apostles,  in  the  commission 
they  received  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  world,  were  instructed  to  'begin  at  Jerusalem;'  (Luke 
xxiv.  47.)  and  that  they  appear  to  ha\e  been  remarkably  slow  to  commence  exertions  beyum.  iu« 
II.  S 


42  THE  CHURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE. 

precincts  of  that  citv.  Peter's  visit  to  Cornelius,  for  example,  (lid  not  occur  till  eleven  \ears 
i,  t.  r  Pentecost,  or  wven  after  Paul's  convention.  As  to  ehurehes  springing  up  in  Judea  between 
the  date  of  the  dispersion  of  the  church  of  Jeiusalem  and  that  of  Paul's  going  to  Syria  and  Cilicia, 
no  evnit,  not  expressly  narrated,  can  teem  more  probable.  The  interval  between  the  dates  u  as 
four  \eurs;  and  the  number  of  dispersed  brethren  employed  in  preaching  must  have  been  very  great, 
—almost  multitudinous.  During  this  interval,  too,  we  are  expressly  told  '  Samaria  received  the 
word  of  God,'  or  for  the  first'  time  produced  any  materials  for  a  Christian  church,  Acts  viii.  14. 
Now.  the  dispei  sion  which  affected  Samaria  was  exactly  the  event  which  affected  Judea ;  lor  the 
brethren  who  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word  were  'scattered  abroad  throughout  the  regions 
of  Judea  and  Samaria.'  What  more  probable  an  inference,  then,  than  that  '  the  churches  of  Judea ' 
r>  lei  red  to  by  Paul  were  planted  during  the  period  immediately  succeeding  bis  persecutions? 

There  is  onlv  another  point  in  Dr.  Ridgeley's  argument,  or  in  the  passages  adduced  by  him,  which 
requires  notice".  Paul  says  he  '  persecuted  the  chvrch  of  God;''  and  he  here  employs  a  designation 
v.  l,i,-li  may  be  thought  too  emphatic  to  be  applied  to  the  congregation  of  Jerusalem.  But  exactly 
lli.  iam«  designation  is  elsewhere  applied  by  him  to  each  of  several  congregations.  Thus  he  in- 
scribes his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  '  tojhe  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,'  1  Cor.  i.  2. 
He  asks  the  disorderly  communicants  of  that  congregation,  in  reference  to  their  seemingly  contemp- 
tuous treatment  of  the  stated  public  meetings  of  their  brethren,  '  Despise  ye  the  church  of  God?' 
1  Cor.  xi.  22.  He  exhorts  the  elders  of  Ephesus,  in  reference  to  the  pastoral  duties  which  they 
owed  to  the  congregation,  to  '  feed  the  church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own 
blood,'  Acts  xx.  28.  He  asks,  in  reference  to  a  bishop  or  pastor's  relation  to  the  congregation 
which  he  rules,  '  If  a  man  know  not  how  to  rule  his  own  house,  how  shall  he  take  care  of  the 
church  of  God?'  1  Tim.  iii.  5.  To  apply  the  designation  'church  of  God'  to  a  single  congregation, 
is  thus  a  current  usage  of  the  apostle's  style. 

I  am  far  from  asserting  that  the  view  I  have  given  of  the  church  which  Paul  persecuted,  accords 
with  assured  fact.  All  I  would  say  respecting  it  is,  that  it  is  vindicated  by  what  appears  to  me 
respectable  evidence;  while  the  view  contended  for  by  Dr.  Ridgeley  is,  so  far  as  I  know,  supported 
by  no  evidence  whatever.  Before  it  can  be  asserted  that  'the  church'  which  Paul  persecuted  wa. 
what  is  usually  termed  'the  visible  cliurcb,'  or  even  a  plurality  of  Christian  congregations,  a  refuta- 
tion must  be  made  of  the  reasons  which  have  been  assigned  for  supposing  that  it  was  only  the  church 
at  Jerusalem,  and  evidence  must  be  furnished  that  other  churches  than  the  latter  existed  prior  to 
Paul's  conversion.  Alter  all,  the  three  texts  which  speak  of  Paul's  persecuting  the  church, — texts 
one  in  subject,  though  three  in  number, — are  the  only  ones  out  of  upwards  of  one  hundred  which 
are  seriously  claimed  in  sanction  of  any  of  the  technical  or  scholastic  meanings  attached  by  syste- 
matic writers  to  the  word  'church.'  Of  thirU -two  texts  in  which  the  plural  '  churches'  occurs, 
none  whatever  are  claimed;  and  of  about  seventy  in  which  the  singular  'church'  occurs,  almost  all 
are  admitted,  and  the  small  remainder  are  but  feebly  dtnied,  to  exhibit  'the  church'  either  as  the 
aggregate  body  of  the  saved,  or  as  a  single  Christian  congregation. — Ed.] 
,  [Note  E.  Qualification  for  Church-feUowship. — "  The  apostle,"  says  Dr.  Ridgeley,  "gives  a  short 
but  very  comprehensive  description  ot  those  who  are  fit  members  of  a  church,  when  he  says,  '  We 
are  the  circumcision  which  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no 
confidence  in  the  flesh.'  "  Does  it  not  follow,  then,  that  some  evidence  of  persons  possessing  this 
character  is  requisite  for  their  own  sakes,  and  ought  to  be  demanded  by  a  church  before  their  being 
admitted  to  its  fellowship?  Yet  Dr.  Ridgeley  makes  the  only  qualification  for  admission  to  consist 
in  *a  piofession,' — a  qualification,  according  to  him,  so  valid  and  conclusive  as  to  entitle  persons 
to  the  enjoyment  and  retention  of  fellowship  till  they  shall  perpetrate  conduct  which  'gives  the 
lie' to  what  they  profess.  No  term,  perhaps,  has  been  more  abused,  more  indefinite  in  meaning, 
more  accommodated  to  all  varieties  of  laxity  or  severity  ol  discipline,  than  this  word  '  profession.' 
Every  body  of  nominal  Christians  attaches  to  it  just  such  a  meaning  as  best  accords  with  its  own 
practical  standard  of  fitness  for  church-fellowship.  The  geographical  pastor,  who  admits  all  persons 
above  a  given  age  and  within  certain  territorial  limits,  and  the  austere  separatist  disciplinarian,  who 
demands  acquaintance  with  not  only  the  elements  but  the  minute  lessons  of*  Christian  character, 
equally,  according  to  their  own  showing,  require  candidates  to  make  'a  profession.'  It  is  high  time 
that  Christian  churches  should  define  'a  profession'  to  be  positive  evidence — such  evidence  as  satis- 
fies the  judgment  of  faithfulness  and  charity — of  nothing  less  and  nothing  more  than  a  person's 
being  *a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.' 

The  notion  of  '  the  visible  church,'  as  distinguished  from  'the  invisible,'  has  worked  havoc  upon 
correct  notions  of  Christian  fellowship.  Pastors  without  number  imagine  that  they  are  building 
up  a  community  which  is  in  some  sense  a  true  church  of  God,  and  composed  of  persons  in  some 
s.  use  Christians;  all  the  while  that,  confessedly  to  themselves,  they  are  including  in  it  but  an  in- 
different proportion  of  hopeful  members  of  what  they  are  pleased  to  call  "the  invisible  churcii.' 
"  The  members  of  the  invisible  church,"  says  Dr.  Ridgeley,  in  a  previous  part  of  his  work,  (,See 
conelu-ion  ot  Sect.  'The  meaning  ot  the  phrases,  the  Visible  and  the  Invisible  Church,'  under  this 
Quest.)  "  are  the  children  of  God  by  faith;"  but  "  the  members  of  the  visible  church  are  the  chil- 
ui  en  ol  God  as  made  partakers  of  the  external  dispensation  ot  the  covenant  of  grace."  All,  then, 
w  bo  enjoy  the  ministry  of  the  gospel — for  that  alone  can  be  meant  by  the  external  dispensation  of 
the  covenant — are  members  of  the  visible  church,  and  of  course  are  to  be  admitted  to  its  fellowship! 
Now,  in  what  conceivable  sense  are  tbey  '  the  children  of  God?'  B\  what  imaginable  process  does 
the  mere  enjoyment  of  the  gospel  ministry  constitute  persons  Christians?  In  what  consistent  or 
vind, cable  sense  can  men  who  are  destitute  of  faith  in  Christ  b? regarded  as  members  ot  bis  body 
add  subjects  of  his  kingdom?  To  talk  of  the  Israelites  having  been  the  children  of  God,  is  onlv  to 
confess  the  tolly  of  the  sentiment  in  question.  For  if  all  persons  under  the  external  dispensation 
ot  the  covenant  are  the  children  of  God  because  the  Israelites  were  so,  the  offering  of  wine  and  oil 
must  be  a  Christian  act  ot  thanksgiving,  and  the  burning  of  incense  a  Chnstiau  act  ot  pray  er.    These 


THE  (  HURCH,  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE.  43 

'carnal'  acts  were  not  less  certainly  symbolical  of  spiritual  affections,  than  the  act  of  circumcision 
was  symbolical  of  the  regeneration  of  the  heart,  or  the  outward  sonship  of  an  Israelite  symbolical 
of  the  inward  and  heaven-bom  sonship  of  'a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus'  Dr.  Ridgeley's  prin- 
ciple, then,  of  esteeming  all  who  enjoy  'the  external  dispensation  of  the  covenant  of  grace'  to  be 
•  the  children  of  God'  and  '  members  of  the  visible  church,'  till  they  '  give  the  lie'  to  their  pro- 
fession, is  directly  contradictory  of  the  only  sound  qualification  for  church-membersbip  which  he 
had  himself  virtually  stated, — satisfactory  evidence  of  regenerated  and  believing  character. 

Dr.  Ridgeley  further  says,  '  The  visible  church  is  compared  to  the  net  which  had  good  and  bad 
fish  in  it,  or  to  the  great  house  in  which  are  vessels  of  various  kinds,  some  to  honour  and  some  to 
dishonour.'  Now,  what  our  Lord  compares'to  'the  net*  is,  not  'the  visible  church,'  but  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  h  fatiXuu,  <r»»  ouf*v«»,  the  reign  of  heaven,  the  dispensation  of  divine  mercy  over  our 
world.  But  this  kingdom,  this  reign,  this  dispensation,  extends  to  at  least  all  persons  who  have 
access  to  the  truths  of  the  Christian  revelation,  or  who  enjoy  opportunity  of  approaching  the  minis- 
trations of  the  Christian  economy.  Accordingly,  the  very  chapter  (Matt,  xiii.)  which  compares  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  to  a  net,  compares  it  also  to  the  sowing  of  seed,  (compare  verse  3  with  verses 
10,  11.)  and  to  the  joint  growth  of  tares  and  wheat,  verses  24 — 30.  Hence,  if  the  fish  of  all  kinds 
caught  in  the  net  mean  men  of  various  characters  united  to  the  visible  church,  he  who  receives  the 
seed  by  the  wayside,  and  from  whom  the  wicked  one  catches  it  away, — he  who  receives  the  seed 
among  thorns,  and  in  whom  the  cares  of  this  world  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches  choke  the  word, 
and  render  it  unfruitful, —  and  he  who  receives  the  seed  into  stony  places,  and  who  has  not  root  in 
himself,  but  by  and  by,  because  of  the  word,  is  offended, —are  all  as  legitimately  ami  literally  members 
of  the  church,  as  be  who  received  the  seed  into  good  ground,  and  in  whom  it  bears  fruit  and  brings 
forth  thirty,  or  sixty,  or  an  hundred  fold.  Yet  who,  with  a  mind  unobscured  by  false  ideas  of  eccle- 
siastical economy,  or  with  his  thoughts  fixed  on  the  principles  and  model  of  church-discipline  ex- 
hibited in  the  New  Testament,  does  not  see  that  the  latter  character  only — he  who  produces  fruit, 
or  affords  some  evidence  of  his  having  spiritually  profited  by  the  ministry  of  the  word — alone  is 
entitled  to  enter  the  fellowship  of  'a  church  of  saints  and  faithful  brethren  in  Christ  Jesus?' 
Again,  as  to  the  illustration  of  'the  kingdom  of  heaven'  by  the  parable  of  the  tares  and  the 
wheat, — the  field  mentioned  in  the  parable  must,  according  to  Dr.  Ridgeley's  view  of  the  parallel 
parable  of  the  net,  be  the  visible  church.  No,  says  our  Saviour,  'the  field  is  the  world.'  The  tares 
and  the  wheat,  also,  must  be  the  associate  or  commingled  body  of  persons  '  making  a  profession  of 
religion'  and  living  together  as  fellow-members  of  the  church.  No,  says  our  Lord,  '  the  good  seed 
are  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one.'  The  party,  like- 
wise, who  placed  the  tares  and  the  wheat  together,  must  be  the  Christian  ministers  of  the  visible 
church  who  admit  all  who  make  a  piofession  to  its  fellowship.  No,  says  our  Lord,  the  party  who 
'  sowed  the  tares,'  or  who  intermixed  them  with  the  wheat,  is  '  an  enemy,'  and  that  enemy  is  '  the 
devil.'  The  very  text,  then,  to  which  Dr.  Ridgeley  appeals  in  support  of  his  notion  of  qualification 
for  church-membership,  directly  denounces  as  '  the  world,'  and  as  the  work  of  the  destroyer,  what 
that  notion  exhibits  as  the  visible  church  and  the  legitimate  work  of  Christian  ministers.  The 
parables  to  which  I  have  referred  are  a  warning  to  Christian  churches  and  pastors  scarcely  less 
solemn  than  the  injunctions  and  denunciations  as  to  putting  a  difference  between  the  clean  and  the 
unclean,  (Ezek.  xxii.  25,  26;  xliv.  23.)  to  use  such  care  in  admitting  none  to  their  fellowship  but 
those  who  afford  scriptural  evidence  of  having  spiritually  profited  by  the  gospel,  that  '  of  the  rest 
no  man  shall  dare  join  himself  to  them,'  Acts  v.  13 — Ed.] 

[Note  F.  The  Office  of  a  Ruling  Elder Dr.  Ridgeley  writes  quite  unlike  himself  on  the  sub- 
ject of  ruling  eliiers.  He  is  eminent  above  most  theological  writers  for  appealing  directly  and 
solely  'to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony.'  Very  seldom,  on  even  a  very  subordinate  question,  does 
he  advance  an  opinion  without  referring  to  one  or  more  texts  in  which  he  supposes  it  to  be  taugnt. 
His  holding,  therefore,  that  there  may  be  ruling  elders,  and  being  able  to  adduce  n©  better  reason 
for  it  than  '  I  cannot  but  think'  that  it  is  allowable,  is  a  tacit  and  somewhat  emphatic  confession 
that  the  doctrine  is  untenable  on  scriptural  grounds.  As  to  'the  necessity  of  the  church'  in  any 
emergency  requiring  any  additional  office  to  those  instituted  by  Christ  or  obviously  sanctioned  by 
the  New  Testament,  or  as  to  'the  work  of  preaching  and  ruling'  in  any  instance  being  'too  much' 
for  a  pastor,  and  of  such  a  kind  as  to  render  another  set  of  office-bearers  'advisable,'  the  case  is 
altogether  imaginary.  Cases  of  supposed  'emergency,'  '  necessity,' or  '  advisableness,' can  never, 
in  a  legitimate  course  of  scriptural  cliurch  order  and  discipline,  outstrip  the  provision  made  by  'the 
Shepherd  and  Bisnop  of  souls'  tor  all  his  churches.  Whenever  they  are  alleged  to  do  so,  the  inter- 
ested parties  are  themselves  the  judges  both  of  the  nectssity  or  emergency,  and  of  the  means  for 
surmounting  it,  or  of  the  renicdv  to  be  applied.  All  judge  according  to  their  respective  temper  and 
inclinations.  What  one  calls  an  emergency,  another  calls  an  ordinary  event;  what  one  esteems  a 
reason  for  introducing  new,  ami,  it  may  be,  pompous  and  dignified  offices,  another  esteems  an  evi- 
dence that  the  old  and  legitimate  offices  are  corrupted,  and  require  to  be  revived  or  reinstated  in 
their  primitive  simplicity  and  vigour.  Once  admit,  in  lact,  that  any  office  may  be  instituted  in  Chris- 
tian churches,  or  any  machinery  of  ecclesiastical  economy  erected  on  the  principle  of  expediency, 
and  an  inlet  and  a  sanction  are  afforded  lor  exactly  such  a  species  of  procedure,  or  course  of  inno- 
vation, as  overthrew  in  the  third  and  folio  \ing  centuries  the  pure  and  simple  constitution  of  the 
primitive  churches,  and  erected  in  its  stead  the  complex  ritual,  and  the  prelatical,  metropolitical 
patriarchal,  papal  government  of  the  Romish  hierarchy. — Ed.] 


44  THE  BENEFITS  ENJOYED 


THE  BENEFITS  ENJOYED  BY  THE  INVISIBLE  CHURCH. 

Question  LXV.   What  special  benefits  do  the  members  of  the  invisible  church  enjoy  by  Christ  t 
Answer.  The  members  of  the  invisible  church,  by  Christ,  enjoy  union  and  communion  with  him 
in  grace  and  glory. 

Question  LXVI.    Wfiat  is  that  union  which  the  elect  have  with  Christ  f 

Answer.  The  union  which  the  elect  have  with  Christ,  is  the  work  of  God's  grace,  whereby  they 
are  spiritually  and  mystically,  yet  really  and  inseparably  joined  to  Christ,  as  their  head  and  hus- 
band, which  is  done  in  their  effectual  calling. 

In  the  preceding  part  of  this  work  we  considered  man  as  at  first  made  upright,  as  not 
having  continued  in  that  state,  and  as  having  plunged  into  those  depths  of  sin  and 
misery  which  would  have  rendered  his  state  altogether  desperate,  without  the  inter- 
position of  a  Mediator.  Under  several  Answers  we  considered  also  the  designation 
of  Christ  to  his  mediatorial  work,  his  fitness  for  it,  and  his  faithful  discharge  of  it. 
We  there  had  an  account  of  his  Person  as  God-man;  his  offices  of  prophet,  priest, 
and  king ;  his  twofold  state  of  humiliation  and  exaltation  ;  and  the  benefits  which 
accrue  to  his  church.  The  church  was  considered  either  as  visible  or  as  invisible ; 
and  the  former  as  enjoying  many  privileges  which  respect,  more  especially,  the 
ordinary  ireans  of  salvation. 

What  the  Benefits  are  which  the  Invisible  Church  enjoys. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  benefits  which  the  members  of  the  invisible 
church,  namely,  the  whole  number  of  the  elect,  which  have  been,  are,  or  shall  be 
gathered  into  one,  under  Christ  their  head,  enjoy  by  him.  These  are  of  two  gen- 
eral classes,  namely,  union  and  communion  with  him  in  grace  and  in  glory ;  and 
they  comprise  the  blessings  of  both  worlds,  as  the  result  of  their  relation  to  and 
interest  in  him.  They  are  first  united  to  him,  and  then  are  made  partakers  of  his 
benefits.  All  grace  imparted  to  us  here,  is  the  result  of  union  with  him.  '  Of  him,' 
says  the  apostle,  •  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sancjtification,  and  redemption.'1  «  He  that  abideth  in  me,'  says 
our  Saviour,  'and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit. 'k  And  the  con- 
trary to  this  is  inconsistent  with  the  exercise  of  any  grace :  '  Without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing.'  Moreover,  that  communion  which  the  saints  have  with  Christ  in 
gl<yy,  whereby  they  who  are  brought  to  a  state  of  perfection  participate  of  those 
graces  and  comforts  which  flow  from  their  continued  union  with  Christ,  and  the 
first-fruits  or  foretastes  of  glory  which  they  have  in  this  world,  are  also  founded 
'on  union  to  the  Saviour.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  calls  Christ,  in  his  people,  'the 
hope  of  glory  ;n  and,  speaking  of  his  giving  eternal  life  to  them,  he  considers  them 
as  being  'in  his  hand,'  whence  'none  shall  pluck  them  out,'m  or  separate  them  from 
him.  They  shall,  therefore,  enjoy  everlasting  happiness  with  him,  inasmuch  as 
they  shall  '  be  found  in  him.'n 

What  Union  to  Christ  is. 

We  are  thus  led  particularly  to  consider  what  union  with  Christ  is.  The  scrip- 
ture often  speaks  of  Christ's  being  or  abiding  in  his  people,  and  they  in  him;  and 
assigns  this  union  as  an  evidence  of  their  interest  in  the  blessings  he  has  pur- 
chased for  them.  Indeed,  it  is  from  hence  that  all  internal  and  practical  godliness 
is  derived.  This  privilege  argues  infinite  condescension  in  him,  and  tends  to  the 
highest  advancement  of  those  who  are  its  subjects.  That  we  may  understand  what 
is  intended  by  it,  let  us  take  heed  that  we  do  not  include  in  it  any  thing  which  tends 
on  the  one  hand  to  extenuate  it,  or  on  the  other,  to  exalt  those  who  are  made  par- 
takers of  it  above  the  station  or  condition  into  which  they  are  brought  by  it.     It 

i  1  Cor.  i.  30.  k  John  xv.  5.  1  Col.  i.  27.  m  John  x.  28.  n  Phil,  ill  ft, 


BY  THE   INVISIBLE   CHURCH.  45 

is  not  sufficient  to  suppose  that  this  union  implies  no  more  than  that  his  people  have 
the  same  kind  of  nature  with  him,  as  being  made  'partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,'  he 
having  '  himself  taken  part  of  the  same.'0  He  is  indeed  allied  to  us,  as  having  all 
the  essential  perfections  of  our  nature  ;  and  his  coming  into  this  alliance  was  a  dis- 
play of  infinite  condescension  in  him,  and  absolutely  necessary  to  our  redemption. 
Yet  this  similitude  of  nature,  abstracted  from  other  considerations  accompanying 
or  flowing  from  his  incarnation,  involves  no  other  idea  of  union  between  Christ  and 
his  people,  than  that  which  they  have  with  one  another ;  nor  is  it  a  privilege  pecu- 
liar to  believers,  since  Christ  took  on  him  the  same  human  nature  which  all  men 
have,  though  with  a  peculiar  design  of  grace  to  those  whom  he  came  to  redeem. 
This  I  take  particular  notice  of,  because  the  Socinians,  and  others  who  speak  of  this 
privilege,  inasmuch  as  it  is  often  mentioned  in  scripture,  appear  to  have  very  low 
thoughts  of  it,  when  they  suppose  it  to  mean  nothing  more  than  common  participa- 
tion of  human  nature. — Again,  union  with  Christ  includes  more  than  the  mutual  love 
which  is  between  Christ  and  believers,  in  the  sense  in  which  there  is  an  union  of 
affection  between  those  who  love  one  another.  It  is  said,  •  The  soul  of  Jonathan 
was  knit  with  the  soul  of  David;  and  Jonathan  loved  him  as  his  own  soul.'P  Now, 
in  such  a  union  of  affection,  believers  are  united  to  one  another ;  or,  as  the  apos- 
tle expresses  it,  their  hearts  are  '  knit  together  in  love,  'q  '  being  like-minded,  having 
the  same  love,  being  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind;'r  or,  as  he  adds,  'Let  this  mind 
be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus.'8  I  say,  union  with  Christ  includes  more 
than  this  ;  which  is  rather  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  that  union,  than  the  matter 
in  which  it  principally  consists. — Moreover,  we  must  take  heed  that  we  do  not,  in 
explaining  the  union  between  Christ  and  believers,  include  more  in  it  than  what 
belongs  to  creatures  infinitely  below  him  to  whom  they  are  said  to  be  united.  "We 
cannot  but  abhor  the  blasphemy  of  those  who  speak  of  an  essential  union  of  creatures 
with  God,  or  of  their  having  such  an  union  as  gave  them  something  in  common 
with  Christ  the  great  Mediator.* 

But  passing  by  these  methods  of  explaining  the  union  between  Christ  and  be- 
lievers, there  are  two  senses  in  which  it  is  understood  in  scripture.  One  is,  that 
which  results  from  Christ's  being  their  federal  head,  representative,  or  surety  ; 
having  undertaken  to  deal  with  the  justice  of  God  in  their  behalf,  so  that  what  he 
should  do,  as  standing  in  this  relation  to  them,  should  be  placed  to  their  account, 
as  much  as  if  it  had  been  done  by  them  in  their  own  persons.  This  is  what  gives 
them  a  concern  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  made  with  him  in  their  behalf, — of  which 
something  was  said  under  a  preceding  Answer  ;u  and  it  is  the  foundation  of  their  sins 
having  been  imputed  to  him,  and  of  his  righteousness  being  imputed  to  them, — 
which  will  be  farther  considered,  when  we  treat  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  under 
a  following  Answer.1  The  union  with  Christ,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  Answer 
we  are  now  explaining,  is  of  another  nature  ;  and,  in  some  respects,  may  be  pro- 
perly styled  a  vital  union,  as  all  spiritual  life  is  derived  from  it,  or  a  conjugal  union, 
as  it  is  founded  in  consent,  and  said  to  be  by  faith.  Now  there  are  two  things 
observed  concerning  it. 

1.  It  is  expressed  by  our  being  spiritually  and  mystically  joined  to  Christ.     It 

o  Heb.  ii.  14.  p  1  Sam.  xviii.  1.  q  Col.  ii.  2.  r  Phil.  ii.  2.  s  Verse  5. 

t  The  first  who  seems  to  have  used  this  unsavoury  mode  of  speaking,  is  Gregory  Nazianzen;  who 
did  not  consider  how  inconsistent  some  of  those  rhetorical  ways  of  speaking  he  seems  fond  of,  are 
with  that  doctrine  which,  in  other  parts  of  his  writings,  he  maintained.  Those  words  X^ifrattatut, 
and  SiortiM,  which  he  sometimes  uses  to  express  the  nature  or  consequence  of  this  union  between 
Christ  and  believers,  are  very  disgusting.  In  one  place  of  his  writings,  [Vid.  ejusd.  Orat.  41.]  ex- 
horting Christians  to  be  like  Christ,  he  says,  'because  he  became  like  unto  us,'  yitv/utB*  Bm  j<* 
ttvrif,  'efficiamur  dii  propter  ipsum;'  and  elsewhere  [in  Orat.  35.  de  Filio.]  he  say*,  •  Hie  homo 
Dens  .  ffectus  postea  quam  cum  Deo  coaluit,'  h*  ytiupai  Tta-ture*  f*m  i<rc»  t»M»t  avfyax-ef  tytttifti,  '  ut 
ipse  quoque  tantum  Deus  efficiar  quantum  ipse  homo.'  Some  modern  writers  have  been  fond  of 
the  same  mode  of  speaking,  especially  among  those  who,  from  their  mysterious  and  unintelligible 
mode  of  expressing  themselves,  have  rather  exposed  than  defended  the  doctrines  of"  the  gospel. 
We  find  expressions  of  a  similar  nature  in  a  book  put  forth  by  Luther,  which  is  supposed  to  have 
been  written  by  Taulerus,  before  the  Reformation,  called  Tht  ologia  Germanica.  Some  others  also, 
since  that  time,  such  as  Paracelsus,  S\venckfrlt,.VVeigelius,  and  those  enthusiasts  who  have  adhered 
to  their  unintelligible  and  blasphemous  modes  of  speaking,  have  used  similar  expressions. 

u  See  Sect.  '  Proofs  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,'  under  Quest,  xxxi.  x  Quest.  Ixx. 


16  THE  BENEFITS  ENJOYED 

•8  styled  a  spiritual  union,  in  opposition  to  those  gross  and*  carnal  conceptions 
fhich  persons  may  entertain  concerning  things  being  joined  together  in  a  natural 
way.  Indeed,  whatever  respects  salvation,  is  of  a  spiritual  nature. — It  is,  moreover, 
called  a  mystical  union  ;  which  is  the  word  most  used  by  those  who  treat  on  this 
subject.  The  reason  is,  that  the  apostle  calls  it  '  a  great  mystery,'"*  a  phrase  which  * 
we  are  not,  as  the  Papists  pretend,2  to  understand  as  meaning  the  union  between 
man  and  wife,  as  set  forth  in  the  similitude  by  which  the  apostle  had  just  illustrated 
this  doctrine,  but  which  we  are  to  understand  as  meaning  the  union  between 
Christ  and  his  church.  This  is  styled  'a  mystery,' probably  because  it  could 
aver  have  been  known  without  divine  revelation  ;  and  because,  as  Christ's  conde- 
•ension,  expressed  in  it,  can  never  be  sufficiently  admired,  so  it  cannot  be  fully 
*/mprehended  by  us.  It  is  such  a  nearness  to  him,  and  such  a  display  of  love  in 
am,  as  'passeth  knowledge.'  There  are,  however,  some  similitudes  used  in  scrip- 
ture to  illustrate  it. — One  of  these  is  the  union  which  there  is  between  the  vine  and 
the  brandies.*  As  by  this,  life,  nourishment,  growth,  and  fruitfulness  are  conveyed 
to  them  ;  so  all  our  spiritual  life,  together  with  the  exercise  and  increase  of  grace, 
depend  on  our  union  with  Christ,  our  abiding  in  him,  and  our  deriving  from  him 
what  is  necessary  for  these  ends. — Union  with  Christ  is  compared  also  to  the  union 
between  the  head  and  members  of  a  body.  Thus  the  apostle  farther  illustrates  it, 
when  he  styles  him  '  the  head,  from  which  all  the  body,  by  joints  and  bands,  hav- 
ing nourishment  ministered,  and  knit  together,  increaseth  with  the  increase  of  God.'b 
This  is  a  very  beautiful  similitude  ;  whereby  we  are  given  to  understand,  that,  as 
the  head  is  the  fountain  of  life  and  motion  to  the  whole  body,  the  nerves  and  animal 
spirits  taking  their  rise  thence,  so  that  if  the  communication  between  them  and  it 
were  stopped  the  members  would  be  useless,  dead,  and  insignificant ;  so  Christ  is 
the  fountain  of  spiritual  life  and  motion  to  all  those  who  are  united  to  him. — Again, 
union  with  Christ  is  illustrated  by  a  similitude  taken  from  the  union  between  the 
foundation  and  the  building.  Accordingly,  Christ  is  styled,  in  scripture,  '  the 
chief  corner-stone, 'c  and  'a  sure  foundation.  'd  There  is  something  peculiar  in  the 
phrase  which  the  apostle  uses,  which  is  more  than  any  similitude  can  express,  when 
he  speaks  of  Christ  as  'the  living  stone,'  or  rock,  on  which  the  church  is  built, 
and  of  believers  as  '  lively  stones,  'e  to  denote  that  they  are  not  only  supported  and 
upheld  by  him,  as  the  building  is  by  the  foundation,  but  enabled  to  put  forth 
living  actions,  as  those  whose  life  is  derived  from  their  union  with  him. — There  is 
another  similitude,  taken  from  the  nourishment  which  the  body  receives  by  the  use 
of  food.  Our  Saviour  styles  himself  'the  bread  of  life,' or  'the  bread  which 
cometh  down  from  heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof,  and  not  die ;'  and  proceeds 
to  speak  of  his  '  giving  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world  ; '  and  adds,  '  He  that  eat- 
eth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him.' —There  is  still 
another  similitude,  by  which  our  being  united  to  Christ  by  faith  is  more  especially 
illustrated,  taken  from  the  union  between  husband  and  wife.  Accordingly,  the 
union  between  Christ  and  believers  is  generally  styled  a  conjugal  union.  Thus  the 
prophet  says,  '  Thy  Maker  is  thine  husband,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name  :  and 
thy  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. **  And  the  apostle,  speaking  of  a  man's 
'leaving  his  father  and  mother,  and  being  joined  unto  his  wife,  and  they  two  being 
one  flesh,'h  applies  it,  as  was  formerly  observed,  to  the  union  between  Christ  and  the 

y  Eph.  v.  32. 

z  This  is  the  principal,  if  not  the  only  scripture,  from  which  they  pretend  to  prove  marriage  to 
he  a  sacrament,  and  they  argue  thus:  The  Greek  church  had  no  other  word  to  express  what  was 
afterwards  called  a  sacrament  by  the  Latin  church,  but  puerr^itu,  '  a  mystery.'  Hence,  as  the  apostle 
calls  marriage,  as  they  suppose,  a  mystery,  they  conclude  that  it  is  a  sacrament.  This  is  a  very 
weak  foundation  for  inserting  it  among  the  sacraments  which  they  have  added  to  those  which  Christ 
instituted  ;  tor  the  sacraments  are  nowhere  called  mysteries  in  scripture.  Nor  are  we  to  explain 
doctrines  by  words  which  were  not  used  till  some  ages  after  the  apostle's  time.  Even  if  there  were 
any  thing  in  their  argument,  that  that  which  is  called  a  mystery  in  scripture  must  needs  be  a 
sacrament,  it  does  not  appear  that  the  apostle  calls  marriage  '  a  great  mystery.'  For  be  gives  this 
name  to  the  union  that  there  is  between  Christ  and  bit  church ;  as  he  expressly  says  in  the  follow- 
ing words  :   *  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church.' 

a  John  xy.  1,  2,  5.  b  Coloss.  ii.  19.  c  Eph.  ii.  20.  d  Isa.  xxviii.  16. 

e  I  Pet.  n.  4,  5.  f  J0h„  vi.  48—56.  g  Isa.  liv.  5.  h  Eph.  v.  31,  32. 


BY  THE  INVISIBLE  CHURCH.  47 

church  ;  and  adds,  that  'we  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones.'' 
This  expression,  if  not  compared  with  other  scriptures,  would  be  very  hard  to  be 
understood  ;  but  it  may  be  explained  by  similar  phraseology,  used  elsewhere. 
Thus,  when  God  formed  Eve,  and  brought  her  to  Adam,  and  thereby  joined  them 
in  a  conjugal  relation,  Adam  said,  '  This  is  now  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my 
flesh.  '*  We  find  also  that  other  relations,  which  are  more  remote  than  this,  are 
expressed  by  the  same  mode  of  speaking.  Thus  Laban  says  to  Jacob,  '  Surely 
thou  art  my  bone  and  my  flesh.'1  And  Abimelech,  pleading  the  relation  he  stood 
in  to  the  men  of  Shechem,  as  a  pretence  of  his  right  to  reign  over  them,  tells  them, 
•  I  am  your  bone  and  your  flesh. 'm  Hence  the  apostle  makes  use  of  this  expression, 
agreeably  to  the  common  mode  of  speaking  used  in  scripture,  to  set  forth  the  con- 
jugal relation  between  Christ  and  believers. — The  apostle,  indeed,  elsewhere  alters 
the  phrase,  when  he  says,  '•  He  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirit.'11  This  is  so 
difficult  an  expressson,  that  some  who  treat  on  the  subject,  though  concluding  that 
there  is  in  it  something  which  dfenotes  the  intimacy  and  nearness  of  this  union,  and 
more  than  what  is  contained  in  the  other  phrase,  of  their  '  being  one  flesh,'  neverthe- 
less reckon  it  among  those  expressions  which  are  inexplicable.  Yet  I  cannot  but 
adopt  the  sense  in  which  some  understand  it ;  namely,  that,  inasmuch  as  the  same 
spirit  dwells  in  believers  which  dwelt  in  Christ,  though  with  different  views  and  de- 
signs, they  are  wrought  up,  in  their  measure,  to  the  same  temper  and  disposition  ;  or 
as  it  is  expressed  elsewhere, '  the  same  mind  is  in  them  that  was  in  Christ.'0  This 
is  such  an  effect  of  the  conjugal  relation  between  him  and  them,  as  is  not  always  the 
result  of  the  same  relation  amongst  men.  The  reason  why  I  call  this  our  being 
united  to  Christ  by  faith,  is  that  the  union  is  founded  in  a  mutual  consent.  As  '  the 
Lord  avouches  them,'  on  the  one  hand,  '  to  be  his  people  ;'  so  they,  on  the  other 
hand,  '  avouch  him  to  be  their  God.'P  The  latter  is,  properly  speaking,  an  act  of 
faith  ;  whereby  they  give  up  themselves  to  be  his  servants,  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, and  that  for  ever.     Thus  concerning  our  union  with  Christ. 

It  is  farther  observed  in  this  Answer,  that  union  with  Christ  is  a  work  of  God's 
grace.  This  it  must  certainly  be,  since  it  is  the  spring  and  fountain  whence  all 
acts  of  grace  proceed.  Indeed,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  it  cannot  be  other- 
wise. For  if  there  is  a  wonderful  display  of  condescending  grace  in  God's  confer- 
ring those  blessings  which  accompany  salvation,  much  more  is  there  such  a  display 
in  this  union.  If  Christ  be  pleased  to  '  dwell'  with  and  '  in'  his  people,  and  to 
'walk  in'  them,"*  or,  as  it  is  said  elsewhere,  to  '  live  in  them,'r  as  a  pledge  and  ear- 
nest of  their  being  for  ever  with  him  in  heaven  ;  and  if,  in  consequence,  they  are 
admitted  to  the  greatest  intimacy  with  him ;  we  may,  with  becoming  humility  and 
admiration,  take  occasion  to  adopt  what  was  spoken  to  him  by  one  of  Christ's  dis- 
ciples:  'How  is  it  that  thou  wilt  manifest  thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the 
world?'8  Is  it  not  a  great  instance  of  grace,  that  the  Son  of  God  should  make 
choice  of  so  mean  an  habitation  as  that  of  the  souls  of  sinful  men,  and  not  only 
be  present  with  but  united  to  them  in  those  instances  which  have  been  already 
considered  ? 

2.  It  is  farther  observed  in  this  Answer,  that  we  are  united  to  Christ  in  effectual 
calling ;  and  this  leads  us  to  consider  what  is  contained  in  the  two  following 
Answers. 

i  Eph.  v.  30.  k  Gen-  "•  23.  1  Gen.  xxix.  14.  m  Judges  ix.  2. 

n  1  Cor.  vi.  17.  o  Phil.  ".  5.  p  Deut.  xxvi.  17,  18.  q  2  Cor.  vi.  16. 

r  Gal.  ii.  20  s  John  xiv.  22. 


48  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

Question  LXVII.  What  is  effectual  calling  f 

Answer.  Effectual  calling  is  the  work  of  God's  almighty  power  and  grace;  whereby,  out  of  his 
free  and  especial  love  to  his  elect,  and  from  nothing  in  them  moving  him  thereunto,  he  doth,  in  his 
accepted  time,  invite  and  draw  them  to  Jesus  Christ  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  savingly  enlightening 
their  minds,  renewing  and  powerfully  determining  their  wills;  so  as  they,  although  in  themselves 
dead  in  sin.  are  hereby  made  willing  and  able,  freely  to  answer  his  call,  and  to  accept  and  embrace 
the  grace  offered  and  conveyed  therein. 

Question  LXVIII.  Are  the  elect  effectually  called? 

Answer.  All  the  elect,  and  they  only,  are  effectually  called;  although  others  may  be,  and  often 
are,  outwardly  called  by  the  ministry  of  the  word,  and  have  some  common  operations  of  the  Spirit; 
who,  for  their  wilful  neglect  and  contempt  of  the  grace  offered  to  them,  being  justly  left  in  their 
unbelief,  do  never  truly  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

The  General  Nature  of  the  Gospel  Call. 

We  have,  in  these  Answers,  an  account  of  the  first  step  that  God  takes,  in  ap- 
plying the  redemption  purchased  by  Christ.  This  is  expressed,  in  general,  by  the 
word  'calling;'  whereby  sinners  are  invited,  commanded,  encouraged,  and  enabled 
to  come  to  Christ,  in  order  to  their  being  made  partakers  of  his  benefits.  The 
apostle  styles  it  'an  high,  holy,  and  heavenly  calling  ;'*  and  a  being  'called  unto 
the  fellowship  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.'u  Herein  we  are  'called  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,'*  and  '  unto  his  eternal  glory  by  Jesus  Christ.  '* 
Indeed,  the  word  is  very  emphatic.  For,  a  call  supposes  a  person  to  be  separate, 
or  at  a  distance,  from  him  who  calls  him  ;  and  it  contains  an  intimation  of  leave 
to  come  into  his  presence.  Thus,  in  effectual  calling,  he  who  had  departed  from 
God,  is  brought  nigh  to  him.  God,  as  it  were,  says  to  him,  as  he  did  to  Adam, 
when  fleeing  from  him,  dreading  nothing  so  much  as  his  presence,  and  apprehend- 
ing himself  exposed  to  the  stroke  of  his  vindictive  justice,  'Where  art  thou?'z 
which  is  styled,  '  God's  calling  unto  him.'  Or  it  is  as  when  a  traveller  is  taking  a 
wrong  way,  and  in  danger  of  falling  into  some  pit  or  snare,  and  a  kind  friend  calls 
after  him  to  return,  and  sets  him  in  the  right  way.  Thus  God  calls  to  sinners ;  as 
the  prophet  expresses  it,  '  Thine  ears  shall  hear  a  word  behind  thee,  saying,  This 
is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it ;  when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand,  and  when  ye  turn  to 
the  left.'  In  this  call,  God  deals  with  men  as  reasonable  creatures;  and  his  doing 
so  is  by  no  means  to  be  excluded  from  our  ideas  of  the  work  of  grace.  Though 
this  work  implies  some  superior  or  supernatural  methods  of  acting,  in  order  to  its 
being  brought  about ;  yet  we  may  be  under  a  divine  influence,  in  turning  to  God, 
or  in  being  effectually  called  by  him,  and  accordingly  may  be  acted  upon  by  a  su- 
pernatural principle,  while,  at  the  same  time,  our  understandings  or  reasoning 
powers,  are  not  rendered  useless,  but  enlightened  or  improved  thereby  ;  by  which 
means,  every  thing  we  do,  in  obedience  to  the  call  of  God,  appears  to  be  most  just 
and  reasonable.  This  method  of  explaining  the  doctrine,  wards  off  the  absurd 
consequence  charged  upon  us,  that  we  represent  God  as  if  he  dealt  with  us  as 
stocks  and  stones.     But  more  shall  be  said  on  this  point  under  a  following  Head. 

We  shall  now  proceed  more  particularly,  to  consider  the  subject  of  these  two 
Answers ;  wherein  we  have  an  account  of  the  difference  between  the  external  call 
of  the  gospel,  which  is  explained  in  the  latter  of  them,  and  the  internal,  saving, 
and  powerful  call,  which  is  justly  termed  effectual,  and  is  considered  in  the  former 
of  them. 

The  External  Call  of  the  Gospel. 

We  shall  first  speak  concerning  the  outward  and  common  call  of  the  gospel,  to- 
gether with  the  persons  to  whom  it  is  given,  the  design  of  God  in  giving  it,  and 

t  Phil   iii.  14;  2  Tim.  i.  9;  Tleb.  iii.  1.  u  1  Cor.  i.  9.  x  1  Pet.  ii.  9. 

y  1  Pet.  v.  10.  z  Gen.  iii.  9. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  49 

the  issue  of  it.  with  respect  to  a  great  number  of  those  who  are  said  to  be  called. 
The  reason  why  we  choose  to  insist  on  this  common  call  in  the  first  place,  is,  that 
it  is  antecedent  to  the  other,  and  made  subservient  to  it  in  the  method  of  the 
divine  dispensation  ;  for  we  are  first  favoured  with  the  word  and  ordinances,  and 
then  these  are  made  effectual  to  salvatioD. 

1  We  shall  consider,  then,  what  we  are  to  understand  bj  this  common  call.  It 
is  observed,  that  it  is  bj  the  ministry  of  the  word ;  in  which  Christ  is  set  forth  in 
his  person  and  offices,  and  sinners  are  called  to  come  to  him,  and,  in  so  doing,  to 
be  made  partakers  of  the  blessings  which  he  has  purchased.  Thus,  to  set  forth 
Christ  and  invite  sinners  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  gospel-ministry ;  and 
it  is  illustrated a  by  the  parable  of  'the  marriage-feast.'  When  'the  king' had 
made  this  feast  'for  his  son,'  he  'sent  his  servants,'  by  whom  are  meant  gospel 
ministers,  to  '  call'  or  invite  persons,  and  therein  to  use  all  persuasive  arguments 
to  prevail  with  them  to  come  to  it.  This  is  styled  their  being  'called.'  And  the 
observation  made  on  persons  refusing  to  comply  with  this  call,  '  Many  are  called, 
but  few  are  chosen, 'b  plainly  intimates  that  our  Saviour  here  means  no  other  than  a 
common  or  ineffectual  call.  In  another  parable  the  same  thing  is  illustrated  bj 
'an  householder's  hiring  labourers  into  his  vineyard,'0  at  several  hours  of  the  day. 
Some  w<jre  hired  early  in  the  morning,  at  the  third  hour  ;  others,  at  the  sixth  and 
the  ninth.  This  denotes  the  gospel  call  which  the  Jewish  church  had  to  come  to 
Christ,  before  his  incarnation,  under  the  ceremonial  law.  And  others  were  hired 
at  the  eleventh  hour ;  denoting  those  who  were  called  by  the  ministry  of  Christ 
and  his  disciples.  That  this  was  only  a  common  and  external  call,  is  evident,  not 
only  from  the  intimation  that  they  who  had  'borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day,' 
that  is,  for  many  ages  had  been  a  professing  people,  '  murmured '  because  others 
who  were  called  at  the  eleventh  hour  had  an  equal  share  in  his  regard ;  but  also 
from  what  is  expressly  said — the  words  being  the  same  as  those  with  which  the  other 
parable  is  closed — '  Many  be  called,  but  few  chosen. 'd  Moreover,  the  apostle 
intends  this  common  call,  when  he  speaks  of  some  who  had  been  '  called  into  the 
grace  of  Christ ;'  not  called  by  the  power  and  efficacious  grace  of  Christ,  as  denot- 
ing that  the  call  was  effectual ;  but  called  or  invited  to  come  and  receive  the  grace 
of  Christ,  or  called  externally,  and  thereby  entreated  to  embrace  the  doctrine  of 
the  grace  of  Christ.  These  are  said  to  have  been  '  soon  removed  unto  another 
gospel. 'e  Elsewhere/ too,  he  speaks  of  some  who,  when  'the  truth,'  or  the  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel,  were  first  presented  to  them,  expressed,  for  a  time,  a  readiness 
to  receive  it, — on  which  account  he  says,  '  Ye  did  run  well,'  or,  ye  began  well ; 
but  who  afterwards  did  not  yield  the  obedience  of  faith  to  that  truth  which  they 
seemed  at  first  to  have  a  very  great  regard  to.  Hence,  the  apostle  says  concern- 
ing them,  '  This  persuasion  cometh  not  of  him  that  calleth  you.'s 

They  who  express  some  regard  to  this  call,  are  generally  said  to  have  common 
grace,  as  distinguished  from  others  who  are  under  the  powerful  and  efficacious  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit,  which  is  styled  special.  The  former  are  often  under  some 
impressive  influences  by  the  common  work  of  the  Spirit,  under  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  and,  notwithstanding,  are  in  an  unconverted  state.  Their  consciences 
are  sometimes  awakened,  and  they  bring  many  charges  and  accusations  against 
themselves ;  and  from  a  dread  of  consequences,  they  abstain  from  many  enormous 
crimes,  as  well  as  practise  several  duties  of  religion.  They  are  also  said  to  be  made 
partakers  of  some  great  degrees  of  restraining  grace.  These  results  all  arise  from  no 
other  than  the  Spirit's  common  work  of  conviction  ;  as  he  is  said  to  '  reprove  the 
world  of  sin.'h  They  are  styled,  in  this  Answer,  'the  common  operations  of  the 
Spirit.'  They  may  be  called  operations,  inasmuch  as  they  include  something  more 
than  God's  sending  ministers  to  address  themselves  to  sinners,  in  a  way  of  persua- 
sion or  arguing  ;  for,  the  Spirit  of  God  deals  with  their  consciences  under  the  mini- 
stry of  the  word.  It  is  true,  this  is  no  more  than  common  grace  ;  yet  it  may  be 
styled  the  Spirit's  work.  For  though  the  call  is  no  other  than  common  ;  and 
though  the  Spirit  is  considered  as  an  external  agent,  inasmuch  as  he  never  dwells 

a  Matt.  xxii.  1,  et  seq.  b  Verse  14.  c  Matt.  xx.  1,  et  seq.  d  Verse  16. 

e  Gal.  i.  6.  f  Chap.  v.  7»  g  Verse  8.  h  John  xvi.  8. 

II.  G 


50  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

in  the  hearts  of  any  but  believers ;  yet  the  effect  produced  is  internal  in  the  mind 
and  consciences  of  men,  and,  in  some  degree,  in  the  will,  which  is  almost  persuaded 
to  comply.  These  operations  are  sometimes  called  '  the  Spirit's  striving  with  man.'1 
But  as  many  of  these  internal  motions  are  said  to  be  resisted  and  quenched, — when 
persons  first  act  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  their  consciences,  and  afterwards  wholly 
extinguish  them, — the  Spirit's  work  in  those  whom  he  thus  calls,  is  not  effectual  or 
saving.  These  are  not  united  to  Christ  by  his  Spirit  or  by  faith ;  and  the  grace 
which  they  possess  is  generally  styled  common  grace.     [See  Note  G,  page  75.] 

Here  let  us  consider  that  there  are  some  things  presented  to  us  in  an  objective 
way,  which  contain  the  subject  of  the  gospel,  or  that  call  which  is  given  to  sinners 
to  pursue  those  methods  which,  by  divine  appointment,  lead  to  salvation.  As  'faith 
cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God  ;'k  so  do  common  convictions,  and 
whatever  carries  the  appearance  of  grace  in  the  unregenerate.  In  this  respect  God 
deals  with  men  as  intelligent  creatures,  capable  of  making  some  such  improvement 
of  those  instructions  and  intimations  as  may  tend,  in  many  respects,  to  their  advan- 
tage. This  must  be  supposed,  else  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  could  not,  abstract- 
edly from  those  saving  advantages  which  some  receive  by  it,  be  reckoned  an  uni- 
versal blessing  to  those  who  are  favoured  with  it.  This  is  here  called  the  grace 
which  is  offered  to  those  who  are  outwardly  called  by  the  ministry  of  the  word. 
Offers  of  grace,  and  invitations  to  come  to  Christ,  are  words  used  by  almost  all  who 
have  treated  on  this  subject.  Of  late,  indeed,  some  have  been  ready  to  conclude 
that  these  modes  of  speaking  tend  to  overthrow  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining ; 
for  they  argue  that  an  overture,  or  invitation,  supposes  a  power  in  him  to  whom  it 
is  given  to  comply  with  it.  Did  I  think  this  idea  necessarily  contained  in  the 
expressions,  I  would  choose  to  substitute  others  in  the  room  of  them.  However,  to 
remove  prejudices  or  unjust  representations  which  the  use  of  them  may  occasion, 
either  here  or  elsewhere,  I  shall  briefly  give  an  account  of  the  reason  why  I  use 
them,  and  what  I  understand  by  them.  If  it  be  said  that  such  expressions  are  not 
to  be  found  in  scripture,  the  circumstance  of  their  not  being  there  should  make  us 
less  tenacious  of  them.  Yet  they  may  be  used  without  just  offence  given,  if  ex- 
plained agreeably  to  scripture.  Let  it  be  considered,  then,  that  the  presenting  of 
an  object,  whatever  it  be,  to  the  understanding  and  will,  is  generally  called  an 
. '  offering'  of  it.  Thus  Gad  says  to  David,  from  the  Lord,  '  I  offer  thee  three  things  ; 
choose  thee  one  of  them,'1  &c.  So,  if  God  sets  before  us  life  and  death,  blessing 
and  cursing,  and  bids  us  choose  which  we  will  have,  his  doing  so  is  equivalent  to 
what  is  generally  called  an  offer  of  grace.  As  for  invitations  to  come  to  Christ,  it 
is  plain  that  there  are  many  scriptures  which  speak  to  that  purpose.  Thus  it  is 
said,  '■  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink. 'm  And,  '  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters.'11  And  elsewhere  Christ  says,  'Come  unto  me, 
all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'0  And,  '  Let  him 
that  is  athirst  come  ;  and  whosoever  will  let  him  take'  the  water  of  life  freely,  'p 
Moreover,  when  an  offer  or  invitation  to  accept  of  a  thing,  thus  objectively  presented 
to  .us,  is  made,  the  offer  of  it  always  supposes  that  it  is  valuable,  that  it  would  be 
greatly  our  interest  to  accept  it,  and  that  it  is  our  indispensable  duty  to  do  so. 
Now,  these  are  the  principal  ideas  which  I  include  in  my  sense  of  the  word,  when  I 
speak  of  offers  of  grace  in  the  gospel,  or  of  invitations  to  come  to  Christ.  Yet  un- 
derstanding the  offers  in  this  sense,  does  not  necessarily  infer  a  power  in  us  to 
accept  them,  without  the  assistance  of  divine  grace.  Thus  it  may  be  said  that 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;  that  he  will  certainly  apply  the  redemp- 
tion which  he  has  purchased,  to  all  for  whom  the  price  was  given  ;  that  a  right  to 
salvation  is  inseparably  connected  with  faith  and  repentance  ;  that  these  and  all 
other  graces  are  God's  gifts  ;  that  we  are  to  pray,  wait,  and  hope  for  them,  under 
the  ministry  of  the  word  ;  that,  if  we  be,  in  God's  own  time  and  way,  enabled  to 
exercise  these  graces,  our  being  so  will  be  to  our  unspeakable  advantage  ;  and  that, 
therefore,  it  cannot  but  be  our  duty  to  attend  upon  God  in  all  his  holy  institutions, 

i  Gen    vi.3.  k  Rom.  x.  17.  1  2  Sam.  xxiv.  12.  m  John  vii.  37 

"  l8a-  lv'  L  o  Matt.  xi.  28.  p  Rev.  xxii.  17- 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING- 


51 


in  hope  of  saving  blessings  ; — these  things  may  be  said,  and  the  gospel  may  be  thus 
preached,  without  supposing  that  grace  is  in  our  own  power.  Now  this  is  what  we 
principally  intend  by  gospel  overtures  or  invitations.  At  the  same  time,  we  can- 
not approve  of  some  expressions  subversive  of  the  doctrine  of  special  redemption, 
how  moving  and  pathetic  soever  they  may  appear  to  be  ;  as  when  any  one,  to  in- 
duce sinners  to  come  to  Christ,  says,  "  God  is  willing  ;  and  Christ  is  willing,  and  has 
done  his  part ;  and  the  Spirit  is  ready  to  do  his ;  and  shall  we  be  unwilling,  and 
thereby  destroy  ourselves?  Christ  has  purchased  salvation  for  us  ;  the  Spirit  offers 
his  assistance  to  us  ;  and  shall  we  refuse  these  overtures  ?  Christ  invites  us  to  come 
to  him,  and  leaves  it  to  our  free  will,  whether  we  will  comply  with  or  reject  these 
invitations.  He  is,  as  it  were,  undetermined  whether  he  shall  save  us  or  not,  and 
leaves  the  matter  to  our  own  conduct.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  be  persuaded  to 
comply  with  the  invitation."  This  method  of  explaining  offers  of  grace,  and  invita- 
tions to  come  to  Christ,  is  not  what  we  intend  when  we  make  use  of  these  expressions. 

2.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  persons  to  whom  this  common  call  is  given.  It 
is  indefinite,  not  directed  to  the  elect  only,  or  those  with  respect  to  whom  God  designs 
to  make  it  effectual  to  their  salvation  ;  for,  according  to  the  commission  which  our 
Saviour  gave  to  his  apostles,  the  gospel  was  to  be  preached  to  all  nations,  or  to 
every  creature  in  those  places  to  which  it  was  sent.  The  reason  is  obvious ;  the 
counsel  of  God  concerning  election  is  secret,  and  not  to  be  considered  as  the  rule 
of  human  conduct ;  nor  are  they  whom  God  is  pleased  to  employ  in  preaching  the 
gospel,  supposed  to  know  whether  he  will  give  success  to  their  endeavours,  by  en- 
abling those  who  are  called  to  comply  with  it. 

3.  We  shall  now  show  how  far  the  gospel  call  may,  without  the  superadded  assist- 
ance of  special  grace,  be  improved  by  men,  in  order  to  their  attaining  some  advan- 
tage by  it,  though  short  of  salvation.  This  maybe  done  in  two  respects:  gross 
crimes  may  be  avoided  ;  and  some  things  may  be  done  which,  though  not  good  in 
all  those  circumstances  which  accompany  or  flow  from  regenerating  grace,  are 
materially  good.  That  gross  enormous  crimes  may  be  avoided,  appears  in  many 
unconverted  persons,  who  not  only  avoid  but  abhor  them ;  being  induced  by  some- 
thing in  nature  which  gives  an  aversion  to  them.  The  point  may  be  argued  too, 
from  the  liableness  of  those  who  commit  gross  crimes  to  punishment  in  proportion 
to  their  respective  aggravations  ;  for  either  this  must  suppose  in  man  a  power  to 
avoid  them,  or  else  the  greatest  degree  of  punishment  would  be  the  result  of  a 
necessity  of  nature,  and  not  self-procured  by  any  act  of  man's  will, — though  all 
suppose  the  will  to  be  free  with  respect  to  actions  which  are  sinful.  It  would  be  a 
very  poor  excuse  for  the  murderer  to  allege,  that  he  could  not  govern  his  passion, ' 
but  was  under  an  unavoidable  necessity  to  take  away  the  life  of  another.  Shall 
the  man  who  commits  those  sins  which  are  contrary  to  nature,  say  that  his  natural 
temper  and  disposition  is  so  much  inclined  to  them  that  he  could  by  no  means 
avoid  them  ?  If  our  natural  constitution  be  so  depraved  and  vitiated,  that  it  leads 
us,  with  an  uncommon  and  impetuous  violence,  to  those  sins  which  we  were  not 
formerly  inclined  to,  whence  does  this  arise,  but  from  the  habits  of  vice  being 
increased  by  a  wilful  and  obstinate  perseverance,  and  by  the  many  repeated  acts 
which  they  have  produced  ?  And  might  not  this,  at  least,  in  some  degree,  havo 
been  avoided?  We  must  distinguish  between  habits  of  sin  which  flow  immediately 
from  the  universal  corruption  of  nature,  and  those  which  have  taken  deeper  root  in  us 
by  being  indulged,  and  by  exerting  themselves,  without  any  endeavours  used,  to  re- 
strain and  check  them.  And  if  it  be  supposed  that  our  natures  are  more  habitually  in- 
clined to  sin  than  once  they  were,  might  we  not  so  far  use  the  liberty  of  our  wills  as  to 
avoid  some  things  which,  we  are  sensible,  will  prove  a  temptation  to  particular  acts  of 
sin  ;  by  which  means  the  corruption  of  nature,  which  is  so  prone  to  comply  with  temp- 
tation, might  be  in  some  measure  restrained,  though  not  overcome  ?  This  may  be  done 
without  converting  grace  ;  and,  consequently,  some  great  sins  be  avoided.  To  deny 
this,  would  be  not  only  to  palliate  all  manner  of  licentiousness,  but  to  open  a  door  for 
it. — Again,  man  has  a  power  to  do  some  things  which  are  materially  good,  though 
not  good  in  all  those  circumstances  which  accompany  or  flow  from  regenerating 
grace.     Ahab's  humility, i  and  Nineveh's  repentance,r  arose  from  the  dread  they 

q  1  Kings  xxi.  29.  r  Jonah  iii.  5,  et  seq. 


52  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

had  of  the  divine  threatening  ;  which  is  such  an  inducement  to  repentance  and 
reformation,  as  takes  its  rise  from  nothing  more  than  the  influence  of  common 
grace.  Herod  himself,  though  a  vile  person,  'feared  John,  knowing  that  he  was 
a  just  man  and  an  holy ;  and  when  he  heard  him,  did  many  things,  and  heard  him 
gladly. *"  The  Gentiles  also  are  said  to  'do  hy  nature  the  things,'  tha'  is,  some, 
things,  'contained  in  the  law;'  insomuch  that  'they  are  a  law  unto  themselves.'1 
Hence  they  did  them  hy  the  influence  of  common  grace.  Now  these  things,  name- 
ly, abstaining  from  grosser  sins,  and  doing  some  actions  materially  good,  have 
certainly  some  advantage  attending  them ;  as  thereby  the  world  is  not  so  much 
like  hell  as  it  would  otherwise  be,  and  as  to  themselves,  a  greater  degree  of 
punishment  is  avoided. 

4.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  design  of  God  in  giving  the  common  call  in  the 
gospel.  That  this  cannot  be  the  salvation  of  all  who  are  thus  called,  is  evident ; 
because  all  shall  not  be  saved.  If  God  had  designed  their  salvation,  he  would 
certainly  have  brought  it  about ;  since  his  purpose  cannot  be  frustrated.  To  say 
that  God  has  no  determinations  relating  to  the  success  of  the  gospel,  reflects  on 
his  wisdom  ;  and  to  conclude  that  things  may  happen  contrary  to  his  purpose 
argues  a  defect  of  power,  as  if  he  could  not  attain  the  ends  he  designed.  But  this 
having  been  insisted  on  under  the  heads  of  election  and  special  redemption,  I 
shall  pass  it  by  at  present,  and  only  consider  that  the  ends  which  God  designed  in 
giving  the  gospel,  were  such  as  are  attained  by  it,  namely,  the  salvation  of  those  who 
shall  eventually  be  saved,  the  restraining  of  those  who  have  only  common  grace, 
and  the  setting  forth  of  the  glorious  work  of  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ ;  which, 
as  it  is  the  wonder  of  angels,  who  desire  to  look  into  it,  so  it  is  designed  in  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  to  be  recommended  as  worthy  of  the  highest  esteem,  even 
in  those  who  cast  contempt  on  it.  By  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  also,  those  are 
convicted  who  shut  their  eyes  against  the  glorious  light  which  shines  so  brightly 
in  it,  or  neglect  to  behold  that  light. 

It  is  objected  that  Christ  invites  and  calls  men  to  come  to  him,  as  he  often  does 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  when  they  refuse  to  comply,  mentions  their  refusal 
with  a  kind  of  regret ;  as  when  he  says,  '  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might 
have  life.'"  The  objectors  hence  infer  that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  according 
to  our  view  of  it,  is  no  other  than  an  insult  on  mankind,  a  bidding  them  come  with- 
out the  least  design  that  they  should  ;  as  if  a  magistrate  should  go  to  the  prison 
door,  and  tell  the  unhappy  man  who  is  not  only  under  lock  and  key  but  loaded 
with  irons,  that  he  would  have  him  leave  that  place  of  misery  and  confinement, 
and  how  much  he  should  rejoice  if  he  would  come  out,  and  upon  condition  of  his 
doing  so,  propose  to  him  several  honours  which  he  has  in  reserve  for  him.  This, 
say  they,  is  not  to  deal  seriously  with  him.  And  if  the  offer  of  grace  in  the  gospel 
answers  the  similitude,  as  they  suppose  it  exactly  does,  there  is  no  need  for  any 
thing  farther  to  be  replied  to  it:  the  doctrine  confutes  itself;  as  it  argues  the 
divine  dealings  with  men  to  be  illusory.  But  the  similitude,  how  plausible  soever 
it  may  appear  to  some,  is  far  from  giving  a  just  representation  of  the  doctrine  we 
are  maintaining.  For  when  the  magistrate  is  supposed  to  signify  his  desire  that 
the  prisoner  would  set  himself  free,  which  he  knows  he  cannot  do  ;  hereby  it  is  in- 
timated, that  though  God  knows  that  the  sinner  cannot  convert  himself,  yet  he 
commands  him  to  do  it,  or  to  put  forth  supernatural  acts  of  grace,  though  he  has 
no  principle  of  grace  in  him.  But  let  it  be  considered  that  God  nowhere  commands 
any  to  do  this.  Our  Saviour  implies  that  he  nowhere  does  so,  when  he  speaks  of  '  the 
tree  being  made  good  '  before  the  fruit  it  produces  can  be  so  ;x  or  that  it  is  impos- 
sible for  men  '  to  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles  ;'?  implying  that  there 
must  be  an  internal  disposition  wrought,  before  any  acts  of  grace  can  be  put  forth. 
This  is  supposed  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  or  the  call  to  sinners  to  repent  and 
believe  ;  which  they  have  no  reason  to  conclude  that  they  can  do  without  the  aids 
ot  divine  grace,  and  these  they  are  to  wait,  pray,  and  hope  for,  in  all  God's  insti- 
tuted methods.  As  to  the  statement  in  the  objection  respecting  promises  made  to 
us  on  the  condition  that  we  would  release  ourselves  from  the  chains  of  sin,  and  cou- 

■   Ma.k  vi.  20.         t  Rom.  ii.  14.  u  John  v.  40.  x  Matt.  xii.  33.  y  Chap.  rii.  16. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  53 

cerning  the  joy  God  would  have  in  our  heing  set  free,  when  the  thing  is  in  itself 
impossible  ;  it  is  no  otherwise  true  than  as  it  contains  a  declaration  of  the  connec- 
tion there  is  between  conversion  and  salvation,  or  between  freedom  from  the  sla- 
very of  sin  and  God's  conferring  many  spiritual  honours  and  privileges  on  those  who 
are  converted, — not  that  it  does,  in  the  least,  denote  that  it  is  in  our  power  to  con- 
vert ourselves.  But  that  this  may  be  more  clearly  understood,  we  shall  consider 
it  with  reference  to  the  two  branches  of  the  objection,  and  so  speak  of  God,  either 
as  commanding,  calling,  and  inviting  men  to  do  what  is  out  of  their  power,  namely, 
to  repent  and  believe,  or  as  holding  forth  promises  of  that  salvation  which  they 
shall  not  attain,  because  the  graces  of  faith  and  repentance  are  out  of  their  power. 
This  is  the  substance  of  what  is  usually  objected  against  the  doctrine  we  are  main- 
taining, by  those  who  are  on  the  other  side  of  the  question  ;  who  suppose  that  the 
call  of  the  gospel,  according  to  our  view  of  it,  is  illusory,  and  therefore  unbecoming 
the  divine  perfections. 

As  to  God's  commanding,  calling,  and  inviting  men  to  do  what  is  out  of  their  own 
power,  as  for  instance,  bidding  a  dead  man  to  arise,  or  one  who  is  blind  to  see,  or 
those  who  are  shut  up  in  prison  to  come  out  thence  ;  this  is  to  be  explained,  and 
then,  perhaps,  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining  will  appear  to  be  less  exceptionable. 
We  have  elsewhere,  in  defending  the  doctrine  of  particular  redemption  against  an 
objection  not  much  unlike  this,  considered  how  Christ  is  said  to.be  offered  in  the 
gospel,'  or  in  what  sense  the  overture  may  be  said  to  be  made  to  all  who  are  fa- 
voured with  it,  while  the  efficacy  of  it  extends  to  those  only  whom  Christ  has  re- 
deemed, and  who  shall  be  effectually  called.  But  that  we  may  a  little  farther 
explain  this  matter,  let  us  consider  that  the  gospel  contains  a  declaration,  that  God 
designs  to  save  a  part  of  this  miserable  world,  and  that,  in  subserviency  to  this  end, 
he  has  given  them  a  discovery  of  Christ,  as  the  object  of  faith,  and  the  purchaser 
and  author  of  salvation.  But  he  does  not  in  this  declaration  give  the  least  intima- 
tion to  any,  while  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  that  they  shall  be  enabled  to  believe, 
and,  in  consequence,  be  saved.  The  names,  characters,  or  places  of  abode,  or  the 
natural  embellishments  of  those  who  shall  attain  this  privilege,  are  nowhere  pointed 
at  in  scripture.  Nor  is  the  book  of  God's  secret  purpose  concerning  election  to 
eternal  life  opened,  so  that  any  one  can  discern  his  name  written  in  it,  before  he  be 
effectually  called.  We  have  no  warrant  to  look  any  farther  than  God's  revealed 
will,  which  assigns  no  evidence  of  our  interests  in  the  saving  blessings  of  the  gospel 
till  they  are  experienced  by  us,  in  this  effectual  call.  Again,  God  plainly  discovers 
to  men,  in  the  gospel,  that  all  those  graces  which  are  inseparably  connected  with  salva- 
tion, are  his  work  and  gift,  and  consequently  out  of  their  own  power  ;  or  that  '  it  is 
not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy.'* 
He  nowhere  tells  the  man  who  '  is  tied  and  bound  with  the  chain  of  his  sin,'  that 
he  is  able  to  set  himself  free  ;  but  puts  him  upon  expecting  and  praying  for  it,  from 
'the  pitifulness  of  his  great  mercy.'  He  nowhere  tells  him,  that  he  can  implant 
a  principle  of  spiritual  life  and  grace  in  himself,  or  that  he  ought  so  much  as  to 
attempt  to  'do  any  thing  to  atone  for  his  sins,  by  his  obedience  and  sufferings  ;  but 
suggests  the  contrary,  and  says,  '  Surely,  shall  one  say,  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteous- 
ness and  strength.'1*  Further,  he  gives  none  the  least  ground  to  expect  or  lay  claim 
to  salvation,  till  they  believe  ;  and  as  both  faith  and  salvation  are  his  gifts,  he  puts 
them  upon  seeking  and  desiring  them  in  their  respective  order,  first  grace,  and  then 
glory.  Moreover,  the  gospel  call  is  designed  to  put  men  upon  a  diligent  attendance 
on  the  ordinances,  as  means  of  grace,  and  to  leave  the  issue  and  success  to  God  who 
'  waits  that  he  may  be  gracious,' — that  so  his  sovereignty  may  appear  more  emi- 
nently in  the  dispensing  of  this  privilege  ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  he  assigns  it 
as  their  duty  to  '  wait  for  him.'c  And  while  we  are  engaged  in  this  waiting,  we 
are  to  acknowledge  that  we  have  nothing  which  can  give  us  any  right  to  the  privi- 
lege we  are  seeking.  We  infer,  therefore,  that  God  might  justly  deny  success  to  his 
ordinances.  Yet  if  he  is  pleased  to  give  us,  while  we  are  attending  on  them,  ear- 
nest desires  that  they  may  be  made  effectual  to  our  conversion  and  salvation,  we 

z  See  Sect.  'Examination  of  Arguments  for  Universal  Redemption,'  under  Quest,  xliv. 
a  Rom.  ix.  16.  b  Isa.  xlv.  24.  c  Chap,  xxx.ly. 


54  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

may  conclude  his  doing  so  to  bo  a  token  for  good,  that  he  designs  us  some  special 
advantage.  Nor  do  we  know  but  that  even  those  desires  for  grace  may  be  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Spirit's  saving  work,  and  therefore  an  earnest  of  his  carrying  it  on. 
Finally,  when  God  commands  persons,  in  the  gospel,  to  do  those  things  which  can- 
not be  performed  without  his  special  grace,  he  sometimes,  when  he  gives  the  com- 
mand, supposes  them  to  have  a  principle  of  spiritual  life  and  grace,  which  is,  in 
effect,  to  bid  one  who  is  made  alive  put  forth  living  actions,  which  respect,  more 
especially,  the  progress  of  grace  after  the  work  is  begun.  In  this  sense  I  understand 
those  words  of  the  apostle,  '  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling ; 
for  it  is  God  which  worketh,'  that  is,  hath  wrought,  '  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do, 
of  his  good  pleasure. 'd 

Let  us  now  consider  the  gospel  as  holding  forth  promises  of  salvation,  when,  at 
the  same  time,  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  exercise  those  graces  which  accompany  it. 
This  gives  occasion  to  those  who  except  against  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining, 
to  say  that  it  represents  God  as  offering  those  blessings  which  he  does  not  design 
to  bestow.  Here  we  have  opportunity  to  explain  what  we  mean,  when  we  consider 
salvation  as  offered  in  the  gospel.  By  this  we  understand  nothing  else  but  a  de- 
claration that  all  who  repent  and  believe  shall  be  saved ;  which  contains  a  character 
or  description  of  the  persons  who  have  ground  to  expect  this  privilege.  Not  that 
salvation  is  founded  on  dubious  and  uncertain  conditions,  which  depend  upon  the 
power  and  liberty  of  our  will ;  or  that  it  depends  upon  impossible  conditions,  as  if 
God  should  say,  '  If  man  will  change  his  own  heart,  and  work  faith  and  all  other 
graces  in  himself,  then  I  will  save  him.'  All  that  we  mean  is,  that  those  graces 
which  are  inseparably  connected  with  salvation,  are  to  be  waited  for  in  our  attend- 
ance on  all  God's  ordinances  ;  and  that,  when  he  is  pleased  to  work  them,  we  may 
conclude  that  we  have  a  right  to  the  promise  of  salvation. 

5.  Having  thus  spoken  of  the  gospel  call,  what  it  is,  how  far  it  may  be  improved 
by  those  who  are  destitute  of  special  grace,  and  what  is  God's  design  in  giving  it, 
we  proceed  to  consider  the  issue  and  consequence  of  it.  It  is  observed  in  this  An- 
swer, that  many  wilfully  neglect,  contemn,  or  refuse  to  comply  with  it ;  with  respect 
to  whom  it  is  not  made  effectual  to  their  salvation.  This  appears  from  the  report 
which  Christ's  disciples  brought  to  him,  concerning  the  excuses  many  made  when 
called  to  come  to  the  marriage-feast  in  the  parable.  One  pretended  that  he  had 
'bought  a  piece  of  ground,  and  I  must  needs  go  and  see  it;'  another  that  he  had 
'bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them  ;'  and  another  '  had  married  a 
wife,  and  therefore  could  not  come.'  It  is  elsewhere  said,  '  They  made  light  of  it, 
and  went  their  ways,  one  to  his  farm,  and  another  to  his  merchandise  ;  and  the 
remnant  took  his  servants,  and  entreated  them  spitefully,  and  slew  them.'e  The 
prophet  introduces  our  Saviour  himself  as  complaining,  '  I  have  laboured  in  vain, 
I  have  spent  my  strength  for  nought. 'f  And  the  reason  is,  '  because  Israel  is  not 
gathered ;'  which  words  are  to  be  understood  in  a  comparative  sense,  as  denoting 
the  fewness  of  those  who  complied  with  his  gracious  invitations  to  come  to  him,  or 
were  conviuced  by  the  miracles  which  he  wrought  to  confirm  his  doctrine. — Our 
position  is  farther  evident  from  the  smallness  of  the  number  of  those  who  are  effec- 
tually prevailed  upon  under  the  gospel  dispensation  ;  which  the  apostle  calls  '  the 
grace  of  God  that  brings  salvation,  that  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  them 
to  deny  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly, 
in  this  present  world.'  It  appears,  also,  from  the  great  opposition  and  hatred  which 
many  express  to  the  person  of  Christ,  who  is  the  subject  of  the  gospel.  The  pro- 
phet not  only  relates  this  as  what  was  observed  in  his  day  ;  but  foretells  that,  in 
after  ages,  a  great  part  of  mankind  would  not  believe  the  report  made  concerning 
Christ,  and  that  he  should  be  '  despised  and  rejected  of  men,'  who  would  '  hide, 
as  it  were,  their  faces  from  him,  and  not  esteem  him.  '«  This  conduct  is  certainly 
the  highest  contempt  of  the  gospel ;  for  it  is  an  undervaluing  of  the  greatest  privi- 
leges, as  if  they  were  not  worthy  to  be  embraced,  desired,  or  sought  after.  And 
inasmuch  as  the  conduct  is  wilful,  arising  from  the  enmity  of  the  will  of  man  against 

d  Phil.  ii.  12,  13.  e  Luke  xiv.  18—20.  compared  with  Matt.  xxii.  5,  6.  f  I*a.  xlix.  4,  5. 

g  i*.i.  In..  .,  3. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  55 

God,  and  against  the  method  of  salvation  which  he  has  prescribed,  it  has  a  tendency 
to  provoke  his  wrath  ;  so  that  those  guilty  of  it  being  justly  left  in  their  unbelief, 
they  will  not  come  to  Christ  that  they  may  have  life.  And  as  they  are  judicially 
left  to  themselves,  they  contract  a  greater  degree  of  alienation  from  God  and  averse 
ness  to  him,  and  so  never  truly  come  to  Jesus  Christ ;  which  is  an  awful  and  tre- 
mendous consideration. 

This  is  the  result  with  respect  to  those  who  have  only  the  common  call  of  the 
gospel.  We  must  hence  conclude  that  that  call  is  not  sufficient  to  salvation,  unless 
there  be  an  internal  effectual  call ;  and  what  that  is,  will  be  considered  under  our 
next  head.  But  it  is  here  necessary  to  inquire,  whether  all  men,  at  least  those 
who  sit  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel,  have  sufficient  grace  given  them  to  be  able, 
by  their  own  conduct,  without  the  internal  powerful  influences  of  the  Spirit,  to 
attain  salvation.  This  argument  is  much  insisted  on  by  those  who  adhere  to 
the  Pelagian  scheme  ;  so  that  we  cannot  wholly  pass  it  over.  Now,  every  one 
must  allow  that  all  who  sit  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel  have  sufficient  objective 
grace,  or  sufficient  external  means,  to  lead  them  in  the  way  of  salvation  ;  for  to 
deny  this,  would  be  to  deny  that  the  gospel  is  a  perfect  rule  of  faith.  Accordingly, 
this  is  allowed  on  both  sides  ;  and  we  think  nothing  more  is  intended,  when  God 
says,  concerning  the  church  of  the  Jews,  '  What  could  have  been  done  more  to  my 
vineyard,  that  I  have  not  done  in  it  ?'h  But  the  question  is,  Whether  there  be  a 
sufficiency  of  power  or  ability  in  man  to  enable  him,  without  the  internal  efficacious 
grace  of  God  determining  and  inclining  his  will,  to  make  a  right  improvement  of 
the  gospel  for  his  salvation  ?  This  is  what  we  cannot  but  deny.  For,  that  the 
external  means  of  grace  are  not  rendered  effectual  to  the  salvation  of  all  who  are 
favoured  with  them,  is  evident ;  because,  as  was  just  observed,  many  neglect  and 
contemn  the  gospel.  And  as  to  others  who  improve  it,  so  that  the  means  of  grace 
become  effectual,  it  must  be  inquired,  What  is  it  that  makes  them  so  ?  how  comes 
it  that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  styled  to  some  a  savour  of  life,  to  others  a 
savour  of  death  ?  The  answer  which  the  Pelagians  give  is,  that  they  in  whom  it 
is  effectual  render  it  so  by  their  improving  the  liberty  of  their  will ;  so  that  they 
choose  what  is  represented  in  the  gospel  as  eligible,  and  refuse  the  contrary.  And 
if  the  question  be  asked,  '  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another  ?'  they  have, 
when  disposed  to  speak  agreeably  to  their  own  scheme,  this  answer  ready  at  hand, 
'  I  make  myself  to  differ  ;'  which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  '  I  have  a  natural  power  of 
improving  the  means  of  grace,  without  having  recourse  to  God  for  any  farther 
assistance  in  a  supernatural  way.'  It  may  easily  be  observed  that  this  supposition 
is  greatly  derogatory  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  renders  all  dependence  on  him,  both 
to  will  and  to  do,  unnecessary.  It  supposes  that  we  have  sufficient  ability  to  work 
those  graces  in  ourselves  which  accompany  salvation  ;  otherwise  the  grace  is  not 
sufficient  to  salvation.  •  The  supposition,  therefore,  is  contrary  to  all  those  scrip- 
tures which  speak  of  the  graces  which  accompany  salvation  as  the  work  or  the  effect 
of  the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  power  of  God. 

The  Previous  Character  of  Persons  who  are  Effectually  Called. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  doctrine  of  effectual  calling,  as  stated  in  the 
former  of  the  Answers  which  we  are  explaining.  At  present  we  shall  inquire  into 
the  antecedent  character  of  those  who  are  effectually  called.  They  have  nothing 
which  can  recommend  them  to  the  divine  favour  ;  for,  being  considered  as  fallen, 
guilty  creatures,  they  are  unable  not  only  to  make  atonement  for  sin,  but  to  do 
what  is  spiritually  good.  Thus  the  apostle  represents  them  as  'without  strength;'1 
which  is  the  immediate  consequence  of  man's  first  apostacy  from  God.  Universal 
experience,  also,  proves  that  we  have  a  propensity  to  everything  which  is  evil,  and 
that  this  propensity  daily  increases.  We  may  add,  that  the  mind  is  blinded,  the 
affections  stupified,  the  will  full  of  obstinacy,  the  conscience  disposed  to  deal 
treacherously,  whereby  we  deceive  ourselves  ;  so  that  the  whole  soul  is  out  of 
order.     The  apostle  speaks  of  man  •  by  nature,'  as  •  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, 

b  Isa.  v.  4.  i  Rom.  v.  6. 


0()  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

«&Ucing  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience ;  having  their 
conversation  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the 
mind.*  The  prophet  speaks  of  '  the  heart'  of  man  as  being  '  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked.'1  The  apostle  again  describes  some  as  'walking 
in  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  having  the  understanding  darkened,  being  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blind- 
ness of  their  heart ;  who  being  past  feeling,  have  given  themselves  over  unto  lasci- 
viousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness  :'ra  and  others  as  being  '  filled 
with  all  unrighteousness,  fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness,  maliciousness,  full 
of  envy,  murder,  debate,  deceit,  malignity,  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of  God^ 
despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  inventors  of  evil  things,  disobedient  to  parents,  without 
understanding,  covenant-breakers,  without  natural  affection,  implacable,  unmerci- 
ful.'" This,  indeed,  is  spoken  of  the  Gentiles,  who  were  destitute  of  the  means 
of  grace,  and  had  contracted  greater  degrees  of  impiety  than  many  others  ;  but 
they  who  are  effectually  called  would  have  run  into  the  same  abominations,  their 
natures  being  equally  inclined  to  them,  without  preventing  grace.  Accordingly, 
some  of  the  church  of  Corinth  are  said  to  have  done  so  before  their  conversion  ; 
whom  the  apostle  speaks  of  as  once  having  been  '  unrighteous,  fornicators,  idola- 
ters, adulterers,  effeminate,  abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  thieves,  covetous, 
drunkards,  revilers,  extortioners.'0  And  elsewhere  he  says,  '  We  ourselves  also 
were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures, 
living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another. 'p  The  obstinacy  and 
perverseness  of  men  going  on  in  a  course  of  sin  is  so  great,  that  God  reproves  a 
professing  people  by  telling  them  that  '  their  neck  was  an  iron  sinew,  and  their 
brow  brass.'0-  Thus  they  were,  before  he  '  refined'  and  'chose'  some  of  them,  'in 
the  furnace  of  affliction.'1  It  hence  evidently  appears,  that  men  are  not  naturally 
inclined  to  comply  with  the  gospel  call ;  and  that  the  privilege  of  willingness  to 
comply  is  conferred  on  them,  when,  by  the  Spirit,  the  call  is  made  effectual  to 
their  salvation. 

It  is  objected  to  what  has  been  said  concerning  persons  being  dead  in  sin,  before 
they  are  effectually  called,  that  the  expression  '  dead  in  sin'  is  metaphorical, and  is 
not  to  be  strained  so  far  as  to  be  made  to  imply  that  they  are  altogether  without  a 
power  to  do  that  which  is  spiritually  good.  But  while  the  state  of  men  before  they  are 
effectually  called,  is  styled  'a  death  in  sin,'  which  is  a  metaphorical  expression,  we 
must  suppose  that  there  is  a  sense  affixed  to  it  which,  in  some  respects,  is  adapted 
to  those  ideas  which  we  have  of  the  words.  If  scripture  metaphors  prove  nothing 
because  the  words  are  transferred  from  their  literal  sense  to  some  other,  we  shall 
be  at  the  greatest  loss  to  understand  many  important  doctrines  contained  in  the 
sacred  writings ;  which  abound  very  much  in  such  modes  of  speaking.  We  do  not 
suppose  the  metaphor  to  be  extended  so  far  as  to  imply  that  a  person  dead  in  sin, 
is  incapable  of  acting  as  if  he  were  a  stock  or  a  stone  ;  the  contrary  to  which  is 
evident  from  what  has  been  already  said  concerning  the  power  which  they  who  are 
in  an  unregenerate  state  have  of  doing  things  materially  good.  But  we  are  now 
considering  men  as  unable  to  do  what  is  good  in  all  its  circumstances,  which  may 
render  their  actions  the  object  of  the  divine  approbation,  as  agreeable  to  God's  re- 
vealed will.  This,  we  suppose,  an  unregenerate  person  is  as  unable  to  do,  as  a 
dead  man  is  to  put  forth  living  actions  ;  and  the  reason  is,  that  he  is  destitute  of  a 
supernatural  principle  of  spiritual  life.  Scripture  and  experience  not  only  evince 
the  weakness,  blindness,  and  disinclination  of  such  to  what  is  good,  but  their  aver- 
sion to  it.  Whatever  we  do,  therefore,  either  in  the  beginning  or  in  the  progress 
of  the  life  of  faith,  must  proceed  from  a  renewed  nature,  or  a  supernatural  princi- 
ple implanted  in  the  soul.  This  is  sometimes  called,  'a  new  heart,'8  'a  divine 
nature,'*  as  well  as  a  quickening  or  a  being  raised  from  the  dead. 

k  Eph.  ii.  1_&  i  Jer.  xvii.  9.  m  E  hf  iy   17_19<  n  Rom.  j.  29—31. 

o      Cor.  vi.  9—11.  p  Tit.  iii.  3.  q  I8a.  xlviij.  4.  r  Ver.  10. 

b  Lzik.  xxxvi.  '26.  t  2  Pet.  i.  4. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  57 


The  Change  Wrought  in  Effectual  Calling. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  change  which  is  wrought  in  effectual  calling, 
together  with  the  grounds  we  have  to  conclude  that  it  is  a  supernatural  work,  or, 
as  it  is  styled  in  this  Answer,  'the  work  of  God's  almighty  power  and  grace.' 
Those  whom  we  more  especially  oppose  in  this  head  of  argument,  are  the  Pelagians, 
and  others,  who,  though  in  some  things  they  seem  to  recede  from  them,  yet  cannot 
support  their  cause  without  adopting  their  scheme,  when  treating  on  the  subjects 
of  free-will,  nature,  and  grace.  These  all  allow  that  there  is  a  change  made  in 
conversion  or  effectual  calling  ;  hut  they  suppose  that  it  is  a  change  in  man's  natu- 
ral temper  and  disposition,  rather  than  one  arising  from  a  supernatural  principle. 
According  to  them,  it  consists  in  overcoming  those  habits  of  sin  which  we  have  con- 
tracted, and  in  acquiring  habits  of  virtue, — a  ceasing  to  do  evil,  and  a  learning  to 
do  well.  They  suppose  also  that  the  change  is  in  man's  own  power,  with  the'  con- 
currence of  God  as  the  God  of  nature,  or  at  least,  with  some  superadded  assistances 
from  the  external  dispensations  of  providence,  which  have  an  influence  on  the  minds 
of  men  to  produce  it.  By  this  means  they  think  grace  is  first  attained,  and  men 
disposed  to  comply  with  the  external  call  of  the  gospel,  whereby  it  is  rendered  effec- 
tual. They  sometimes,  indeed,  use  the  word  '  conversion,'  and  speak  of  the  power 
and  grace  of  God  in  it ;  and  that  they  may  not  seem  to  detract  from  its  glory,  they 
profess  to  adore  and  magnify  God  as  its  author.  But  all  they  say  amounts  to  no 
more  than  that  nature  acts  under  the  influence  of  common  providence.  Something, 
indeed,  they  ascribe  to  God ;  but  much  less  than  what  we  think  the  scripture  does. 
They  say  that  he  has  made  man  an  intelligent  creature,  having  a  power  capable  of 
choosing  whatever  seems  advantageous,  or  refusing  what  appears  to  be  destructive 
to  him.  Man  is  hence  able,  they  say,  to  discern  what  is  his  duty  and  interest ;  and 
when  his  will  duly  attends  to  these  dictates  of  his  understanding,  it  has  a  power 
inclining  it  to  be  influenced  thereby,  and  to  embrace  whatever  overtures  are  made  con- 
ducive to  his  future  happiness.  They  say,  farther,  that  as  the  understanding  and 
reasoning  powers  and  faculties  are  often  impaired  and  hindered  in  their  acting, 
by  some  accidental  inconveniences  of  nature,  such  as  the  temperament  of  the  body, 
or  the  diseases  to  which  it  is  sometimes  liable,  which  affect  the  mind  ;  these,  God, 
by  his  powerful  providence,  removes  or  protects  against,  that  the  work  may  go  on 
successfully.  And  as  our  outward  circumstances  in  the  world,  give  a  different  turn 
to  our  passions,  and  hinder  us  from  entertaining  any  inclinations  to  religion,  they 
suppose  that  there  is  a  farther  hand  of  providence  in  ordering  the  various  changes 
or  conditions  of  life,  as  to  its  prosperous  or  adverse  circumstances  ;  whereby  a 
sanguine  temper  is  changed  to  one  which  is  more  melancholy  or  thoughtful,  and 
more  inclined  to  be  afraid  of  those  sins  which  are  likely  to  be  prejudicial ;  an  angry 
and  choleric  temper,'  changed  to  one  which  has  a  greater  mixture  of  meekness  and 
humility.  They  say,  too,  that  while  hinderance  may  arise  from  a  man's  conversing 
with  persons  who  tempt  him  to  lay  aside  all  thoughts  about  religion,  or  who  load 
religion  with  reproach,  in  order  to  make  him  ashamed  to  pretend  to  it,  the  provi- 
dence of  God  so  orders  circumstances  and  things  as  to  make  these  persons  unac- 
ceptable to  him,  or  to  make  him  disinclined  to  converse  with  them.  There  hence 
arises  a  congruity,  as  they  call  it,  between  men's  natural  dispositions  and  that 
grace  which  they  are  called  by  the  gospel  to  exert,  when  they  are  persuaded  to 
comply  with  it, — a  congruity  without  which  the  overture  would  be  in  vain.  Again, 
providence  farther  performs  its  part,  by  overruling  some  concurring  circumstances 
external  to  and  unthought  of  by  an  individual,  in  casting  his  lot  among  those  who 
are  able  and  desirous  to  persuade  him  to  alter  his  sentiments  in  matters  of  religion ; 
whose  industry  and  zeal  for  his  good,  accompanied  with  their  skilfulness  in  manag- 
ing persuasive  arguments  used  to  convince  him,  have  a  great  tendency  to  prevail 
upon  him.  He  is  hence  persuaded,  they  say,  to  give  a  hearing  to  that  which  before 
he  despised  and  made  the  subject  of  ridicule  ;  and  sometimes  the  motives  and  in- 
ducements which  are  used,  accompanied  with  a  pathetic  manner  of  address  in  those 
whose  ministry  he  attends,  are  very  conducive  to  answer  the  end  attained,  namely, 
his  conviction  and  the  altering  of  his  conduct  in  life, — all  which  are  under  the  un- 

II.  H 


58  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

foreseen  direction  of  providence.  They  "add,  that  there  is  a  kind  of  internal  work 
in  exciting  the  passions  by  a  general  influence  upon  them,  leaving  it,  notwithstand- 
ing, in  man's  power  to  determine  them  with  respect  to  their  proper  objects  ;  that 
as  for  the  will,  it  still  remains  free  and  unbiassed ;  but  that  by  this  moral  suasion, 
or  these  rational  arguments,  it  is  prevailed  upon  to  comply  with  that  which  is  for 
its  advantage. 

According  to  this  method  of  accounting  for  the  work  of  conversion,  what  the 
Pelagians  attribute  to  the  grace  of  God,  is  nothing  more  than  the  result  of  common 
providence  ;  and  is  supposed  to  act  no  otherwise  than  in  an  objective  way.  What 
gives  the  turn  to  all  is,  the  influence  of  moral  suasion,  whereby  men  are  prevailed 
on ;  but  for  which,  according  to  the  view  we  have  stated,  they  are  beholden  to  God 
only  as  the  God  of  nature.  When  this  is  called,  by  the  Pelagians,  a  display  of 
divine  grace,  nature  and  grace  are,  without  scripture  warrant,  made  to  signify  the 
same  thing.  Moreover,  as  it  is  plain  that  all  which  we  have  mentioned  may  be 
done,  and  yet  persons  remain  in  an  unconverted  state,  and  the  gospel  call  be  inef- 
fectual, they  suppose  that  there  is  something  to  be  performed  on  man's  part,  which 
gives  a  sanction  to  and  completes  the  work.  Accordingly,  say  they,  he  must 
rightly  use  and  improve  the  power  of  reasoning  which  God  has  given  him,  by  dili- 
gently observing  and  attending  to  his  law  ;  he  must  persuade  himself  that  it  is 
highly  reasonable  to  obey  it ;  he  must  duly  weigh  the  consequence  of  his  compli- 
ance or  refusal,  and  endeavour  to  affect  himself  with  the  consideration  of  promised 
rewards  and  punishments,  to  excite  his  diligence  or  awaken  his  fears  ;  he  must 
make  use  of  those  motives  which  are  proper  to  induce  him  to  lead  a  virtuous  life, 
and,  when  he  is  brought  to  conclude  this  most  eligible,  he  must  add  the  force  of 
the  strongest  resolutions,  to  avoid  occasions  of  sin,  perform  several  necessary  duties, 
and  associate  himself  with  those  whose  conversation  and  example  may  induce  him 
to  virtue  ;  he  must  attend  on  the  word  preached,  with  intenseness  of  thought,  and 
a  disposition  to  adhex*e,  with  the  greatest  impartiality,  to  what  is  recommended  to 
him,  as  conducive  to  his  future  happiness.  By  these  means,  say  they,  he  is  per- 
suaded ;  and  thence  proceed  those  acts  of  grace  which  afterwards,  by  being  fre- 
quently repeated,  arrive  to  a  habit ;  so  that,  being  brought  into  a  state  of  conver- 
sion, if  his  acquired  habits  of  goodness  be  not  lost  by  negligence,  stupidity,  and 
impenitence,  or  by  adhering  to  the  temptations  of  Satan,  he  is  in  a  fair  way  to 
heaven ';  which,  notwithstanding,  he  may  miss  by  apostacy,  since  the  work  is  to  be 
carried  on  by  him,  as  it  was  at  first  begun,  by  his  own  conduct. 

This  account  of  effectual  calling  or  conversion,  supposes  it  to  be  little  more  than 
a  work  of  common  providence.  All  the  grace  which  the  Pelagians  seem  to  own,  is 
nothing  more  than  nature  exerting  itself  under  the  conduct  of  those  reasoning 
powers  which  God  has  given  it.  None  pretend  to  deny  that  our  reasoning  powers 
are  to  be  exerted  and  improved  ;  or  that  those  arguments  which  tend  to  give  con- 
viction, and  motives  to  enforce  obedience,  must  be  duly  attended  to.  Nor  do  we 
deny  that  there  is  a  kind  hand  of  providence  seen  in  overruling  our  natural  tempers 
and  dispositions,  in  giving  a  check  to  that  corruption  which  is  prevalent  in  us,  and 
in  rendering  our  condition  in  life,  some  way  or  other,  conducive  to  a  farther  work 
which  God  designs  to  bring  about.  We  assert  also,  that  providence  greatly  favours 
us  in  bringing  us  under  the  means  of  grace,  or  in  casting  our  lot  in  places  where 
we  have  the  advantages  of  the  conversation  and  example  of  others  who  are  burning 
and  shining  lights  in  their  generation.  Nor  is  providence  less  seen  in  adapting  a 
suitable  word  to  our  condition,  or  in  raising  our  affections  while  attending  to  it. 
All  this,  however,  falls  very  far  short  of  effectual  calling,  as  a  display  of  God's  power 
and  grace.  This  work  is  no  more  than  natural ;  while  conversion  is  a  supernatural 
work.  In  this  we  may  be  led  by  common  grace  ;  but  effectual  calling  is  a  work  of 
special  grace.  The  effect  of  this  is  only  a  change  of  life  ;  but  we  assert,  and  have 
scripture  ground  for  doing  so,  that  there  is  in  conversion  a  change  of  heart.  This 
scheme  supposes  the  very  principle  and  spring  of  grace  to  be  acquired  by  man's 
improving  Ins  natural  powers,  under  the  conduct  of  God's  providence ;  whereas  we 
suppose,  and  shall  endeavour  to  prove  under  a  following  head,  that  it  is  not  ac- 
quired, but  infused,  and  is  the  effect  of  divine  power.  This  supposes  that  the  work 
is  brought  about  by  moral  suasion,  and  that,  while  the  understanding  receives  the 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  59 

arguments  which  are  made  use  of  in  an  objective  way,  the  will  is  induced  to  a  com- 
pliance, by  choosing  that  which*  is  good,  and  refusing  that  which  is  evil ;  whereas 
we  assert  that  the  will  of  man  is  bowed  and  subjected  to  Christ,  its  enmity  over- 
come, and  we  are  said  to  be  'made  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power.' 

But  that  which  bears  the  greatest  share  in  this  work,  is,  according  to  the  Pela- 
gians, the  will  and  power  of  man  determining  itself,  by  proper  motives  and  argu- 
ments, to  what  is  good.  This  supposes  that  the  will  acts  freely  in  the  matter.  We 
have  here  an  opportunity  to  consider  the  nature  of  human  liberty.  Now  we  do 
not  deny,  in  general,  that  man  is  endowed  with  a  free  will,  which  exerts  itself  in 
things  of  a  lower  nature  than  that  which  we  are  speaking  of ;  for  this  is  as  evident 
as  that  he  is  endowed  with  an  understanding.  We  shall,  therefore,  in  speaking 
concerning  the  liberty  of  the  will  of  man,  consider,  first,  what  are  the  essential  pro- 
perties of  liberty,11  without  which  an  action  would  cease  to  be  free  ;  and,  secondly, 
how  far  the  power  of  man's  free  will  may  be  extended,  with  a  particular  view  to 
the  matter  under  our  present  consideration. 

1.  As  to  the  nature  and  essential  properties  of  human  liberty,  they  whose  senti- 
ments of  free  will  and  grace  we  are  opposing,  suppose  that  it  is  essential  to  a  free 
action,  that  it  be  performed  with  indifference,  that  is,  that  the  will  of  man  should 
be  so  equally  poised  that,  while  it  determines  itself  to  one  extreme,  it  might  as  well 
have  determined  itself  to  the  other.  They  hence  say,  that  he  who  loves  God  freely, 
might,  by  a  determination  of  his  will,  as  well  have  inclined  himself  to  hate  him  ; 
and  that,  on  the  other  hand,  he  who  hates  God,  might,  by  an  act  of  his  will,  have 
determined  himself  to  love  him.  The  balance  is  supposed  to  be  equal ;  and  it  is 
the  method  which  the  person  uses  to  determine  his  will,  which  gives  a  turn  to  it. 
They  hence  infer  that  those  who  persevere  in  grace,  which  they  do  freely,  may, 
for  the  same  reason,  apostatize.  Yea,  they  proceed  farther,  at  least  some  of  them 
do,  and  maintain  that  our  Saviour  might  have  sinned,  and  consequently  that 
the  work  of  our  redemption  might  have  miscarried  in  his  hands  ;  because,  accord- 
ing to  their  notion  of  liberty,  he  acted  freely  in  all  those  exercises  of  grace  which, 
we  suppose,  were  no  less  free  that  they  were  necessary.  From  the  account  they 
give  of  liberty,  our  opponents  infer  also,  that  the  angels  and  glorified  saints  may 
sin,  and  so  lose  the  state  of  blessedness  which  they  are  possessed  of;  otherwise  their 
obedience  is  not  free.  These  absurdities  are  so  apparently  gross,  that  they  who 
duly  weigh  them  will  not  easily  adopt  this  notion  of  liberty.  There  is  another  absurd- 
ity, which  the  Pelagians  dare  not  assert ;  for  it  would  be  the  greatest  blasphemy 
that  could  be  expressed  in  words,  though  it  equally  flows  from  their  method  of  ex- 
plaining the  nature  of  liberty ;  that  either  God  must  not  act  freely,  or  else  he 
might  act  the  contrary,  with  respect  to  those  things  in  which  he  acts,  like  himself, 
as  a  God  of  infinite  perfection  ;  and  accordingly,  if  he  loves  or  delights  in  himself 
freely,  or  designs  his  own  glory  as  the  highest  end  of  all  that  he  does,  and  uses 
means  to  bring  about  those  ends  which  are  most  conducive  to  it,  wherein  his  holi- 
ness, wisdom,  justice,  and  faithfulness  appear,  I  say,  it  will  follow  from  their  scheme, 
and  I  cannot  but  tremble  to  mention  it,  that  he  might  do  the  contrary ;  and  what 
is  this  but  to  say,  that  he  might  cease  to  be  God? 

The  arguments  which  they  who  attempt  to  support  this  notion  of  liberty,  insist 
on,  are  taken  from  the  ideas  which  we  generally  have  of  a  person's  acting  freely. 
For  instance,  if  a  man  performs  any  of  the  common  actions  of  life,  such  as  walk- 
ing, sitting,  standing,  reading,  writing,  &c.  freely,  he  may  do  the  contrary.  But 
there  is  a  vast  difference  between  asserting  that  many  of  the  actions  of  life  are 
arbitrary  or  indifferent,  so  that  we  might  do  the  contrary,  and  saying  that  indiffer- 
ence is  essential  to  liberty  ;  for  that  which  is  essential  to  an  action  must  belong  to 
every  individual  action  of  the  same  kind.*  Thus  concerning  their  notion  of  liberty, 
whom  we  oppose. 

The  notion  of  liberty  in  which  we  acquiesce  is,  that  its  essential  property  or  na- 
ture consists  in  a  person's  doing  a  thing  without  being  laid  under  a  natural  ueces- 

u   This  is  what  is  generally  called  the  *  formalis  ratio'  of  liberty. 

x  We  generally  say,  that  whatever  is  essential  to  a  thing,  belongs  to  it  as  such.  And  there  is  a 
known  rule  in  lo,jic, '  A  quateuus  ad  omne  valet  consequentia ;'  and  then  the  absurd  consequences, 
above-uRiitioiii d,  would  uecissary  follow. 


GO  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

sity  to  do  it  ;*  or  doing  it  of  his  own  accord,  without  any  force  laid  on  him.» 
Others  express  it  by  a  person's  doing  a. thing  out  of  choice,  as  having  the  highest 
reason  to  determine  him  to  do  it.a  This  is  that  notion  of  liberty  which  we  cannot 
but  approve  of. 

2.  We  are  now  to  show  how  far  the  power  of  man's  free  will  may  be  extended, 
with  a  particular  view  to  the  matter  under  our  present  consideration.  Here  let  it 
be  observed,  that  the  power  of  man's  will  extends  itself  to  things  within  its  own 
sphere,  and  not  above  it.  All  actions  and  powers  of  acting,  are  contained  within 
certain  limits,  agreeably  to  the  nature  and  capacity  of  the  agent.  Creatures  below 
man  cannot  put  forth  rational  actions  ;  and  man  cannot  put  forth  supernatural 
actions,  if  he  be  not  made  partaker  of  a  divine  or  spiritual  nature,  as  being  endowed 
with  a  supernatural  principle,  such  as  that  which  is  implanted  in  regeneration. 
Consider  him  as  an  intelligent  creature,  and  it  is  agreeable  to  his  nature  to  put 
forth  free  actions,  under  the  conduct  and  direction  of  the  understanding  ;  but  if  we 
consider  him  as  renewed,  converted,  or  effectually  called,  and  acting  agreeably  to 
his  being  so,  he  is  under  the  influence  of  a  higher  principle,  which  I  call  '  a  divine 
nature,'  according  to  the  phrase  which  the  apostle  uses.b  The  former  supposes 
no  more  than  the  concourse  of  common  providence,  which  first  gave  and  then  main- 
tains our  reasoning  faculties  ;  while  the  latter  supposes  that  we  are  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit,  whereby  we  are  enabled  to  act  in  a  supernatural  way,  our 
natures  being  renewed  and  disposed  so  to  act.  In  this,  however,  we  are  not  divest- 
ed of  the  liberty  of  our  wills  ;  but  they  are  improved  and  enabled  to  do  what  be- 
fore they  were  averse  and  disinclined  to.  That  man  acts  freely  in  those  things 
which  are  agreeable  to  his  nature,  as  an  intelligent  creature,  all  will  allow.  More- 
over, we  consider  that  the  understanding  and  the  will  concur  in  actions  which 
are  free,  and  that  one  of  these  is  subservient  to  the  other.  For  instance,  we  can- 
not be  said  to  desire,  delight  in,  choose,  or  refuse  a  thing,  unless  we  have  some 
idea  of  it,  as  an  object  which  we  think  meet  to  be  desired  or  rejected. — It  may  be 
farther  inquired,  whether  the  will  has  in  itself  a  power  to  follow  the  dictates  of  the 
understanding,  in  things  which  are  agreeable  to  our  nature ;  and  whether  it  is  gen- 
erally disposed  to  do  this,  unless  biassed  by  the  passions,  inclining  and  determin- 
ing it  another  way.  Now  this,  I  think,  is  not  to  be  denied.  But  in  our  present 
argument,  we  are  to  consider  the  will  of  man  as  conversant  about  things  superna- 
tural, and  accordingly,  must  give  a  different  account  of  Christian  liberty  from  that 
which  is  merely  human,  as  before  described.  The  Pelagians  will  allow  what  has 
been  said  concerning  the  nature  of  liberty  in  general ;  but  the  difference  between 
us  and  them  is,  that  we  confine  it  within  its  own  sphere,  while  they  extend  it  far- 
ther, ahd  apply  it  to  regeneration,  effectual  calling,  and  conversion.  Now  as  re- 
gards these,  the  will  discovers  itself  no  otherwise  than  as  enslaved  to  or  a  servant 
of  sin  ;c  and  the  powers  and  faculties  of  the  soul,  with  relation  to  it,  are  weakened 
by  the  prevalence  of  corruption,  so  that  we  are  flot  able  to  put  forth  those  actions 
which  proceed  from  a  renewed  nature,  and  determine  a  person  to  be  '  renewed  in 
the  spirit  of  his  mind,'  or  to  have  put '  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.' — Again,  it  may  be  inquired,  whether  the  will 
necessarily  follows  the  dictates  of  the  understanding,  so  that  the  grace  of  God 
takes  its  rise  thence.  Now,  the  understanding,  indeed,  represents  things  spiritual 
and  heavenly  to  us,  as  good  and  desirable,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  and  gives 
us  an  undeniable  conviction  that  all  the  motives  used  in  scripture,  to  choose  and  em- 
brace them,  are  highly  reasonable ;  but  yet  it  does  not  follow,  that  the  will  of  man 
is  always  overcome  by  these  representations  of  the  understanding.*1      The  reason 

y  In  this  respect  divines  generally  consider  liberty  as  opposed  to  coaction.  But  here  we  must 
distinguish  between  a  natural  coaction  and  a  moral  one.  Liberty  is  not  opposed  to  a  moral  coac- 
tion, which  is  very  consistent  with  it.  Thus  an  honest  man  cannot  allow  himself  in  a  vile  action ; 
he  is  under  a  moral  constraint  to  the  contrary;  and  yet  he  abstains  from  sin  freely.  A  believer 
loves  Christ  freely,  as  the  apostle  Paul  certainly  did  ;  and  vet  at  the  same  time,  he  was  under  the 
constraint  of  the  love  of  Christ ;  as  he  himself  expresses  it,  2  Cor.  v.  14. 

z  This  divines  generally  call  '  spontaneity.'  a  This  some  call  'lubentia  rationalis.' 

|J  £,r*       '•  *•  c  This  some  divines  call  ■  voluntas  serva.' 

d  The  question  between  us  hik!  th.-  IVb.eians,  is  not.  Whether  the  will  sometimes  follows  the 
dictates  of  the  understanding ?  but,  Whether  it  either  always  does  so?  or,  if  not,  Whether  that 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  61 

of  this  is,  the  strong  propensity  and  inclination  which  there  is  in  corrupt  nature  to 
sin,  which  bids  defiance  to  all  the  arguments  and  persuasions  which  are  used  to 
the  contrary,  till  we  are  brought  under  the  influence  of  a  supernatural  principle, 
implanted  in  the  soul  in  effectual  calling. 

This  leads  us  farther  to  inquire,  whether,  supposing  a  man  has  this  principle 
implanted  in  effectual  calling,  he  then  acts  freely  ?  or,  what  is  the  liberty  of  man's 
will,  when  internally  moved  and  influenced  by  divine  grace  ?  Here  we  must  con- 
sider that  special  grace  does  not  destroy,  but  improve,  the  liberty  of  man's  will. 
When  there  is  a  new  nature  implanted  in  him,  it  discovers  its  energy,  and  makes 
a  change  in  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  the  soul.  There  is  a  new  light  shining 
in  the  understanding,  vastly  different  from,  and  superior  to,  that  which  it  had  be- 
fore. This  may  truly  be  called,  'the  light  of  life,'e  not  only  as  it  leads  to  eternal 
life,  but  as  it  proceeds  from  a  principle  of  spiritual  life.  It  is  what  we  generally 
call  '  saving  knowledge  ;'  as  it  is  said,  '  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know 
thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent.1f  Now  this  light 
in  the  understanding,  being  attended  with  power  in  the  will,  the  latter  is  induced  to 
comply  with  the  dictates  of  the  former  ;  not  merely  as  being  prevailed  on  by  ration- 
al arguments,  but  as  there  is  a  divine  power  accompanying  them.  It  is  not  indeed 
prevailed  on  without  arguments  ;  for  the  Spirit  makes  use  of  the  word  to  persuade, 
as  well  as  to  direct.  Though  we  do  not,  with  the  Pelagians,  say  that  the  will  is 
overcome  only  by  arguments,  as  if  the  victory  were  owing  to  our  power  of  reasoning ; 
yet  we  freely  own  that  we  act  with  judgment,  and  see  the  highest  reason  for  what 
we  do.  We  are  enabled  to  use  our  reasoning  powers,  indeed ;  but  these  are  sancti- 
fied by  the  Spirit,  as  well  as  the  will  renewed  ;  and  both  concur  in  order  to  our  re- 
ceiving and  improving  the  doctrines  contained  in  the  gospel.  The  Spirit  of  God 
also  removes  those  rooted  prejudices  which  we  had  entertained  against  the  way  of 
salvation  by  Christ.  Upon  the  whole,  therefore,  the  gospel  has  its  use,  as  it  directs 
and  excites  our  faith.  Our  reasoning  powers  and  faculties  have  their  use  also,  as 
we  take  in,  and  are  convinced  by,  what  is  therein  contained.  All  this,  however, 
would  be  to  no  purpose,  if  there  were  not  a  superior  power  determining  the  will 
to  a  thorough  compliance.  We  do  not  deny  that  moral  suasion  often  has  a  ten- 
dency to  incline  a  man  to  the  performance  of  moral  duties  ;  but  it  is  what  I  choose 
rather  to  call  evangelical  persuasion,  or  the  Spirit  of  God  setting  home  upon  the 
heart  and  conscience  what  is  contained  in  the  gospel,  which  makes  it  effectual  to 
salvation. 

Effectual  Calling  a  Divine  Work. 

We  have  thus  spoken  concerning  the  nature  and  extent  of  human  liberty.  But 
as  this  liberty  is  not  to  be  assigned  as  that  which  renders  the  gospel  call  effectual, 
let  it  be  farther  considered  that  effectual  calling  is  brought  about  by  the  almighty 
power  of  God.  As  is  observed  in  this  Answer,  it  is  'a  work  of  God's  almighty 
power  and  grace.'  This  is  what  enhances  the  excellency  and  glory  of  it  above  all 
the  works  of  common  providence.  Yet  our  saying  that  it  is  a  divine  work,  is  hardly 
sufficient  to  distinguish  it  from  what  the  Pelagians  often  call  it ;  by  which,  how- 
ever, they  mean  nothing  more  than  the  powerful  work  of  God,  as  the  God  of  nature 
and  providence.  We  must  consider  it  as  a  work  of  divine  power  exerting  itself  in 
a  supernatural  way  ;  not  only  as  excluding  the  agency  of  creatures  from  bearing  a 
part  in  it,  but  as  opposed  to  those  works  which  are  brought  about  by  the  moral  in- 
fluence of  persuasive  arguments,  without  any  change  wrought  in  the  will  of  man. 

which  hinders  it,  is  not  defect  in  the  dictates  of  the  understanding?  Accordingly,  they  speak  of 
the  dictates  of  the  understanding  as  practical,  and  not  merely  speculative,  and  with  a  particular 
application  to  ourselves.  They  also  consider  the  will  as  having  l>een  before  in  some  suspense  ;  but 
tliat  dictate  of  the  understanding  which  it  follows,  is  the  last,  after  mature  deliberation;  and  it  is 
suppos  d  to  have  compared  things  together;  and  therefore  presents  a  thing,  not  only  as  pood,  but 
more  eligible  than  any  thing  else,  which  they  call  a  comparate  dictate  of  the  understanding;  and 
i>\  this  means  the  will  is  persuaded  to  a  compliance.  But  though  this  may  be  true  in  many  in- 
Riances  which  are  natural,  daily  experience  proves  that  it  does  not  hold  good  with  respect  to  things 
t.ivine  and  supernatural. 

e  John  viii.  12.  f  Chap.  xvii.  3. 


62  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

In  this  sense  we  understand  effectual  calling  to  be  a  work  of  God's  almighty  power. 
That  it  may  appear  to  be  so,  let  it  be  premised,  that  it  is  not  inconsistent  with 
God's  dealing  with  men  as  intelligent  creatures,  endowed  with  liberty  of  will,  to 
exert  this  power ;  for  special  providence  or  efficacious  grace  does  no  more  destroy  man's 
natural  powers,  by  its  internal  influence  enabling  and  exciting  him  to  do  what 
is  supernaturally  good,  than  common  providence  being  conversant  about  the  free 
actions  of  men,  makes  them  cease  to  be  free, — only  the  former  exerts  itself  in  a 
different  and  superior  way,  producing  effects  much  more  glorious  and  excellent. 
This  being  supposed,  we  shall,  without  pretending  fully  to  explain  the  manner  of 
the  divine  agency,  which  is  principally  known  by  its  effects,  endeavour  to  show  that 
effectual  calling  is,  in  a  way  of  eminence,  the  work  of  divine  power,  as  distinguished 
from  other  works  which  are,  in  their  kind,  the  effects  of  power  in  a  natural  way. 
We  shall  next  observe  what  effects  are  produced  by  it,  and  in  what  order.  We 
shall  then  consider  it  as  it  is,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  attributed  to  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  also  show  that  it  is  a  wonderful  display  of  his  grace.  We  shall  farther  consider 
this  divine  power  as  irresistible,  and  consequently  such  as  cannot  but  be  effectual 
to  produce  what  it  is  designed  to  bring  about.  And  finally,  we  shall  say  something 
concerning  the  season  in  which  this  is  done  ;  which  is  called  'God's  accepted  time.' 

I.  Effectual  calling  is  eminently  a  work  of  divine  power.  For  the  proof  of  this, 
we  have  not  only  many  express  texts  of  scripture  which  sufficiently  establish  it, 
but  we  may  appeal  to  the  experience  of  those  who  are  made  partakers  of  this  grace. 
If  they  compare  their  former  and  present  state,  they  may  easily  perceive  in  them- 
selves that  there  is  such  a  change  wrought  in  them  as  is  contrary  to  the  inclinations 
of  corrupt  nature, — a  change  in  which  the  stubbornness  and  obstinacy  of  their  wills 
has  been  subdued,  and  such  effects  produced  in  them  as  they  never  experienced 
before.  And  the  manner  in  which  these  effects  have  been  produced,  as  well  as  the 
consequences  of  them,  gives  them  a  proof  of  the  agency  of  God  in  the  change,  and 
of  the  glory  of  his  power  exerted  ;  so  that  they  who  deny  that  effectual  calling  is 
eminently  a  work  of  divine  power,  must  be  unacquainted  with  themselves,  or  not 
duly  observe  that  which  carries  its  own  evidence  with  it. 

But  we  shall  take  our  proofs  principally  from  scripture.  There  we  have  an  ac- 
count of  the  beginning  of  this  work,  which  is  styled  '  the  new  birth.'  In  this  we  are 
said  to  be  made  •  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  ;'g  that  is,  a  nature  which  is  produced 
by  divine  power.  We  are  also  said  to  be  '  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.'h  The  gospel,  which  is  the  instrument  he 
makes  use  of  in  calling  effectually,  is  styled  '  the  rod  of  his  strength. '  *  The  effect  of  it 
is  ascribed  to  the  '  revelation  of  his  arm. ' k  The  season  in  which  this  is  done,  is  called 
1  the  day  of  his  power.'1  And  the  gospel  itself  is,  by  a  metonymy,  called  '  his 
power. 'm  The  cross  of  Christ  is  also,  when  preached  and  made  effectual  for  con- 
version, styled  '  the  power  of  God.'n  Moreover,  the  progress  of  the  work  of  grace 
is  ascribed  to  '  the  power  of  God.'0  It  is  this  power  which  '  keeps '  those  who  are 
effectually  called  'through  faith  unto  salvation. 'p  That  the  power  may  appear 
to  be  extraordinary,  the  apostle  uses  an  uncommon  emphasis  of  expression,  when 
ne  calls  it  '  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power,'  and  '  the  working  of  his  mighty 
power  ;*t  which  words'  can  hardly  be  translated  without  losing  something  of  their 
force  and  beauty.  Indeed,  there  is  not  an  expression  used  in  scripture  to  signify 
the  efficacy  of  divine  power,  which  exceeds,  or,  I  may  say,  equals  them.  That  the 
apostle  may  appear  to  speak  of  the  power  more  strongly,  he,  in  the  following  words, 
represents  it  as  being  no  less  than  'that  power  which  wrought  in  Christ,  when  God 
raised  him  from  the  dead.' — Let  me  add,  that  something  to  the  same  purpose  may 
be  inferred  from  those  metaphorical  expressions  by  which  conversion  is  set  forth. 
Thus  it  is  called  *  a  creation.'  When  we  are  made  partakers  of  this  privilege,  we 
are  said  to  '  be  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.'3  The  apostle  seems  to 
compare  it  with  the  creation  of  man  at  first  after  the  image  of  God,  which  consisted 

f  f  P,t-  '•  4-  h  John  i.  13.  i   Psal.  ex.  2.  k  Isa.  liii.  1. 

I    •  ><l-  ex.  3.  m  i  Cor.  j    18.  Rom#  j    ,6>  n  i  Cor>  j,  24. 

f>  -»  lhe».  u  11.  pi  pet.  i.  5t  q  Eph  j   19  20. 

r   Ti  vrt^nXX-.t  fttyiht  r»f  luretuiatf  xvrov,  xa.ro.  rrn  fueyuat  rev  xoxrevt  mt  itYy'i  aurtv. 
S    1. 1  ll.  IV.  24. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  63 

principally  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  He,  accordingly,  considers  this 
image  as  restored  when  a  principle  of  grace  is  implanted,  whereby  we  are  again 
disposed  to  the  exercise  of  righteousness  and  holiness.  Elsewhere,  also,  he  says, 
'  We  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  that  we  should 
walk  in  them.  'l  Here  he  supposes  that  this  creating  power  must  be  exerted  before 
we  can  put  forth  good  works ;  so  that  it  can  be  nothing  less  than  the  power  of  God. 
Nor  would  it  have  been  styled  'a  creation,'  if  it  had  not  been  a  supernatural  work ; 
so  that  it  is,  in  that  respect,  more  glorious  than  many  other  effects  of  the  divine 
power. — Conversion  is  styled,  also,  '  a  resurrection  from  the  dead.'  Thus  the 
apostle  says,  '  You  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.'u 
In  this  respect,  it  certainly  exceeds  the  power  of  men.  A  physician  by  his  skill 
may  mend  a  crazy  constitution,  or  recover  it  from  the  confines  of  death  ;  but  to 
raise  the  dead  exceeds  the  limits  of  finite  power.  This  mode  of  speaking  our  Sa- 
viour makes  use  of  to  signify  the  conversion  or  effectual  call  of  sinners,  when  he 
says,  '  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God ;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live-.'*  He  had,  in  the  preceding  verse,  been 
speaking  of  those  '  having  eternal  life,'  and  '  not  coming  into  condemnation,  and 
being  passed  from  death  to  life,'  who  hear  his  words  and  believe  ;  and  then  it  fol- 
lows, that  '  the  hour  is  coming,'  that  is,  the  time  is  near  at  hand  when  the  Spirit 
shall  be  poured  forth,  and  the  gospel-dispensation  be  begun,  and  it  'now  is,'  in  some 
degree,  namely,  in  those  who  were  converted  by  his  ministry,  'when  the  dead  shall 
hear  his  voice  and  live,'  or  pass  from  a  state  of  spiritual  death  to  life,  as  a  means  for 
their  attaining  eternal  life.  This  view  is  much  more  agreeable  to  the  context,  than 
to  conclude,  as  some  do  to  evade  the  force  of  this  argument,  that,  in  the  words  'now  is,' 
our  Saviour  speaks  concerning  some  who  were  then,  or  should  thereafter  be,  raised  from 
the  dead  in  a  miraculous  manner ;  and  that  '  the  hour  is  coming,'  refers  to  the  general 
resurrection.  But  this  seems  not  to  be  the  sense  of  the  text ;  because  our  Saviour, 
in  a  following  verse,  supposes  his  hearers  to  be  astonished  at  the  doctrine,  as  though 
it  was  too  great  an  instance  of  power  for  him  to  implant  a  principle  of  spiritual  life 
in  dead  sinners  ;  and  therefore  he  proves  his  assertion  from  his  raising  the  dead  at 
the  last  day:  '  Marvel  not,  for  the  hour  is  coming,'  that  is,  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
'  when  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  his  voice. '?  This  cannot  well  agree 
with  understanding  Christ's  raising  the  dead  to  refer  to  the  general  resurrection  ; 
for  that  would  represent  him  as  answering  their  objection,  or  putting  a  stop  to  their 
wonder  at  what  he  had  said,  by  asserting  the  same  thing  in  other  words.  If,  how- 
ever, you  suppose  the  dead  '  hearing  his  voice,'  to  imply  a  spiritual  resurrection, 
and  '  the  dead  being  raised  out  of  their  graves,'  to  be  an  argument  to  convince  his 
hearers  that  his  power  was  sufficient  to  bring  about  this  great  effect,  there  is  much 
more  beauty  in  the  expression,  and  strength  in  the  reasoning,  than  to  understand 
the  passage  otherwise. — This  is  so  plain  a  proof  of  the  argument  we  are  endea- 
vouring to  defend,  that  nothing  needs  be  added.  However,  I  cannot  but  mention 
another  scripture,  in  which  our  Saviour  says,  '  No  man  can  come  to  me  except 
the  Father  draw  him.'z  Here  Christ,  by  '  coming  to  him,'  does  not  mean  attend- 
ing on  his  ministry,  which  did  not  require  any  power  to  induce  them  to  it ;  but 
'believing  on  him,'  so  as  to  'have  everlasting  life.'  In  this  sense,  'coming  to 
him '  is  often  understood  in  the  gospels  ;a  and  it  is  the  immediate  consequence  of 
effectual  calling.  Now,  when  our  Saviour  says  that  '  no  man  can '  thus  '  come  to 
him'  without  being  '  drawn  by  the  Father,'  we  may  understand  what  he  means  by 
what  is  said  in  a  following  verse,  namely,  their  being  '  taught  of  God,'  and  having 
'  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father. 'b  Such,  says  he,  'come  unto  me.'  Now,  this 
'  teaching '  certainly  implies  more  than  giving  a  rule  of  faith  contained  in  divine 
revelation  ;  for  Christ  is  not  here,  as  elsewhere,  proving  the  necessity  of  divine 
revelation,  but  is  speaking  concerning  its  saving  efficacy  ;  and  none  can  deny  that 
many  have  been  objectively  taught  and  instructed  by  the  word,  who  have  not  come 
to  Christ,  or  believed  in  him  to  everlasting  life.  The  words  are  a  quotation  from 
the  prophets,  to  whom  he  refers,  and  who  intimate  that  they  should  be  '  all  taught 

t  Eph.  ii.  10.  u  Chap.  ii.  1,  5.  x  John  v.  25.  y  John  v.  28. 

z  John  vi.  44.  a  Ver.  47.  b  Ver.  45. 


64  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

of  God.'  But  this  teaching- certainly  implies  more  than  an  objective  teaching  and 
instructing;  for  in  this  sense  they,  having  divine  revelation,  were  always  taught  of 
God.  What  the  prophet  Isaiah  mentions,  when  he  foretells  this  matter,  is  a  special 
privilege  ;  as  appears  by  his  connecting  it  with  the  great  peace  which  its  subjects 
should  have,  or  the  confluence  of  saving  blessings  which  should  attend  it.  c  The 
prophet  Jeremiah,  who  speaks  to  the  same  purpose,  says,  '  They  shall  teach  no 
more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord ; 
for  they  shall  all  know  me  from  the  least  of  them  to  the  greatest  of  them;'d  that  is, 
not  only  shall  they  have  an  objective  revelation,  or  that  which  some  call  moral 
suasion,  but  this  shall  be  made  effectual  to  their  salvation.  And  in  order  to  its 
being  so,  God  promises  that  he  would  '  put  his  law  in  the  inward  part,  and  write 
it  in  the  heart, '  and  that  he  would  '  give  them  a  new  heart, '  and  '  put  a  new  spirit 
within  them,' and  hereby  'cause  them  to  walk  in  his  statutes. 'e  The  teaching, 
therefore,  is  not  merely  a  rectifying  of  some  mistakes  to  which  they  are  liable,  but 
a  producing  in  them  of  something  which  they  had  not  before  ;  not  building  upon 
the  old  foundation,  but  laying  a  new  one,  and  so  working  a  change  in  the  powers 
and  faculties  of  the  soul.  And  as  they  formerly  were  obdurate  and  hardened  in 
sin,  lie  promises  to  'take  away  the  heart  of  stone,  and  give  them  a  heart  of  flesh,' 
and  by  his  'word,'  which  is  compared  to  'a  hammer,'  to  'break  the  rock  in  pieces.'* 
This  is  certainly  a  work  of  power.  But  that  it  is  so,  will  farther  appear  from  what 
follows  in  considering  the  work  itself. 

II.  We  are  thus  led  to  show  what  effects  are  produced  by  the  power  of  God,  when 
we  are  effectually  called. 

1.  The  first  step  which  he  is  pleased  to  take  in  this  work,  is  his  implanting  a  prin- 
ciple of  spiritual  life  and  grace,  which  is  absolutely  necessary  for  our  attaining  to, 
or  receiving  advantage  by,  the  external  call  of  the  gospel.  This  is  generally  styled 
regeneration,  or  the  new  birth,  or,  as  in  the  scripture  just  referred  to,  'a  new  heart.' 
If  it  be  inquired,  what  we  are  to  understand  by  this  principle,  we  answer  that, 
as  principles  are  known  only  by  the  effects  they  produce,  springs  of  acting,  by  the 
actions  themselves,  we  must  be  content  with  the  description,  that  it  is  something 
wrought  in  the  heart  of  man,  whereby  he  is  habitually  and  prevailingly  biassed  and 
inclined  to  what  is  good.  In  virtue  of  it,  he  freely,  readily,  and  willingly  chooses 
those  things  which  tend  to  the  glory  of  God  ;  and  refuses,  abhors,  and  flees  from 
what  is  contrary  to  it.  As  this  effect  more  immediately  concerns  the  understand- 
ing, whereby  it  is  enabled  to  discern  in  a  spiritual  way  the  things  which  God  re- 
veals in  the  gospel,  it  is  styled  his  *  shining  in  the  heart,  s  to  give  us  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  his  glory,'  or  his  giving  '  an  eye  to  see,  and  an  ear  to  hear.'h  As  it 
respects  the  will,  it  contains  a  power  whereby  it  is  disposed  and  enabled  to  yield 
the  obedience  of  faith,  to  whatever  God  is  pleased  to  reveal  to  us  as  a  rule  of  duty ; 
so  that  we  are  made  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power.  And  as  it  respects  the  affec- 
tions, they  are  all  inclined  to  run  in  a  right  channel,  to  desire,  delight,  and  rejoice 
m  every  thing  which  is  pleasing  to  God,  and  to  flee  from  every  thing  which  is  pro- 
voking to  him.  This  is  that  whereby  a  dead  sinner  is  made  aLve,  and  so  enabled 
to  put  forth  l.ving  actions. 

Concerning  this  principle  of  grace,  let  it  be  observed  that  it  is  infused,  and  not 
acquired.  The  first  principle  or  spring  of  good  actions,  may  as  truly  be  supposed 
to  be  infused  into  us  as  Christians,  as  the  principle  of  reasoning  is  said  to  be  in- 
fused into  us  as  men.  None  ever  supposed  that  the  natural  power  of  reasoning 
may  be  acquired,  though  a  greater  facility  or  degree  of  it  is  gradually  attained. 
In  the  same  way,  that  power  whereby  we  are  enabled  to  put  forth  supernatural 
acts  of  grace,  which  we  call  a  principle  of  grace,  must  be  supposed  to  be  implanted 
in  us  ;  for,  were  it  acquired,  we  could  not,  properly  speaking,  be  said  to  be  born 
of  God.  I  am  hence  obliged  to  infer,  that  the  regenerating  act,  or  the  implanting 
of  this  principle  of  grace,  which,  in  the  order  of  nature  at  least,  is  antecedent  to 
any  act  of  grace  put  forth  by  us,  is  the  immediate  effect  of  the  power  of  God. 
rius  none  who  speak  of  regeneration  as  a  divine  work,  pretend  to  deny.  I  cannot 
but  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  is  wrought  in  us  without  the  instrumentality  of  th  ! 

r  Is.,  liv.  13.  ,]  jlT,  xxxi>  33>  34  e  Ezek   xxxvi   26  f  Jer>  xxiii>  ■_>». 

g  2  Cor.  iv.  0.  L   Deut.  xxix.  4. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  65 

word,  or  of  any  of  the  ordinary  means  of  grace.  My  reason  for  thinking  so  is,  that 
it  is  n'ecessary,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  to  our  receiving  or  improving  the 
word  of  God.  or  reaping  any  saving  advantage  by  it,  that  the  Spirit  should  produce 
the  principle  of  faith.  Now,  to  say  that  this  is  done  by  the  word,  is,  in  effect,  to 
assert  that  the  word  produces  the  principle,  and  the  principle  gives  efficacy  to  the 
word  ;  which  seems,  to  me,  little  less  than  arguing  in  a  circle.  The  word  cannot 
profit,  unless  it  be  mixed  with  faith  ;  faith  cannot  be  put  forth,  unless  it  proceed 
from  a  principle  of  grace  implanted  ;  therefore  this  principle  of  grace  is  not  pro- 
duced by  the  word.  We  may  as  well  suppose  that  the  presenting  of  a  beautiful  pic- 
ture before  a  man  who  is  blind  can  enable  him  to  see,  or  that  the  violent  motion  of 
a  withered  hand  can  produce  strength  for  action,  as  we  can  suppose  that  the  pre- 
senting of  the  word,  m  an  objective  way,  is  the  instrument  whereby  God  produces 
that  internal  principle  by  which  we  are  enabled  to  embrace  it.  Nor  would  this  so 
well  agree  with  the  idea  of  its  being  a  new  creature,  or  of  our  being  '  created  unto 
good  works  ;'  for  then  it  ought  rather  to  be  said,  we  are  created  by  faith,  which  is 
a  good  work.  This  is,  in  effect,  to  say  that  the  principle  of  grace  is  produced  by 
the  instrumentality  of  that  which  supposes  its  being  implanted,  and  that  it  is  the 
result  and  consequence  of  it. — I  am  sorry  that  I  am  obliged,  in  this  assertion,  to 
appear  at  least  to  oppose  what  has  been  maintained  by  many  divines  of  great  worth ; 
who  have,  in  all  other  respects,  explained  the  doctrine  of  regeneration  agreeably  to 
the  mind  and  will  of  God,  and  the  analogy  of  faith.  '  It  may  be  the  principal  dif- 
ference between  this  explanation  and  theirs  is,  that  they  speak  of  regeneration  in 
a  large  sense,  as  including,  not  merely  the  implanting  of  the  principle,  but  the  ex- 
citing of  it,  and  do  not  sufficiently  distinguish  between  the  principle  as  implanted 
and  as  deduced  into  action  ;  for,  I  readily  own  that  the  latter  is  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  word,  'though  I  cannot  think  the  former  so.  Or  it  may  be, 
they  consider  the  principle  as  exerted  ;  while  I  consider  it  as  created  or  wrought 
in  us,  and  therefore  can  no  more  conclude  that  the  new  creation  is  wrought  by 
an  instrument,  than  I  can  that  the  first  creation  of  all  things  was. 

I  am  ready  to  conjecture  that  what  leads  many  divines  into  this  way  of  think- 
ing, is  the  sense  in  which  they  understand  the  words  of  the  apostle  :  '  Being  born 
again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God,  which  liv- 
eth  and  abideth  for  ever;'k  and  elsewhere,  '  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the 
word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of  first-fruits  of  his  creatures.'1  But  this 
language  respects  not  so  much  the  implanting  of  the  principle  of  grace,  as  our  being 
enabled  to  act  from  that  principle.  It  is  as  if  the  inspired  writers  had  said,  '  He 
hath  made  us  believers,  or  induced  us  to  love  and  obey  him  by  the  word  of  truth.' 
This  supposes  a  principle  of  grace  to  have  been  implanted  ;  otherwise  the  word  of 
truth  would  never  have  produced  these  effects.  Regeneration  may  be  taken,  not  only 
for  our  being  made  alive  to  God,  or  created  unto  good  works,  but  for  our  putting 
forth  living  actions,  proceeding  from  that  principle  which  is  implanted  in  the  soul. 
I  am  far  from  denying  that  faith  and  all  other  graces  are  wrought  in  us  by  the 
instrumentality  of  the  word  ;  and  it  is  in  this  sense  that  some  who  treat  on  this 
subject  explain  their  sentiments,  when  they  speak  of  being  born  again  by  the  word. 
I  persuade  myself,  therefore,  that  I  differ  from  them  only  in  the  acceptation  of 
words,  and  not  in  the  substance  of  the  doctrine  they  maintain.1"  [See  Note  H, 
page  77.] 

2.  The  principle  of  grace  being  implanted,  the  acts  of  grace  in  those  who  are 
adult,  immediately  follow.  There  is,  in  other  words,  a  change  of  our  behaviour, 
a  renovation  of  our  lives  and  actions,  which  may  properly  be  called  conversion. 
Having  explained  what  we  mean  by  regeneration,  it  is  now  necessary  to  consider 
how  it  differs  from  conversion.  Here  I  shall  take  leave  to  transcribe  a  few  passages 
from  the  excellent  divine  just  mentioned.     "  Regeneration  is  a  spiritual  change; 

i  See  Charnock,  vol.  ii.  pages  220,  221,  &c.  and  Cole  on  Regeneration.  k  1  Pet.  i.  23. 

1  James  i.  16. 

m  See  Charnock,  vol.  ii.  page  232,  who,  speaking  concerning  its  being  an  instrument  appointed 
by  God  for  this  purpose,  sa\s,  "  God  hath  made  a  combination  between  hearing  and  believing;  so 
that  believing  comes  not  without  hearing;"  and  while  he  infers  from  this,  that  the  principle  of 
grace  is  implanted,  by  hearing  and  believing  the  word,  be  must  be  supposed  to  understand  it,  con- 
cerning the  principle  deduced  into  action,  and  not  concerning  the  implanting  of  the  principle  itself. 

II.  I 


G6  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

conversion  is  a  spiritual  motion.  In  regeneration  there  is  a  power  conferred  :  con- 
version is  the  exercise  of  this  power.  In  regeneration  there  is  given  us  a  princi- 
ple to  turn ;  conversion  is  our  actual  turning.  In  the  covenant,  the  new  heart, 
and  God's  putting  the  Spirit  into  them,  is  distinguished  from  their  walking  in  his 
statutes,  from  the  first  step  we  take  in  the  way  of  God,  and  is  set  down  as  the 
cause  of  our  motion.  In  renewing  us,  God  gives  us  a  power  ;  in  converting  us, 
he  excites  that  power.  Men  are  naturally  dead,  and  have  a  stone  upon  them  ; 
regeneration  is  a  rolling  away  the  stone  from  the  heart,  and  a  raising  to  newness 
of  life  ;  and  then  conversion  is  as  natural  to  a  regenerate  man,  as  motion  is  to  a 
living  body.  A  principle  of  activity  will  produce  action.  The  first  reviving  us  is 
wholly  the  act  of  God,  without  any  concurrence  of  the  creature  ;  but,  after  we  are 
revived,  we  do  actively  and  voluntarily  live  in  his  sight.  Regeneration  is  the 
motion  of  God  in  the  creature  ;  conversion  is  the  motion  of  the  creature  to  God, 
by  virtue  of  that  first  principle.  From  this  principle  all  the  acts  of  believing,  re- 
penting, mortifying,  quickening,  do  spring.  In  all  these  a  man  is  active  ;  in  the 
other,  he  is  merely  passive."11  This  is  what  we  may  call  the  second  step,  which 
God  takes  in  effectual  calling  ;  and  it  is  brought  about  by  the  instrumentality  of 
the  word.  The  word  before  this  was  preached  to  little  or  no  purpose,  or,  it  may 
be,  was  despised,  rejected,  and  disregarded ;  but  now  a  man  is  enabled  to  see  a 
beauty  and  a  glory  in  it,  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  his  soul  being  under  the 
influence  of  the  spiritual  life  implanted  in  regenei*ation,  and  inclined  to  yield  a 
ready  and  cheerful  obedience.  This  work  is  gradual  and  progressive,  and  as  such, 
is  called  the  work  of  sanctification, — of  which  more  shall  be  said  under  a  following 
Answer  ;°  and  it  is  attended  with  repentance  unto  life,  and  all  other  graces  which 
accompany  salvation.  In  this  respect  we  are  drawn  to  Christ  by  his  word  and 
Spirit ;  or,  by  his  Spirit  making  use  of  his  word,  our  minds  are  savingly  enlight- 
ened, our  wills  renewed  and  determined  to  what  is  good  ;  so  that,  as  it  is  expressed'- 
in  the  Answer  we  are  explaining,  we  are  made  willing  and  able  freely  to  answer 
the  call  of  God,  and  to  accept  of  and  embrace  the  grace  offered  and  conveyed  in 
the  gospel. 

The  first  thing  in  which  that  change  which  is  wrought  in  effectual  calling  mani- 
fests itself,  is  our  understanding  being  enlightened  to  receive  the  truths  revealed  to 
us  in  the  word  of  God.  Accordingly,  we  see  things  with  a  new  and  different  light, 
— behold  a  greater  beauty,  excellency,  and  glory  in  divine  things,  than  ever  we  did 
before.  We  are  also  led  into  ourselves,  and  convinced  of  sin  and  misery,  conclud- 
ing ourselves  to  be,  by  nature,  in  a  lost  and  undone  condition.  The  soul  then  sees 
the  glory  of  Christ,  the  greatness  of  his  love  who  came  to  seek  and  save  those  that 
were  lost,  and  who  now  appears  precious,  as  he  is  said  to  be  to  those  who  believe. 
Then  the  will — being  determined  or  enabled  so  to  do,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  excit- 
ing the  principle  of  grace  which  he  had  implanted — accepts  of  Christ  on  his  own 
terms  ;  and  the  affections  all  centre  in  him,  and  desire  to  derive  all  spiritual  bless- 
ings from  him.  Thus  the  work  of  grace  is  begun  in  effectual  calling,  which  is  after- 
wards carried  on  in  sanctification. 

As  we  are  here  considering  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  grace  in  effectual  call- 
ing, I  cannot  but  take  notice  of  a  question  which  frequently  occurs  on  this  subject, 
namely,  Whether  man,  in  the  first  moment  of  effectual  calling,  that  is,  in  regen- 
eration, be  merely  passive,  though  active  in  every  thing  which  follows  ?  That  he 
is  so,  we  cannot  but  affirm,  not  only  against  the  Pelagians,  but  against  others  whose 
method  of  treating  the  doctrine  of  divine  grace  seems  to  agree  with  theirs.  Here, 
that  we  may  obviate  a  popular  objection,  usually  brought  against  our  assertion,  as 
if  we  argued  that  God  dealt  with  men  as  if  they  were  machines,  and  not  endowed 
with  understanding  or  will,  let  it  be  observed  that  we  consider  the  subjects  of  this 
grace  no  otherwise  than  as  intelligent  creatures,  capable  of  being  internally  excited 
and  disposed  to  what  is  good,  or  else  God  would  never  work  this  principle  in  them. 
Nor  do  we  suppose,  however  men  are  said  to  be  passive  in  the  first  moment  in 
which  this  principle  is  implanted,  that  they  are  so  afterwards  ;  but  we  say  that  they 
are  enabled  to  act  under  the  divine  influence.     The  case  is  similar  to  the  literal 

n  See  Charnock  on  Regeneration,  vol.  ii.  page*  70,  71.  o  See  Quest,  lxxv. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  67 

creation  of  Adam.  When  his  soul  was  created,  it  could  not  be  said  to  be  active 
in  its  own  creation,  and  in  the  implanting  of  those  powers  which  were  concreated 
with  it ;  yet  it  was  active,  or  those  powers  exerted  themselves,  immediately  after 
it  was  created.  This  is  the  state  #of  the  question  we  are  now  debating.  We  cannot 
but  maintain,  therefore,  that  men  do  not  concur  in  the  implanting  of  the  principle 
of  grace  ;  for  then  they  would  be  active  in  being  created  unto  good  works.  But 
these  are  the  result,  and  not  the  cause  of  that  power  which  is  infused  into  them,  in 
order  to  their  being  produced.  The  doctrine  we  have  stated  is  sufficiently  evi- 
dent, not  only  from  the  impotency  of  corrupt  nature  as  to  what  is  good,  but  from 
its  utter  aversion  to  it,  and  from  the  work  being  truly  and  properly  divine,  or,  as 
was  formerly  observed,  the  effect  of  almighty  power.  This  is  not  a  controversy  of 
late  date  ;  but  has  been  either  defended  or  opposed,  since  the  time  of  Augustine 
and  Pelagius.  Many  volumes  have  been  written  concerning  the  aids  and  assistances 
of  divine  grace  in  the  work  of  conversion.  The  schoolmen  were  divided  in  their 
sentiments  about  it,  as  they  adhered  to  or  receded  from  Augustine's  doctrine. 
Both  sides  seem  to  allow  that  the  grace  of  God  affords  some  assistance ;  but  the 
main  thing  in  debate,  is,  Whether  the  grace  of  God  bears  only  one  part  in  this 
work,  and  the  will  of  man  the  other  ;  like  two  persons  lifting  at  the  same  burden, 
and  carrying  it  between  them  ?  Some  have  allowed  that  the  divine  concourse  is 
necessary,  and  yet  have  not  been  willing  to  own  that  man  bears  no  part  in  this 
work,  or  that  '  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure.'1*  This  the  apostle  asserts  in  so  plain  terms,  that  the  most  known  sense 
of  his  words  cannot  well  be  evaded.  Indeed,  were  it  otherwise,  it  could  hardly  be 
said,  that  '  we  are  not  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  ourselves ; 
a  saying  which,  though  immediately  applied  to  ministers,  is  certainly,  by  a  parity 
of  reason,  applicable  to  all  Christians.**  Nor  would  it  be,  in  all  respects,  true, 
that  we  are  'born  of  God,'  or  that  we,  who  formerly  were  dead  in  sin,  are  raised 
to  a  spiritual  life,  or  made,  with  respect  to  the  principle  of  spiritual  actions,  new 
creatures  ;  all  which  is  done  in  regeneration. 

We  might  also  take  occasion,  under  this  head,  to  notice  what  we  often  meet  with 
in  practical  discourses  and  sermons,  concerning  preparatory  works,  or  previous  dis- 
positions, which  facilitate  and  lead  to  the  work  of  conversion.  Some  assert  that 
we  must  do  what  we  can,  and,  by  using  our  reasoning  powers  and  faculties,  endea- 
vour to  convert  or  turn  ourselves;  and  that  then  God  will  do  the  rest,  or  finish  the 
work  which  we  have  begun.  Many  things  are  often  considered  as  the  steps  which 
men  may  take  in  the  reformation  of  their  lives, — such  as  abstaining  from  gross 
enormities  which  they  may  have  been  guilty  of,  thinking  on  their  ways,  observing 
the  tendency  of  their  present  course  of  life,  and  setting  before  themselves  proper 
arguments  which  may  induce  them  to  repent  and  believe  ;  and  then,  it  is  alleged, 
they  may  be  said  to  have  prepared  themselves  for  the  grace  of  God,  the  bestowal 
of  which  upon  them  will  follow.  It  is  added  that,  if  there  be  any  thing  remaining, 
which  is  out  of  their  power,  God  has  engaged  to  give  success  to  their  endeavours  ; 
so  that  he  will  bring  them  into  a  state  of  regeneration  and  conversion.- — Now,  this 
method  of  accounting  for  the  work  of  grace  is  liable  to  many  exceptions  ;  parti- 
cularly as  it  supposes  man  to  be  the  first  mover  in  his  own  conversion,  and  the  divine 
energy  to  be  dependent  upon  our  conduct.  For  the  contrary  is  agreeable,  not  only 
to  scripture,  but  to  the  divine  perfections,  as  well  as  to  the  doctrine  we  have  been 
maintaining  as  to  effectual  calling  being,  in  the  most  proper  sense,  a  divine  work.— 
But  that  we  may  impartially  consider  this  matter,  and  set  what  some  call  a  prepa- 
ratory work  in  a  just  light,  let  it  be  observed  that  preparatory  works  must  either  be 
considered  as  good  in  all  those  circumstances  which  are  necessary  to  denominate  them 
good,  particularly  they  must  proceed  from  a  good  principle,  that  is  to  say,  a  prin- 
ciple of  regeneration  ;  or  else  they  are  only  such  works  as  are  materially  good, 
which  many  perform  who  are  never  brought  into  a  state  of  conversion.  Or  if,  on 
the  other  hand,  they  are  supposed  to  proceed  from  a  principle  of  regeneration,  they 
are  works,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  not  preparatory  to  the  first  grace,  but 
rather  consequent  upon  it.— Again,  it  is  one  thing  to  assert  that  it  is  our  duty  to 

p  Phil.  ilia.  q  2  Cor.  iii.  5. 


68  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

perform  all  those  works  which  some  call  preparatory  for  conversion,— such  as  medi- 
tation, attendance  on  ordinances,  duly  weighing  those  arguments  or  motives  which 
should  lead  us  to  repentance  and  the  exercise  of  all  other  graces  ;  and  another  thing 
to  say  that  every  one  who  performs  these  duties*  shall  certainly  have  regenerating 
grace.  Or,  it  is  one  thing  to  apply  ourselves  to  the  performance  of  those  duties, 
as  far  as  it  is  in  our  own  power,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  wait,  pray,  and  hope  tor 
success  to  attend  them  ;  and  another  thing  to  assert  that  success  shall  always  at- 
tend them,  as  if  God  had  laid  himself  under  an  obligation  to  give  special  grace  to 
those  who,  in  this  way,  improve  that  which  is  common.  For  the  contrary  to  this 
may  be  observed  in  many  instances  ;  and  when  we  have  done  all,  we  must  conclude 
that  the  grace  of  God,  if  he  is  pleased  to  give  success  to  our  endeavours,  is  free  and 
sovereign. — Further,  they  who  say  that  if  we  do  all  we  can,  God  will  do  the  rest, 
advance  very  little  to  support  their  argument ;  since  there  is  no  one  who  can  pre- 
tend that  he  has  done  what  he  could.  May  we  not  suppose,  too,  that  God,  in  a 
judicial  way,  as  punishing  us  for  the  many  sins  we  commit,  may  deny  us  success  « 
How  can  it  be  said,  then,  that  success  will  necessarily  follow  ?  When  we  perform 
any  of  those  duties  which  some  call  preparatory  to  conversion,  they  are  to  be  con- 
sidered as  the  Spirit's  preparing  his  own  way,  rather  than  as  corrupt  nature's  pre- 
paring itself  for  grace.  We  are  far  from  denying  that  there  is  a  beautiful  order  in 
the  divine  dispensations.  The  Spirit  of  God  first  convinces  of  sin  ;  and  then  shows 
the  convinced  sinner  where  his  help  is  to  be  had,  and  enables  him  to  close  with 
Christ  by  faith.  He  first  shows  the  soul  its  own  corruption  and  nothingness  ;  and 
then  leads  him  to  see  Christ's  fulness,  or  that  all  his  salvation  is  reposed  in  his 
hands,  and  enables  him  to  believe  in  him  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.  One  of  these 
works,  indeed,  prepares  the  way  for  the  other.  None  of  them,  however,  can  be  said 
to  prepare  the  way  for  regeneration  ;  which  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
without  which  no  other  can  be  said  to  be  a  saving  work. 

It  is  objected  that  there  are  several  scriptures  which  seem  to  speak  of  common 
grace,  as  being  preparatory  for  special.  Thus  the  scribe,  mentioned  in  the  gospel, 
who  expressed  himself  'discreetly,'  in  asserting  that,  'to  love  God  with  all  the 
heart,  and  with  all  the  understanding,  soul,  and  strength,  and  to  love  our  neigh- 
bour as  ourselves,  is  more  than  all  whole  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices,'  is  said  to 
have  been  'not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.'r  Elsewhere,  too,  we  are  exhorted 
*to  ask'  and  'to  seek  ;'  and  a  promise  is  annexed,  that  'it  shall  be  given  us,  and 
we  shall  find.'s  In  another  place,  we  are  commanded  'to  turn  at  God's  reproof;' 
and  it  is  said,  '  he  will  pour  out  his  Spirit'  unto  us,  '  and  make  known  his  words 
unto  us.'1  There  are  also  several  other  scriptures,  in  which  superadded  grace 
is  connected  with  duty  enjoined  ;  which  duty  is  supposed  to  be  in  our  own  power, 
and  to  be  preparatory  for  it. — Now,  as  to  the  first  of  these  scriptures,  in  which 
our  Saviour  tells  the  scribe  that  he  was  'not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,'  ho 
intends  nothing  else  but  that  the  profession  he  made,  which  he  calls  his  '  answer- 
ing discreetly,'  was  not  very  remote  from  that  which  was  made  by  those  who  were 
the  subjects  of  his  kingdom.  It  is  the  doctrine  the  scribe  mentions  which  Christ 
commends.  It  must  hence  not  be  inferred  that  he  had  regard  to  his  state,  as 
if  his  inward  temper  of  mind,  or  moral  conduct  of  life,  were  such  as  more  imme- 
diately disposed  him  for  a  state  of  grace,  so  that  he  was  hovering  between  a 
state  of  unregeneracy  and  conversion. — As  for  the  instance  in  which  persons  are 
supposed  to  prepare  themselves  by  prayer  for  that  grace  which  God  gives  in  answer 
to  it,  the  meaning  is  not  that  he  has  obliged  himself  to  give  whatever  they  ask  for 
relating  to  their  salvation.  Neither  the  scripture  referred  to,  nor  any  other  to  the 
same  purpose,  can  have  this  meaning,  unless  it  be  understood  of  the  prayer  of  faith, 
under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This,  however,  supposes  regenerating 
grace,  and  therefore,  is  foreign  to  the  argument  in  which  man  is  considered  as  pre- 
paring himself  for  the  grace  of  God,  and  not  as  expecting  farther  degrees  of  grace, 
upon  his  being  inclined  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  seek  them. — As  for  God's  engaging  '  to 
give  the  Spirit,'  and  to  '  make  known  his  words,'  to  those  who  '  turn  at  his  reproof;' 
this,  I  conceive,  contains  nothing  else  but  a  promise  of  the  Spirit,  to  carry  on  the  work 
of  grace  in  all  those  in  whom  it  is  begun.  Though  '  turning,'  in  scripture,  is  some, 
r  Mark  xii.  33,  34.  .  Matt.  vii.  7.  t  Pror.  i.  23. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  6]) 

times  taken  for  external  reformation,  which  is  in  our  own  power,  as  it  is  our  indis- 
pensable duty  ;  yet,  whenever  a  promise  of  saving  blessings  is,  as  in  this  scripture,- 
annexed  to  it,  it  is  to  be  understood  as  denoting  the  grace  of  repentance.  If  it  be 
said  that  this  is  God's  gift,  and  therefore  cannot  be  the  subject  of  an  exhortation, 
it  may  be  replied  that  saving  grace  is  often  represented,  in  scripture,  as  our  act  or 
duty  ;  in  order  to  the  performance  of  which  we  ought  to  say,  as  the  church  is  re- 
presented as  doing,  *  Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned  ;'u  that  is,  '  I  shall  return 
unto  thee  with  my  whole  heart,  and  not  feignedly.'* — The  same  reply  might  be 
given  to  the  objector's  sense  of  several  other  scriptures  brought  to  maintain  the 
doctrine  of  preparatory  works  performed  by  us,  as  necessarily  inferring  our  obtain- 
ing the  special  grace  of  God.  But  I  shall  close  this  head  with  a  few  hints  taken 
from  the  excellent  divine  formerly  mentioned.  "Man  cannot  prepare  himself  for 
the  new  birth.  He  hath,  indeed,  a  subjective  capacity  for  grace,  above  any  other 
creature  in  the  inferior  world  ;  and  this  is  a  kind  of  natural  preparation,  which 
other  creatures  have  not, — a  capacity,  in  regard  of  the  powers  of  the  soul,  though 
not  in  respect  of  the  present  disposition  of  them.  He  hath  an  understanding  to 
know,  and,  when  it  is  enlightened,  to  know  God's  law, — a  will  to  move  and  run, 
and,  when  enlarged  by  grace,  to  run  the  ways  of  God's  commandments  ;  so  that 
he  stands  in  an  immediate  capacity  to  receive  the  life  of  grace  upon  the  breath  and 
touch  of  God,  which  a  stone  doth  not ;  for  in  this  it  is  necessary  that  rational  fac- 
ulties should  be  put  as  a  foundation  of  spiritual  motions.  Though  the  soul  is  thus 
capable,  as  a  subject,  to  receive  the  grace  of  God,  yet  it  is  not  therefore  capable, 
as  an  agent,  to  prepare  itself  for  it,  or  produce  it.  It  is  capable  to  receive  the 
truths  of  God  ;  but,  as  the  heart  is  stony,  it  is  incapable  to  receive  the  impressions 
of  those  truths.  Though  some  things  which  man  may  do  by  common  grace,  may 
be  said  to  be  preparations  ;  yet  they  are  not  formally  so, — as  that  there  is  an  ab- 
solute, causal  connection  between  such  preparations  and  regeneration.  They  are 
not  disposing  causes  of  grace.  Grace  is  all  in  a  way  of  reception  by  the  soul,  not 
of  action  from  the  soul.  The  highest  morality  in  the  world  is  not  necessary  to  the 
first  infusion  of  the  divine  nature.  If  there  were  any  thing  in  the  subject  that  was 
the  cause  of  it,  the  tenderest  and  softest  dispositions  would  be  wrought  upon  ;  and 
the  most  intelligent  men  would  soonest  receive  the  gospel.  Though  we  see  them 
sometimes  renewed,  yet  many  times  the  roughest  tempers  are  seized  upon  by  grace. 
Though  morality  seems  to  set  men  at  a  greater  nearness  to  the  kingdom  of  God  ; 
yet,  with  all  its  own  strength,  it  cannot  bring  it  into  the  heart,  unless  the  Spirit 
open  the  lock.  Yea,  sometimes  it  sets  a  man  farther  from  the  kingdom  of  God, 
as  being  a  great  enemy  to  the  righteousness  of  the  gospel,  both  imputed  and  inhe- 
rent. And  other  operations  upon  the  soul,  which  seem  to  be  nearer  preparations, 
such  as  convictions,  &c,  do  not  infer  grace  ;  for  the  heart,  as  a  field,  mav  be 
ploughed  by  terrors,  and  yet  not  planted  with  any  good  seed.  Planting  and  water- 
ing are  preparations,  but  not  the  cause  of  fruit.  The  increase  depends  upon  God."* 
Thus  this  learned  author,  who  also  proves  that  there  is  no  obligation  on  God  by 
any  thing  which  may  look  like  a  preparation  on  man  ;  and  adds  that,  if  any  pre- 
parations were  our  own,  and  were  pure,  which  they  are  not,  yet  they  cannot  oblige 
God  to  give  supernatural  grace. 

III.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  that  this  work  is,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  attri- 
buted to  the  Spirit  of  God ;  the  only  moving  cause  of  it  being  his  grace.  That  the 
Spirit  is  the  author  of  this  work,  is  not  to  be  proved  by  experience,  as  the  impres- 
sions of  divine  power  in  it  are  ;  but  it  is  to  be  proved  by  scripture  ;  and  the  scrip- 
ture is  very  express  on  the  subject.  Thus,  when  God  promises  to  '  give  a  new 
heart,  to  take  away  the  heart  of  stone,  and  to  give  an  heart  of  flesh,  and  to  cause 
his  people  to  walk  in  his  statutes,'2  he  tells  them  that,  in  order  to  his  doing  so,  he 
would  '  put  his  Spirit  within  them.'  Elsewhere  they  are  said 'to  have  'purified 
their  souls  in  obeying  the  truth,  through  the  Spirit.'11  Our  Saviour  also  asserts 
the  necessity  of  our  being  •  born  of  the  Spirit, 'b  in  order  to  our  entering  into  the 
kingdom  of  God.     So  that,  from  these  and  several  other  scriptures  which  might  be 

u  Jer.  xxxi.  18.       x  Jer.  iii.  10.      y  See  Charnock  on  Regeneration,  vol.  ii.  pages  147,  148,  &c. 
z  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27.  a  X  Pet.  i.  22.  •        b  John  iii.  5. 


70  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

referred  to,  it  appears  that. effectual  calling  is  the  internal  powerful  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.c 

It  is  objected  by  some,  that  this  doctrine  savours  of  enthusiasm  ;  since  it  supposes 
that  there  is  no  difference  between  the  Spirit's  internal  influences  and  his  inspira- 
tion ;  and  to  pretend  to  this,  now  that  the  miraculous  dispensation  which  was  in  the 
apostle's  days  has  ceased,  is  vain  and  enthusiastic. — But  the  charge  of  enthusiasm 
is  very  unjustly  deduced  from  this  doctrine  ;  for  we  must  distinguish  between  the 
extraordinary  and  the  ordinary  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  former  is  allowed 
by  all  to  have  now  ceased ;  so  that  they  who  pretend  to  it  are  liable  to  this  charge. 
But  it  is  a  very  great  dishonour  cast  upon  the  Holy  Ghost  to  deny  his  powerful 
influence  or  agency  in  the  work  of  grace  ;  and  it  renders  the  present  condition  of 
the  church,  in  a  very  material  circumstance,  so  much  inferior  to  what  it  was  of  old, 
that  it  is  incapable  of  attaining  salvation, — unless  it  could  be  proved  that  salvation 
might  be  attained  without  the  divine  energy. — But,  that  we  may  farther  reply  to 
the  objection,  let  it  be  considered  that  the  Spirit's  influence,  as  subservient  to  the 
work  of  grace,  is  evidently  distinguished  from  inspiration.  The  latter  was  a  pecu- 
liar honour  conferred  upon  some  persons,  who  either  were  to  transmit  to  the  church 
a  rule  of  faith  by  the  immediate  dictates  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  were  favoured  with 
inspiration  to  answer  some  extraordinary  ends  which  could  not  be  attained  without 
it,  namely,  their  being  furnished  with  wisdom,  as  well  as  courage  and  boldness,  to 
maintain  the  cause  which  they  were  not  otherwise  furnished  to  defend,  against  the 
opposition  that  it  met  with  from  their  persecuting  and  malicious  enemies,  that  so  it 
might  not  suffer  through  their  weakness.  Hence  our  Saviour  bids  his  disciples 
*  not  take  thought  what  they  should  say,'  when  brought  before  rulers,  &c. ;  and 
promises  that  'the  Spirit  should  speak  in  them.'d  In  some  other  particular  in- 
stances, especially  in  the  church  at  Corinth,  we  read  that  when  ministers  had  not 
those  advantages  to  qualify  themselves  to  preach  the  gospel  which  they  afterwards 
were  favoured  with,  some  had  this  extraordinary  gift,  so  that  they  spake  by  the 
Spirit,  but  this  was  only  conferred  occasionally,  and  for  some  special  reasons. 
Hence  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  which  were  more 
common,  and  immediately  subservient  to  the  work  of  grace  in  the  souls  of  those 
who  were  the  subjects  of  them,  were,  at  that  time,  the  same  with  those  that  we  are 
pleading  for,  and  were  designed  to  continue  so  in  the  church  in  all  ages.  Thus, 
when  persons  are  said  '  through  the  Spirit  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,'e  the 
language  does  not  respect  any  extraordinary  dispensation  which  they  were  then 
under ;  since  it  is  the  duty  of  all  men,  in  all  ages,  without  the  extraordinary  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit,  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body  ;  so  that  we  may  expect  this 
powerful  energy  as  well  as  they,  or  else  our  condition  would  be  very  deplorable. — 
Besides,  we  never  find  that  extraordinary  gifts  were  immediately  subservient  to 
tho  subduing  of  corruption,  or,  at  least,  that  every  one  who  had  them  did  mortify 
sin,  and  so  appear  to  be  internally  sanctified.  Yet,  to  mortify  sin,  is  a  character 
of  those  who  are  under  sanctifying  influences  ;  and  not  to  have  these  influences, 
determines  a  person  to  be  in  an  unregenerate  state,  or  '  to  live  after  the  flesh,'  and 
so  to  be  liable  to  death. f  No  one  can  suppose  that  when  the  apostle,  in  the  fore- 
going verse,  says,  •  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die,'  he  means,  '  If  ye  are  not 
under  inspiration,  ye  shall  die,  as  living  after  the  flesh.'  His  reasoning,  however,  is 
strong  and  conclusive,  if  we  understand  the  divine  influence  of  which  he  speaks, 
as  what  is  distinct  from  inspiration,  and  consequently  a  privilege  necessary  for  the 
beginning  and  carrying  on  of  the  work  of  grace,  and  so  belonging  to  believers  in  all 
ages. — Again,  when  the  Spirit  is  said  'to  help  our  infirmities'*  in  prayer,  is  not 
prayer  as  much  a  duty  now  as  it  was  when  they  had  extraordinary  gifts  ?  and 
ought  we  not  to  hope  for  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  in  all  ages  ?     The  Spirit's 

c  When  we  speak  of  effectual  calling  being  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  the  agency  of  the  Father  and 
Son  is  not  excluded;  since  the  divine  power  by  which  all  effects  are  produced,  belongs  to  the  divine 
essence,  which  is  equally  predicated  of  all  the  persons  in  the  Godhead.  But  when  any  work  is 
peculiarly  attributed  to  the  Spirit,  it  implies  that  his  personal  glory  is  demonstrated  thereby,  agree- 
ably to  wn»tis  elsewhere  called  the  economy  of  the  divine  persons.  See  this  farther  explained  in 
Sect.  ■  The  Economy  of  the.  Persons  in  the  Godhead,'  under  Quest,  ix,  x,  xi. 

(1  Matt.  x.  18—20.  e  Rom.  viii.  13.  f  Ver.  12.  g  Ver.  26. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  7l 

help,  therefore,  is  not  confined  to  the  age  when  there  was  a  miraculous  dispensation, 
or  extraordinary  inspiration. — Further,  when  it  is  said,  '  As  many  as  are  led  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God,'h  can  we  suppose  that  none  were  the 
sons  or  God  but  such  as  had  extraordinary  gifts  I  Does  not  this  privilege  belong 
to  us  as  well  as  to  them  ?  Now,  if  we  are  the  sons  of  God,  as  well  as  they,  we 
have  this  evidence  of  our  being  so,  that  we  are  '  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;'  though 
we  pretend  not  to  be  led  by  him  as  a  Spirit  of  inspiration. — We  may  add,  that  the 
apostle  elsewhere  speaks  of  some  who  were  '  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise 
which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance.'  These  are  described  as  '  trusting  in  Christ, 
after  they  had  heard  the  word  of  salvation,'  and  'believing  in  him.*'  But  this 
character  belongs  to  the  church  in  all  ages ;  so  that  the  '  sealing '  spoken  of  is  not  a 
privilege  confined  tp  those  who  had  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  one 
which  belongs  to  believers  as  such. — Moreover,  it  is  said,  '  The  Spirit  itself  beareth 
witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God.'k  Therefore  some  per- 
sons may,  in  a  way  of  self-examination,  know  themselves  to  be  the  children  of  God, 
by  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  which  is  common  to  all  believers ;  they  may  do  so  with- 
out pretending  to  be  inspired,  which  would  be  to  know  this  matter  without  the  con- 
curring testimony  of  our  own  spirits. — Many  things  of  a  similar  nature  might  be 
observed  concerning  other  scriptures  which  are  generally  brought  to  prove  that  be- 
lievers, in  our  day,  though  they  pretend  not  to  the  Spirit  of  inspiration,  are  made 
partakers  of  the  powerful  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  what  we  have  stated 
is  a  sufficient  Answer  to  the  objection  we  have  been  considering. 

It  is  farther  objected,  that,  if  the  Spirit  does  work  internally  in  the  souls  of 
men,  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  he  works  a  change  in  their  wills,  but  only  that 
he  presents  objects  to  them  which  they,  by  their  own  power,  improve  and  make 
use  of  for  their  good  ;  even  as  a  finite  spirit  may  suggest  good  or  bad  thoughts, 
without  disposing  us  to  comply  with  them ;  or,  as  the  devil  is  said  to  work  in 
men,  and  is  called,  '  The  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience.'1 
But  an  objective  influence,  properly  speaking,  is  no  influence  at  all ;  much  less  is 
it  becoming  the  dignity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  say  that  he  has  no  more  an  hand 
in  the  work  of  conversion  than  that  which  a  mere  creature  might  have.  I  will 
not  deny  that  the  Greek  word,m  which  signifies  energy,  or  internal  working,  is 
sometimes  taken  for  such  a  kind  of  influence  as  is  not  properly  the  effect  of  power, 
as  in  the  instance  stated  in  the  objection.  Yet,  let  it  be  considered  that  in  other 
instances  the  same  word  is  often  used,  in  senses  very  different,  when  applied  to 
God  and  the  creature  ;  the  word,  in  itself,  being  indeterminate,  while  the  ap- 
plication of  it  so  determines  the  meaning  as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  the  sense  of 
it.  Thus,  when  'to  make,'  '  form,'  or  'produce,'  is  applied  to  God,  and  the  thing 
made,  formed,  or  produced,  is  represented  as  a  display  of  his  almighty  power 
which  exceeds  the  limits  of  finite  power,  the  sense  is  determined  to  be  very  differ- 
ent from  making,  forming,  or  producing,  when  applied  to  men,  acting  in  their  own 
sphere.  So  the  apostle  speaks  of  '  building,'  in  a  very  different  sense,  as  applied  to 
God  and  the  creature,  which  no  one  is  at  a  loss  to  understand:  '  Every  house  is 
builded  by  some  man;  but  he  that  built  all  things  is  God.'n  Now,  to  apply  this 
to  our  present  purpose,  we  do  not  deny  that  a  finite  spirit  has  an  energy  in  an  ob- 
jective way ;  but  when  the  same  word  is  applied  to  God's  manner  of  acting,  and,  as 
was  formerly  observed,  is  used  to  denote  a  display  of  his  almighty  power,  produc- 
ing a  change  in  the  soul,  and  not  only  persuading  but  enabling  a  man  to  perform 
good  works,  from  a  principle  of  spiritual  life  implanted,  it  may  easily  be  under- 
stood as  having  a  very  different  sense  from  the  same  word,  when  applied  to  the  in- 
ternal agency  of  a  finite  spirit.  The  objection  in  question,  therefore,  does  not 
overthrow  the  argument  we  are  maintaining. 

It  is  farther  objected  against  the  illustration  of  the  powerful  work  of  the  Spirit 
from  a  person's  being  raised  from  the  dead,  that  this  implies  nothing  supernatural, 
or  out  of  the  power  of  man  ;  since  the  apostle  says,  '  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest, 
aud  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.'0     If  arising  from  the 

h  Rom.  viii.  14.  i  Eph.  i.  13,  14.  k  Rom.  viii.  16.  1  Eph.  ii.  2. 

m  Eti^yua.  ii  Heb.  iii.  4.  o  Eph.  v.  14. 


72  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

dead,  it  is  said,  be  the  effect  of  almighty  power,  when  applied  to  the  work  of  grace, 
it  seems  preposterous  for  this  'arising  from  the  dead'  to  be  recommended  as  our 
duty  ;  and  if  it  be  not  a  work  of  almighty  power,  those  scriptures  which  illustrate 
effectual  calling  by  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  are  nothing  to  the  argument  for 
which  they  have  been  brought.  Now,  some  suppose  that  its  being  assigned  as  a 
matter  of  duty  for  sinners  to  rise  from  the  dead,  does  not  infer  that  their  doing  so 
is  in  their  own  power  ;  but  that  it  signifies  only  that  none  can  expect  eternal  life 
except  those  who  rise  from  the  death  of  sin.  Accordingly,  as  the  promise  here 
mentioned,  relating  to  our  'having  light,'  is  said  to  be  'Christ's  gift;'  so  the  power 
to  perform  that  duty  which  is  inseparably  connected  with  it,  namely,  '  rising  from 
the  dead,'  is  to  be  sought  for  at  his  hand.  But  if  this  Answer  be  not  reckoned 
sufficient,  I  see  no  absurdity  in  supposing  that  the  two  expressions,  '  awake,  thou 
that  sleepest,'  and  '  arise  from  the  dead,'  import  the  same  thing.  Sleep  is,  as  it 
were,  the  image  of  death,  and,  by  a  metaphorical  way  of  speaking,  may  be  here 
called  death ;  and  if  so,  the  apostle  commands  believers  to  awake  out  of  their  carnal 
security,  or  shake  off  their  stupid  frames,  as  they  expect  the  light  of  eternal  life. 
Though,  however,  it  be  taken  in  this  sense  here ;  yet  when  we  meet  with  the  words 
'  quickened,'  or  'raised  from  the  dead,'  elsewhere,  they  may  be  understood  in  a  dif- 
ferent sense,  as  denoting  the  implanting  of  a  principle  of  grace  in  regeneration,  as 
will  appear  by  the  context.  Thus  when  God  is  said  to  '  quicken  those  who  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  who  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  ful- 
filling the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  and  were  by  nature  the  children 
of  wrath  ;'  and  to  do  this  with  a  design  to  show  'the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace, 
and  kindness  towards  them;'  and,  in  consequence,  to  work  that  faith  which  accom- 
panies salvation,  and  which  is  not  of  themselves,  but  is  his  gift ;  when  God  is  said 
to  do  these  things  in  our  being  'quickened  or  raised  from  the  dead,'  the  expres- 
sions certainly  argue  more  than  a  stupid  believer's  awaking  from  the  carnal  security 
which  he  is  under,  who  is  supposed  to  have  a  principle  of  spiritual  life,  whereby 
he  may  be  enabled  so  to  do. 

It  is  also  objected  to  what  has  been  said  as  to  effectual  calling  being  a  work  of 
divine  power,  that  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  it  as  such,  denote  nothing  else 
but  the  power  of  working  miracles ;  whereby  they  to  whom  the  gospel  was  preached 
were  induced  to  believe.  Thus,  when  the  apostle  says,  '  My  preaching  was  in  de- 
monstration of  the  Spirit  and  of  power,  'p  his  meaning  is  alleged  to  be  that  the 
doctrines  he  preached  were  confirmed,  and  the  truth  of  them  demonstrated,  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  enabling  him  to  work  miracles.  Again,  the  words,  '  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power,  'i  are  alleged  to  mean  that  the  gospel 
was  not  only  preached,  but  confirmed  by  miracles ;  and  the  words,  '  Our  gospel 
came  to  you  in  power  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 'r  are  paraphrased, — '  The  gospel  which 
we  preach,  was  confirmed  by  the  power  and  miraculous  works  of  the  Holy  Ghost;' 
which,  say  the  objectors,  has  no  reference  to  the  internal  efficacious  influences  of 
the  Spirit  put  forth  in  effectual  calling. — Now,  though  we  often  read  that  the  gos- 
pel was  confirmed  by  miracles  ;  yet  I  cannot  see  that  this  is  the  principal,  much 
less  the  only  sense  of  these  scriptures,  and  some  others  which  might  have  been 
produced  to  the  same  purpose. — As  to  the  first  of  them,  in  which  the  apostle  speaks 
of  his  preaching  being  'in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power,'  it  may 
be  observed  that,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  he  had  been  speaking  concerning 
Christ  preached,  and  his  glory  set  forth  among  them,  as  '  the  power  of  God  ;'  that 
is  to  say,  the  power  of  God  rendered  the  preaching  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  effec- 
tual to  the  conversion  of  those  who  believed.  Now,  this  the  apostle  concludes  to 
contain  no  less  a  conviction  of  the  trutli  of  the  Christian  religion,  than  if  he  had 
wrought  signs  or  miracles;  which  the  Jews  demanded,  and  which  he  had  no  design 
to  work  among  them.  Why,  then,  should  we  suppose  that,  when  he  speaks  of  his 
preaching  being  'in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power,'  he  means  the 
confirming  of  his  doctrine  by  miracles,  and  not  the  confirming  of  it  in  the  same 
sense  he  had  just  signified  of  Christ  being  the  power  of  God— As  for  the  scripture 
in  which  it  is  said,  '  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power,'  it  is  to 

p  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  q  chap.  iv.  20.  r  1  Tbess.  i.  5. 


•  0 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  73 


be  understood  by  comparing  it  with  what  immediately  goes  before,  in  which  he 
says,  '  I  will  come  to  you  shortly,  if  the  Lord  will,  and  know  not  the  speech  of 
them  who  are  puffed  up,  but  the  power.'  If  we  suppose  that,  by  '  them  who  are 
puffed  up,'  he  means  some  of  their  teachers,  whdfswelled  either  with  pride  or  envy, 
probably  were  sowing  some  seeds  of  error  among  them,  it  does  seem  to  be  just  to 
explain  the  following  words,  '  I  will  know  not  the  speech  of  them  who  are  puffed 
up,  but  the  power,'  to  mean,  'I  will  not  so  much  regard  the  doctrines  they  deliver, 
as  I  will  inquire  and  be  convinced  that  they  have  confirmed  them  by  miracles.' 
For  he  would  rather  regard  their  doctrine  than  their  pretence  to  miracles,  or  have 
said,  '  I  will  not  inquire  whether  they  have  wrought  any  miracles,  but  what  efficacy 
their  doctrine  has  had.'  By  'knowing  the  power,'  therefore,  the  apostle  does  not 
mean  that  of  working  miracles  ;  but  he  intimates  that  he  would  know,  not  only 
what  doctrines  these  persons  taught,  but  what  success  attended  their  preaching. 
And  then  he  adds,  that  'the  kingdom  of  God,'  that  is,  the  gospel-state,  is  advanced 
and  promoted,  not  merely  by  the  church's  enjoying  the  means  of  grace,  such  as 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  but  'by  the  power  of  God,'  which  makes  the  word 
preached  effectual  to  salvation,  whereby  sinners  are  converted,  and  many  added  to 
the  church,  such  as  shall  be  saved. — As  to  the  last  scripture  mentioned,  in  which 
the  apostle  says,  '  Our  gospel  came  to  you,  not  in  word  only,  but  in  power,'  I  can- 
not think  that  he  has  any  reference  in  it  to  the  confirming  of  the  gospel  by  miracles  ; 
because  what  it  says  is  assigned  as  a  mark  of  their  election,  '  Knowing,  brethren, 
your  election  of  God  ;  for  our  gospel  came  unto  you,  not  only  in  word,  but  in  power,' 
&c.  Now,  whether  we  take  election  for  God's  eternal  design  to  save  them,  for  the 
execution  of  that  design  in  his  applying  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  to  them,  or,  in  the 
lowest  sense  which  they  on  the  other  side  of  the  question  generally  adopt,  for  their 
being  a  choice,  religious,  unblameable  society  of  Christians,  excelling  many  others 
in  piety,  it  could  not  be  evinced  by  the  gospel  being  confirmed  by  miracles.  This 
tense,  then,  seems  not  agreeable  to  the  apostle's  design.  Hence,  the  objection 
founded  on  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  the  power  of  God  in  conversion,  as 
implying  nothing  else  but  his  power  exerted  in  working  miracles,  will  not,  in  the 
least,  be  sufficient  to  weaken  the  force  of  the  argument  we  are  maintaining.  Thus, 
concerning  effectual  calling  being  a  work  of  power  attributed,  in  particular,  to  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

There  is  one  thing  more  observed  in  the  Answer  we  are  explaining,  which  must 
be  briefly  considered,  namely,  that  effectual  calling  is  a  work  of  grace,  which  was 
the  internal  moving  cause  of  it,  or  the  reason  of  God's  exerting  his  divine  power  in 
it.  Effectual  calling  must  be  a  work  of  grace,  without  any  motive  taken  from 
those  who  are  its  subjects ;  for  they  had  nothing  in  them  which  could  render  them 
the  objects  of  divine  love,  being  described  as  'dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God,'  and  'enmity  '  itself  'against  him.'  Their  condition,  ante- 
cedent to  effectual  calling,  cannot  be  supposed  to  be  the  moving  cause  of  it ;  for 
that  which  is  in  itself  altogether  unlovely,  cannot  afford  a  motive  for  love  to  any 
one  who  weighs  the  circumstances  of  persons  and  things,  and  acts  accordingly. 

But  it  is  objected,  that  though  the  present  condition  of  unregenerate  persons 
cannot  afford  any  motive  inducing  God  to  make  them  the  subjects  of  effectual  call- 
ing, yet  the  foresight  of  their  future  conduct  might.  We  answer,  that  all  the  good 
which  shall  be  found  in  believers  is  God's  gift.  He  is  the  finisher  as  well  as  the 
author  of  faith  ;  and  therefore  it  cannot  be  said,  that  any  thing  out  of  himself  was 
the  moving  cause  of  it.  We  may  add  that  God  foresaw  the  vile  and  unworthy  be- 
haviour of  believers,  proceeding  from  the  remains  of  corrupt  nature  in  them,  as  well 
as  those  graces  which  he  would  enable  them  to  act ;  so  that  there  is  as  much  in 
them  which  might  induce  him  to  hate  them,  as  there  is  to  move  him  to  love  them. 
We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  his  love  proceeds  from  another  cause,  or  that  it 
is  by  the  grace  of  God  alone  that  we  are  what  we  are. 

IV.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  that  the  power  and  grace  of  God  displayed  in 
effectual  calling,  is  irresistible,  and  consequently  such  as  cannot  but  be  effectual 
to  produce  that  which  is  designed  to  be  brought  about  by  it.  To  deny  this,  would 
be  to  infer  that  the  creature  has  an  equal,  if  not  a  superior  force  to  God.  For, 
as  in  nature,  every  thing  which  impedes  or  stops  a  thing  which  is  in  motion  must 
have  an  equal  force  to  resist  with  that  which  is  affected  by  it ;  so,  in  the  work  of 

n.  K 


74  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

grace,  if  the  will  of  man  cau  render  the  power  of  God  of  none  effect,  or  stop  the 
progress  of  divine  grace,  contrary  to  his  design  or  purpose,  the  creature's  power  of 
resisting  must  be  equal  to  that  which  is  put  iorth  by  God,  in  order  to  the  bringing 
of  this  work  to  perfection.  This  consequence  is  so  derogatory  to  the  divine  glory, 
that  no  one  who  sees  it  to  be  just,  will  maintain  the  premises  whence  it  is  deduced. 
If  it  be  said  that  God  may  suffer  himself  to  be  resisted,  and  his  grace  which  would 
otherwise  have  been  effectual  to  be  defeated,  this  will  not  much  mend  the  matter,  but 
will  only,  in  order  to  the  avoiding  of  one  absurd  consequence,  bring  in  another  ; 
for  if  every  one  would  have  brought  to  pass  what  he  purposes  to  be  done,  and 
would  not  be  disappointed  if  he  could  help  it,  the  same  must  be  said  of  the  great 
God.  Now  to  say,  that  God  could  have  prevented  his  purpose  from  being  defeated,  but 
would  not,  argues  a  defect  of  wisdom.  If  his  own  glory  was  designed  by  purposing 
to  do  that  which  the  creature  renders  ineffectual,  then  he  misses  that  end  which 
cannot  but  be  the  most  valuable,  and  consequently  most  desirable.  Hence,  ior 
God  to  suffer  a  purpose  of  this  nature  to  be  defeated,  supposing  he  could  prevent 
it,  is  to  suffer  himself  to  be  a  loser  of  that  glory  which  is  due  to  his  name.  More- 
over, the  supposition  is  directly  contrary  to  what  the  apostle  says,  'Who  hath  re- 
sisted his  will?'8  or,  "Who  hath  rendered  the  grace  which  he  designed  should  take 
effect,  ineffectual?"  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  "  Who  can  do  it?" 

The  ground  on  which  many  have  asserted  that  the  grace  of  God  may  be  resisted, 
is  taken  from  some  scriptures  which  speak  of  man's  being  in  open  hostility  against 
him.  Thus  we  read  of  a  bold  daring  sinner  as  '  stretching  out  his  hand  against 
God,  and  strengthening  himself  against  the  Almighty,  running  upon  him,  even  on 
his  neck,  upon  the  thick  bosses  of  his  bucklers.'*  Stephen  reproves  the  Jews  as 
having  'always  resisted  the  Holy  Ghost,  both  they  and  their  fathers.'11  The 
Pharisees  are  said  to  '  have  rejected, 'x  or,  as  the  word?  might  have  been  rendered, 
•disannulled  the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves.'  And  the  prophet  speaks  of 
God's  'stretching  out  his  hand  all  the  day,  unto  a  disobedient  and  gainsaying 
people.'2  These,  and  similar  scriptures,  give  occasion  to  some  to  suppose  that  the 
power  and  grace,  as  well  as  the  purpose  of  God,  may  be  resisted.  But  that  we 
may  understand  the  sense  of  these  scriptures,  and,  at  the  same  time,  not  relinquish 
the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  and  thereby  infer  the  consequence  above-men- 
tioned, we  must  distinguish  between  our  opposition  to  God's  revealed  will  contained 
in  his  word,  which  is  the  rule  of  duty  to  us,  and  resisting  his  secret  will,  which  de- 
termines the  event.  Or,  as  it  may  be  otherwise  expressed,  it  is  one  thing  to  set 
ourselves  against  the  objective  grace  of  God,  that  is,  the  gospel ;  and  another  thing 
to  defeat  his  subjective  grace,  that  when  he  is  about  to  work  effectually  in  us,  we 
should  put  a  stop  to  his  proceedings.  The  former  no  one  denies  ;  the  latter  we 
can  by  no  means  allow.  Persons  may  express  a  great  deal  of  reluctance  and  per- 
verseness  at  the  time  when  God  is  about  to  subdue  their  stubborn  and  obstinate 
wills  ;  but  the  power  of  God  will  break  through  all  this  opposition,  and'the  will  of 
man  shall  not  be  able  to  make  his  work  void,  or  without  effect.  The  Jews,  as 
above-mentioned,  might  '  resist  the  Holy  Ghost,'  that  is,  oppose  the  doctrines  con- 
tained in  scripture,  which  were  given  by  the  Spirit's  inspiration ;  and  they  might 
make  this  revelation  of  no  effect  with  respect  to  themselves  ;  but  had  God  designed 
that  it  should  take  effect,  he  would  have  prevented  their  resisting  it.  Israel  might 
be  '  a  gainsaying  people,'  that  is,  they  might  oppose  what  God  communicated  to 
them  by  the  prophets,  which  it  was  their  duty  and  interest  to  have  complied  with  ; 
and  so  the  offer  of  grace  in  God's  revealed  will  might  be  in  vain  with  respect  to 
them ;  but  it  never  was  so  with  respect  to  those  whom  he  designed  to  save.  And 
if  the  hardened  sinner,  'stretching  out  his  hand  against  God,'  may  be  said  hereby 
to  express  his  averseness  to  holiness,  and  his  desire  to  be  exempted  from  the  divine 
government,  he  may  be  found  in  open  rebellion  against  him,  as  hating  and  oppos- 
ing his  law,  but  he  cannot  offer  any  real  injury  to  his  divine  perfections,  so  as  to 
detract  from  his  glory,  or  render  his  purpose  of  no  effect.  Moses,  speaking  concern- 
ing God's  works  of  providence,  says,  '  They  are  perfect;  for  all  his  ways  are  judg- 

■  Horn.  ix.  19.  t  Job  xv.  25.  26.  u  Acts  vii.  51,  52.  x  Luke  vii.  30. 

V  AhrnvKi.  %  Rom.  x.  21. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  75 

ment.'*  Elsewhere,  God,  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  says,  '  I  will  work,  and  who  shall 
let  it;'b  whence  he  argues  his  eternal  Deity  and  uncontrollable  power,  '  Before  the 
day  was,  I  am  he,  and  there  is  none  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand  ;'  so  that  if  a 
stop  might  be  put  to  his  works  of  providence,  he  would  cease  to  be  a  God  of  infinite 
perfection.  May  we  not  infer,  then,  that  his  works  of  grace  are  not  subject  to  any 
control ;  so  that  when  he  designs  to  call  any  effectually,  nothing  shall  prevent 
this  end  from  being  answered?  This  is  what  we  intend,  when  we  speak  of  the 
power  and  grace  of  God  as  irresistible. 

V.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  season  or  time  in  which  persons  are  effectually 
called.  This,  in  the  Answer  under  consideration,  is  said  to  be  '  God's  accepted 
time.'  If  the  work  be  free  and  sovereign,  without  any  motive  in  us,  the  time  in 
which  he  does  it  must  be  that  which  he  thinks  most  proper.  Here  we  may  ob- 
serve that  some  are  regenerated  in  their  infancy,  when  the  word  can  have  no  in- 
strumentality in  producing  the  least  acts  of  grace.  These  have  therefore  the 
seeds  of  grace,  which  spring  up  and  discover  themselves  when  they  are  able  to 
make  use  of  the  word.  That  persons  are  capable  of  regeneration  from  the  womb, 
is  no  less  evident,  than  that  they  are  capable  of  having  the  seeds  or  principle  of 
reason,  which  they  certainly  have ;  and  if  it  be  allowed  that  regeneration  is  con- 
nected with  salvation,  and  that  infants  are  capable  of  the  latter,  as  our  Saviour 
says  that  'of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God,'  they  must  be  certainly  capable  of  the 
former.  Not  to  suppose  some  infants  regenerated  from  the  womb,  would,  without 
scripture-warrant,  be  to  exclude  a  very  great  part  of  mankind  from  salvation. 
Others  are  effectually  called  in  their  childhood,  others  in  riper  years,  and  some 
few  in  old  age  ;  that  so  no  age  of  life  may  be  an  inducement  to  despair,  or  persons 
be  discouraged  from  attending  on  the  means  of  grace.  Thus  '  Josiah,  in  the  eighth 
year  of  his  reign,  while  he  was  yet  young,  began  to  seek  after  the  God  of  David 
his  father.'0  David  was  converted  when  he  was  a  youth,  a  stripling  of  a  ruddy 
and  beautiful  countenance.'*1  Moses  seems  to  have  been  effectually  called,  when 
he  left  Pharaoh's  court,  and  'it  came  into  his  heart  to  visit  his  brethren  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel ;'  at  which  time  he  was  'forty  years  old.' e  Abraham  seems  to  have 
been  made  partaker  of  this  grace,  when  he  was  called  to  leave  his  country,  when 
he  was  seventy-five  years  old  ;  before  which  it  is  probable  that  he,  together  with 
the  rest  of  his  family,  served  other  gods.f  We  read  also,  in  one  instance,  of  a 
person  converted  in  the  very  agonies  of  death,  namely,  the  thief  upon  the  cross.* 
Sometimes  when  persons  seem  most  disposed  to  conversion,  and  are  under  the 
greatest  convictions,  and  more  inclined  to  reform  their  lives  than  at  other  times, 
the  work  appears,  by  the  issue  of  it,  to  be  no  more  than  that  of  common  grace, 
which  miscarries  and  leaves  them  worse  than  they  were  before  ;  and  it  may  be 
that  afterwards,  when  they  seem  less  inclined,  God's  accepted  time  will  come, 
when  he  begins  the  work  with  power,  which  he  afterwards  carries  on  and  completes. 
Some  are  suffered  to  run  great  lengths  in  sin,  before  they  are  effectually  called  ;  as 
the  apostle  '  Paul,  in  whom  God  was  pleased  to  show  forth  all  long-suffering,  as  a 
pattern  to  them  which  should  hereafter  believe.' h  Hence  the  time  and  means 
being  entirely  in  God's  hand,  as  we  ought  not  to  presume,  but  to  wait  for  the  day 
of  salvation  in  all  his  ordinances  ;  so,  whatever  our  age  and  circumstances,  we  are 
encouraged  to  hope  for  the  mercy  of  God  unto  eternal  life,  or  that  he  will  save 
and  call  us  with  an  holy  calling. 

a  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  b  Isa.  xliii.  13.  c  2  Chron.  xxxiv.  3.  d  1  Sam.  xvi.  12. 

compared  with  chap.  xvii.  56,  58.  e  Acts  vii.  23.  f  Josh.  xxiv.  2.  compared  with  Gen. 

xii.  14.  g  Luke  xxiii.  43.  h  1  Tim.  i.  16. 

[Note  G.  Common  Grace Dr.  Ridgeley,  in  what  he  says  respecting  '  common  grace,'  '  restrain- 
ing grace,'  and  '  common  operations  of  the  Spirit,'  appears  to  have  got  so  engaged  in  expounding 
the  Catechism  that  he  forgot  duly  to  inquire,  '  What  saith  the  scripture?'  Grace  which  does  not 
'  bring  salvation,'  and  a  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  soul  which  does  not  renovate  and  savrngly 
enlighten,  mu-t  seem,  to  any  person  who  has  studied  the  scriptures  apart  from  the  theology  of  the 
schoolmen,  very  extraordinary  ideas.  Dr.  Ridgeley  himself  appears  not  to  understand  them.  He 
says,  "  Though  the  Spirit  is  considered  at  an  external  ayent,  inasmuch  as  he  never  tin ells  in  the  heart 
of  any  but  helitv,  rs  ;  yet  the  effect  produced  is  internal  in  the  mind  and  consciences  of  men,  and,  in 
some  degree,  in  the  will,  which  is  almost  perr-uaded  to  comply."  Now,  if  the  Spirit  is  not  an  inter- 
nal agent, — if  he  never  dwells,  or  carries  on  a  work,  in  the  heart  of  any  but  believers;  how  can  he 


76  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

be  said  to  perform  '  operations,'  whether  ■  common  *  or  otherwise,  on  the  souls  of  persons  who 
continue  to  reject  the  truth  ?  '  Where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty.'  '  When  he, 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  comes,  he  leads  into  all  truth.'  '  But  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him  :  neither  can  he  know  them  ;  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned.'  While  the  Comforter,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  '  known'  to  believers,  and 
'  dwelleth  with  them,  and  shall  be  in  them,'  the  world  '  cannot  receive  him,  because  it  seeth  him 
not,  neither  knoweth  him.'  Nor  is  the  case  altered  by  saying  that  "  effects  are  produced  internal 
in  the  mind  and  consciences  of  men,  and,  in  some  degree,  in  the  will."  By  the  common  occurren- 
ces of  providence,  bereavements,  losses,  public  calamities,  pestilences,  and  rumours  of  war,  as  truly 
as  by  direct  appeals  concerning  'temperance,  and  righteousness,  and  judgment  to  come,'  many  an 
unconverted  sinner  is  occasionally  made  to  '  tremble,' to  stand  self-convicted  of  guilt,  to  resolve 
upon  amendment  of  conduct,  and,  in  general,  to  experience  strong  internal  effects  upon  his  moral 
affections.  Yet  who  would  speak  of  the  consternations,  the  moral  panics,  the  temporary  reforma- 
tions of  ordinary  life  as  a  work  of  grace,  or  the  result  of  common  operations  of  the  Spirit  ?  Im- 
pressions on  the  human  mind,  by  means  of  the  occurrences  of  providence,  through  the  medium  of 
natural  conscience  and  reason,  are,  in  all  respects,  perfectly  distinct  from  impressions  by  means  of 
the  word  of  God  and  the  ordinances  of  Christianity,  through  the  divine  Spirit's  illuminating  power 
or  gracious  operations ;  and  these  two  classes  of  impressions  seem  to  include  all  the  varieties  of 

moral  feeling of  internal  effect  on  the  mind  and  consciences  of  men,  or  even  upon  the  will — which 

come  within  the  limits  of  human  experience  on  earth.  To  distinguish  a  middle  class  of  impres- 
sions, and  represent  these  as  of  higher  quality  than  such  as  properly  comport  with  man's  fallen  and 
unregenerated  character,  and  yet  of  lower  quality  than  such  as  are  connected  with  the  renewing  of 
the  heart  and  the  spiritual  illuminating  of  the  understanding,  appears  to  be  just  a  breaking  down 
of  the  lofty  and  broad  line  of  demarcation  between  a  work  of  natural  conscience  and  a  work  of 
divine  grace, — a  work  which  belongs  to  the  economy  of  God's  general  government,  and  a  work 
which  belongs  to  the  sovereign  and  gracious  economy  of  redemption. 

Some  sinners,  it  is  true,  experience,  in  coming  under  the  saving  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  con- 
currence of  impressions  by  means  of  the  divine  word  and  by  means  of  providential  events ;  and 
other  sinners,  on  the  contrary,  experience,  while  they  continue  in  unregeneracy,  a  series  of  excite- 
ments as  truly  from  the  appeals  of  the  Bible  as  from  the  general  lessons  of  the  divine  government. 
It  is  not,  however,  the  nature  of  the  instrumentality  employed,  but  the  nature  of  the  agency  at 
work  in  the  mind,  which  constitutes  the  difference  between  the  effects  produced.  In  the  one  class, 
the  reason  works  with  the  aid  merely  of  natural  conscience,  while,  in  the  other  class,  it  is  enlight- 
ened, convinced,  and  directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Natural  conscience,  even  in  circumstances  where 
the  light  of  revelation  is  nearly  extinct,  achieves  many  a  self-accusation ;  and,  in  circumstances 
where  the  full  light  of  the  gospel  is  enjoyed,  may  easily  be  supposed  to  work  out,  in  thousands  of 
instances,  quite  as  strong  moral  excitements  as  those  which  were  felt  by  Felix  under  the  preaching 
of  Paul.  '  For  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in 
the  law,  these,  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves :  which  show  the  work  of  the  law 
written  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience  also  bearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while 
accusing  or  else  excusing  one  another,'  Rom.  ii.  14,  15.  Yet  the  strong  workings  of  conscience 
even  in  the  heathen,  and  its  still  stronger  workings  in  unconverted  men  under  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel,  take  place  in  connexion  simply  with  God's  general  moral  government,  and  are  quite  dis- 
tinct from  any  results  whatever  of  the  dispensation  of  the  economy  of  grace,  or  the  redemptional 
operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Dr.  Ridgeley  vindicates  what  he  calls  "  the  Spirit*  common  work  of  conviction,"  by  an  appeal 
to  the  text,  '  When  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin.'  But  this  text  clearly  speaks  of 
the  demonstrative  evidence  which  the  Holy  Spirit  should  furnish — not  by  transient  impressions  on 
the  minds  of  the  ungodly — but  by  the  miraculous  establishment  of  the  gospel  dispensation,  and  by 
the  actual  conversion  to  God  of  multitudes  of  unbelievers.  When  he  descended  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  and  when  he  afterwards  gave  power  to  the  ministry  of  his  faithful  servants,  he  demon- 
stratively convinced  thousands  of  'the  world'  that  they  sinned  in  rejecting  Jesus  as  the  Messiah, 
the  only  Saviour  of  sinners, — that  they  could  become  righteous,  as  to  either  their  acceptance  before 
God,  or  the  purification  of  their  hearts  from  defilement,  only  through  the  merits  of  Christ's  sacrifice 
and  intercession, — and  that  thpy  could  act  safely  for  themselves  and  piously  toward  God,  only  by 
seeing  that  '  all  judgment  is  committed  to  the  Son,'  that  he  is  the  King  and  the  Lawgiver  of  the  re- 
deemed, and  that  he  reigns  '  the  Lord  of  the  living  and  the  dead,'  '  alive  for  evermore,'  having  '  the 
keys  of  hell  and  of  death.'  '  When  the  Paraclete  is  come,'  says  the  Saviour,  '  he  will  reprove  the 
world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment ;  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me  :  of 
nj?hteousness,  because  I  go  to  my  Father,  and  ye  see  me  no  more  :  of  judgment,  because  the  prince 
of  this  world  is  judged,'  John  xvi.  8 — 11.  The  Divine  Spirit  began  this  work  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, when  three  thousand  '  gladly  received  the  word  and  were  baptized  ;'  he  carried  it  on  in  the 
ministry  of  the  apostles,  who  '  preached  the  gospel  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven,' 
— who>e  '  preaching  was  not  with  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit  and  of  power ;'  and  he  continues  still  to  conduct  it  both  by  the  enduring  attestation  of  those 
miracles  by  which  he  established  the  new  dispensation,  and  by  his  gracious  power  upon  men  to  en- 
lighten them  savingly  in  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and  to  turn  them  from  the  error  of  their  ways 
to  the  wisdom  and  obedience  of  the  just.  But  his  thus  '  reproving  the  world  of  sin,'  is  a  work 
altogether  different  from  his  alleged  '  common  operations '  as  an  agent  acting  '  externallv '  upon 
unbelievers. 

^Dr'  Rjd^eley  refers  als.°  to  the  passage,  «  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man.'  But  if 
the  words  be  read  in  their  connexion,  they  will  be  seen  to  have  no  reference  whatever  to  the  moral 
or  economical  work  of  the  divine  Spirit,  but  to  refer  entirely  to  the  shortening  of  the  period  of 
human  life  UDon  earth.    The  chapter  in  which  they  lie,  narrates  simply  the  general  wickedness  into 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  77 

which  the  antediluvians  had  plunged,  the  longevity  and  physical  strength  for  which  they  were  dis- 
tinguished, the  tendency  of  their  conduct  to  undermine  all  their  well-being,  and  the  denunciation, 
against  them  of  a  suitable  punishment  for  their  luxurious  profligacy.  Just  after  their  peculiar 
wickedness  is  mentioned,  and  immediately  previous  to  a  statement  of  their  robustness  and  lon- 
gevity, the  words»occur:  '  And  the  Lord  said,  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man,  for  that 
he  als-o  is  flesh  ;  yet  his  days  shall  be  an  hundred  and  twenty  years.'  Even  apart  from  the  context, 
this  passage  may  be  distinctly  seen  to  speak  of  the  shortening  of  man's  mortal  life.  He  had  hitherto 
lived,  on  the  average,  to  upwards  of  nine  hundred  years ;  but  he  was  mortal — he  possessed  that 
'  fleshly'  and  fallen  nature  which  was  doomed  to  return  to  its  original  dust ;  he  had  been  upheld  in 
his  longevity  by  the  special  kindness  of  the  Giver  of  life  ;  and  as  he  was  now  pursuing  a  course 
which  directly  tended  to  debilitate  his  frame,  and  entail  diseases  on  his  posterity,  and  poison  the 
stream  of  hurrian  generation  at  its  fountain,  he  should  no  longer  be  maintained  in  his  robustness 
and  his  extreme  length  of  earthly  existence ; — '  yet  his  days,'  though  no  longer  extending  to  eight 
or  nine  centuries,  '  should  be  an  hundred  and  twenty  years.'  What  means  this  finishing  clause, 
this  exceptional  or  mitigating  statement,  if  the  passage  does  not  entirely  refer  to  the  abridging 
of  his  longevity  ?  Nor  is  it  strange  that  the  intimation  of  that  event  was  made  in  the  phrase, 
•  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man.'  In  transmuting  chaos  into  the  organized  world, 
'  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters ;'  and  in  the  whole  process  of  calling 
away  mortals  from  the  earth  and  repeopling  their  places  with  successors,  God  '  takes  away  their 
spirit  ami — they  die  and  return  to  their  dust ;  he  sends  forth  his  Spirit  "jm"i — they  are  created, 
and  he  renews  the  face  of  the  earth,'  Psalm  civ.  29,  30.  The  Septuagint,  the  Vulgate,  and  the 
Arabic  versions,  accordingly,  appear  to  understand  the  clause  in  question  as  speaking  of  the  animat- 
ing principle,  and  all  render  it,  '  My  Spirit  will  not  always  dwell  with  man.' 

A  third  passage  is  alluded  to  by  Dr.  Ridgeley — '  Quench  not  the  Spirit.'  But  as  this  text  oc- 
curs in  connexion  with  the  commands,  '  Despise  not  prophesyings,'  '  Prove  all  things,'  it  seems  be- 
yond doubt  to  refer  to  the  Holy  Spirit's  miraculous  gifts.  Both  in  the  word  vStm/pi,  here  rendered 
4  quench,'  and  in  the  word  ata^wru^.a,  signifying  to  '  revive  a  fire,'  in  the  somewhat  parallel  pas- 
sage, 2  Tim.  i.  6,  there  appears,  in  the  judgment  of  Macknight  and  other  critics,  to  be  an  obvious 
allusion  to  the  '  cloven  tongues  as  of  fire,'  which  rested  on  the  disciples  at  the  impartation  of  mir- 
aculous gifts  on  the  day  of  Pentecost-  These  gifts,  it  is  quite  clear,  were  conferred  on  a  principle 
altogether  distinct  from  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  economical  operations ;  for,  as  appears  by 
some  examples,  as  well  as  by  our  Lord's  statement  of  what  he  shall  say  at  the  day  of  final  ac- 
counts to  many  who  have  '  cast  out  devils  and  done  wonderful  works,'  they  were  possessed,  in 
some  instances,  by  persons  who  were  strangers  to  divine  grace.  Nothing,  therefore,  can  be  in- 
ferred from  either  the  possession  or  the  '  quenching'  of  the  Spirit  in  the  sense  of  miraculous  gifts, 
to  sanction  the  notion  of  'common'  as  distinguished  from  '  special'  operations  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
economy  of  salvation. 

In  addition  to  the  three  texts  at  which  I  have  glanced,  I  am  not  aware  of  any  argument  in  favour 
of  the  doctrine  in  question,  except  appeal  to  the  ordinary  history  of  unregenerated  hearers  of  the 
gospel.  We  are  invited  to  observe  how  many  of  these  persons  are  brought  into  temporary  religious 
concern,  and  how  all  of  them  are  more  or  less  subjected  to  an  influence  for  good,  by  means  of  the 
ordinances  of  Christianity ;  and  we  are  then  requested  to  say  on  what  principle,  different  from  that 
of  '  common  grace,'  or  '  common  operations '  of  the  Spirit,  we  can  account  for  the  phenomena  we 
witness.  Now,  the  beneficent  tendency  of  the  gospel,  its  humanizing  influence,  its  power  to  awe 
and  restrain  and  agitate  even  its  enemies,  are  quite  manifest.  But,  while  it  operates  on  all  who 
come  within  its  sphere,  and  is  eventually  to  every  one  either  a  savour  of  life  unto  life  or  a  savour 
of  death  unto  death,  it  is  the  instrument  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  economical  work  only  in  achieving 
salvation, — it  is  '  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life'  only  in  making  men  '  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death.'  In  every  other  respect,  the  results  of  its  influence  stand  connected  not  with  the  covenant, 
not  with  the  system  of  grace,  but  with  the  moral  government  of  God, — with  the  beneficence  and 
the  equity  of  the  divine  general  administration.  All  men  have  consciences,  and  ure  accountable 
beings,  and  experience  movements  of  the  moral  affections ;  and  when  any  two  sections  of  them — 
one  section  sitting  under  the  light  of  Christian  ordinances,  and  the  other  section  sitting  in  the  dark- 
ness of  dominant  heathenism — experience  kindred  emotions  of  self-accusation  or  religious  concern, 
the  former  section  are  not,  on  account  of  these  emotions  being  stronger  or  from  a  more  influential 
instrumentality,  to  be  viewed,  any  more  than  the  latter,  as  the  subjects  of  '  common  grace,'  or  as 
possessing,  in  any  degree  or  in  any  sense,  the  peculiar  boons  of  sovereign  favour  which  are  bestowed 
on  the  renewed  and  justified.  There  hence  comes  to  be  no  alternative  but  either  unqualifiedly  to 
reject  the  doctrine  of  '  common  grace,'  or  to  mould  it  into  the  latitudinarian  form  of  the  kindred 
but  broader  doctrine  held  by  the  Pelagians.  —  Ed.] 

[Note  H.  ltegentration Dr.  Ridgeley  makes  a  distinction,  to  which  he  appears  to  attach  con- 
siderable importance,  between  the  implantation  of  the  principle  of  grace,  and  the  exciting  of  that 
principle  into  activity.  This,  however,  is  either  a  distinction  without  a  difference,  or  it  distin- 
guishes regeneration  from  sanctification.  Regeneration,  define  it  as  we  may,  consists  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  work  of  holiness  in  the  heart, — in  the  first  breathing,  the  first  experience,  or  the 
actual  reception  of  spiritual  life ;  and  sanctification  consists  in  the  progressive  advancement  of  the 
work  of  holiness, — the  continued  existence,  the  strengthening,  the  maturing,  or,  in  one  word,  the 
activity  of  the  spiritual  life.  Now,  if  the  life  conveyed  to  the  renovated  soul  is  at  all  to  be  viewed 
in  itself,  abstractedly  from  the  same  life  viewed  in  its  activity,  there  can  be  a  distinction,  not  be- 
tween two  things  constituting  the  commencement  of  the  life,  but  only  between  the  life  as  received 
and  the  life  as  performing  its  functions.  We  shall  hence  have  a  distinction,  not  between  the  im- 
plantation and  the  activity  of  the  principle  of  renovation,  but  between  renovation  or  regeneration 
itself,  and  the  sequent  work  of  sanctification. 

What-  Dr.  Ridgelev  means  by  '  the  principle  of  grace'  can  be  easily  conjectured  and  understood. 


78  EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 

hut  is  ill  expressed  by  the  phrase  which  he  employs.  '  A  new  heart,'  or  desires  different  from  any 
the  miuI  experienced  "before,— '  the  seed  of  God,'  or  love  to  holiness,  love  to  the  divine  service,  love 
to  whatever  is  divine,—'  conformity  to  the  divine  image,'  or  moral  affections  kindred  in  character 
to  those  di.-played  in  the  divine  word  and  government, — '  eternal  life,'  or  the  begun  experience  of 
a  spiritual  vitality  perfectly  suited  to  the  soul's  capacities,  and  enduring  as  its  own  immortality, — 
«  a  new  creation,'  or  the  instantaneous  but  silent  appearance  of  order,  and  light,  and  beauty,  where 
all  before  was  chaos,  darkness,  and  deformity  ;— these  are  the  graphic  images,  the  illustrative  de- 
scriptions, by  which  the  inspired  oracles  exhibit  the  idea  of  regeneration.  But  they  are  clumsily, 
and  not  a  little  injuriously,  epitomized  in  the  phrase  '  the  principle  of  grace.'  The  word  principle 
is  too  general,  too  abstract,  too  misty  to  bring  vividly  or  fully  before  the  view  the  glowing  notion 
of  transformation,  creation,  life.  We  usually  think  of  a  principle  as  something  distinct  from  prac- 
tice,  either  as  the  precept  or  doctrine  by  which  conduct  is  directed,  or  as  the  moral  impression, 

the  belief,  the  habitual  conviction  which  the  precept  or  doctrine  produces.  No  such  conception, 
however,  is  to  be  formed  of  the  differentia — whatever  it  be — between  a  regenerated  and  an  unre- 
generated  man.     Call  it  what  we  may,  we  must  conceive  of  it  as  '  a  heart,'  '  a  nature,'  an  animus, 

'  a  life,' something  which  has  activity  in  its  very  essence,  and  which  exists  at  all  only  as  it  thinks, 

and  feels,  and  propels  to  conduct.  When  we  reflect  on  the  act  of  material  creation — on  God's 
speaking  and  it  was  done,  on  his  commanding  and  it  stood  fast — we  cannot  conceive  of  the  implant- 
ing of  a  principle  of  organization  and  order  and  beauty  in  our  world,  apart  from  the  exciting  of  that 
principle  into  action ;  nor  when  we  reflect  on  the  communication  of  life  to  Adam— when  God 
breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  man  became  a  living  soul — can  we  conceive  of  any 
commencement  of  his  animated  being,  call  it  what  we  may,  apart  from  the  first  actual  movement 
of  his  vital  organs,  or  any  commencement  of  his  moral  and  intellectual  existence,  apart  from  his 
first  act  of  consciousness,  or  his  real  capacity  of  rational  and  moral  thinking.  So  with  regard  to 
'  the  new  creation,'  or  the  spiritual  life  of  regeneration,  there  is  no  abstraction, — no  abstraction 
especially  which  is  '  implanted,' — nothing  but  what  is  positive  or  what  exists  in  an  active  state. 
Perception  of  divine  truth,  love  to  God,  desire  for  holiness,  or  whatever  else  constitutes  the  spiri- 
tual life,  is,  in  its  essence,  as  truly  active  in  regeneration  as  in  sanctification.  Indeed,  sanctification 
is  just  the  perpetuation  and  bringing  to  maturity  of  what  is  begun  in  regeneration, — a  series,  in 
progressive  strength  and  growing  fulness,  of  the  same  acts  as  that  in  which  regeneration  consists, — 
the  development  of  that  vitality,  the  confirming  and  enlarging  exercise  of  those  vital  functions, 
which  begin  in  regeneration,  as  the  developing  and  growing  life  of  an  infant  began  in  the  first  pul- 
sation of  the  heart.  As  truly,  therefore,  might  we  speak  of  a  principle  of  grace  in  sanctification 
apart  from  actual  and  active  holiness,  as  we  may  speak  of  a  principle  of  grace  in  regeneration  apart 
from  the  active  nature  of  the  commencement  of  spiritual  life. 

Dr.  Ridgeley's  distinction  seems  to  have  been  framed  in  order  to  support  his  notion  that  "  the 
regenerating  act  is  wrought  in  us  without  the  instrumentality  of  the  word,  or  of  any  of  the  ordi- 
nary means  of  grace."  How  he  could  have  adopted  this  notion  in  the  face  of  the  texts  which  he 
himself  quotes,  is  not  very  easy  to  conceive.  These  texts  seem  to  be  sufficiently  explicit :  '  Being 
born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God  which  liveth  and  ahid- 
eth  for  ever.'  *  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of 
first-fruits  of  his  creatures.'  Dr.  Ridgeley  discovers,  however,  that  "  this  language  respects  not  so 
much  the  implanting  of  the  principle  of  grace,  as  our  being  enabled  to  act  from  that  principle  ;" 
that  is,  he  previously  sets  up  a  distinction  between  the  abstract  being  and  the  active  nature  of  spiri- 
tual life,  and  then,  on  the  faith  of  that  distinction,  perceives  the  texts  of  scripture  in  question  to 
refer,  not  to  '  the  regenerating  act,'  but  to  the  moral  ability  or  activity  which  it  imparts.  Yet  no 
words,  in  any  part  of  scripture,  would  seem  to  speak  more  directly  and  even  distinctively  of  'the 
regenerating  act,'  than  the  phrases,  '  We  are  born  again,'  '  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us.'  Where,  if 
not  in  these  phrases,  as  they  occur  here  and  in  other  texts,  is  inspired  language  to  be  found  which 
describes  even  what  Dr.  Ridgeley  calls  'the  implanting  of  the  principle  of  grace;'  or  where,  if  these 
phrases  be  otherwise  explained,  does  authority  exist  for  speaking,  in  any  respect  whatever,  of  re- 
generation ?  Yet  the  two  passages  in  which  they  lie  explicitly  ascribe  our  being  '  born  again,'  and 
our  being  '  begotten  of  God '  to  the  instrumentality  of '  the  word  of  truth,'  '  the  word  of  God  which 
liveth  and  abideth  for  ever.' 

Dr.  Ridgeley  states,  as  the  ground  of  his  opinion,  that  the  regenerating  act  is  effected  without 
the  instrumentality  of  the  word,  that  "  it  is  necessary,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  to  our  receiv- 
ing or  improving  the  word  of  God,  or  reaping  any  saving  advantage  by  it,  that  the  Spirit  should 
produce  the  principle  of  faith  ;"  and  he  thus  reasons  :  "  Now  to  say  that  this  is  done  by  the  word, 
is,  in  effect,  to  assert  that  the  word  produces  the  principle,  and  the  principle  gives  efficacy  to  the 
word  ;  which  seems  to  me  little  less  than  arguing  in  a  circle."  But  does  not  the  vice  of  reasoning 
in  a  circle  appear  somewhat  strongly  to  characterize  his  own  argument?  'Saving  advantage,' if 
the  phrase  have  any  due  signification,  must  mean  the  advantage  of  obtaining  or  receiving  salvation. 
Now,  this  advantage  he  very  justly  represents  as  received  by  faith  in  the  divine  record ;  while,  at 
the  same  time,  he  represents  it  as  '  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,'  previously  received  in  a  regenerat- 
ing act  which  is  wrought  without  the  instrumentality  of  the  word.  In  other  words,  saving  advan- 
tage, according  to  him,  must  be  received  in  order  to  saving  advantage  being  received ;  or  while 
enjoyed  by  faith  in  the  word,  it  must,  nevertheless,  he  previously  enjoyed  without  the  instrumen- 
tality of  the  word.  That  I  do  not  misstate  his  argument,  seems  certain  from  a  remark  which  he 
makes  respecting  faith,— a  remark  of  somewhat  startling  discord  with  his  preceding  context.  "  1 
am  far  from  denying,"  says  he,  "  that  faith  and  all  other  graces,  ore  wrought  in  us  by  the  instrumen- 
tality of  the  word."  Yet  he  had  said,  "  It  is  necessary  to  our  receiving  or  improving  the  word  of 
God  that  the  Spirit  should  produce  the  principle  of  faith."  The  word,  that  is  to  say,  is  the  instru- 
ment in  producing  faith  ;  and  yet  is  of  no  saving  use  to  us  whatever,  and,  of  course,  of  no  use  in 
producing  faith,  till  faith  be  actually  produced.    Dr.  Ridgeley  may  be  alleged,  indeed,  to  distinguish 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  79 

between  'the  grace  of  faith'  and  '  the  principle  of  faith,'  for  he  uses  the  former  phrase  when  ad- 
mitting, and  the  latter,  when  denying  that  faith  is  wrought  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word. 
But,  if  words  have  meaning,  faith  is  a  grace  simply  as  it  is  of  divine  origin,  and  it  is  a  principle 
simply  as  it  prompts  and  regulates  conduct ;  and,  under  the  two  names,  it  is  strictly  and  entirely 
one  thing,  merely  viewed  in  different  aspects.  Besides,  he  uses  the  word  '  faith '  without  the  ad- 
junct of  either  'grace'  or  '  principle,'  in  a  sentence  which  exhibits  even  a  larger  circumference  than 
that  already  noticed,  of  reasoning  in  a  circle.  He  says,  "  The  word  cannot  profit  unless  it  be  mixed 
with  faith  ;  faith  cannot  be  put  forth  unless  it  proceed  from  a  principle  of  grace  implanted ;  there- 
fore this  principle  of  grace  is  not  produced  by  the  word  !"  Yet,  while  a  principle  of  grace  goes 
before  faith,  and  faith  goes  before  the  instrumentality  of  the  word,  both  "faith  and  all  other  graces 
are  wrought  in  us  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word."  Such  is  the  confusion  of  thought  resulting 
from  the  distinction  between  the  implantation  and  the  activity  of  "  the'  principle  of  regeneration." 
'  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God.'  We  believe,  not  by  possessing  ah 
abstract  capacity,  but  by  counting  true  the  record  which  God  has  given  concerning  his  Son.  Our 
minds,  by  their  own  unaided  efforts,  will  look  in  vain  upon  divine  truth  in  order  either  to  understand 
its  spiritual  import,  or  receive  it  in  its  evidence;  yet  they  are  necessarily  turned  toward  it,  and  made 
to  look  on  some  of  its  declarations,  when  the  divine  Spirit  gives  them  '  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  God.'  Just  while  he  speaks  in  his  word — while  he  discloses  the  truth  in  its  real 
colours,  its  genuine  glory,  its  perfect  adaptation  to  man — he  makes  all  things  new.  In  the  moral 
creation,  as  in  the  physical,  '  he  speaks  and  it  is  done,  he  commands  and  it  stands  fast.'  Exhibiting 
the  truth  in  its  evidence,  enlightening  the  understanding,  affecting  the  heart,  giving  origin  to  faith, 
and  renewing  the  spirit  of  the  mind,  are  all  but  different  phases  of  strictly  one  act.  When  the 
change  which  passes  upon  a  sinner  on  his  being  made  spiritually  alive,  is  viewed  in  reference  to  the 
instrumentality  employed,  it  is  called  his  believing  or  receiving  the  truth ;  when  it  is  viewed  in 
reference  to  its  result  upon  his  understanding,  it  is  called  the  enlightening  of  his  mind ;  when  it  is 
viewed  in  reference  to  its  result  upon  his  heart  or  character,  it  is  called  regeneration  ;  and  when  it 
is  viewed  in  reference  to  its  result  on  his  condition,  or  in  reference  rather  to  the  redemptional 
grounds  on  which  it  is  effected,  it  is  called  justification.  These  constituent  parts  or  different  as- 
pects of  the  impartation  to  a  dead  soul  of  eternal  life,  are  exhibited  in  scripture,  not  as  consecutive 
acts  in  a  causational  process, — not  as  separate  events  or  separate  things  following  one  another  in  a 
given  order, — but  strictly  as  one  great  change,  constituting  the  man  who  was  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins  alive  unto  God.  Perfectly  distinct,  therefore,  as  the  conceptions  afforded  us  by  the  Bible  are 
of  our  change  of  state,  our  change  of  character,  and  our  change  of  views — our  justification,  our 
regeneration,  and  the  saving  enlightenment  of  our  understanding — we  are  not  to  conceive  of  even 
these  as  arising  out  of  one  another  in  the  order  of  causation  or  the  order  of  priority ;  and  still  less 
are  we  to  conceive  in  this  manner  of  any  number  of  parts  or  aspects  into  which  we  may  divide  our 
notions  either  of  believing,  of  being  enlightened,  or  of  becoming  '  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus.' 
However  much,  in  particular,  we  may,  for  the  sake  of  clearness  of  conception,  distribute  our 
thoughts  on  regeneration  into  classes  referring  to  the  agency,  the  instrumentality,  the  concomitant 
circumstances,  the  results  upon  the  will,  the  desires  and  the  affections,  we  must  carefully  sum  them 
all  up  in  the  one  idea  stated  in  the  expressive  phrase,  '  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  by  the  word 
of  truth. 

A  dispute,  then,  in  which  some  writers  have  indulged,  as  to  whether,  in  regeneration,  there  is  the 
implantation  of  a  positive  principle,  or  merely  the  communication  of  light  to  the  understanding 
which  acts  reflexly  on  the  heart,  is — if  the  subject  be  viewed  as  we  have  stated  it — a 'mere  logo- 
machy What  one  party  really  mean  by  the  reflex  influence  of  communicated  light,  is  probably 
just  what  the  other  party  mean  by  the  implantation  of  a  positive  principle.  Both  expressions — as 
all  words  must  be  which  refer  to  matters  of  mere  consciousness  or  abstract  intelligence,  and  espe- 
cially to  matters  of  divine  influence  on  the  soul — are  essentially  figurative  ;  and  they  differ  from 
each  other,  if  they  differ  at  all,  only  in  the  strength  and  appropriateness  of  their  respective  tropes. 
Light,  literally  understood,  is  just  as  really  positive  as  any  palpable  substance  capable  of  being  im- 
planted ;  and  light,  understood  metaphorically  of  what  is  conveyed  to  the  understanding  and  im- 
pressed on  the  heart  by  the  divine  Spirit,  can  differ  nothing  from  what  is  termed  the  implantation 
of  a  principle  of  grace.  The  metaphor  of  implanting,  however, — especially  when  collocated  with 
the  very  general  and  indefinite  word  '  principle' — falls  far  short,  as  to  either  fitness  or  force,  of  the 
expressive  metaphors  of  the  shining  of  light  into  darkness,  a  resurrection  from  the  dead,  a  new 
creation,  and  a  being  begotten  of  God,  or  begotten  again,  employed  in  the  scriptures.  Even  the 
phrase,  '  the  new  birth '  or  being  '  born  again,'  so  <  urrently  applied  to  regeneration  and  repeatedly 
occurring  in  our  English  version  of  the  New  Testament,  is  considerably  less  expressive  than  the 
phrase  whose  place  it  usurps,  '  begotten  anew,'  or  'begotten  from  above.'  Reading  the  passage  as 
it  ought  to  be  translated,  how  doubly  significant,  for  example,  are  the  words :  '  Seeing  ye  have 
purified  your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit  unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren, 
love  ye  one  another  with  a  pure  heart  fervently,  ye  having  been  begotten  again,  not  of  corruptible 
ste/i.  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  qf  God  which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever.' 

The  great  features  of  regeneration,  additional  to  the  grace  and  the  divine  agency  of  its  origina- 
tion, the  instrumentality  of  the  divine  word  in  effecting  it,  and  its  connexion  in  identity  of  occurrence 
with  justification  through  the  merits  of  Christ,  are  its  instantaneity,  its  moral  nature,  its  totality, 
its  incompleteness,  and  its  imperceptibility  to  consciousness.  Its  instantaneity  is  its  being,  not  a 
work  or  a  process,  but  a  single  act ;  and  appears  from  the  character  of  the  metaphors,  especially 
those  of  creation,  resurrection,  and  the  impartation  of  life,  which  are  employed  to  describe  it.  Its 
moral  nature  is  its  affecting  only  man's  will,  his  affections,  and  his  views  or  motives  of  action,  and 
not  his  intellectual  powers  or  the  peculiar  configuration  of  his  mind ;  and  appears  both  from  the 
fact  that  regenerated  men  retain  just  the  intellectual  faculties  and  culture  which  they  possessed 
when  un regenerated,  and  from  the  statement  that  '  the  old  man'  is  crucified  in  the  crucifixion  of 


80  COMMUNION   IN  GRACE   WITH  CHRIST. 

depraved  '  affections  and  desires,'  and  that  the  new  man  is  created  after  the  image  of  God  '  in  right- 
eousness and  true  holiness.'  Its  totality  is  its  affecting  all  the  moral  faculties,  leaving  not  one 
moral  power,  not  one  member  of  the  heart,  untouched ;  and  appears  from  the  idea  of  entireness 
conveyed  in  the  images  of  a  new  creation,  a  new  heart,  a  new  man,  as  well  as  from  the  declaration, 
'  Old  things  are  passed  away,  behold,  all  things  are  become  new.'  Its  incompleteness  is  its  affect- 
ing the  soul  only  in  the  way  of  begun  holiness,  of  the  commencement  of  a  work  of  sanctification, 
of  the  impartation  of  what  requires  to  be  reared  up  to  maturity  ;  and  appears  both  from  the  imper- 
fect state  in  which  regenerated  persons  continue  while  on  earth,  and  from  the  image  of  '  a  babe  in 
Christ'  employed  to  describe  the  comparative  condition  of  a  recent  convert.  Its  imperceptibility 
to  consciousness  is  its  not  being,  by  the  mind  of  its  subject,  distinguishable,  as  to  the  very  act  in 
which  it  takes  place,  from  those  emotions  of  concern  which  precede  or  accompany  it,  or  from 
the  commencing  growth  of  those  fruits  of  inward  holiness  by  which  its  reality  is  evinced  ;  and  it 
appears,  both  from  the  experimental  testimony  of  men  who  afford  eminent  evidence  of  having  been 
its  subjects,  and  from  the  express  declaration  of  our  Lord :  '  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  livteth, 
and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it  goeth  ;  so 
is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit.'  Such  seem  to  be  the  characteristic  features  of  regeneration. 
They  are  exhibited,  however,  not  as  separate  things  in  the  act,  and  still  less  as  things  which  in 
any  sense  originate  one  another,  but  simply  as  different  aspects  of  the  same  thing,  conceived  of  sepa- 
rately, and  viewed  each  by  each,  for  the  sake  of  distinctly  conceiving  the  undivided  whole Ed.] 


COMMUNION  IN  GRACE  WITH  CHRIST. 

Question  LXIX.  What  is  the  communion  in  grace,  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church 
have  with  Christ  f 

Answer.  The  communion  in  grace,  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church  have  with  Christ, 
is,  their  partaking  of  the  virtue  of  his  mediation,  in  their  justification,  adoption,  sanctiricntion,  and 
whatever  else,  in  this  life,  manifests  their  union  with  him. 

Having  considered  the  vital  union  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church  have 
with  Christ  in  their  effectual  calling,  we  are  now  led  to  speak  concerning  the  com- 
munion in  grace  which  they  have  with  him. 

Communion  with  Christ  does  not  in  the  least  import  our  being  made  partakers 
of  any  of  the  glories  or  privileges  which  belong  to  him  as  Mediator;  but  it  con- 
sists in  our  participation  of  those  benefits  which  he  hath  purchased  for  us.  It  im- 
plies, on  his  part,  infinite  condescension,  that  he  will  be  pleased  to  communicate 
such  blessings  to  us ;  and,  on  ours,  unspeakable  honours  and  privileges,  which  we 
enjoy  from  him.  It  is  sometimes  called  'fellowship  ;'*  which  is  the  result  of  friend- 
ship, and  proceeds  from  his  love.  Thus  our  Saviour  speaks  of  his  '  loving '  his  dis- 
ciples, '  and  manifesting  himself  to  them.'k  It  also  proceeds  from  union  with  him, 
and  is  the  immediate  effect  and  consequence  of  effectual  calling.  Hence,  God  is 
said  to  have  'called  us  unto  the  fellowship  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.'1  It  is  farther 
said,  in  this  Answer,  to  be  a  manifestation  of  our  union  with  him.  He  has  received 
those  blessings  for  us  which  he  purchased  by  his  blood ;  and,  accordingly,  is  the 
treasury,  as  well  as  the  fountain  of  all  grace  ;  and  we  are  therefore  said  to  '  receive 
of  his  fulness,  grace  for  grace. 'm  And  the  blessings  which  we  are  said  to  receive, 
by  virtue  of  his  mediation,  are  justification,  adoption,  and  sanctification,  with  all 
other  benefits  which  either  accompany  or  flow  from  them.  These  are  particularly 
explained  in  the  following  Answers. 

i  1  John  i.  3.  k  John  xiv.  21.  1  1  Cor.  i.  9.  m  John  i.  1(5. 


JUSTIFICATION.  81 


JUSTIFICATION. 

Question  LXX.  What  is  justification  f 

Answer.  Justification  is  an  art  of  God's  free  grace  unto  sinners,  in  which  he  pardoneth  all  their 
sins,  accepteth  and  accounteth  their  persons  righteous  in  his  sight;  not  for  any  thing  wrought  in 
them,  or  done  by  them,  but  only  for  the  perfect  obedience  and  full  satisfaction  of  Christ,  by  God 
imputed  to  them,  and  received  by  faith  alone. 

Question  LXX  I.  How  is  justification  an  act  of  God's  free  grace  f 

Answer.  Although  Christ,  by  his  obedience  and  death,  did  make  a  proper,  real,  and  full  satis- 
faction to  God's  justice,  in  the  behalf  of  them  that  are  justified;  yet,  inasmuch  as  God  accepteth 
the  satisfaction  from  a  Surety,  which  he  might  have  demanded  of  them,  did  provide  this  Surety,  his 
own  only  Son,  imputing  his  righteousness  to  them,  and  requiring  nothing  of  them  for  their  justifica- 
tion but  faith  ;  which  also  is  his  gift ;  their  justification  is,  to  them,  of  free  grace. 

The  Importance  of  the  Doctrine  of  Justification. 

Hitherto  we  have  been  led  to  consider  that  change  of  heart  and  life  which  is  be- 
gun in  effectual  calling  ;  whereby  a  dead  sinner  is  made  alive,  and  one  who  was 
wholly  indisposed  for  good  works,  and  averse  to  the  performance  of  them,  is  enabled 
to  perform  them  by  the  power  of  divine  grace.  Now  we  are  to  speak  concerning 
that  change  of  state  which  accompanies  change  of  heart ;  whereby  one  who,  being 
guilty  before  God,  was  liable  to  the  condemning  sentence  of  the  law,  and  expected 
no  other  than  an  eternal  banishment  from  his  presence,  is  pardoned,  received  into 
favour,  and  has  a  right  to  all  the  blessings  which  Christ  has,  by  his  obedience  and 
sufferings,  purchased  for  him.  This  is  what  we  call  justification  ;  and  it  is  placed 
immediately  after  the  subject  of  effectual  calling,  agreeably  to  the  method  in  which 
it  is  insisted  on  in  the  golden  chain  of  salvation  exhibited  by  the  apostle,  '  Whom 
he  called,  them  he  also  justified.'" 

This  is  certainly  a  doctrine  of  the  highest  importance  ;  inasmuch  as  it  contains 
the  way  of  peace,  the  foundation  of  all  our  hope,  of  the  acceptance  both  of  our  per- 
sons and  our  services,  and  the  beholding  of  the  face  of  God,  at  last,  with  joy. 
Some  have  styled  it  the  very  basis  of  Christianity.  Our  forefathers  thought  it  so 
necessary  to  be  insisted  on  and  maintained,  according  to  the  scripture  account  of 
it,  that  they  reckoned  it  one  of  the  principal  doctrines  of  the  Reformation.  Indeed, 
the  apostle  Paul  speaks  of  it  as  so  necessary  to  be  believed,  that  he  concluded  the 
denying  or  perverting  of  it  to  be  the  ground  and  reason  of  the  Jews  being  rejected: 
*  Who  being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  a  right- 
eousness of  their  own,  have  not  submitted  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God.' 
If,  as  many  suppose,  their  call  be  meant  in  the  account  which  we  have  of  '  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb,  and  of  his  wife  having  made  herself  ready,'0  it  is  worth  ob- 
serving that  she  is  described  as  '  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  which  is  the  righteousness  of 
saints,'  or,  Christ's  righteousness  by  which  they  are  justified.  This  is  that  in  which 
they  glory  ;  and  therefore  they  are  represented  as  being  convinced  of  the  impor- 
tance of  that  doctrine  of  which  they  were  formerly  ignorant. 

This  doctrine  we  have  an  account  of  in  the  two  Answers  which  we  are  now  to 
explain.  In  considering  it,  we  shall  endeavour  to  observe  the  following  method. 
First,  we  shall  consider  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  word  'justify.'  Second- 
ly, we  shall  inquire  what  the  privileges  are,  which  are  contained  in  it,  as  reduced 
to  two  heads,  namely,  pardon  of  sin,  and  God's  accounting  those  who  are  justified 
righteous  in  his  sight.  Thirdly,  we  shall  inquire  what  the  foundation  is  of  our 
justification,  namely,  a  righteousness  wrought  out  for  us.  Fourthly,  we  shall  show 
the  utter  inability  of  fallen  man  to  perform  any  righteousness  which  can  be  the 
matter  of  his  justification  in  the  sight  of  God.  Fifthly,  we  shall  show  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  has,  as  our  surety,  wrought  out  this  righteousness  for  us,  by  per- 
forming active  and  passive  obedience,  which  is  imputed  to  us  for  our  justification. 
Sixthly,  we  shall  consider  justification  as  an  act  of  God's  free  grace.  Lastly,  we 
shall  show  the  use  of  faith  in  justification,  or  in  what  respects  faith  is  said  to  justify. 

n  Rom.  viii.  30.  o  Rev.  xix.  7. 

II.  L 


82  JUSTIFICATION. 


The  Meaning  of  the  Word  *  Justify.' 

We  shall  first  consider  in  what  sense  we  are  to  understand  the  word  'justify.* 
As  there  are  many  disputes  about  the  method  of  explaining  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication ;  so  there  is  a  contest  between  us  and  the  Papists  about  the  sense  of  the 
word.  They  generally  suppose  that  -  to  justify,'  is  to  make  inherently  righteous 
and  holy  ;  because  righteousness  and  holiness  sometimes  import  the  same  thing, 
and  because  both  denote  an  internal  change  in  the  person  who  is  so  denominated. 
Accordingly,  they  argue  that,  as  to  magnily  signifies  to  make  great, — to  fortify,  to 
make  strong, — so  to  justify,  is  to  make  just  or  holy.  And  they  suppose  that  what- 
ever we  do  to  make  ourselves  so,  or  whatever  good  works  are  the  ingredients  of  our 
sanctification,  must  be  considered  as  the  matter  of  our  justification.  Some  Protes- 
tant divines  have  supposed  that  the  difference  between  them  and  us  is  principally 
about  the  sense  of  a  word.  This  favourable  and  charitable  construction  of  their 
doctrine  would  have  been  less  exceptionable,  if  the  Papists  had  asserted  no  more 
than  that  justification  might  be  taken  in  the  sense  they  contend  for,  when 
not  considered  as  giving  us  a  right  to  eternal  life,  or  as  being  the  foundation  of 
that  sentence  of  absolution  which  God  passes  upon  us.  But  as  this  is  the  sense 
they  give  of  it,  when  they  say  that  we  are  justified  by  our  inherent  holiness,  we 
are  bound  to  conclude  that  it  is  very  remote  from  the  scripture  sense  of  the  word. 
We  do  not  deny  that  justification  is  sometimes  taken  in  a  sense  different  from  that 
in  which  it  is  understood  when  used  to  signify  the  doctrine  we  are  explaining. 
Sometimes  nothing  more  is  intended  by  it,  than  our  vindicating  the  divine  perfec- 
tions from  any  charge  which  is  pretended  to  be  brought  against  them.  Thus  the 
psalmist  says,  '  That  thou  mightest  be  justified  when  thou  speakest,  and  be  clear 
when  thou  judgest.'P  And  our  Saviour  is  said  to  be  justified,  that  is,  his  person 
or  character  vindicated  or  defended,  from  the  reproaches  which  were  cast  on  him. 
•  Wisdom,'  it  is  said,  '  is  justified  of  her  children. 'i  We  frequently  read  in  scrip- 
ture, also,  of  the  justification  of  the  actions  or  conduct  of  persons  ;  in  which  sense 
their  own  works  may  be  said  to  justify  or  vindicate  them  from  the  charge  of 
hypocrisy  or  unregeneracy.  Again,  to  justify  is  sometimes  taken,  in  scripture,  for 
using  endeavours  to  turn  many  to  righteousness.  Hence,  the  words,  in  the  pro- 
phecy of  Daniel,  which  signify,  '  they  who  justify  many,'  are  rendered  by  our  trans- 
lators, 'they  who  turn  many  to  righteousness,  shall  shine  as  the  stars. 'r  There 
are  various  other  senses  given  of  this  word,  which  we  pass  over  as  not  applicable 
to  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining. 

We  shall  proceed  to  consider  the  sense  in  which  it  is  used,  when  importing  a 
sinner's  justification  in  the  sight  of  God.  When  thus  used,  it  is  to  be  taken  only 
in  a  forensic  sense  ;  and  accordingly  signifies  a  person's  being  acquitted  or  dis- 
charged from  guilt  or  a  liability  to  condemnation,  in  such  a  way  as  is  done  in 
courts  of  judicature.  Thus  we  read  in  the  judicial  law,  '  If  there  be  a  controversy 
between  men,  and  they  come  unto  judgment,  that  the  judges  may  judge  them, 
then  they  shall  justify  the  righteous,  and  condemn  the  wicked.'3  Here  'to  justify 
the  righteous,'  is  to  be  understood  for  acquitting,  or  discharging  from  condemnation, 
one  who  appears  to  be  righteous,  or  not  guilty ;  while  '  the  wicked,'  that  is,  they 
Who  appear  to  be  guilty,  are  to  be  '  condemned.'  In  this  sense  the  word  is  used, 
when  applied  to  the  doctrine  of  justification,  in  the  New  Testament,  and  parti- 
cularly in  Paul's  epistles,  who  largely  insists  on  this  subject.  Now,  that  we  may 
understand  how  a  sinner  may  expect  to  be  discharged  at  God's  tribunal,  let  us 
consider  the  methods  of  proceeding  used  in  human  courts  of  judicature.  In  these, 
it  is  supposed  that  there  is  a  law  which  forbids  some  actions  which  are  deemed 
criminal ;  and  also  that  a  punishment  is  annexed  to  this  law,  which  renders  the 
person  who  violates  it  guilty.  Next,  persons  are  supposed  to  be  charged  with  the 
violation  of  the  law  ;  and  if  the  charge  be  not  made  good,  they  are  said  to  be  jus- 
tified, that  is,  cleared  from  presumptive,  not  real  guilt.  But  if  the  charge  be  made 
good,  and  if  he  who  falls  under  it  is  liable  to  punishment,  and  actually  suffers  the 

p  Ptal.  li.  4.         q  Matt.  xi.  19;  Luke  vii.  35.         r  Dan.  xii.  3.  »p«TXDV         »  Deut.  xxv.  1. 


JUSTIFICATION.  83 

punishment,  he  is  justified  ;  as  in  crimes  which  are  not  of  a  capital  nature.  Or  if 
he  be  any  otherwise  cleared  from  the  charge,  so  that  his  guilt  be  removed,  he  is 
deemed  a  justified  person,  #nd  the  law  has  nothing  to  lay  to  his  charge,  with  re- 
spect to  that  which  he  was  accused  of.  Thus,  when  a  sinner,  who  had  been  charged 
with  the  violation  of  the  divine  law,  found  guilty  before  God,  and  exposed  to  a 
sentence  of  condemnation,  is  freed  from  it,  he  is  said  to  be  justified. 

The  Privileges  contained  in  Justification. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  privileges  contained  in  justification.  These  are 
forgiveness  of  sin,  and  a  right  and  title  to  eternal  life.  They  are  sufficiently  dis- 
tinguished, though  never  separated  ;  so  that,  when  we  find  but  one  of  them  men- 
tioned in  a  particular  scripture  which  treats  on  this  subject,  the.  other  is  not  ex- 
cluded. Forgiveness  of  sin  is  sometimes  expressed  in  scripture,  by  not  imputing 
sin  ;  and  a  right  to  life,  includes  our  being  made  partakers  of  the  adoption  of 
children,  and  a  right  to  the  inheritance  prepared  for  them.  The  apostle  mentions 
both  when  he  speaks  of  our  having  '  redemption  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  even 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,'  and  of  our  being  '  made  meet  to  be  made  partakers  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.'4  Elsewhere,  also,  he  speaks  of  Christ's  '  redeem- 
ing them  that  were  under  the  law,'  which  includes  the  former  branch  of  justifica- 
tion ;  and  of  their  'receiving  the  adoption  of  children,'  which  includes  the  latter. 
Again,  he  considers  justified  persons  as  '  having  peace  with  God, '  which  more 
especially  respects  pardon  of  sin ;  and  of  their  '  having  access  to  the  grace  wherein 
they  stand,'  and  'rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,'u  which  is  what  we  are 
to  understand  by,  or  includes,  their  right  to  life. 

That  justification  consists  of  both  these  branches,  we  maintain  against  the 
Papists.  They  suppose  that  it  includes  nothing  else  but  forgiveness  of  sin,  which 
is  founded  on  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  they  say  that  our  right  to  life  depends  on 
our  internal  qualifications  or  sincere  obedience.  There  are  also  some  Protestant 
divines  who  suppose  that  it  consists  only  in  pardon  of  sin.  This  is  asserted  by  them, 
with  different  views.  Some  assert  it  as  most  consistent  with  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication by  works,  which  they  plead  for  ;  while  others  assert  it  as  most  agreeable 
to  another  notion  which  they  advance,  namely,  that  we  are  justified  only  by  Christ's 
passive  obedience,  which  will  be  considered  under  a  following  Head.  Again,  there 
are  others,  whose  views  of  the  doctrine  of  justification  are  agreeable  to  scripture, 
who  maintain  that  it  includes  both  forgiveness  of  sins  and  a  right  to  life  ;  but  who 
yet  say  that  the  former  is  founded  on  Christ's  passive  obedience,  and  the  latter  on 
his  active.  We  cannot  but  think,  however,  that  the  whole  of  Christ's  obedience,  both 
active  and  passive,  is  the  foundation  of  each.  But  as  this  point  will  be  considered 
when  we  come  to  speak  concerning  the  procuring  cause  of  our  justification,  all  that 
we  shall  observe  at  present,  is,  that  the  two  privileges  in  question  are  inseparably 
connected.  As  no  one  can  have  a  right  to  life,  but  he  whose  sins  are  pardoned  ; 
so  no  one  can  obtain  forgiveness  of  sin,  without,  in  consequence,  having  a  right  to 
life.  As  by  the  fall  man  became  guilty,  and  then  lost  that  right  to  life  which  was 
promised  in  the  event  of  his  standing,  so  it  is  agreeable  to  the  divine  perfections, 
provided  the  guilt  be  removed,  that  he  should  be  put  in  the  same  state  as  if  it  had 
not  been  contracted,  and  consequently  he  should  have,  not  only  forgiveness  of  sins, 
but  a  right  to  life.  Forgiveness  of  sin,  without  a  right  to  eternal  life,  would  ren- 
der our  justification  incomplete.  Hence,  when  any  one  is  pardoned  by  an  act  of 
grace,  he  is  put  in  possession  of  that  which,  by  his  rebellion,  he  had  forfeited ; 
he  is  considered,  not  only  as  released  out  of  prison,  but  as  one  who  has  the  privi- 
leges of  a  subject,  such  as  those  which  he  had  before  he  committed  the  crime.  With- 
out this  he  would  be  like  Absalom,  when,  upon  Joab's  intercession  with  David,  the 
guilt  of  murder,  which  he  had  contracted,  was  remitted  so  far  as  that  he  had  liberty 
to  return  from  Geshur,  whither  he  had  fled  ;  but  who,  nevertheless,  reckons  him- 
self not  fully  discharged  from  the  guilt  he  had  contracted,  and  concludes  his  return 
to  Jerusalem,  as  it  were  an  insignificant  privilege,  unless  by  being  admitted  to  see 

t  Col.  i.  12,  14.  u  Rom.  v.  1,  2. 


84  JUSTIFICATION. 

the  king's  face,  and  enjoy  the  privileges  which  he  was  possessed  of  before,  he  might 
be  dealt  with  as  one  who  was  taken  into  favour,  as  well  as  forgiven  ;x  which  was 
accordingly  granted.  This  leads  us  to  a  particular  consideration  of  the  two  branches 
of  justification. 

1.  Forgiveness  of  sin.  Sin  is  sometimes  represented  as  containing  moral  impu- 
rity, as  opposed  to  holiness  of  heart  and  life.  Accordingly,  it  is  said  to  '  defile  a 
man  ;'*"  and  it  is  set  forth  in  scripture  by  several  metaphorical  expressions  which 
tend  to  beget  an  abhorrence  of  it  as  of  things  impure.  In  this  sense  it  is  removed 
is  sanctification,  rather  than  in  justification.  Not  but  that  divines  sometimes  speak 
of  Christ's  redeeming  us  from  the  filth  and  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  our  deliverance 
from  it  in  justification.  But  when  the  filth  and  the  dominion  of  sin  are  thus  spoken 
of,  they  are  to  be  understood  as  rendering  us  guilty  ;  inasmuch  as  all  moral  pollu- 
tions are  criminal,  as  contrary  to  the  law  of  God.  For,  were  they  not  so  viewed, 
our  deliverance  from  them  would  not  be  a  branch  of  justification.  In  speaking  on 
this  subject,  therefore,  we  shall  consider  sin  as  that  which  renders  men  guilty  be- 
fore God,  and  so  show  what  we  are  to  understand  by  guilt. 

Guilt  supposes  a  person  to  be  under  a  law,  and  to  have  violated  it.  According- 
ly, sin  is  described  as  '  the  transgression  of  the  law.'2  The  law  of  God,  in  com- 
mon with  all  other  laws,  is  primarily  designed  to  be  the  rule  of  obedience  ;  and,  in 
order  to  its  being  so,  it  is  a  declaration  of  the  divine  will  which,  as  creatures  and 
subjects,  we  are  under  a  natural  obligation  to  comply  with.  Moreover,  God,  as  a 
God  of  infinite  holiness  and  sovereignty,  cannot  but  signify  his  displeasure  in  case 
of  disobedience  ;  and  therefore  he  has  annexed  a  threatening  to  his  law,  or  passed 
a  condemning  sentence,  as  what  is  due  for  every  transgression.  This,  divines 
sometimes  call  the  sanction  of  the  law,  or  a  fence  with  which  it  is  guarded,  that 
so,  through  the  corruption  of  our  nature,  we  may  not  conclude  that  we  may  rebel 
against  him  with  impunity.  The  scripture  styles  it,  4  the  curse  of  the  law;'a  so 
that  guilt  is  a  liableness  to  the  curse,  or  condemning  sentence  of  the  law,  for  our 
violation  of  it.  It  is  sometimes  called  a  debt  of  punishment  which  we  owe  to  the 
justice  of  God  for  not  paying  that  debt  of  obedience  which  was  due  from  us  to  his 
law.  Thus,  when  our  Saviour  advises  us  to  pray  that  our  sins  may  be  forgiven, 
he  expresses  it  by  '  forgiving  us  our  debts  ;'b  so  that  forgiveness,  as  it  is  a  freeing 
us  from  guilt,  discharges  us  from  the  debt  of  punishment  to  which  we  were  liable. 
There  is  a  twofold  debt  which  man  owes  to  God.  One  he  owes  to  him  as  a  crea- 
ture under  a  law.  This  is  that  debt  of  obedience  which  he  cannot  be  discharged 
from  ;  and  therefore  a  justified  person  is,  in  this  sense,  as  much  a  debtor  as  any 
other.  There  is  also  a  debt  which  man  contracts  as  a  criminal,  whereby  he  is 
liable  to  suffer  punishment.  This  alone  is  removed  in  justification.  Moreover, 
we  must  carefully  distinguish  between  the  demerit  of  sin,  or  its  desert  of  punish- 
ment, and  the  sinner's  obligation  to  suffer  punishment  for  it.  The  former  is  in- 
separable from  sin,  and  not  removed,  or  in  the  least  lessened,  by  pardoning  mercy. 
For  sin  is  no  less  the  object  of  the  divine  detestation,  nor  is  its  intrinsic  evil  or 
demerit  abated,  by  its  being  forgiven.  Hence,  a  justified  person  remaining  still  a 
sinner,  as  transgressing  the  law  of  God,  has  as  much  reason  to  condemn  himself  in 
this  respect  as  if  he  had  not  been  forgiven.  The  psalmist,  speaking  concerning  a 
person  who  is  actually  forgiven  or  justified,  says,  '  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark 
iniquities,  0  Lord,  who  shall  stand?'0  He  was  in  a  justified  state,  but  yet  con- 
cludes that  there  is  a  demerit  of  punishment  in  every  sin  which  he  committed ; 
though,  when  it  is  pardoned,  the  obligation  to  suffer  punishment  is  taken  away.d 
Hence,  the  apostle  speaking  of  such,  says,  '  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them.'e 
We  must  farther  distinguish  between  our  having  matter  of  condemnation  in  us, — 
which  a  justified  person  has  ;  and  there  being  no  condemnation  to  us,  which  is  the 
immediate  result  of  being  pardoned. 

There  are  several  expressions  in  scripture  whereby  forgiveness  is  set  forth.     It 

x  2  Sam.  xiv.  32.  y  Matt.  xv.  19,  20.  z  1  John  iii.  4.  a  Gal.  iii.  10. 

5  tl!  fxu  4;  Matt* vi- 12,  c  PsaU  cxxx-  3- 

d    I  he  former  of  these  divines  call  ■  reatus  potentialis ;'  the  latter,  *  reatus  actualis.'     The  far- 
mer is  the  immediate  consequence  of  sin;  the  latter  is  taken  away  in  justification, 
e  Rom.  vih.  1. 


JUSTIFICATION.  85 

is  called  God's  covering  sin.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  *  Blessed  is  he  whose  trans- 
gression is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is  covered. 'f  It  is  called,  also,  his  hiding  his  face 
from  it,  and  blotting  it  out ;  its  '  not  being  found  "*  '  when  it  is  sought  for  ;'h  and 
•casting  our  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea.'1  Elsewhere  it  is  said  that,  when  God 
had  pardoned  the  sins  of  his  people,  '  he  did  not  behold  iniquity  in  Jacob,  nor  see 
perverseness  in  Israel. 'k  This  amounts  to  the  same  thing  as  the  foregoing  expres- 
sions, as  to  sin  being  covered,  hid,  blotted  out,  &c.  I  am  sensible  there  have  been 
many  contests  about  the  sense  of  this  scripture,  which  might,  without  much  diffi- 
culty, have  been  compromised,  had  the  contending  parties  been  desirous  to  know 
one  another's  opinion  without  prejudice  or  partiality.  It  is  not  to  be  thought  that, 
when  God  forgives  sin,  he  does  not  know  or  suppose  that  the  person  forgiven  had 
contracted  guilt  by  sins  committed  ;  for  without  this  he  could  not  be  the  object  of 
forgiveness.  When  God  is  said  not  to  look  upon  his  people's  sins,  or  to  hide  his 
face  from  them,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  he  knows  not  what  they  have  done,  or 
what  iniquities  they  daily  commit  against  him ;  for  that  would  be  subversive  of  his 
omniscience.  When,  again,  he  is  said  not  to  mark  our  iniquities,  we  are  not  to 
understand  it  as  if  he  did  not  look  upon  the  sins  we  commit,  though  in  a  justified 
state,  with  abhorrence  ;  for  the  sinner  may  be  pardoned,  and  yet  the  crime  forgiven 
be  detested.  God's  not  seeing  sin  in  his  people,  is  to  be  understood  in  a  forensic 
sense.  Accordingly,  when  an  atonement  is  made  for  sin,  and  the  guilt  of  it  is 
taken  away,  the  criminal  is,  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  as  if  he  had  not  sinned.  He  is 
as  fully  discharged  from  the  indictment  which  was  brought  in  against  him,  as  if  he 
had  been  innocent, — not  liable  to  tany  charge  founded  upon  it.  Hence,  the  apostle 
says,  '  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justi- 
fieth.'1  It  is  the  same  thing  as  for  God  '  not  to  enter  into  judgment,'  as  the  psal- 
mist elsewhere  expresses  it ;  or  to  '  punish  us  less  than  our  iniquities  have  deserved.'"1 
In  this  sense,  the  indictment  which  was  brought  against  the  sinner  is  cancelled,  the 
sentence  reversed,  and  prosecution  stopped  ;  so  that  whatever  evils  are  endured  as 
the  consequence  of  sin,  or  with  a  design  to  humble  the  transgressor  for  it,  as  bring- 
ing sin  to  his  remembrance  with  all  its  aggravating  circumstances,  he  is  encouraged 
to  hope  that  these  are  inflicted,  not  in  a  judicial  way  by  the  vindictive  justice  of  God 
demanding  satisfaction,  but  to  display  and  set  forth  the  holiness  of  his  nature  as  in- 
finitely opposed  to  all  sin,  and  also  the  holiness  of  the  dispensations  of  his  provi- 
dence, and  that  with  a  design  to  bring  the  transgressor  to  repentance. 

That  the  privilege  of  forgiveness  may  appear  to  be  most  conducive  to  our  happi- 
ness and  comfort,  let  it  be  considered  that,  wherever  God  forgives  sin,  he  forgives 
all  sin,  cancels  every  debt  which  rendered  the  sinner  liable  to  punishment.  Were 
it  otherwise,  our  condition  would  be  very  miserable,  and  our  salvation  impossible. 
Our  condition  would  be  like  that  of  a  person  who  has  several  indictments  brought 
in"  against  him,  every  one  of  which  contains  an  intimation  that  his  life  is  forfeited ; 
and  whom  it  would  avail  very  little  for  one  indictment  to  be  superseded,  while  the 
sentence  due  to  him  for  the  others  should  be  executed.  Accordingly,  the  apostle 
speaks  of  '  the  free  gift'  being  'of  many,'  that  is,  of  the  multitude  of  our  'offences 
unto  justification.'11  Elsewhere,  too,  he  speaks  of  God's  forgiving  his  people  '  all 
trespasses.'0  And  as  he  forgives  all  past  sins,  so  he  gives  the  pardoned  ground  to 
conclude  that  iniquity  shall  not  be  their  ruin  ;  so  that  the  same  grace  which  now 
abounds  towards  them  in  forgiveness,  together  with  the  virtue  of  the  atonement 
made  for  sin,  shall  prevent  future  crimes  from  being  charged  upou  them  to  their 
condemnation.     Thus  concerning  forgiveness  of  sin. 

The  other  privilege  which  they  who  are  justified  are  made  partakers  of,  is  the 
acceptance  of  their  persons  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God.  They  are  said  to  be 
4  made  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  'p  And  as  their  persons  are  accepted,  so  are  their 
performances,  notwithstanding  the  many  defects  which  adhere  to  them.  Thus  God 
is  said  to  have  '  had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to  his  offering. 'i  Besides,  they  have 
a  right  and  title  to  eternal  life  ;  which  is  that  inheritance  which  Christ  has  pur- 
chased for  them,  and  which  God,  in  his  covenant  of  grace,  has  promised  to  them. 

f  Psal.  xxxii.  1.  g  Jer.  1.  20.  h  Psal.  li.  9.  i  Micah  vii.  19. 

k   Numb,  xxiii.  21.  1  Rom.  viii.  S3.  m   Psal.  c.xliii.  2;  Ezra  ix.  13. 

n  Rom.  v.  16.  o  Col.  ii.  13.  p  Eph.  i.  G.  q  Gen.  iv.  4. 


86  JUSTIFICATION. 

This  is  a  very  comprehensive  blessing ;  for  it  contains  a  right  to  all  those  great 
and  precious  promises  which  God  has  made  respecting  their  happiness  both  here 
and  hereafter.  But  we  shall  have  occasion  to  insist  on  it  under  a  following  Answer, 
when  speaking  on  the  subject  of  adoption,  which  some  divines,  not  without  good 
reason,  conclude  to  be  a  branch  of  justification,  or  at  least  to  contain  those  positive 
privileges  which  they  who  are  justified  partake  of,  either  here  or  hereafter. 

The  Foundation  of  Justification. 

We  now  proceed  to  consider  what  is  the  foundation  of  our  justification.  This 
must  be  some  righteousness  wrought  out  either  by  us  or  for  us.  Since  justification 
is  a  person's  being  'made  righteous,'  as  the  apostle  styles  it,r  we  must  consider  what 
we  are  to  understand  by  this  phrase.  A  person  is  said  to  be  righteous  who  never 
violated  the  law  of  God,  or  exposed  himself  to  its  condemning  sentence.  In  this 
respect,  man,  while  in  a  state  of  innocency,  was  righteous.  His  perfect  obedience 
was  the  righteousness  which,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  covenant  he  was  under, 
gave  him  a  right  to  eternal  life  ;  and  it  would  especially  have  done  so,  had  it  been 
persisted  in  till  he  became  possessed  of  that  life.  But  such  a  righteousness  as  this 
cannot  be  the  foundation  of  our  justification  ;  for  the  apostle  says,  '  By  the  works 
of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified.'8  The  righteousness  we  are  now  speaking  of 
must  be  something  wrought  out  for  us  by  one  who  stood  in  our  room  and  stead, 
and  was  able  to  pay  that  debt  of  obedience  and  endure  those  sufferings  which  were 
due  for  sin.  This  debt  the  law  of  God  might  have  exacted  of  us,  and  insisted  on 
the  payment  of  in  our  own  persons  ;  and,  as  paid  by  Christ  for  us,  it  is,  as  will  be 
considered  under  a  following  Head,  that  which  we  generally  call  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, or  what  he  did  and  suffered  in  our  stead  in  conformity  to  the  law  of  God ; 
whereby  its  honour  was  secured  and  vindicated,  and  justice  satisfied,  so  that  God 
appears  to  be,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth 
in  Jesus.'* 

Mans  inability  to  work  out  a  justifying  Righteousness. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  utter  inability  of  fallen  man  to  perform  any  righte- 
ousness which  can  be  the  matter  of  his  justification  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  whereby 
it  will  appear,  as  is  observed  in  this  Answer,  that  we  are  not  accounted  righteous 
in  his  sight  for  any  thing  wrought  in  us  or  done  by  us.  That  we  cannot  be  justi- 
fied by  suffering  the  punishment  which  was  due  to  sin,  appears  from  the  infinite 
evil  of  it,  and  the  eternal  duration  of  the  punishment  which  it  deserves.  Thus  our 
Saviour  observes  in  the  parable  concerning  the  debtor  who  did  not  '  agree  with  his 
adversary  while  in  the  way,'  but  was  '  delivered  to  the  officer,  and  cast  into  prison,' 
that  he  should  not  come  out  'till  he  had  paid  the  uttermost  farthing, 'u  that  is  to 
say,  he  should  never  be  discharged.  A  criminal  -who  is  sentenced  to  endure  some 
punishments  short  of  death,  or  which  are  to  continue  but  for  a  term  of  years,  is 
discharged  or  justified  when  he  has  suffered  them.  But  it  is  far  otherwise  with 
man,  when  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  vindictive  justice  of  God.  Hence,  the  psal- 
mist says,  '  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant,'  or  do  not  punish  me  accord- 
ing to  the  demerit  of  sin  ;  '  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified.' — Nor 
can  any  one  be  justified  by  performing  active  obedience  to  the  law  of  God.  No- 
thing is  sufficient  to  answer  that  end,  but  what  is  perfect  in  all  respects.  It  must 
be  sinless  obedience ;  and  that  not  only  as  to  what  concerns  the  time  to  come,  but  as 
respecting  the  time  past.  But  this  is  impossible  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  to 
be  affirmed  of  a  sinner ;  for  to  affirm  it  implies  a  contradiction  in  terms.  Besides, 
the  holiness  of  God  cannot  but  detest  the  least  defect,  and  therefore  will  not  deal 
with  a  sinful  creature  as  though  he  had  been  innocent.  As  for  sins  which  are  past, 
they  render  us  equally  liable  to  a  debt  of  punishment  with  those  which  are  com- 
mitted at  present,  or  shall  be  hereafter,  in  the  sight  of  God.  Moreover,  the  hon- 
our of  the  law  cannot  be  secured,  unless  it  be  perfectly  fulfilled  ;  and  it  cannot  be 
so  if  there  be  any  defect  of  obedience. 

r  Rom.  v.  19.  8  Gal.  ii.  16.  t  Rom.  iii.  26.  u  Matt.  v.  25,  26. 


JUSTIFICATION.  87 

As  for  works  which  are  done  by  us  without  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
they  proceed  from  a  wrong  principle,  and  have  many  other  blemishes  attending 
them,  on  account  of  which  they  have  only  a  partial  goodness.  For  that  reason 
Augustine  gives  them  no  better  a  character  than  that  of  shining  sins.x  But  what- 
ever terms  we  give  them,  they  are  certainly  very  far  from  coming  up  to  a  confor- 
mity to  the  divine  law.  And  as  for  good  works  which  are  said  to  be  wrought  in  us, 
and  are  the  effect  of  the  power  and  grace  of  God,  and  the  consequence  of  our  being 
regenerated  and  converted,  they  fall  far  short  of  perfection  ;  there  is  a  great  deal 
of  sin  attending  them,  which,  if  God  should  mark,  none  could  stand.  This  is  ex- 
pressed by  Job,  in  a  very  humble  manner:  •  How  should  man  be  just  with  God  ? 
If  he  will  contend  with  him,  he  cannot  answer  him  one  of  a  thousand.'  '  If  I  wash 
myself  with  snow  wrater,  and  make  my  hands  never  so  clean,  yet  shalt  thou  plunge 
me  in  the  ditch,  and  mine  own  clothes  shall  abhor  me.  For  he  is  not  a  man  as  I 
am,  that  I  should  answer  him,  and  we  should  come  together  in  judgment. *  When 
God  is  said  to  'work  in  us  that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight, 'z  we  are  not  to 
understand  that  the  grace  which  he  works  in  us  renders  us  accepted  in  his  sight,  in 
a  forensic  sense,  or  that  it  justifies  us  ;  for  in  this  respect  we  are  '  made  accepted' 
only  '  in  the  Beloved,'  that  is,  in  Christ.a — Moreover,  as  what  is  wrought  in  us  has 
many  defects  ;  so  it  is  not  from  ourselves,  and  therefore  cannot  be  accepted  as  a 
payment  of  that  debt  of  obedience  which  we  owe  to  the  justice  of  God  ;  and  conse- 
quently we  cannot  be  justified  by  it.  Some,  indeed,  make  the  terms  of  acceptance 
or  justification  in  the  sight  of  God  as  low  as  if  nothing  were  demanded  of  us  but 
our  sincere  endeavours  to  yield  obedience,  whatever  imperfections  it  be  chargeable 
with.  Others  pretend  that  our  confessing  our  sins  will  be  conducive  to  our  justi- 
fication, and  assert  that  our  tears  are  sufficient  to  wash  away  the  guilt  of  sin.  The 
Papists  add  that  some  penances,  or  acts  of  self-denial,  will  satisfy  his  justice,  and 
procure  a  pardon  for  us  ;  yea,  they  go  farther  than  this,  and  maintain  that  per- 
sons may  perform  works  of  supererogation,  or  pay  more  than  the  debt  which  is 
owing  from  them,  or  than  what  the  law  of  God  requires,  and  thereby  not  only 
satisfy  his  justice,  but  render  him  a  debtor  to  them ;  and  they  put  them  into  a  ca- 
pacity of  transferring  these  arrears  of  debt  to  those  who  stand  in  need  of  them,  and 
thereby  lay  an  obligation  on  them  in  gratitude  to  pay  them  honours  next  to  divine. 
Such  absurdities  do  men  run  into  who  plead  for  human  satisfactions,  and  the  merit 
of  good  works,  as  the  matter  of  our  justification.  Indeed,  nothing  can  tend  more 
to  depreciate  Christ's  satisfaction,  on  the  one  hand,  and  stupify  the  conscience  on 
the  other  ;  and  therefore,  it  is  so  far  from  being  an  expedient  for  justification,  that 
it  is  destructive  to  the  souls  of  men. — As  for  our  sincere  endeavours  or  imperfect 
obedience,  these  cannot  be  placed,  by  the  justice  of  God,  in  the  room  of  perfect ; 
for  to  do  so  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  justice.  We  cannot  suppose  that  he  who 
pays  a  peppercorn  or  a  few  mites,  instead  of  a  large  sum,  really  pays  the  debt 
which  was  due  from  him.  Justice  cannot  account  this  to  be  a  payment ;  and  a 
discharge  from  condemnation  on  the  ground  of  it,  cannot  be  styled  a  justification. 
To  say  that  it  is  esteemed  so  by  an  act  of  grace,  is  to  advance  the  glory  of  one 
divine  perfection,  and,  at  the  same  time,  detract  from  that  of  another.  Nothing, 
therefore,  can  be  our  righteousness,  but  that  which  the  justice  of  God  may,  in  hon- 
our, accept  of  for  our  justification  ;  and  our  own  righteousness  is  so  small  and  incon- 
siderable a  thing,  that  it  is  a  dishonour  for  him  to  accept  of  it  in  this  respect ;  so 
that  we  cannot  be  justified  by  works  done  by  us  or  wrought  in  us. — This  will  far- 
ther appear,  if  we  consider  the  properties  of  this  righteousness,  and  in  particular, 
that  it  must  not  only  be  perfect,  and  therefore  such  as  a  sinful  creature  cannot  per- 
form, but  also  be  of  infinite  value,  otherwise  it  could  not  give  satisfaction  to  the 
infinite  justice  of  God,  and  consequently  cannot  be  performed  by  any  other  than  a 
divine  person.  It  must  also  bear  some  resemblance  to  that  debt  which  was  due 
from  us  ;  inasmuch  as  it  was  designed  to  satisfy  for  the  debt  which  we  had  con- 
tracted ;  and  therefore  it  must  be  performed  by  one  who  is  really  man.  But  as  this 
has  been  insisted  on  elsewhere,  under  the  head  of  Christ's  priestly  office,b  we  shall 
not  farther  enlarge  on  it. 

x   Splendida  peccata.  y  Job  ix.  2,  3,  30—32.  z  Heb.  xiii.  21.  a  Eph.  i.  6. 

b  See  Sect.  '  The  Necessity  o(  Satisfaction  for  Sin,'  under  Quest,  xliv. 


88  JUSTIFICATION. 


Christ's  Righteousness  as  the  ground  of  Justification. 

We  now  proceed  to  observe  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  wrought  out  this 
righteousness  for  us,  as  our  surety,  by  performing  active  and  passive  obedience  ; 
which  is  imputed  to  us  for  our  justification.  We  have  already  shown  that  it  is  im- 
possible that  such  a  righteousness  as  is  sufficient  to  be  the  matter  of  our  justification, 
should  be  wrought  out  by  us  in  our  own  persons.  It  must  hence  be  wrought  out 
for  us  by  one  who  bears  the  character  of  a  surety,  and  performs  every  thing  which 
is  necessary  to  our  justification.     Such  an  one  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1.  Here  we  must  show  what  we  are  to  understand  by  '  a  surety  ;'  since  it  is  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  under  this  relation  to  us,  which  is  the  matter  of  our  justifi- 
cation. A  surety  is  one  who  submits  to  be  charged  with,  and  undertakes  to  pay,  a 
debt  contracted  by  another,  to  the  end  that  the  debtor  may  be  discharged.  Thus 
the  apostle  Paul  engages  to  be  surety  to  Philemon  for  Onesimus,  who  had  fled  from 
Philemon  whom  he  had  wronged  or  injured,  and  to  whom  he  was  in  consequence 
indebted.  Concerning  Onesimus,  the  apostle  says,  '  If  he  hath  wronged  thee,  or 
owetli  thee  ought,  put  that  on  mine  account ;  I  Paul  have  written  it  with  mine 
own  hand,  I  will  repay  it.'c  We  read  also  of  Judah's  overture  to  be  surety  for  his 
brother  Benjamin  that  he  should  return  to  his  father,  as  a  motive  to  induce  the 
latter  to  give  his  consent  that  he  should  go  with  him  into  Egypt:  '  I  will  be  surety 
for  him  ;  of  my  hand  shalt  thou  require  him.  If  I  bring  him  not  unto  thee,  and 
set  him  before  thee,  then  let  me  bear  the  blame  for  ever.'d  Suretiship  is  so  com- 
monly known  in  civil  transactions  of  a  similar  nature  between  man  and  man,  that 
it  needs  no  farther  explication. — It  may  be  observed,  however,  that  a  person's  be- 
coming surety  for  another,  must  be  a  free  and  voluntary  act.  For  to  force  any  one 
to  bind  himself  to  pay  a  debt  which  he  has  not  contracted,  is  as  much  an  act  of  in- 
justice as  it  is  in  any  other  instance  to  exact  a  debt  where  it  is  not  due. — Again, 
he  who  engages  to  be  surety  for  another,  must  be  in  a  capacity  to  pay  the  debt ; 
otherwise  he  is  unjust  to  the  creditor,  as  well  as  brings  ruin  upon  himself.  Hence, 
it  is  said,  '  Be  not  thou  one  of  them  that  strike  hands,  or  of  them  that  are  sureties  for 
debts,  if  thou  hast  nothing  to  pay ;  why  should  he  take  away  thy  bed  from  under 
thee?'6 — Further,  he  who  engages  to  be  surety  for  another,  is  supposed  not  to 
have  contracted  the  debt  himself ;  and  therefore  the  creditor  must  have  no  de- 
mands upon  him,  as  being  involved  together  with  the  debtor,  and  so  becoming  en- 
gaged antecedent  to  his  being  surety.  Yet  after  he  has  become  surety  he  is  deemed, 
in  the  eye  of  the  law,  to  stand  in  the  debtor's  room  and  to  be  charged  with  his  debt, 
and  to  be  as  much  obliged  to  pay  it  as  if  he  had  contracted  it,  especially  if  the 
creditor  be  resolved  to  exact  the  payment  of  him  rather  than  of  the  original  debt- 
or. — Further,  as  debts  are  of  different  kinds,  so  the  obligation  of  a  surety  admits 
of  different  circumstances.  Thus  there  are  pecuniary  debts  resulting  from  those 
dealings  or  contracts  which  pass  between  man  and  man  in  civil  affairs  ;  and  there 
are  debts  of  service  or  obedience  ;  as  also  debts  of  punishment,  as  was  formerly 
observed,  for  crimes  committed.  In  all  these  cases,  as  the  nature  of  the  debt 
differs,  so  there  are  some  things  peculiar  in  the  nature  of  suretiship  for  it.  In  pe- 
cuniary debts  the  creditor  is  obliged  to  accept  of  payment  at  the  hand  of  any  one  who, 
at  the  request  of  the  debtor,  is  wdling  to  discharge  the  debt  which  he  has  contracted, 
especially  if  what  he  pays  be  his  own  ;  but  in  debts  of  service  or  punishment,  when 
the  surety  offers  himself  to  perform  or  suffer  what  was  due  from  another,  the  credi- 
tor is  at  liberty  to  accept  or  refuse  satisfaction  from  him,  and  might  insist  on  the 
payment  of  the  debt  in  his  own  person  by  him  from  whom  it  is  due. 

2.  Christ  was  a  surety  for  us,  or  substituted  in  our  room,  with  a  design  to  pay  the 

c  Philem.  verge  18.  d  Gen.  xliii.  9.  e  Prov.  xxii.  26,  27. 

fThe  distinction  is  often  used  in  the  civil  law  between  'fide-jussor'  and  'expromissor.'  A  per- 
son's being  hound  together  with  the  original  debtor,  and  the  creditor's  being  left  to  ids  liberty  to 
exact  the  debt  of  which  of  the  two  he  pleases,  is  called  '  fide-jussor ;'  and  the  surety's  so  taking 
the  debt  upon  himself  :bat  he  who  contracted  it  is  discharged,  is  what  we  understand  bv  'expromis- 
sor.' This  distinction  has  been  considered  elsewhere.  See  Note  near  the  end  of  Sect.  '  The  ad- 
ministration  of  the  Covenant  under  the  Old  Testament,'  under  Quest,  xxxiii,  xxxi  ,  xxxv. 


JUSTIFICATION.  89 

debt  which  was  due  to  the  justice  of  God  from  us. — Here,  that  we  may  resume  the 
ideas  of  a  surety  just  mentioned,  and  apply  them  to  Christ  as  our  surety,  let  it  be 
considered  that  what  he  did  and  suffered  for  us  was  free  and  voluntary.  This  ap- 
pears from  his  readiness  to  engage  in  the  work,  expressed  by  his  saying,  ■  Lo,  I 
come  to  do  thy  will.'s  Hence,  whatever  he  suffered  for  us  did  not  infer  the  least 
injustice  in  God  who  inflicted  it.h — Again,  he  was  able  to  pay  the  debt;  so  that 
there  was  not  the  least  injury  offered  to  the  justice  of  God  by  his  undertaking. 
This  is  evident,  from  his  being  God  incarnate.  In  the  one  nature,  he  was 
able  to  do  and  suffer  whatever  was  demanded  of  us ;  and  in  the  other  nature, 
he  was  able  to  add  an  infinite  value  to  what  he  performed. — Further,  he  was 
not  rendered  incapable  of  paying  our  debt,  or  of  answering  for  the  guilt  which 
we  had  contracted,  by  any  debt  of  his  own,  which  involved  him  in  the  same  guilt 
and  rendered  him  liable  to  the  same  punishment  with  us.  This  is  evident  from 
what  the  prophet  says  concerning  him,  that  he  was  charged  with  our  guilt,  though 
'he  had  done  no  violence,  neither  was  any  deceit  in  his  mouth.'1  What  the 
prophet  calls  'doing  no  violence,'  the  apostle  Peter,  referring  to  and  explain- 
ing it,  styles  '  doing '  or  committing  '  no  sin '  of  any  kind.  He  was  not  involved  in 
the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  which  would  have  rendered  him  incapable  of  being  a  surety 
to  pay  that  debt  for  us ;  nor  had  he  the  least  degree  of  corruption  of  nature, 
being  conceived  in  an  extraordinary  way,  and  sanctified  from  the  womb  ;k  nor  did 
he  ever  commit  actual  sin,  for  '  he  was  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate  from 
sinners.' — Another  thing  observed  in  the  character  of  a  surety,  which  corresponds 
very  much  with  Christ's  being  our  surety,  is  that  what  he  engaged  to  pay  was  his 
own,  or  at  his  own  disposal.  He  did  not  offer  any  injury  to  justice,  by  paying  a 
debt  which  was  before  due  to  it,  or  by  performing  any  service  which  he  had  no 
warrant  to  do.  It  is  true,  he  gave  his  life  a  ransom ;  but  consider  him  as  a  divine 
Person,  and  he  had  an  undoubted  right  to  dispose  of  or  lay  down  that  life  which 
he  had  as  man.  Did  he  consent,  in  the  eternal  transaction  between  the  Father  and 
him,  to  be  incarnate,  and  in  our  nature  to  perform  the  work  of  a  surety  ?  This  was 
an  act  of  his  sovereign  will ;  so  that  whatever  he  paid  as  a  ransom  for  us,  was,  in  the 
highest  sense,  his  own.  The  case  was  not  the  same  as  if  one  man  who  has  no  power 
to  dispose  of  his  life  at  pleasure,  should  offer  to  lay  down  his  life  for  another.  We 
are  not  lords  of  our  own  lives.  As  we  do  not  come  into  the  world  by  our  own  wills, 
we  are  not  to  go  out  of  it  when  we  please.  But  Christ  as  God,  was,  if  I  may  so  ex- 
press myself,  lord  of  himself,  of  all  that  he  did  and  suffered  as  man ;  by  which  I  un- 
derstand that  he  had  a  right  as  God  to  consent  or  determine  to  do  and  suffer  whatever 
he  did  and  suffered  as  man.  The  debt,  therefore,  which  he  paid  in  the  human  nature, 
was  his  own. — Further,  as  in  some  cases  he  who  is  willing  to  substitute  himself  as  a 
surety  in  the  room  of  the  debtor,  must  be  accepted  and  approved  by  him  to  whom 
the  debt  is  due  ;  so  our  Saviour's  substitution  as  our  surety  in  our  room,  had  a  sanc- 
tion from  God  the  Father  ;  who  gave  many  undeniable  evidences  that  what  Christ 
did  and  suffered  for  us,  was  accepted  by  him  as  really  as  if  it  had  been  done  by  us  in 
our  own  persons.  This,  as  was  formerly  observed,  might  have  been  refused  by  him, 
it  being  the  payment  of  a  debt  of  obedience  and  sufferings.  But  that  God  the  Father 
testified  his  acceptance  of  Christ  as  our  surety,  appears  from  his  well-pleasedness 
with  him,  both  before  and  after  his  incarnation.  Before  he  came  into  the  world, 
God  seems  to  speak  with  pleasure  in  the  forethought  of  what  he  would  be  and  do, 
as  Mediator,  when  he  says,  'Behold  my  servant,  whom  I  uphold;  mine  elect,  in 
whom  my  soul  delighteth.'1  He  is  also  said  to  be  'well-pleased  for  his  righteous- 
ness' sake,'m  or  in  his  determining  beforehand  that  he  should,  as  Mediator,  bring 
in  that  righteousness  which  would  tend  to  magnify  the  law  and  make  it  honourable. 
Moreover,  his  having  anointed  him  by  a  previous  designation  to  his  work,  as  the 
prophet  intimates,  speaking  of  him  before  his  incarnation,"  is  certainly  an  evidence 
of  his  being  approved  to  be  our  surety.  And  when  he  was  incarnate,  God  approved 
of  him,  when  engaged  in  the  work  which  he  came  into  the  world  to  perform.  Thus, 
when  he  was  solemnly  set  apart  by  baptism  to  the  discharge  of  his  public  ministry, 

g  Heb.  x.  9.  h  Volenti  non  fit  injuria.  i  Isa.  liii.  9.  k  See  Sect.  *  Christ  not  re- 

presented by  Adam,'  under  Quest,  xxii.  1  Isa.  xlii.  1.  m  Ver.  21.  n  ha.  lxi.  1,  2, 

II.  M 


90  JUSTIFICATION. 

a  voice  from  heaven  said,  «  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well- pleased.'0 
We  may  add,  that  there  was  the  most  undeniable  proof  of  God's  well-pleasedness 
with  him,  as  having  accomplished  this  work,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  heavenly  places.  Again,  that  the  Father  tes- 
tified his  acceptance  of  Christ  as  our  surety,  may  be  argued  from  his  justifying  and 
saving  those  for  whom  he  undertook  to  be  a  surety,  before  the  debt  was  actually 
paid,  and  from  his  applying  the  same  blessings  to  his  people  since  the  work  of  re- 
demption was  finished.  The  application  of  what  Christ  undertook  to  purchase,  is 
an  evidence  of  the  acceptableness  of  the  price.  This  may  be  considered,  either  as 
respects  those  who  were  saved  before  his  incarnation  and  death,  or  those  who  are, 
from  that  time,  in  all  succeeding  ages,  made  partakers  of  the  saving  benefits  of  re- 
demption. Before  the  actual  accomplishment  of  what  he  undertook  to  do  and  suf- 
fer as  our  surety,  God  the  Father  trusted  him ;  and,  by  virtue  of  his  promising  to 
pay  the  debt,  discharged  the  Old  Testament  saints  from  condemnation,  as  effec- 
tually as  if  it  had  been  actually  paid.  There  are  some  cases  in  which  a  surety's 
undertaking  to  pay  a  debt,  is  reckoned  equivalent  to  the  actual  payment  of  it ; 
namely,  when  it  is  impossible  that  he  should  make  a  failure  in  the  payment,  either 
through  mutability  or  fickleness  of  temper  inducing  him  to  change  his  purpose,  or 
from  unfaithfulness,  which  might  render  him  regardless  of  his  engagement,  or  from 
some  change  in  his  circumstances,  whereby,  though  he  once  was  able  to  pay,  he 
afterwards  becomes  unable:  I  say,  if  none  of  these  things  can  take  place,  and 
especially,  if  the  creditor,  by  not  demanding  present  payment,  receives  some  ad- 
vantage, which  is  an  argument  that  he  does  not  stand  in  need  of  payment,  then 
the  promise  to  pay  a  debt  is  equivalent  to  the  payment  of  it.  Now  these  things 
may  well  be  applied  to  Christ's  undertaking  to  pay  our  debt.  It  was  impossible 
that  he  should  fail  in  the  accomplishment  of  what  he  had  undertaken ;  or  change 
his  purpose,  and  so,  though  he  designed  to  execute  his  work,  enter  into  other  mea- 
sures ;  or,  though  he  had  promised  to  execute  it,  be  unfaithful  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  it ;— these  things  are  all  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  his  person ;  for 
though  he  suffered  for  us  in  the  human  nature,  it  was  his  divine  nature  that  under- 
took to  do  the  work  in  the  human  nature ;  and  the  divine  nature  is  infinitely  free 
from  the  least  imputation  of  weakness,  mutability,  or  unfaithfulness.  While,  too, 
the  present  payment  was  not  immediately  demanded,  nor  designed  to  be  made  till 
the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  the  delay  of  it  was  compensated  by  the  revenue  of 
glory  which  accrued  to  the  divine  name,  and  by  the  honour  which  redounded  to 
the  Mediator,  in  the  salvation  of  the  elect  before  his  incarnation.  This,  then,  was 
certainly  an  undeniable  evidence  of  God's  approving  his  undertaking.  Moreover, 
since  the  work  of  redemption  has  been  completed,  all  those  who  are  or  shall  be 
brought  to  glory,  have,  in  themselves,  a  convincing  proof  of  God's  being  well- 
pleased  with  Christ,  as  substituted  in  their  room  and  stead,  to  pay  the  debt  which 
was  due  from  them  to  his  justice,  and  so  to  lay  the  foundation  of  their  justification. 
It  hence  plainly  appears,  that  Christ  was  substituted  as  a  surety  in  our  room  and 
stead,  to  do  that  for  us  which  was  necessary  for  our  justification.  We  have  also 
sufficient  ground  to  conclude  that  he  was  so  from  scripture,  whence  alone  this  point 
Can  be  proved,  it  being  a  matter  of  pure  revelation.  Thus  it  is  said,  in  express 
terms,  that  he  was  'made  a  surety  of  a  better  testament. 'p  And  that,  as  our 
surety,  he  paid  the  debt  of  sufferings  which  was  due  from  us,  is  evident  from  its 
being  said  that  '  he  offered  himsell  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins/i  and  that  he  was  'once 
offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many.'1"  From  his  being  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and 
separate  from  sinners,  the  apostle  argues  that  he  had  no  occasion  to  offer  a  sacrifice 
for  himself,  or  that  he  had  no  sin  of  his  own  to  be  charged  with ;  so  that,  when  he 
suffered,  he  bore  or  answered  for  our  sins.  Thus  the  apostle  Peter  says,  '  He  bare 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree;  by  whose  stripes  ye  were  healed.'8  And 
elsewhere  we  read  of  'his  being  made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him;'4  that  is,  he  who  had  no  guilt  of  his  own 
to  answer  for,  submitted  to  be  charged  with  our  guilt,  to  stand  in  our  room  and 

o  Matt.  iii.  17.  p  Heli.  vii.  22.  q  Ver.  27. 

r  irieb.  ix.  28.  «  1  pet.  ii.  24.  t  2  Cor.  v.  21. 


JUSTIFICATION.  91 

stead,  and  accordingly  to  be  made  a  sacrifice  for  sin.  Now  all  this  implies  his 
having  been  made  a  surety  for  us.  But  on  this  point  we  particularly  insisted  else- 
where when  speaking  concerning  Christ's  satisfaction,  which  could  not  be  explained 
without  taking  occasion  to  mention  his  being  substituted  in  the  room  and  stead  of 
those  for  whom  he  paid  a  price  of  redemption ;  and  we  also  considered  the  mean- 
ing of  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  his  'bearing  our  sins.'u 

3.  We  shall  now  proceed,  then,  to  consider  what  Christ  did  as  our  surety,  in 
his  paying  all  that  debt  which  the  justice  of  God  demanded  from  us,  and  which 
consisted  in  active  and  passive  obedience.  There  was  a  debt  of  active  obedience 
demanded  of  man  as  a  creature  ;  and  upon  his  failing  to  pay  it,  when  he  sinned, 
it  became  an  outstanding  debt  due  from  us,  but  such  as  could  never  be  paid  by 
us.  God  determines  not  to  justify  any,  unless  this  outstanding  debt  be  paid. 
Christ,  as  our  surety,  engages  to  take  the  payment  of  it  on  himself.  While,  too, 
this  defect  of  obedience,  together  with  all  actual  transgressions,  which  proceed 
from  the  corruption  of  our  nature,  render  us  guilty  or  liable  to  the  stroke  of  vin- 
dictive justice,  Christ,  as  our  surety,  undertakes  to  bear  that  also.  This  we  gen- 
erally call  the  imputation  of  our  sin  to  Christ,  the  j  lacing  of  our  debt  to  his  ac- 
count, and  the  transferring  to  him  of  the  debt  of  pujuslmitnt  which  was  due  from 
us.  On  this  account  he  is  said  to  yield  obedience,  and  .-uffer  in  our  room  and 
stead,  or  to  perform  active  and  passive  obedience  for  us.  These  two  ideas  the 
apostle  joins  in  one  expression,  when  he  says  that  he  '  became  obedient  unto 
death.' x  But  this  having  been  insisted  on  elsewhere,  under  the  head  of  Christ's 
satisfaction,?  where  we  not  only  showed  that  Christ  performed  active  as  well  as 
passive  obedience  for  us,  but  endeavoured  to  answer  the  objections  which  are  gen- 
erally brought  against  Christ's  active  obedience  being  part  of  that  debt  which  he 
engaged  to  pay  for  us,  we  shall  pass  it  by  at  present. — Again,  that  our  sin  and 
guilt  was  imputed  to  him,  may  be  argued  from  his  having  been  '  made  a  curse  for 
us,'  in  order  to  his  redeeming  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law  ;z  from  his  having 
been  '  made  sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him  ;'a 
and  from  other  scriptures  which  speak  of  him  as  suffering,  though  innocent, — pun- 
ished for  sin,  though  he  was  the  Lamb  of  God  without  spot  or  blemish, — dealt  with 
as  guilty,  though  he  had  never  contracted  any  guilt, — and  made  a  sacrifice  for  sin, 
though  sinless.  These  things  could  not  have  been  done  consistently  with  the  jus- 
tice of  God,  had  not  our  sins  been  placed  to  his  account,  or  imputed  to  him. — It  is 
indeed  a  very  difficult  thing  to  convince  some  persons,  how  Christ  could  be  charged 
with  sin  or  have  sin  imputed  to  him,  in  consistency  with  the  sinless  purity  of  his 
nature.  This  some  think  to  be  no  better  than  a  contradiction  ;  though  it  is  agree- 
able to  the  scripture  mode  of  speaking,  as  'he  was  made  sin  for  us,'  and  yet  'knew 
no  sin.'b  When,  however,  we  speak  of  sin  being  imputed  to  him,  we  are  far  from 
insinuating  that  he  committed  any  acts  of  sin,  or  that  his  human  nature  was,  in 
the  least,  inclined  to  or  defiled  by  it.  We  choose,  therefore,  to  use  the  scripture 
phrase,  in  which  he  is  said  to  have  'borne  our  sins,'  rather  than  to  say  that  he  was 
a  sinner.  Much  less  would  I  give  countenance  to  the  expression  which  some  make 
use  of,  that  he  was  the  greatest  sinner  in  the  world  ;  for  I  do  not  desire  to  apply 
a  word  to  him,  which  is  often  taken  in  a  sense  not  in  the  least  applicable  to  the 
holy  Jesus.  We  cannot  be  too  cautious  in  our  expressions,  lest  the  most  common 
sense  in  which  we  understand  '  the  greatest  sinner'  when  applied  to  men,  should 
give  any  one  a  wrong  idea  of  him,  as  though  he  had  committed  sin,  or  were  de- 
filed with  it.  All  we  assert  is,  that  he  was  charged  with  our  sins  when  he  suffered 
for  them, — not  with  having  committed  them,  but  with  the  guilt  of  them,  which, 
by  his  own  consent,  was  imputed  to  him.  For  had  it  been  otherwise,  his  sufferings 
could  not  have  been  a  punishment  for  sin,  nor  could  our  sin  have  been  expiated, 
or  his  sufferings  have  been  the  ground  of  our  justification. 

4.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  reference  which  Christ's  suretiship-righteous- 
ness  has  to  our  justification.     This  is  generally  styled  its  being  imputed,  which 

u  See  Sect.  '  Tlie  Reality  of  the  Atoupmeiit,'  under  Quest,  xliv.  x  Phil.  ii.  8. 

y  See  Seet.  '  The  Nature  of  the  Satisfaction  required,'  under  Quest,  xliv.  z  Gal.  iii.  13. 

a  2  Cor.  v.  21.  b  Ibid. 


92  JUSTIFICATION. 

is  a  word  very  much  used  by  those  who  plead  for  the  scripture  sense  of  the  doctrine 
of  justification,  and  as  much  opposed  by  those  who  deny  it.  We  are  obliged  to 
defend  the  use  of  it ;  otherwise  Christ's  righteousness,  how  glorious  soever  it  be  in 
itself,  would  not  avail  for  our  justification.     ' 

Here  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  explain  what  we  mean  by  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
righteousness.  There  are  some  who  oppose  this  doctrine  by  calling  it  a  putative 
righteousness,  the  shadow  or  appearance  of  what  has  no  reality  ;  or  our  being  ac- 
counted what  we  are  not,  whereby  a  wrong  judgment  is  passed  on  persons  and 
things.  We  are  not,  however,  to  deny  the  doctrine  because  it  is  thus  misrepresented, 
and  thereby  unfairly  opposed.  It  is  certain  that  there  are  words  used  in  scripture 
and  often  applied  to  this  doctrine,  which,  without  any  ambiguity  or  strain  on  the 
sense  of  them,  may  be  translated  '  to  reckon,'  'to  account,'  or  to  place  a  thing  done 
by  another  to  our  account,  or  as  we  express  it,  'to  impute.'15  This  respects  either 
what  is  done  by  us,  or  something  done  by  another  for  us.  Imputation  in  the  for- 
mer of  these  senses,  our  adversaries  do  not  oppose.  Thus,  it  is  said,  that  '  Phinehas 
executed  judgment,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness, 'd  that  is,  it  was 
approved  by  God  as  a  righteous  action.  This  expression  seems  to  obviate  an  ob- 
jection which  some  might  make  against  imputation.  They  might  suppose  that 
Phinehas  did  that  which  more  properly  belonged  to  the  civil  magistrate,  or  that  his 
judicial  act  was  done  without  a  formal  trial,  and,  it  may  be,  too  hastily.  God, 
however,  owns  the  action,  and,  in  a  way  of  approbation,  places  it  to  his  account  for 
righteousness,  that  it  should  be  reckoned  a  righteous  action  throughout  all  genera- 
tions.— Again,  sometimes  that  which  is  done  by  a  person,  is  imputed  to  him  or 
charged  upon  him  so  that  he  must  answer  for  it,  or  suffer  the  punishment  due  to 
it.  Thus  Shimei  says  to  David,  '  Let  not  my  lord  impute  iniquity  unto  me  ;'e 
that  is,  '  Do  not  charge  upon  me  that  sin  which  I  committed,  so  as  to  put  me  to 
death  for  it,  which  thou  mightest  justly  do.'  And  Stephen  prays,  '  Lord,  lay  not 
this  sin  to  their  charge  ;'f  that  is,  impute  it  not  to  them,  or  inflict  not  the  punish- 
ment on  them  which  it  deserves.  No  one  can  deny  that  what  is  done  by  a  person 
himself  may  be  placed  to  his  own  account ;  so  that  he  may  be  rewarded  or  pun- 
ished for  it,  or  that  it  may  be  approved  or  disapproved.  This,  however,  is  not 
the  sense  in  which  we  understand  imputation,  when  speaking  concerning  the  impu- 
tation of  Christ's  righteousness  to  us  ;  for  this  supposes  that  what  was  done  by 
another  is  placed  to  our  account.  This  is  the  main  thing  which  is  denied  by  those 
who  have  other  sentiments  of  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining.  They  pretend 
that,  for  God  to  account  Christ's  righteousness  ours,  is  to  take  a  wrong  estimate  of 
things,  to  reckon  that  done  by  us  which  was  not.  This,  they  say,  is  contrary  to 
the  wisdom  of  God,  who  can,  by  no  means,  entertain  any  false  ideas  of  things ;  and 
they  add,  that,  if  the  action  be  reckoned  ours,  the  character  of  the  person  perform- 
ing it  must  also  be  applied  to  us, — which  is  to  make  us  sharers  in  Christ's  media- 
torial office  and  glory.  But  this  is  the  most  perverse  sense  which  can  be  put  on 
the  words,  and  a  setting  of  this  doctrine  in  such  a  light  as  no  one  takes  it  in  who 
pleads  for  it.  We  do  not  suppose  that  God  looks  upon  man  with  his  all-seeing 
eye,  as  having  done  that  which  Christ  did,  or  as  sustaining  the  character  which  be- 
longed to  him  in  doing  it.  We  are  always  reckoned  by  him  as  offenders,  or  as 
contracting  guilt,  and  unable  to  do  any  thing  which  can  make  an  atonement  for  it. 
Hence,  what  interest  soever  we  have  in  what  Christ  did,  is  not  reputed  our  action. 
God's  imputing  Christ's  righteousness  to  us,  is  to  be  understood  in  a  forensic  sense  ; 
which  is  agreeable  to  the  idea  of  a  debt  being  paid  by  a  surety.  It  is  not  supposed 
that  the  debtor  paid  the  debt  which  the  surety  paid  ;  yet  the  payment  of  it  is 
placed  to  his  account,  or  imputed  to  him  as  really  as  if  he  had  made  it  himself.  So 
what  Christ  did  and  suffered  in  our  room  and  stead,  is  as  much  placed  to  our  ac- 
count as  if  we  had  done  and  suffered  it  ourselves  ;  so  that  we  are,  in  consequence, 
discharged  from  condemnation. 

This  is  the  sense  in  which  we  understand  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteous- 
ness to  us  ;  and  it  is  agreeable  to  the  account  we  have  in  scripture.  Thus  we  are 
said  to  be  'made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him  ;'s  that  is,  the  abstract  being  put 

c  ajpn  XtyZ*.        d  Psal.  cvi.  31.  e  2  Sam.  xix.  19.        f  Acts  vii.  60.        g  2  Cor.  v.  2 


JUSTIFICATION.  93 

for  the  concrete,  we  are  denominated  and  dealt  with  as  righteous  persons,  acquitted 
and  discharged  from  condemnation  in  virtue  of  what  was  done  by  him.  Elsewhere, 
also,  he  is  styled  'the  Lord  our  righteousness.'  The  apostle,  too,  speaks  of  his 
'having  Christ's  righteousness  ;'h  that  is,  having  it  imputed  to  him,  or  having  an  in- 
terest in  it,  or  being  dealt  with  according  to  the  tenor  of  it.  In  this  respect,  he 
opposes  it  to  that  righteousness  which  was  in  himself  as  the  result  of  his  own  per- 
formances. Again,  Christ  is  said  to  be  'made  of  God  unto  us  righteousness  ;'  that 
is,  his  fulfilling  the  law  is  placed  to  our  account.  Further,  the  apostle  speaks  of 
'  Christ  being  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  belie veth  ;'1 
which  is  the  same  as  what  he  asserts  in  other  words  elsewhere,  concerning  '  the  righ- 
teousness of  the  law  being  fulfilled  in  us,'k  who  could  not  be  justified  by  our  own 
obedience  to  it,  '  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,'  or  by  reason  of  our  fallen 
state.  Christ,  therefore,  performed  obedience  for  us,  and  accordingly  God  deals 
with  us  as  if  we  had  fulfilled  the  law  in  our  own  persons,  inasmuch  as  it  was  ful- 
filled by  him  as  our  surety. — This  maj  farther  be  illustrated,  by  what  we  generally 
understand  by  Adam's  sin  being  imputed  to  us,  as  one  contrary  may  illustrate  an- 
other. As  sin  and  death  entered  into  the  world  by  'the  offence  of  one,'  namely, 
the  first  Adam,  '  in  whom  all  have  sinned ;  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free 
gift,'1  that  is,  eternal  life,  'came  upon  all  men,'  namely,  those  who  shall  be  saved, 
'  unto  justification  of  life.'  For  this  reason  the  apostle  speaks  of  Adam  as  'the 
figure  of  him  that  was  to  come.'m  Now,  as  Adam's  sin  was  imputed  to  us  as  our 
public  head  and  representative,  so  that  we  are  involved  in  the  guilt  of  it,  or  fall  in 
him  ;  so  Christ's  righteousness  is  imputed  to  us,  as  he  was  our  public  head  and 
surety.  Accordingly,  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  that  which  was  done  by  him  was  the 
same  as  if  it  had  been  done  by  us  ;  so  that,  as  the  effect  and  consequence  of  it,  we 
are  justified.  This  is  what  we  call  Christ's  righteousness  being  imputed  to  us,  or 
placed  to  our  account ;  and  it  is  very  agreeable  to  the  acceptation  of  the  word,  in 
dealings  between  man  and  man.  When  one  has  contracted  a  debt,  and  desires  that  it 
may  be  placed  to  the  account  of  his  surety,  who  undertakes  for  the  payment  of  it,  it 
is  said  to  be  imputed  to  him  ;  and  the  debtor's  consequent  discharge  is  as  valid  as 
if  he  had  paid  it  in  his  own  person. 

Justification  an  Act  of  God's  Free  Grace. 

We  shall  now  consider  justification  as  an  act  of  God's  free  grace.  This  point  is 
particularly  insisted  on  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining.  We  are  not  to 
suppose,  however,  that  our  being  justified  by  an  act  of  grace,  is  opposed  to  our 
being  justified  on  account  of  a  full  satisfaction  made  by  our  surety  to  the  justice 
of  God ;  in  which  respect  we  consider  our  discharge  from  condemnation  as  an  act 
of  justice.  The  debtor  is,  indeed,  beholden  to  the  grace  of  God  for  this  privilege  ; 
but  the  surety  who  paid  the  debt,  had  not  the  least  abatement  made,  but  was 
obliged  to  glorify  the  justice  of  God  to  the  utmost,  which  accordingly  he  did.  Yet, 
there  are  several  things  in  which  the  grace  of  God  is  eminently  displayed. 

1.  It  is  displayed  in  God's  willingness  to  accept  satisfaction  from  the  hands  of 
our  surety.  He  might  have  demanded  the  satisfaction  of  ourselves.  The  debt  which 
we  had  contracted  was  not  of  the  same  nature  with  pecuniary  debts  ;  in  which  case 
the  creditor  is  obliged  to  accept  payment,  though  the  offer  of  it  is  made  by  another 
and  not  by  him  who  contracted  the  debt.  But,  in  debts  of  obedience  to  be  performed 
or  of  punishment  to  be  endured,  he  to  whom  satisfaction  is  to  be  given,  must  of 
his  free  choice  accept  one  to  be  substituted  in  the  room  of  him  from  whom  the 
obedience  or  sufferings  were  originally  due,  otherwise  the  overture  made,  or  what 
is  done  and  suffered  by  the  substitute,  is  not  regarded,  or  available  to  procure  a 
discharge  for  him  in  whose  room  he  substituted  himself.  God  might  have  exacted 
the  debt  of  us,  in  our  own  persons  ;  and  then  our  condition  would  have  been  equally 
miserable  with  that  of  fallen  angels,  for  whom  no  mediator  was  accepted,  no  more 
than  provided. 

2.  The  grace  of  God  farther  appears  in  having  provided  a  surety  for  us.     We 

h  Phil.  iii.  9.  i  Rom.  x.  4.  k  Chap.  viii.  3,  4.  1  Chap.  v.  18.  m  Ver.  14. 


94  JUSTIFICATION. 

could  not  have  provided  a  surety  for  ourselves,  nor  have  engaged  Him  to  he  so  who 
was  the  only  person  that  could  bring  about  the  great  work  of  our  redemption.  Tho 
only  creatures  who  are  capable  of  performing  perfect  obedience  are  the  holy  angels. 
These,  however,  could  not  be  our  surety ;  for,  as  was  formerly  observed,  whoever  per- 
forms it  must  be  incarnate,  that  he  may  be  capable  of  paying,  in  some  respects  in 
kind,  the  debt  which  was  due  from  us.  He  requires,  therefore,  to  suffer  death, 
and  consequently  to  have  a  nature  which  is  capable  of  dying.  But  this  the  angels 
had  not,  and  could  not  have,  but  by  the  divine  will.  Besides,  if  God  should  havo 
dispensed  with  that  part  of  satisfaction  which  consists  in  subjection  to  death,  and 
have  declared  that  active  obedience  should  be  sufficient  to  procure  our  justification, 
'  the  angels,  though  capable  of  performing  active  obedience,  would,  notwithstanding, 
have  been  defective  in  it;  so  that  justice  could  not,  in  honour,  have  accepted  it, 
any  more  than  it  could  have  dispensed  with  the  obligation  to  perform  obedience  in 
general.  It  would  not  have  been  of  infinite  value  ;  and  it  is  the  value  of  things 
which  justice  regards,  and  not  merely  the  matter  or  perfection  of  them  in  other 
respects.  Hence,  the  obedience  must  have  had  in  it  something  infinitely  valuable, 
else  it  could  not  have  been  accepted  by  God,  as  a  price  of  redemption,  in  order  to 
the  procuring  of  our  justification  ;  and  such  an  obedience  could  be  performed  by 
none  but  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  glorious  author  and  procurer  of  this  privilege. 
It  was  impossible  for  man  to  have  found  out  this  Mediator  or  surety.  The  ap- 
pointment of  him  had  its  origin  with  God,  and  not  with  us.  It  is  he  who  found  a 
ransom,  and  laid  help  upon  one  that  is  mighty.  This  was  the  result  of  his  will. 
Hence,  our  Saviour  is  represented  as  saying,  '  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will.'n  That 
we  could  not,  by  any  means,  have  found  out  this  surety,  or  engaged  him  to  have 
done  that  for  us  which  was  necessary  for  our  justification,  will  evidently  appear  if 
we  consider  that,  when  man  fell,  the  Son  of  God  was  not  incarnate.  Even  if  we 
allow  that  fallen  man  had  some  idea  of  a  trinity  of  persons,  in  the  unity  of  the 
divine  essence, — and  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  he  had,  since  it  was 
necessary  that  this  doctrine  should  be  revealed  to  him  in  order  to  his  performing 
acceptable  worship  ;  yet,  can  any  one  suppose  that  man  could  have  asked  such  a 
favour  of  a  divine  person,  as  to  take  his  nature,  and  put  himself  in  his  room  and 
stead,  and  expose  himself  to  the  curse  of  that  law  which  he  had  violated?  Such  a 
thing  could  never  have  entered  into  his  heart ;  yea,  the  very  thought,  if  it  had 
taken  its  rise  from  him,  would  have  savoured  of  more  presumption  than  had  he 
entreated  that  God  would  pardon  his  sin  without  a  satisfaction.  But  if  he  had  sup- 
posed it  possible  for  the  Son  of  God  to  be  incarnate,  or  had  conjectured  that  there 
had  been  the  least  probability  of  his  being  willing  to  express  this  instance  of  conde- 
scending goodness,  how  could  he  have  known  that  God  would  accept  the  payment 
of  our  debt  at  the  hands  of  another,  or  commend  his  love  to  us  who  were  such  ene- 
mies to  him,  in  not  sparing  him  but  delivering  him  up  for  us  ?  If  God's  accepting  a 
satisfaction,  as  well  as  the  perfection  or  infinite  value  of  it,  be  necessary  in  order 
to  its  taking  effect ;  it  is  certain,  man  could  not  have  known  that  he  would  have 
done  it,  for  this  was  a  matter  of  pure  revelation.  Moreover,  should  we  suppose 
even  this  possible,  or  that  man  might  have  expected  that  God  would  be  moved  by 
entreaty  to  appoint  and  accept  the  satisfaction ;  yet  such  was  the  corruption,  per- 
verseness,  and  rebellion  of  man's  nature  as  fallen,  and  so  great  was  his  inability  to 
perform  any  act  of  worship,  that  he  could  not  have  addressed  himself  to  God  in  a 
right  manner,  to  entreat  that  he  would  admit  of  a  surety.  Besides,  God  cannot 
hear  any  prayer  but  that  which  is  offered  to  him  by  faith ;  which  supposes  a  Medi- 
ator, whose  purchase  and  gift  it  is.  Now,  as  the  sinful  creature  could  not  plead 
with  God  by  faith  that  he  would  send  his  Son  to  be  a  Mediator,  how  could  he  hope 
to  obtain  this  blessing?  It  evidently  follows,  then,  that,  as  man  could  not  give 
satisfaction  for  himself,  so  he  could  not  find  out  any  one  who  could  or  would  give 
it  for  him.  Hence,  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  provision  which  he  has  made  of  such 
a  surety  as  his  own  Son,  unasked  for,  unthought  of,  as  well  as  undeserved,  is  very 
illustrious. 

3.  It  was  a  very  great  display  of  grace  in  our  Saviour,  that  he  was  pleased  to 

ii  Heb.  x.  7. 


THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH  WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  95 

consent  to  perform  this  work  for  us.  Without  his  consent  the  justice  of  God  could 
not  have  exacted  the  debt  of  him.  He  being  perfectly  innocent,  could  not  bo 
obliged  to  suffer  punishment ;  and  it  would  have  been  unjust  in  God  to  have  in- 
flicted it,  had  he  not  been  willing  to  be  charged  with  our  guilt,  and  to  stand  in  out 
room  and  stead.  Though,  too,  he  knew  beforehand  all  the  difficulties,  sorrows,  and 
temptations  which  he  was  to  meet  with  in  the  discharge  of  this  work,  he  was  not 
discouraged  from  undertaking  it.  Nor  was  he  unapprized  of  the  character  of  those 
for  whom  he  undertook  it.  He  knew  their  rebellion  and  the  guilt  contracted  by  it, 
which  rendered  satisfaction  necessary  in  order  to  their  salvation.  He  knew  also  that 
they  would,  notwithstanding  all  the  engagements  he  might  lay  on  them  to  the  contrary, 
discover  the  greatest  ingratitude  toward  him ;  that,  instead  of  improving  so  great 
a  display  of  condescending  goodness,  they  would  neglect  the  great  salvation  when 
purchased  by  him ;  and  that,  in  consequence,  they  would  appear  to  be  his  greatest 
enemies,  notwithstanding  his  friendship  to  them,  unless  he  engaged  not  only  to 
purchase  redemption  for  them,  but  to  apply  it  to  them,  and  to  work  those  graces 
in  them  whereby  they  might  be  enabled  to  give  him  the  glory  which  is  due  to  him 
for  his  great  undertaking. 

We  are  next  led  to  consider  the  use  of  faith  in  justification,  and  how,  notwith- 
standing what  has  been  said  concerning  our  being  justified  by  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, we  may,  in  other  respects,  be  said  to  be  justified  by  faith  ;  and  also  to  show 
what  this  faith  is,  whereby  we  are  justified.  These  subjects-  being  particularly  in- 
sisted on  in  the  two  following  Answers,  we  proceed  to  consider  them. 


'      THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH  WITH  JUSTIFICATION. 

Question  LXXII.   What  is  justifying  Faith  1 

Answer.  Justifying  faith  is  a  saving  grace,  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  by  the  Spirit  and 
Word  of  God  ,  whereby  he,  being  convinced  of  his  sin  and  misery,  and  of  the  disability  in  himself, 
and  all  other  creatures,  to  recover  him  out  of  his  lost  condition,  not  only  assenteth  to  the  truth  of 
the  promise  of  the  gospel,  but  receiveth  and  resteth  upon  Christ  and  his  righteousness  therein  held 
forth,  for  pardon  of  sin,  and  for  the  accepting  and  accounting  of  his  person  righteous  in  the  sight  of 
God  for  salvation. 

Question  L  XXIII.  How  doth  faith  justify  a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  Godf 

Answer.  Faith  justifies  a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God;  not  because  of  those  other  graces  which 
do  always  accompany  it,  or  of  good  works  that  are  the  fruits  of  it;  nor  as  if  the  grace  of  faith,  or 
any  act  thereof,  were  imputed  to  him  for  his  justification;  but  only  as  it  is  an  instrument,  by  which 
he  receiveth  and  applieth  Christ  and  his  righteousness. 

As  the  latter  of  these  Answers,  in  which  faith  is  considered  as  that  whereby  a 
sinner  is  justified,  seems  better  connected  with  what  has  been  before  insisted  on 
in  explaining  the  doctrine  of  justification,  we  choose  to  discuss  it  before  discussing 
the  former.  In  considering  the  account  which  it  gives  of  justifying  faith,  there 
are  two  things  which  may  be  taken  notice  of.  First,  it  is  observed  that,  though 
there  are  other  graces  which  always  accompany  faith  and  the  good  works  which 
flow  from  it,  none  of  these  are  said  to  justify  a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God.  Next, 
we  have  a  statement  of  how  faith  justifies,  or  what  it  is  to  be  justified  by  faith. 

Other  Graces  than  Faith  do  not  Justify. 

We  observe,  then,  that  though  there  are  other  graces  which  always  accompany 
faith  and  the  good  works  which  flow  from  it,  none  of  these  are  said  to  justify  a 
sinner  in  the  sight  of  God.  There  is  an  inseparable  connection  between  faith  and 
all  other  graces  ;  and,  though  it  is  distinguished,  it  is  never  separate  from  them. 
They  are  all  considered  as  '  fruits  of  the  Spirit.'0  The  apostle  reckons  up  several 
graces  which  are  connected  with  faith  and  proceed  from  the  same  Spirit,  such  as 
'love,  peace,  joy,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  meekness,  temperance.'    The 

o  Gal.  v.  22,  23. 


96  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

same  apostle  commends  the  church  at  Thessalonica  for  their  '  work  of  faith  ;'  and 
considers  this  as  connected  with  a  '  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of  hope  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 'p  The  apostle  Peter  exhorts  the  church  to  which  he  writes  to 
4  add  to  their  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue  knowledge,  to  knowledge  temperance,  to 
temperance  patience,  to  patience  godliness,  to  godliness  brotherly-kindness,  and  to 
brotherly-kindness  charity  ;**  which  supposes  that  all  these  graces  ought  to  be  con- 
nected together.  The  apostle  James  calls  that  a  '  dead  faith  'r  which  has  not  other 
works  or  graces  joined  with  it.  Indeed,  these  graces  not  only  are  connected  with  it, 
but  flow  from  it,  or  are  the  fruits  of  it.  Thus  we  read  of  '  the  heart  being  purified 
by  faith  ;'"  that  is,  this  grace,  when  exercised  in  a  right  manner,  will  have  a  ten- 
dency, in  some  degree,  to  purge  the  soul  from  that  moral  impurity  which  proceeds 
out  of  the  heart  of  man,  and  is  inconsistent  with  saving  faith.  Elsewhere,  also, 
we  read  of  faith  as  '  working  by  love,''  that  is,  exciting  those  acts  of  love,  both  to 
God  and  man,  which  contain  a  summary  of  practical  religion.  It  is  likewise  said 
to  'overcome  the  world  ;'u  and  it  enables  Christians  to  do  or  suffer  great  things  for 
Christ's  sake,  of  which  the  apostle  gives  various  instances  in  the  Old  Testament  saints.x 
But  notwithstanding  the  connection  of  other  graces  with  faith,  and  with  those  works 
which  flow  from  it,  we  are  never  said  in  scripture  to  be  justified  by  these  graces, — 
not  by  love  to  God,  nor  by  any  acts  of  obedience  to  him,  which  can  be  called  no 
other  than  works.  On  the  contrary,  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  our  justification 
by  faith,  he  puts  it  in  opposition  to  works.  '  A  man,'  says  he,  '.is  justified  by  faith, 
without  the  deeds  of  the  law.'* 

It  is  objected  that  the  apostle  here  speaks  concerning  the  ceremonial  law,  which 
he  excludes  from  being  the  matter  of  our  justification  ;  and  not  the  moral  law,  or 
any  evangelical  duty,  such  as  love  and  sincere  obedience,  which,  together  with 
faith,  is  the  matter  of  our  justification.  We  reply  that,  when  the  apostle  speaks 
of  our  justification  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,  he  does  not  intend  the 
ceremonial  law ;  for  those  whom  he  describes  as  justified  persons  are  said,  in  a 
following  verse,  to  be  not  Jews  only,  but  Gentiles  who  were  converted  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith.  The  former,  indeed,  were  under  a  temptation  to  seek  to  be  justified  by 
the  ceremonial  law,  and  so  to  conclude  that  they  had  a  right  to  eternal  life  because 
of  their  being  distinguished  from  the  world,  by  the  external  privileges  of  the  cove- 
nant which  they  were  under,  many  of  which  were  contained  in  or  signified  by  that 
law  ;  but  the  Gentiles  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  and  therefore  never  expected  to 
be  justified  by  the  ceremonial  law.  Accordingly,  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  justi- 
fication by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,  he  cannot  be  supposed  to  intend  the 
ceremonial  law.  Besides,  if  we  look  a  little  farther  into  the  context,  we  shall  find 
by  his  reasoning,  that  he  excludes  all  works  in  general,  and  opposes  faith  to  them, 
lie  argues  that  we  are  justified  in  such  a  way  as  tends  to  exclude  boasting.  But  he 
who  insists  on  any  works  performed  by  himself  as  the  matter  of  his  justification, 
cannot  do  so  any  otherwise  than  in  a  boasting  way,  valuing  himself,  and  founding 
his  right  to  eternal  life,  upon  them.  We  are  justified  therefore,  not  by  them,  but 
by  faith  ;  that  is,  we  are  justified  in  such  a  way  that,  while  we  lay  claim  to  the 
greatest  privileges  from  Christ,  we  are  disposed  to  give  him  all  the  glory,  or  to 
renounce  our  own  righteousness  at  the  same  time  that  we  have  recourse  by  faith 
to  his  righteousness  for  justification. 

That  it  may  farther  appear  that  our  justification  by  faith  is  opposed  to  justifica- 
tion by  works,  either  those  which  accompany  or  those  which  flow  from  it,  we  may 
apply  to  this  argument  what  was  formerly  suggested,  in  considering  the  matter  of 
our  justification.  If  we  consider  the  demands  of  justice,  or  what  it  may  in  honour 
reckon  a  sufficient  compensation  for  the  dishonour  which  has  been  brought  to  the 
divine  name  by  sin,  or  what  may  be  deemed  a  satisfactory  payment  of  the  out- 
standing debt  of  perfect  obedience  which  was  due  from  us,  or  of  punishment  to 
which  we  were  liable  according  to  the  sanction  of  the  divine  law  ;  we  may  easily 
infer  that  no  obedience  performed  by  us,  though  including  the  utmost  perfection 
winch  a  fallen  creature  is  capable  of  attaining,  is  a  sufficient  satisfaction  ;  and  if 

p  1  Thess.  i.  3.  q  2  Pet.  i.  5,  6,  7-  r  James  ii.  17.  8  Acts  xv.  9. 

1  Gal-  v-  &  u    I  John  v.  4.  x  Heb.  xi.  J  Rom.  iii.  28. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  97 

there  can  be  no  justification  without  satisfaction,  we  cannot  be  justified  by  such 
obedience.  It  is  a  vain  thing,  therefore,  for  persons  to  distinguish  between  works 
done  before  and  after  faith,  as  though  the  former  only  were  excluded  from  being 
the  matter  of  our  justification  ;  or  to  say,  as  some  do,  that  we  are  justified  not  in- 
deed by  obedience  to  the  moral  law,  but  by  our  obeying  the  precepts  which  our 
Saviour  has  laid  down  in  the  gospel,  such  as  faith,  repentance,  &c,  which  they  call 
obedience  to  the  gospel  as  a  new  law.  Let  it  be  observed  that  these  evangelical 
duties  are  supposed  to  be  performed  as  the  result  of  a  divine  command,  which  has 
the  formal  nature  of  a  law,  whether  they  be  contained  in  the  moral  law  or  not ;  so 
that,  when  we  are  justified  by  faith  in  opposition  to  the  works  of  the  law,  obedience 
of  any  kind  performed  by  us  must  be  excluded.  This  point  appears  farther  from 
the  nature  of  faith,  to  which  justification  by  the  works  of  the  law  is  opposed.  For 
faith  is  a  soul-humbling  grace,  and  includes  a  renouncing  of  all  merit,  or  induce- 
"  ment  taken  from  ourselves  as  a  reason  why  God  should  bestow  upon  us  the  bless- 
ings we  stand  in  need  of.  It  trusts  in  Christ  for  righteousness,  and  in  him  alone ; 
and  therefore  turns  itself  from  any  thing  which  may  have  the  least  tendency  to 
eclipse  his  glory,  as  the  only  foundation  of  our  justification.  Hence,  when  we  are 
said  to  be  justified  by  faith,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law,  the  meaning  is,  that 
we  are  justified  in  such  a  way  as  tends  to  set  the  crown  upon  Christ's  head,  acknow- 
ledging him  to  be  the  only  fountain  whence  this  privilege  is  derived. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  follows  that  our  justification  cannot  be  founded  on 
our  repentance.  That  it  is  founded  on  repentance,  is  often  maintained  by  those 
who  are  on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  They  suppose  that  justification  con- 
tains nothing  else  but  forgiveness  of  sin ;  and  that,  if  offences  are  to  be  forgiven 
by  men  upon  their  repentance  or  confessing  their  fault,  then  forgiveness  may  be 
expected  from  God  on  our  repentance.  Some  use  a  very  unsavoury  way  of  speak- 
ing, when  they  say  that  our  tears  have  a  virtue  to  wash  away  our  sins.  That  they 
may  gain  farther  countenance  to  their  opinions,  they  refer  to  the  scripture  in  which 
it  is  said,  '  Repent,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out ;  'z  and  to  other  scriptures  of 
a  similar  nature.  We  are  not  to  suppose,  however,  that,  in  the  text  just  quoted, 
the  apostle  means  that  forgiveness  of  sin  is  founded  on  our  repentance,  as  the  mat- 
ter of  our  justification  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  but  we  are  to  understand  him  as  teach- 
ing that  there  is  an  inseparable  connection  between  our  claim  to  forgiveness  of  sin, 
together  with  all  the  fruits  and  effects  of  the  death  of  Christ  whereby  this  blessing 
was  procured,  and  repentance, — so  that  the  one  is  not  to  be  expected  without  the 
other.  While  men  are  to  forgive  injuries  when  the  offender  acknowledges  his  fault 
and  makes  sufficient  restitution,  they  may  do  so  as  far  as  the  offence  is  committed 
only  against  a  creature, — especially  if  the  offence  be  of  a  private  nature.  But  in. 
juridical  and  forensic  cases,  will  any  one  say  that  the  prince  is  obliged  to  forgive 
the  criminal  who  is  under  a  sentence  of  condemnation,  because  he  is  sorry  for  what 
he  has  done,  or  confesses  his  fault  ?  Would  his  doing  so  secure  his  honour  as  a 
lawgiver  ?  And  if,  upon  his  pardoning  the  offender,  the  latter  were  to  be  discharged, 
from  his  guilt,  would  there  not  be  a  defect  in  the  administration  of  the  legisla- 
ture ?  How,  then,  can  the  principle  of  pardoning  on  the  ground  of  repentance  be 
applied  to  forgiveness  as  expected  at  the  hand  of  God  ?  Here  justice  as  well  as 
mercy  is  to  have  the  glory  which  is  due  to  it ;  and  we  are  to  be  not  only  acquit- 
ted, but  justified,  or  pronounced  guiltless.  How,  then,  can  forgiveness  be  expect- 
ed, when  our  acknowledgment  of  our  offence  cannot  be  reckoned  a  sufficient  satis- 
faction to  the  justice  of  God? 

It  is  objected  by  those  on  the  other  side  of  the  question,  that,  though  repentance 
be  not  in  itself  a  sufficient  compensation  to  the  justice  of  God,  for  the  crimes  which 
we  have  committed ;  yet  God  may,  by  an  act  of  grace,  accept  it  as  if  it  had  been 
sufficient.*  This  they  illustrate  by  a  similitude  taken  from  a  person's  selling  an 
estate  of  a  considerable  value,  to  one  who  has  no  money  to  buy  it,  provided  he  will 

z  Acts  iii.  19.  t 

a  This  is  what  is  generally  styled,  by  a  diminutive  word,  '  Acceptilatio  gratiosa,'  which  is  an  ac- 
cepting a  small  part  of  a  debt,  instead  of  the  whole;  a  sort  of  composition,  in  which,  though  the 
payuif  nt  be  inconsiderable,  the  debtor's  discharge  is  founded  on  it  by  an  act  of  favour  in  the  credi- 
tor, as  if  the  whole  sum  had  been  paid. 

II.  2f 


98  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

pay  a  peppercorn  of  acknowledgment.  Thus,  say  they,  how  insignificant  soever 
repentance,  or  any  other  grace  which  is  deemed  the  matter  of  our  justification,  be 
in  itself,  it  is  by  an  act  of  favour,  deemed  a  sufficient  price.  Now,  I  would  ob- 
serve, that  the  objection  which  was  formerly  brought  against  the  doctrine  we  have 
been  maintaining,  concerning  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness,  namely, 
that  it  is  a  putative  righteousness,  a  not  judging  of  things  according  to  truth,  and 
the  like,  seems  to  be  of  no  weight  when  it  affects  their  own  cause  ;  otherwise  we 
might  turn  their  argument  against  themselves,  and  ask  them  whether  it  be  for 
God  to  judge  according  to  truth,  when  that  is  accepted  as  a  sufficient  payment,  by 
his  justice,  which  is  in  itself  of  no  value  ?  But  passing  this  by,  we  may  farther 
observe  that  their  supposition  wholly  sets  aside  the  necessity  of  satisfaction,  as  the 
Socinians  do  ;  so  that  it  is  no,  wonder  that  the  latter  make  use  of  the  supposition. 
As  for  others  who  do  not  altogether  deny  the  doctrine  of  satisfaction,  yet  think 
that  a  small  price  may  be  deemed  satisfactory  for  sin  committed,  it  may  be  re-' 
plied  to  them,  that  if  justification,  as  tending  to  advance  the  glory  of  divine  justice 
in  taking  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  depends  upon  a  price  paid  which  is  equivalent  to 
the  debt  contracted,  and  if  nothing  short  of  a  price  of  infinite  value  can  be  reck- 
oned such  an  equivalent,  then  certainly  that  which  is  performed  by  men  cannot 
be  deemed  a  sufficient  payment,  or  accepted  as  such.  It  is  a  vain  thing  for  persons 
to  pretend  that  there  is  a  difference  between  satisfying  God,  and  satisfying  his  jus- 
tice, or  that  to  satisfy  God  is  to  pay  a  price  which  he  demands,  be  it  never  so  small, 
while  satisfying  justice  is  paying  a  price  equal  to  the  thing  purchased ;  for  we  must 
conclude  that  God  cannot  deem  any  thing  satisfactory  to  himself,  which  is  not  so 
to  his  justice.  This  distinction,  therefore,  will  not  avail  to  free  their  argument 
from  the  absurdity  which  attends  it. 

We  might  here  observe,  that  as  some  speak  of  pardon  of  sin  being  founded  on 
our  repentance,  others  speak  of  our  justification  being  by  the  act  of  faith,  or  by 
faith  considered  as  a  work.  In  defending  justification  by  works,  as  if,  contrary  to 
what  has  been  already  proved,  it  were  not  opposed  to  justification  by  faith,  they 
argue  that  we  are  often  said  in  scripture  to  be  justified  by  faith,  that  faith  is  a 
work,  and  that,  therefore,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  we  are  justified  by  works.  But 
it  is  one  thing  to  say,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith,  that  is,  a  work,  and  another 
thing  to  say,  that  we  are  justified  by  it  as  a  work  ;  or,  it  is  one  thing  to  say,  that 
we  are  justified  for  our  faith,  and  another  thing  to  say,  that  we  are  justified  by  it. 
This  will  more  evidently  appear  under  the  following  Head. 

How  Faith  Justifies. 

We  therefore  proceed  to  consider  what  it  is  for  us  to  be  justified  by  faith,  or  how 
faith  justifies.  None  can,  with  the  least  shadow  of  reason,  deny  that  justification 
by  faith  is  a  scripture  mode  of  speaking.  Some,  indeed,  have  questioned  whether 
the  apostle's  words,  '  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,'  give  countenance  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  ;  for 
they  observe  that,  by  putting  a  stop  immediately  after  the  word  justified,  the  sense 
would  be,  that  they  who  are  justified  by  Christ's  righteousness,  have  peace  with 
God  by  faith,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  though  this  will  a  little  alter 
the  reading  of  the  text ;  it  will  not  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
as  contained  in  it.  For  if  we  understand  our  'having  peace  with  God,'  as  im- 
porting, not  merely  peace  of  conscience,  but  that  peace  which  they  have  a  right  to 
who  are  interested  in  Christ's  righteousness,  it  will  follow  that  to  have  this  peace 
by  faith,  is,  in  effect,  the  same  as  to  be  justified  by  faith.  This  farther  appears 
from  the  following  words,  '  By  whom  also  we  have  access  by  faith  into  this  grace 
wherein  we  stand.'  The  'grace  wherein  we  stand'  is  that  grace  which  is  the  foun- 
dation of  our  justification,  and  not  merely  peace  of  conscience.  When,  therefore, 
•we  have  access  by  faith  into  this  grace,  it  is  the  same  as  for  us  to  be  justified  by 
faith. — Moreover,  this  is  not  the  only  place  in  which  we  are  said  to^be  justified  by 
faith.    The  apostle  says  elsewhere,  '  We  are  justified  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ, 'b 

b  Gal.  ii.  16. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  99 

or,  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Again,  he  says,  '  The  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;'c  which, 
agreeably  to  the  context,  must  be  understood  of  their  being  justified  by  faith  ;  in 
which  sense  he  particularly  explains  the  words  elsewhere. d  In  another  place  he 
speaks  of  '  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  ;'e  and  also 
of  a  believer's  '  waiting  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  by  faith. 'f  We  must,  there- 
fore, not  deny  that  justification  is  by  faith  ;  but  rather  explain  the  sense  of  those 
scriptures  which  establish  this  doctrine,  agreeably  to  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  them. 

There  are  vai'ious  methods  taken  to  explain  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  ;  particularly  one  which  we  think  subversive  of  justification  by  Christ's 
righteousness  ;  and  another,  that  which  is  contained  in  the  Answer  which  we'  are 
explaining. 

1.  As  to  the  former  of  these,  namely,  that  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  Christ's  righteousness,  it  is  maintained  by  those  who  plead 
for  justification  by  works.  They  say  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  and  all  other 
graces;  and  these  they  call  the  conditions  of  our  justification  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Indeed,  to  be  justified  by  faith,  according  to  them,  is  little  other  than  to  be  justi- 
fied for  faith.  Whether  they  reckon  it  a  meritorious  condition  or  not,  they  must 
own  it  to  be  a  pleadable  condition,  otherwise  it  would  have  no  reference  to  justifi- 
cation ;  and  if  it  be  understood  in  this  sense,  our  justification  depends  as  much  upon 
it  as  if  it  had  been  meritorious.  This  is  the  account  which  some  give  of  justifica- 
tion. To  prepare  the  way  for  their  opinion,  they  suppose  that  the  terms  of  salva- 
tion in  the  gospel,  which  are  substituted  for  those  which  were  required  under  the 
first  covenant  made  with  Adam,  are  faith,  repentance,  and  sincere  obedience,  in- 
stead of  perfect;  that  God,  in  justifying  a  penitent,  believing  sinner,  pursuant  to 
the  performance  of  these  conditions,  declares  his  willingness  that  there  should  be 
a  relaxation  of  that  law  which  man  was  at  first  obliged  to  obey ;  and.  accordingly, 
that  sincerity  is  demanded  by  him  instead  of  perfection,  or  is  substituted  in  the 
room  of  it.  This  some  of  them  call  the  new  law,  and  others  a  remedial  law. 
Hence,  according  to  their  opinion,  instead  of  being  justified  by  Christ's  yielding 
perfect  obedience,  or  paying  the  outstanding  debt  which  we  were  obliged,  by  rea- 
son of  the  violation  of  the  first  covenant,  to  pay ;  we  are  to  be  justified  by  our  own 
imperfect  obedience.  What  may  be  objected  to  this  reasoning,  is,  that  it  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  holiness  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the  glory  of  the  justice  of  God, 
detracts  from  the  honour  of  his  law,  and  is,  in  effect,  to  maintain  that  we  are  justi- 
fied without  satisfaction  given.  For  though  the  alleged  terms  of  our  justification 
and  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God  may  be  falsely  styled  a  valuable  consideration ; 
yet  none  will  pretend  to  assert  that  they  are  an  infinite  price ;  and  nothing  short 
of  such  a  price,  which  is  no  other  than  Christ's  righteousness,  is  sufficient  to  answer 
the  end  of  satisfaction.  I  am  sensible  that  they  who  lay  down  this  plan  of  justifi- 
cation allege  in  defence  of  it,  that,  though  the  terms  of  acceptance  are  of  small 
value  in  themselves,  yet  God,  by  an  act  of  grace,  reckons  the  payment  of  a  small 
debt  equivalent  to  that  of  a  greater,  as  was  formerly  observed.  They  also  speak 
of  faith  and  repentance  as  having  a  value  set  upon  them  by  their  reference  to  the 
blood  of  Christ,^  who  merited  the  privilege  for  us  of  our  being  justified  in  such  a 
way,  or  upon  these  conditions  performed.  They  call  them  indeed  easier  terms  or 
conditions,  and  include  them  all  in  the  general  word  sincerity,  instead  of  perfec- 
tion. Yet  they  are  somewhat  divided  in  their  method  of  explaining  themselves. 
Some  suppose  these  conditions  to  be  wholly  in  our  own  power,  without  the  aids  of 
divine  grace,  as  much  as  perfect  obedience  was  in  the  power  of  our  first  parents. 
Others,  though  they  do  not  suppose  that  these  conditions  are  altogether  out  of  our 
own  power,  ascribe  a  little  more  to  the  grace  of  God,  according  as  they  explain  the 
doctrine  of  effectual  calling ;  and  they  so  far  lay  a  foundation  for  the  sinner's  glory- 
ing, as  to  suppose  that  our  right  to  justification  and  eternal  life  are  founded  on  per- 
forming the  conditions. 

I  cannot  but  think  that  this  method  of  explaining  the  doctrine  of  justification  is 

c  Rom.  i.  17.  d  Gal.  iii.  11.  e  Rom.  iii.  22.  f  GaL  v.  5. 

g  These  works  they  speak  of  as  '  Tincta  sanguine  Christi.* 


100  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

subversive  of  the  gospel ;  and  that  it  is  highly  derogatory  to  the  glory  of  God  to  assert 
that  he  can  dispense  with  the  demand  of  perfect  obedience,  and  justify  a  person  on 
easier  terms.  To  say  this  is  little  better  than  what  the  apostle  calls  '  making  void 
the  law.'  This,  says  he,  we  are  far  from  doing  'by  faith,'  or  by  our  asserting  the 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  Christ's  righteousness  ;  '  but  we  rather  establish  it' 
hereby.  Moreover,  to  say  that  God  sets  such  a  value  on  our  performing  these  con- 
ditions of  the  new  covenant  that  they  are  deemed  equivalent  to  Christ's  perform- 
ing perfect  obedience  for  us,  reflects  on  his  glory,  as  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
for  sin  to  declare  God's  righteousness  in  the  remission  of  it,  and  detracts  from  the 
obligation  which  we  are  laid  under  to  him  for  what  he  did  and  suffered  in  our  be- 
half for  our  justification. — Again,  to  assert  that  God  sets  this  value  on  our  per- 
formances pursuant  to. Christ's  merit,  or  that  they  are  highly  esteemed  by  him 
because  they  are  tinctured  with  his  blood,  is  contrary  to  the  design  of  Christ's 
death.  For  that  design  was,  not  that  such  an  estimate  might  be  set  on  what  is 
done  by  us,  but  rather  that  the  iniquities  which  attend  our  best  performances  may  be 
forgiven, — that,  though,  when  we  have  done  all,  we  are  unprofitable  servants,  we 
may  be  made  accepted  in  the  Beloved, — and  that,  having  no  justifying  righteous- 
ness of  our  own,  we  may  be  justified  by  that  which  he  hath  wrought  out  for  us,  and 
glory  in  it. — As  to  the  supposition  that  faith,  repentance,  and  new  obedience  are 
not  only  conditions  of  justification,  but  conditions  easy  to  be  performed,  it  plainly 
discovers  that  they  who  maintain  it,  either  think  too  lightly  of  man's  impotency 
and  aversion  to  what  is  good,  and  of  his  alienation  from  the  life  of  God,  or  are 
strangers  to  their  own  hearts,  and  not  duly  sensible  that  it  is  God  that  works  in 
his  people  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure. — The  only  thing  which 
I  shall  add,  in  opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  works,  is,  that  what- 
ever is  the  matter  or  ground  of  our  justification  in  the  sight  of  God,  must  be  plead- 
able at  his  bar.  For  we  cannot  be  justified  without  a  plea;  and  if  any  plea  taken 
from  our  own  works  be  thought  sufficient,  how  much  soever  the  proud  and  deluded 
heart  of  man  may  set  too  great  a  value  upon  them,  God  will  not  reckon  the  plea 
valid,  so  as  to  discharge  us  from  guilt,  and  give  us  on  account  of  it  a  right  and  title 
to  eternal  life. 

2.  We  now  proceed  to  consider  the  method  taken  in  the  Answer  before  us,  to 
explain  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith.  This  method,  we  think,  is  agreeable 
to  the  divine  perfections,  and  contains  a  true  state  of  the  doctrine  in  question.  We 
formerly  considered  justification  as  a  forensic  act,  that  we  might  understand  what 
is  meant  by  our  sins  being  imputed  to  Christ  our  head  and  surety,  and  his  righte- 
ousness imputed  to  us,  or  placed  to  our  account.  And  we  are  now  to  speak  of  this 
righteousness  as  pleaded  by  or  applied  to  us,  as  the  foundation  of  our  claim  to  all 
the  blessings  which  were  purchased  by  it.  Here  we  must  consider  a  sinner  as 
bringing  in  his  plea,  in  order  to  his  discharge  ;  and  he  does  this  either  with  the 
view  of  being  declared  innocent,  or  with  the  view  of  being  justified  on  the  ground 
of  Christ's  righteousness. 

If  he  be  charged  by  men  or  by  Satan  with  crimes  not  committed,  he  pleads  his 
own  innocency ;  if  charged  with  hypocrisy,  he  pleads  his  own  sincerity.  In  this 
sense,  we  are  to  understand  several  expressions  in  scripture.  When,  for  example, 
a  charge  of  the  kind  mentioned  was  brought  against  Job,  Satan  having  suggested 
that  he  did  not  serve  God  for  nought,  and  that,  if  God  would  touch  his  bone  and 
his  flesh,  he  would  curse  him  to  his  face,  and  his  friends  having  often  applied  to 
him  the  character  they  give  of  the  hypocrite,  and  so  concluded  him  to  be  a  wicked 
person,  he  said,  '  God  forbid  that  I  should  justify  you,'  that  is,  that  I  should  acknow- 
ledge your  charge  to  be  just.  'Till  I  die,  I  will  not  remove  mine  integrity  from 
me.  My  righteousness  I  hold  fast,  and  will  not  let  it  go.  My  heart  shall  not  re- 
proach me  so  long  as  I  live  ;'h  that  is,  '  I  never  will  own  what  you  insinuate,  that 
my  heart  is  not  right  with  God.'  David,  also,  when  complaining  of  the  ill  treat- 
ment which  he  met  with  from  his  enemies  and  persecutors,  who  desired  not  only 
to  'tread  down  his  life  upon  the  earth,'  but  to  'lay  his  honour  in  the  dust,'  to 
murder  his  name  as  well  as  his  person,  prays,  '  Judge  me,  0  Lord,  according  to 

h  Job  xxviL  5,  6. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  101 

my  righteousness,  and  according  to  mine  integrity  that  is  in  roe.'1  What  could  he 
plead  against  malicious  and  false  insinuations,  but  his  righteousness  or  his  integrity  ? 
Elsewhere,  also,  when  he  says,  '  The  Lord  rewarded  me  according  to  my  righteous- 
ness ;  according  to  the  cleanness  of  my  hands  hath  he  recompensed  me ;  for  I  have 
kept  the  ways  of  the  Lord ;  his  judgments  were  before  me  ;  I  was  also  upright  before 
him,  and  have  kept  myself  from  mine  iniquity, 'k  his  words  are  nothing  else  but  an 
intimation  that,  how  much  soever  he  might  be  charged  with  the  contrary  vices,  he 
was,  as  regarded  them,  innocent.  Though  God  did  not  justify  him  at  his  tribunal 
for  his  personal  righteousness  ;  yet,  in  the  course  of  his  providence,  he  seemed  so  far 
to  approve  his  plea,  that,  whatever  the  world  thought  of  him,  he  plainly  dealt  with 
him  as  one  who  was  highly  favoured  by  him,  or  as  one  whom,  by  his  dealings  with 
him,  he  evidently  distinguished  from  those  whose  hearts  were  not  right  with  him. 
It  is  true,  some  who  plead  for  justification  by  our  own  righteousness,  allege  these 
scriptures  as  a  proof  of  it;  but  they  do  not  distinguish  between  the  justification  of 
our  persons  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  the  justification  of  our  righteous  cause,  or  be- 
tween our  being  justified  when  accused  at  God's  tribunal,  and  our  being  justified  or 
vindicated  from  those  charges  which  are  brought  against  us  at  man's. 

When  a  person  stands  at  God's  tribunal,  as  we  must  suppose  the  sinner  to  do, 
when  bringing  in  his  plea  for  justification  in  his  sight,  he  has  nothing  to  plead  but 
Christ's  righteousness ;  and  faith  is  the  grace  which  pleads  it.  On  this  account, 
we  are  said  to  be  justified  by  faith,  or  in  a  way  of  believing.  Faith  does  not  justify 
by  presenting  or  pleading  itself,  or  any  other  grace  which  accompanies  or  flows  from 
it,  as  the  cause  why  God  should  forgive  sin,  or  give  us  a  right  to  eternal  life ;  for 
no  grace  has  a  sufficient  worth  or  excellency  to  procure  these  blessings.  When  we 
are  said  to  be  justified  by  faith,  it  is  by  faith  as  apprehending,  pleading,  or  laying 
hold  on  Christ's  righteousness.  This  gives  occasion  to  divines  to  call  it  the  instru- 
ment of  our  justification.  Christ's  righteousness  is  the  thing  claimed  or  appre- 
hended; and  faith  is  that  by  which  it  is  claimed  or  apprehended.  Agreeably  to 
the  idea  of  an  instrument,  we  are  said  to  be  justified,  not  for  faith,  but  by  it. 
Christ's  righteousness  is  that  which  procures  a  discharge  from  condemnation  for  all 
for  whom  it  was  wrought  out ;  and  faith  is  the  hand  which  receives  it,  whereby 
a  person  has  a  right  to  conclude  that  it  was  wrought  out  for  him.  Christ's  righte- 
ousness is  that  which  has  a  tendency  to  enrich  and  adorn  the  soul ;  and  faith  is  the 
hand  which  receives  it,  whereby  it  becomes  ours  in  a  way  of  fiducial  application. 
As  the  ^righteousness  of  Christ  is  compared,  in  scripture,  to  a  glorious  robe  which 
renders  the  soul  beautiful,  or  is  its  highest  and  chief  ornament ;  so  it  is  by  faith 
that  this  robe  is  put  on.  Thus  its  beauty,  as  the  prophet  says,  is  rendered  'perfect 
through  his  comeliness,  which  is  put  upon  him.'1  Hence,  Christ's  righteousness 
justifies,  as  it  is  the  cause  of  our  discharge;  faith  justifies  as  the  instrument  which 
applies  this  discharge  to  us.  Accordingly,  when  it  is  said,  '  The  just  shall  live  by 
faith,'  faith  is  considered  as  that  which  seeks  and  finds  life  in  him.  The  effect  is, 
by  a  metonymy,  applied  to  the  instrument ;  as  when  the  husbandman  is  said  to 
live  or  be  maintained  by  his  plough,  and  the  artist  to  live  by  his  hands,  or  the 
beggar  by  his  empty  hand  which  receives  the  donative.  If  a  person,  were  in  a 
dungeon,  as  the  prophet  Jeremiah  was,  and  a  rope  were  let  down  to  draw  him 
out,  his  laying  hold  on  it  is  the  instrument,  but  the  hand  which  draws  him  out  is 
the  principal  cause  of  his  release.  Or,  that  we  may  make  use  of  a  similitude  which 
more  directly  illustrates  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  suppose  a  condemned 
malefactor  had  a  pardon  procured  for  him,  which  gives  him  a  right  to  liberty  or  a 
discharge  from  the  place  of  his  confinement,  this  pardon  must  be  pleaded,  and  his 
claim  be  rendered  visible ;  and  afterwards  he  is  no  longer  deemed  a  guilty  person, 
but  discharged,  in  open  court,  from  the  sentence  which  he  was  under.  Thus, 
Christ  procures  forgiveness  by  his  blood ;  the  gospel  holds  it  forth,  and  describes 
those  who  have  a  right  to  claim  it  as  believers ;  faith  pleads  it,  and  claims  it  as 
belonging  to  him  in  particular ;  and  hence  arises  a  visible  discharge  from  condem- 
nation, and  a  right  to  claim  the  benefits  which  attend  it.  If  we  understand  justi- 
fication by  faith  in  this  sense,  we  do  not  attribute  too  much  to  faith,  on  the  one 
hand,  nor  too  little  to  Christ's  righteousness  on  the  other.  [See  Note  I,  page  121.] 

i  Psal.  vii.  8.  k  2  Sam.  xxii.  21,  et  seq.  1  Ezek.  xvi.  14. 


102  THK  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

We  choose  to  call  faith  an  instrument  rather  than  a  condition  of  our  justifica- 
tion, as  we  are  sensible  that  the  word  *  condition '  is  generally  used  to  signify  that 
for  the  sake  of  which  a  benefit  is  conferred,  rather  than  the  instrument  by  which 
it  is  applied.  Not  but  that  the  word  may  be  explained  in  such  a  way  as  is  con- 
sistent with  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith.  We  do  not  deny  that  faith  is  the 
condition  of  our  claim  to  Christ's  righteousness ;  or  that  it  is  God's  ordinance*  with- 
out which  we  have  no  ground  to  conclude  our  interest  in  it.  We  must  distinguish 
between  its  being  a  condition  of  forgiveness,  and  its  being  a  condition  of  our  visible 
and  apparent  right  to  forgiveness.  This  privilege  cannot  be  said  to  belong  to  us, 
unless  we  receive  it ;  nor  can  we  conclude  that  we  have  an  interest  in  Christ's  re- 
demption, any  more  than  they  for  whom  he  did  not  lay  down  his  life,  but  by  this 
medium.  We  must  first  consider  Christ's  righteousness  as  wrought  out  for  all  those 
who  were  given  him  by  the  Father  ;  and  then  consider  faith  as  that  which  gives 
us  ground  to  conclude  that  the  privilege  belongs  in  particular  to  us.  This  account 
of  the  use  of  faith  in  justification,  we  cannot  but  think  sufficient  to  obviate  the 
most  material  ejections  which  are  brought  against  our  way  of  maintaining  the  doc- 
trine of  justification,  namely,  by  Christ's  righteousness,  in  one  respect,  and  by  faith 
in  another.  It  is  an  injurious  suggestion  to  suppose  that  we  deny  the  necessity  of 
faith  in  any  sense,  or  to  conclude  that  we  may  lay  claim  to  justification  without  it ; 
for  we  strenuously  assert,  on  the  one  hand,  the  necessity  of  Christ's  righteousness 
being  wrought  out  for  us,  and  of  forgiveness  being  thereby  procured, — and,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  necessity  of  our  receiving  it.  Each  of  these  points  is  true  in  its 
respective  place.  Christ  must  have  the  glory  which  is  due  to  him  ;  and  faith  the 
work  or  office  which  belongs  to  it. 

We  have  thus  considered  Christ's  righteousness  as  applied  by  faith.  It  may  be 
observed,  also,  that  there  is  one  scripture  in  which  it  is  said  to  be  '  imputed  by 
faith.'  The  apostle  Paul,  when  speaking  concerning  Abraham's  justification  by 
faith  in  this  righteousness,  says,  '  It  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness  ;'  and 
adds,  that  '  it  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him,  but 
for  us  also,  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe.'™  In  this  scripture,  I  con- 
ceive, imputation  is  taken  for  application.  Accordingly,  the  meaning  is,  the  righ- 
teousness of  Christ  is  so  imputed  that  we  have  ground  to  place  it  to  our  own  ac- 
count, if  we  believe.  This  is  the  same  as  applying  it  by  faith.  It  must  be  allowed, 
indeed,  that  while  the  apostle  speaks  elsewhere  of  '  faith  being  counted  for  righ- 
teousness ;'n  there  is  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  in  the  mode  of  expression.  If  we 
assert  that  the  act  of  believing  is  imputed  for  righteousness,  as  they  do  who 
establish  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  works,  or  by  faith  as  a  work,  we  overthrow 
what  we  have  been  maintaining.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  understand  faith  for  the 
object  of  faith,  namely,  what  was  wrought  out  by  Christ,  which  faith  is  conversant 
about,  and  conclude,  as  I  conceive  we  ought  to  do,  that  this  is  imputed  for  righteous- 
ness, we  are  supposed  by  some  to  deviate  too  much  from  the  common  sense  of 
words.  But  if  there  be  such  a  figurative  way  of  speaking  used  in  other  scriptures, 
why  may  we  not  suppose  that  it  is  used  in  the  text  under  consideration  ?  If  other 
graces  are  sometimes  taken  for  the  object  of  them,  why  may  not  faith  be  taken,  by 
a  metonymy,  for  its  object?  Thus  the  apostle  calls  those  to  whom  he  writes,  '  his  joy,' 
that  is,  the  object  or  matter  of  his  joy.0  In  the  book  of  Canticles,  the  church  calls 
Christ  '  her  love,'P  that  is,  the  object  of  her  love.  Hope  also  is  plainly  taken  for 
the  object  of  it,  when  the  apostle  says,  '  Hope  that  is  seen,  is  not  hope  ;  for  what 
a  man  seeth,  why  doth  he  yet  hope  for?'0-  He  here  plainly  intends  that  whatever  is 
the  object  of  hope,  cannot  be  in  our  present  possession.  Christ,  moreover,  is 
styled,  '  the  blessed  hope,'r  that  is,  the  person  whose  appearance  we  hope  for. 
Jacob,  too,  speaks  of  God  as  '  the  fear  of  his  father  Isaac,  's  that  is,  the  person 
whom  he  worshipped  with  reverential  fear.  Now,  in  all  these  cases  the  phraseo- 
logy is  equally  difficult  with  that  of  the  text  under  consideration. 

m  Rom.  iv.  22,  23,  24.  n  Ver.  5.  o  Phil,  in  1.  p  Cant.  viii.  4. 

0  Rom.  vni.  24.  r  Tit.  ii.  13.  s  Gen.  xxxi.  53. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  1(J[ 


Inferences  from  the  Doctrine  of  Justification. 

"We  have  thus  spoken  concerning  Christ's  righteousness  as  wrought  out  for  us, 
and  applied  by  faith.  This  doctrine  is  the  foundation  of  all  our  peace  and  com- 
fort, both  in  life  and  in  death  ;  and  cannot  but  be  reckoned  a  doctrine  of  the  high- 
est importance.    We  shall  now  consider  some  things  which  may  be  inferred  from  it. 

1.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  justification,  as  founded  in  Christ's 
suretiship-righteousness,  wrought  out  for  us  by  what  was  done  and  suffered  by 
him  in  his  human  nature,  and  having  infinite  value  as  depending  on  the  glory  of 
the  divine  nature  to  which  the  human  is  united,  we  cannot  but  infer  the  absurdity 
of  two  contrary  opinions,  namely,  that  of  those  who  have  asserted  that  we  are  jus- 
tified by  the  essential  righteousness  of  Christ  as  God,*  and  that  of  others  who  pre- 
tend that,  because  all  mediatorial  acts  are  performed  by  Christ  only  as  man,  the 
infinite  dignity  of  the  divine  nature  has  no  reference  to  their  being  satisfactory  to 
divine  justice.  This  is  what  they  mean  when  they  say  that  we  are  justified  by 
Christ's  righteousness  as  man,  in  opposition  to  our  being  justified  by  his  essential  righ- 
teousness as  God.'u  I  think,  however,  that  the  truth  lies  in  a  medium  between  these 
extremes.  On  the  one  hand,  we  must  suppose  that  Christ's  engagement  to  become 
a  surety  for  us,  to  stand  in  our  room  and  stead,  and  to  pay  the  debt  which  we  had 
contracted  to  the  justice  of  God,  could  not  be  done  in  any  other  than  the  human 
nature  ;  for  the  divine  nature  is  not  capable  of  being  under  a  law,  of  fulfilling  it, 
or,  in  any  instance,  of  obeying  or  suffering  ;  so  that  we  cannot  be  justified  by 
Christ's  essential  righteousness,  as  God.  On  the  other  hand,  what  Christ  did 
and  suffered  as  man,  would  not  have  been  sufficient  for  our  justification,  had  it 
not  had  an  infinite  value  put  upon  it,  arising  from  the  union  of  the  nature  which 
suffered  with  the  divine  nature,  agreeably  to  the  apostle's  expression,  '  The  church 
of  God  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 'x 

2.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  fruits  and  effects  of  justification, 
that  our  sins  are  pardoned  and  we  made  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  we  infer  that  it 
is  not  only  an  unscriptural  way  of  speaking,  but  has  a  tendency  to  overthrow  the 
doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  to  assert,  as  some  do,  that  God  is  only  rendered  re- 
concilable by  what  was  done  and  suffered  by  Christ.  This  seems  to  be  maintained 
by  different  parties  with  different  views.  Some  speak  of  God's  being  rendered  recon- 
cilable by  Christ's  righteousness,  that  they  may  make  way  for  what  they  have  farther 
to  advance,  namely,  that  God's  being  reconciled  to  a  sinner  is  the  result  of  his  own 
repentance,  or  the  amendment  of  his  lii'e,  whereby  he  makes  his  peace  with  him. 
This  is  to  make  repentance  or  reformation  the  matter  of  our  justification,  and  to 
substitute  it  for  Christ's  righteousness.  They,  therefore,  who  speak  of  God's  being 
made  reconcilable  in  this  sense  by  his  blood,  are  so  far  from  giving  a  true  account 
of  the  doctrine  of  justification,  that,  in  reality,  they  overthrow  it. — But  there  are 
others  who  speak  of  God's  being  reconcilable  as  the  consequence  of  Christ's  satis- 
faction, that  they  may  not  be  thought  to  assert  that  God  is  actually  reconciled  by 
the  blood  of  Christ,  to  those  who  are  in  an  unconverted  state, — a  state  which  is 
inconsistent  with  a  state  of  reconciliation.  They  hence  use  this  mode  of  expression, 
lest  they  should  be  thought  to  give  countenance  to  the  doctrine  of  actual  justifica- 
tion before  faith.  But  certainly  we  are  under  no  necessity  of  advancing  one  absur- 
dity to  avoid  another.  Let  it  be  here  considered,  therefore,  that  the  scripture 
speaks  expressly  of  God's  being  reconciled  by  the  death  of  Christ.  He  is  said,  as 
a  God  of  peace,?  to  have  '  brought  him  again  from  the  dead.'  Elsewhere  the  apos- 
tle speaks  not  of  God  becoming  reconcilable  to  us,  but  of  his  '  having  reconciled  us 
to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ.'2  Again,  he  says,  •  If  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son  ;  much  more  being  reconciled,  we  shall 

t  This  opinion  was  propagated  soon  after  the  Reformation,  by  Andr.  Osiander,  who  lived  a  little 
before  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

u  This  opinion  was  propagated  soon  after  by  Stanearus,  in  opposition  to  Osiander,  whom  Du 
Pin  reckons  amongst  the  Socinians.  or  who,  at  least,  after  he  had  advanced  this  notion,  denied  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity.     [See  Du  Pin's  Eccl.  Hist,  sixteenth  century.  Book  \v.  chap.  6.] 

x  Acts  xx.  28.  y  lleb.  xiii.  20.  z  2  Cor.  v.  18. 


104  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

he  saved,'  *  that  is,  shall  obtain  the  saving  effects  of  this  reconciliation,  •  by  his  life.' 
Again,  '  Having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all 
things  unto  himself.  And  you  that  were  sometimes  alienated,  and  enemies  in  your 
mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  hath  he  reconciled,  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through 
death,  to  present  you  holy  and  unblameable,  and  unreproveable  in  his  sight. 'b  Here 
he  describes  those  who  were  reconciled  as  once  enemies  ;  and  speaks  of  their  re- 
conciliation as  having  been  procured  by  the  death  of  Christ,  and  of  holiness  here 
and  salvation  hereafter  as  the  consequence.  What  he  speaks  of,  therefore,  is  such 
a  reconciliation  as  is  contained  in  our  justification. — But  though  this  appears  very 
agreeable  to  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  scripture,  it  must  be  understood  in  con- 
sistency with  those  scriptures  which  represent  persons  in  an  unconverted  state  as 
'children  of  wrath, 'c  and  as  being  '  hateful,'  d  that  is,  not  only  deserving  to  be 
hated  by  God,  but  actually  hated,  as  appears  by  the  many  threatenings  which  are 
denounced  against  them,  and  by  their  being  in  a  condemned  state.  We  must  un- 
derstand the  doctrine  of  reconciliation  consistently  with  what  the  scriptures  say 
respecting  such  persons,  that  we  may  not  give  countenance  to  the  doctrine  of  some 
who,  not  distinguishing  between  God's  secret  and  revealed  will,  maintain  that  we 
are  not  only  virtually  but  actually  justified  before  we  believe  ;  as  though  we  had  a 
right  to  claim  Christ's  righteousness  before  we  have  any  ground  to  conclude  that 
it  was  wrought  out  for  us.  But  what  has  been  already  suggested  concerning  justifica- 
tion by  faith,  will,  I  think,  sufficiently  remove  this  difficulty. — The  only  thing  which 
remains  to  be  explained  is,  how  God  may  be  said  to  be  reconciled  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  to  a  person  who  is  in  an  unconverted  state,  and  as  such,  is  represented  as  a 
child  of  wrath.  Now  so  long  as  a  person  is  an  unbeliever,  he  has  no  ground  to 
conclude,  according  to  the  tenor  of  God's  revealed  will,  that  he  is  reconciled  to  him, 
or  that  he  is  any  other  than  a  child  of  wrath.  Yet,  when  we  speak  of  God's  being 
reconciled  to  his  elect,  according  to  the  tenor  of  his  secret  will,  before  they  be- 
lieve, we  in  effect  say  that  justification,  as  it  is  an  immanent  act  in  God,  is  antece- 
dent to  faith, — which  is  a  certain  truth,  inasmuch  as  faith  is  a  fruit  and  conse- 
quence ;  and  we  add,  that  God  does  not  declare  that  he  is  reconciled  to  us,  or  give 
us  ground  to  conclude  that  he  is,  so  as  to  make  it  appear  that  we  are  no  longer  the 
"children  of  wrath,  till  we  believe.  If  this  be  duly  considered,  we  have  no  reason  to 
assert  that  God  is  reconcilable  rather  than  reconciled  by  the  death  of  Christ,  lest 
we  should  be  thought  to  maintain  the  doctrine  of  justification,  or  deliverance  from 
wrath,  as  a  declared  act,  before  we  believe.  We  may  add  that  God  was  reconcil- 
able to  his  elect,  that  is,  willing  to  be  reconciled  to  them,  before  Christ  died  for 
them  ;  otherwise  he  would  never  have  sent  him  into  the  world  to  make  reconcilia- 
tion for  the  sins  of  his  people.  He  was  reconcilable,  and  therefore  designed  to  turn 
from  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath ;  and,  in  order  to  this,  he  appointed  Christ  to  make 
satisfaction  for  sin,  and  procure  peace  for  them. 

3.  There  is  not  the  least  inconsistency  between  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  jus- 
tification as  an  act  of  God's  free  grace,  and  others  which  speak  of  it  as  by  faith 
founded  on  Christ's  righteousness  ;  or  between  God's  pardoning  sin  freely,  without 
regard  to  any  thing  done  by  us  to  procure  it,  and  his  insisting  on  and  receiving  a 
full  satisfaction,  as  the  meritorious  and  procuring  cause  of  it.  It  is  sometimes  ob- 
jected against  what  we  have  advanced  in  explaining  the  doctrine  we  maintain,  that 
it  represents  justification,  as,  in  some  respects,  an  act  of  justice,  and  in  others 
an  act  of  grace  ;  as  though  the  doctrine  were  inconsistent  with  itself,  and  our 
method  of  explaining  it  were  liable  to  an  absurdity  ;  or  as  though  two  contradic- 
tory propositions  could  be  both  true,  namely,  that  justification  is  an  act  of  the 
strictest  justice,  without  any  abatement  of  the  debt  demanded,  and  yet  an  act  of 
free  grace,  without  insisting  on  the  payment  of  the  debt.  But  this  seeming  contra- 
diction may  be  easily  reconciled.  For  the  debt  was  not  paid  by  us  in  our  own  per- 
sons. Had  this  been  done,  it  would  have  been  inconsistent  with  forgiveness  being 
an  act  of  grace.  But  the  debt  was  paid  by  our  surety  ;  and  as  paid  by  him,  there 
was  no  abatement  of  it.  He  did  not  receive  a  discharge  by  an  act  of  grace,  but  was 
justified  as  our  head  or  surety,  by  his  own  righteousness,  or  works  performed  by 

a  Kom.  v.  10.  b  Col.  i.  20,  21,  22.  c  Eph.  ii.  3.  d  Tit.  iii.  3. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  105 

him  ;  while  we  are  justified  by  his  suretiship-righteousness,  without  works  per- 
formed by  us.  Moreover,  as  was  formerly  observed,  this  surety  was  provided  for 
us.  Hence  when  we  speak  of  justification  as  an  act  of  grace,  we  distinguish  be- 
tween the  justification  of  our  surety,  after  he  had  given  full  satisfaction  for  the  debt 
which  we  had  contracted  ;  and  the  payment  being  placed  to  our  account  by  God's 
gracious  imputation  of  it  to  us,  and  our  consequently  obtaining  forgiveness,  which 
can  he  no  other  than  an  act  of  the  highest  grace. 

4.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  justification  by  faith,  we  infer  the  method, 
order,  and  time  in  which  God  justifies  his  people.  There  are  some  who  speak  of 
justification,  not  only  before  faith,  but  from  eternity  ;  and  consider  it  as  an  im- 
manent act  in  God  in  the  same  sense  as  election  is  said  to  be.  I  will  not  deny  eternal 
justification,  provided  it  be  considered  as  contained  in  God's  secret  will,  and  not  made 
the  rule  by  which  we  are  to  determine  ourselves  to  be  in  a  justified  state,  and  as  such 
to  have  a  right  and  title  to  eternal  life,  before  it  is  revealed  or  apprehended  by  faith. 
If  we  understand  it  in  this  sense,  it  is  beyond  dispute  that  justification  is  not  by  faith. 
But  as  the  most  known,  yea,  the  only  sense  in  which  justification  is  spoken  of,  as  ap- 
plied to  particular  persons,  is,  that  it  is  by  faith,  we  must  suppose  that  it  is  a  declared 
act.  That  which  is  hid  in  God,  and  not  declared,  cannot  be  said  to  be  applied ; 
and  that  which  is  not  applied  cannot  be  the  rule  by  which  particular  persons  may 
judge  of  their  state.  Thus,  to  speak  of  eternal  election,  and  say  that  God  has  per- 
emptorily determined  the  state  of  those  who  shall  be  saved  so  that  they  shall  not 
perish,  is  nothing  to  particular  persons,  unless  they  have  ground  to  conclude  them- 
selves elected.  So  if  we  say  that  God  has,  from  all  eternity,  given  his  elect  into 
Christ's  hands  ;  that  he  undertook  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  to  redeem 
them ;  and  that,  in  consequence,  God  promised  that  he  would  give  eternal  life  unto 
them  ;  or,  if  we  consider  Christ  as  having  fulfilled  what  he  undertook  from  all  eter- 
nity, finished  transgression,  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  fully  paid 
the  debt  which  he  undertook  ;  consider  him  as  being  discharged,  and  receiving  an 
acquittance,  when  raised  from  the  dead  ;  and  all  this  as  done  in  the  name  of  the 
elect,  as  their  head  and  representative  ;  and  if  we  farther  consider  them,  in  terms  of 
an  expression  often  used,  as  virtually  justified  in  him  ;  all  this  is  nothing  to  them, 
with  respect  to  their  peace  and  comfort  ;  they  have  no  more  a  right  to  claim  an 
interest  in  the  privilege  or  relation  of  being  justified  persons  than  if  he  had  not 
paid  a  price  for  them.  We  suppose,  therefore,  that  justification,  as  it  is  the  foun- 
dation of  our  claim  to  eternal  life,  is  a  declared  act.  Now,  if  justification  be  a  de- 
clared act,  there  must  be  some  method  which  God  uses,  whereby  he  declares  it  or 
makes  it  known.  Yet  it  is  certain  that  he  nowhere  in  scripture  tells  an  unbe- 
liever that  he  has  an  interest  in  Christ's  righteousness,  or  that  his  sins  are  pardoned, 
or  gives  him  any  warrant  to  take  comfort  from  any  such  conclusion.  On  the  con- 
trary, such  an  one  has  no  ground  to  conclude  otherwise  concerning  himself  than 
that  he  is  a  child  of  wrath  ;  for  he  is  to  judge  of  things  according  to  the  tenor  of 
God's  revealed  will.  Christ's  righteousness  is  nothing  to  him  in  point  of  application. 
He  is  guilty  of  bold  presumption  if  he  lays  claim  to  it,  or  takes  comfort  from  it ; 
as  much  so  as  he  would  be  were  he  to  say,  '  Some  are  elected,  therefore  I  am.'  When 
a  person  believes,  however,  he  has  a  right  to  conclude  that  he  is  justified,  or  to  claim 
all  the  privileges  which  result  from  justification.  This  is  what  we  call  justification 
by  faith  ;  which,  therefore,  cannot  be  before  faith.  That  which  gives  a  person  a 
right  to  claim  a  privilege,  must  be  antecedent  to  this  claim  ;  or,  that  which  is  the 
foundation  of  a  person's  concluding  himself  to  be  justified,  must  be  antecedent  to 
his  making  this  conclusion.  Hence,  all  who  duly  consider  what  they  affirm,  must 
conclude  that  justification  is  not  before  faith. 

5.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  office  or  use  of  faith  in  justification, 
as  an  instrument  which  applies  Christ's  righteousness  to  ourselves,  we  infer  that  it 
is  more  than  an  evidence  of  our  justification.  We  do  not  indeed  deny  it  to  be  an 
evidence  that  we  were  virtually  justified  in  Christ  as  our  head  and  representative, 
when  he  was  raised  from  the  dead ;  in  the  same  sense  as  it  is  an  evidence  of  our 
eternal  election.  But  this  is  equally  applicable  to  all  other  graces ;  and  therefore 
cannot  be  a  true  description  of  justifying  faith.  If  we  are  justified  by  faith,  only 
as  it  is  an  evidence  of  our  right  to  Christ's  righteousness,  we  are  as  much  justified 

II.  o 


106  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

by  love,  patience,  and  submission  to  the  divine  will,  or  any  other  grace  which  ac- 
companies salvation.  But  they  who  speak  of  faith  as  only  an  evidence,  will  not 
say  that  we  are  justified  by  all  other  graces,  in  the  same  sense  as  we  are  justified 
by  faith.     Indeed  the  scripture  gives  us  no  warrant  so  to  do. 

6.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  faith,  as  giving  us  a  right  to  claim 
Christ's  righteousness,  we  infer  that  a  person  is  justified  before  he  has  what  we  call 
the  faith  of  assurance ;  of  which  more  shall  be  said  hereafter.  We  hence  consider 
the  grace  of  faith  as  justifying  us,  or  giving  us  a  right  to  claim  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, whether  we  have  an  actual  claim  or  not.  If  this  were  not  allowed,  the  loss 
of  assurance  would  infer  the  suspension  or  loss  of  our  justification ;  and  consequent- 
ly would  render  our  state  as  uncertain  as  our  frames,  and  our  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  liable  to  be  lost  as  that  peace  and  joy  which  we 
sometimes  have  in  believing,  and  at  other  times  are  destitute  of. 

7.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  justifying  faith  being  accompanied  with 
all  other  graces,  we  infer  that  that  faith  which  is  justifying,  is  also  a  saving  grace, 
or  a  grace  which  accompanies  salvation.  Yet  there  is  this  difference  between 
saving  faith,  as  we  generally  call  it,  and  justifying  faith, — the  former  respects 
Christ  in  all  his  offices,  the  latter  considers  him  only  in  his  priestly  office,  or  as  set 
forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sin. 

The  Nature,  Kinds,  Objects,  Degrees,  and  Uses  of  Faith. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  grace  of  faith  in  its  larger  extent,  with  respect 
to  both  its  acts  and  its  objects,  as  stated  in  the  former  of  the  Answers  we  are  ex- 
plaining. We  shall  here  examine  the  nature  of  faith  in  general,  or  of  that  faith 
which,  as  already  explained,  we  call  justifying.  There  are  some  things  in  this  grace 
which  are  common  to  it  with  other  graces.  In  particular,  it  is  styled  a  saving  grace, 
not  as  being  the  cause  of  our  salvation,  but  as  it  accompanies  it,  or  is  connected 
with  it.  Again,  it  is  said  to  be  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  to  distinguish  it 
from  other  habits  of  a  lower  nature,  which  are  acquired  by  us.  It  is  also  said  to 
be  wrought  by  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God, — by  his  Spirit,  as  the  principal  effi- 
cient, who,  in  order  to  work  it  in  us,  exerts  his  divine  power, — and  by  the  word, 
as  the  instrument  which  he  makes  use  of.  The  word  presents  to  us  the  object  of 
faith  ;  and  it  is  God's  ordinance  in  our  attending  to  which  he  works  and  excites  it. 
Moreover,  there  are  several  things  supposed  or  contained  in  this  grace  of  faith, 
which  are  common  to  it  with  other  graces.  When  we  speak  of  a  believer,  or  one 
who  has  faith,  being  convinced  of  sin  and  misery,  of  his  being  unable  to  recover 
himself  out  of  the  lost  condition  in  which  he  is  by  nature,  and  of  the  impossibility 
of  his  being  recovered  out  of  it  by  any  other  creature,  we  view  faith  as  containing 
several  things  in  common  with  other  graces,  particularly  with  conversion,  effectual 
calling,  and  repentance  unto  life.  These  things,  therefore,  we  shall  pass  over  as 
having  been  considered  elsewhere,  and  confine  ourselves  to  what  is  peculiar  to 
this  grace  mentioned  in  this  Answer.  Yet  a  few  things  may  be  observed  concern- 
ing it,  as  it  is  styled  a  saving  grace,  and  wrought  in  the  heart  of  man  by  the  Spirit 
and  word  of  God.  We  shall  add  also  some  other  things  of  which  we  have  no  par- 
ticular account  in  this  Answer,  and  which  may  contain  a  full  explanation  of  this 
grace.  In  discussing  the  subject,  we  shall  observe  the  following  method.  First, 
we  shall  consider  the  meaning  of  the  word  'faith,'  in  the  more  general  idea  of  it. 
Secondly,  we  shall  speak  particularly  concerning  the  various  kinds  of  faith.  Third- 
ly, we  shall  speak  concerning  the  various  objects  and  acts  of  saving  faith  ;  espe- 
cially as  it  assents  to  the  truth  of  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  and  receives  and  rests 
upon  Christ  and  his  righteousness  held  forth  therein.  Fourthly,  we  shall  consider 
it  as  a  grace  which  accompanies  salvation,  and  is  wrought  in  the  heart  by  the  power 
of  the  Spirit,  and  instrumentality  of  the  word.  Fifthly,  we  shall  consider  it  as 
strong  or  weak,  increasing  or  declining ;  and  also  the  various  marks  and  evidences 
of  its  being  in  these  respective  states.  Sixthly,  we  shall  speak  of  the  use  of  faith 
in  the  whole  conduct  of  our  lives ;  as  every  thing  we  do  in  an  acceptable  manner 
is  said  to  be  done  by  it.  Lastly,  we  shall  show  how  it  is  to  be  attained  or  increased, 
and  what  are  the  means  conducive  to  these  ends. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  107 


The  General  Nature  of  Faith. 

As  to  the  meaning  of  the  word  'faith,'  in  its  more  general  idea,  it  is  either  an 
assent  to  a  truth,  founded  on  sufficient  evidence,  or  a  confiding  or  relying  on  the 
word  or  power  of  one  who  is  able  and  willing  to  afford  us  sufficient  help  or  relief.6 

1.  As  an  assent  to  a  truth  proposed  and  supported  by  sufficient  evidence,  it  is 
more  especially  an  act  of  the  understanding.  In  order  to  its  existing,  it  is  neces- 
sary that,  as  the  matter  of  our  belief,  something  be  discovered  to  us  which  demands 
or  calls  ior  our  assent;  and  this  is  considered  either  as  only  true,  or  as  both  true 
and  good.  If  it  be  considered  as  only  true,  the  faith  or  assent  which  is  required  is 
speculative ;  but  if  we  consider  it  not  only  as  true  but  as  good,  or  as  containing 
something  redounding  to  our  advantage,  the  faith  resulting  from  it  is  practical,  and 
is  seated  partly  in  the  understanding  and  partly  in  the  will,  or,  at  least,  the  will  is 
influenced  and  inclined  to  embrace  what  the  understanding  not  only  assents  to  as 
true,  but  proposes  to  us  as  what,  if  enjoyed,  would  tend  very  much  to  our  advan- 
tage.— As  to  this  general  description  of  faith,  as  an  assent  to  what  is  reported, 
founded  upon  sufficient  evidence,  we  may  farther  considerf  that  it  is  not  in  our 
power  to  believe  a  thing,  unless  the  judgment  be  convinced,  and  we  have  ground 
to  conclude  it  to  be  true.  Accordingly,  there  must  be  something  which  has  a 
tendency  to  give  conviction ;  and  this  is  what  we  call  evidence.  Every  thing  which 
is  reported  is  not  to  be  credited ;  for  it  has  very  often  no  appearance  of  truth  in  it. 
Besides,  it  is  reasonable  for  the  understanding  to  demand  a  proof  before  it  yields 
an  assent.  If  the  matter  be  one  of  report,  we  are  to  consider  the  nature  of  the 
evidence,  whether  it  be  sufficient  or  insufficient  to  persuade  us  to  believe  what  is 
reported  ;  and  according  to  the  strength  or  credibility  of  the  evidence,  we  believe 
it,  hesitate  about  it,  or  utterly  reject  it.  If,  according  to  our  present  view  of  things, 
it  may  be  true  or  false,  we  hardly  call  it  the  object  of  faith  ;  we  can  only  say  con- 
cerning it,  that  it  is  probable.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  be  attested  by  such  evi- 
dence as  cannot  without  scepticism  be  denied,  there  arises  what  we  call  certainty, 
or  an  assurance  of  faith  supported  by  the  strongest  evidence. — Moreover,  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  of  the  evidence  or  testimony  on  which  faith  is  founded,  it  is  dis- 
tinguished into  human  and  divine.  Both  of  these  are  referred  to  in  the  apostle's 
words,  '  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is  greater.  '*  As  to 
human  testimony,  though  it  may  not  be  termed  false,  yet  it  can  hardly  be  deemed 
any  other  than  fallible  ;  for  it  cannot  be  said  concerning  sinful  man,  that  it  is  im- 
possible for  him  to  lie  or  deceive,  or  to  be  deceived  himself.  But  when  we  believe 
a  thing  on  the  divine  testimony,  our  faith  is  infallible.  It  is  as  impossible  for  us 
to  be  deceived,  as  it  is  for  God  to  impart  that  to  us  which  is  contrary  to  his  infinite 
holiness  and  veracity.  It  is  in  the  latter  sense  that  we  consider  the  word  'faith,' 
when  we  speak  of  it  as  an  act  of  religious  worship,  or  as  included  or  supposed  in 
our  idea  of  saving  faith.  Accordingly,  we  style  it  a  firm  assent  to  every  thing  which 
God  has  revealed  as  founded  on  the  divine  veracity. 

Let  us  now  consider  faith  as  an  assent  to  a  thing,  not  only  as  true,  but  as  good. 
On  this  account,  we  call  it  a  practical  assent.  It  is  first  seated  in  the  understand- 
ing ;  and  then  the  will  embraces  what  the  understanding  discovers  to  be  conducive 
to  our  happiness.  We  first  believe  the  truth  presented  to  us,  and  then  regulate 
our  conduct  agreeably  to  it.  When  a  criminal-  hears  a  report  of  an  act  of  grace 
being  issued  forth  by  the  king,  he  does  not  rest  in  a  mere  assent  to  its  truth,  but 

e  This  is  commonly  called  'fiducia,'  and  as  such  is  distinguished  from  *  tides,'  by  which  the  former 
is  generally  expressed. 

f  In  this  respect  faith  is  distinguished  from  science.  Accordingly,  we  are  said  to  know  a  thing 
which  is  contained  in  an  axiom,  which  no  one,  who  has  the  exercise  of  his  understanding,  can 
doutit  of;  for  example,  that  the  whole  is  greater  than  the  part,  or  that  a  thing  cannot  he  and  not 
he  at  the  same  time,  &c.  Every  thing  which  is  founded  on  a  mathematical  demonstration,  is  in- 
cluded in  this  word  science  ;  to  which  we  may  add  ocular  demonstration.  Now  these  things  are 
not  pioperly  the  object  ol  faith  ;  or  the  assent  we  give  to  the  tru^h  of  them  is  not  founded  merely 
upon  evidence.  In  this  respect,  faith  is  distinguished  from  it:  for  which  reason  we  call  it  an  assent 
to  h  truth  touuded  on  evidence. 

g  1  John  v.  9. 


108  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

puts  in  his  claim  to  it.  Or  when  a  merchant  is  credibly  informed  that  there  are 
great  advantages  to  be  obtained  by  trading  into  foreign  countries,  he  receives  the 
report  with  a  design  to  use  all  proper  methods  to  partake  of  the  advantage.  '  The 
kingdom  of  heaven,'  says  our  Saviour,  '  is  like  unto  a  merchant-man  seeking  goodly 
pearls  ;  who,  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went  and  sold  all  that  he 
had  and  bought  it.'h  We  have  sufficient  evidence  to  support  our  faith,  that  there 
is  forgiveness  of  sin  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  that  all  spiritual  blessings  are 
treasured  up  in  him  for  the  heirs  of  salvation.  In  this  respect  faith  does  not  con- 
tain a  mere  speculative  assent  to  the  truth  of  these  propositions ;  but  it  excites  in  us 
an  endeavour  to  obtain  the  blessings  in  the  way  which  is  prescribed  by  him  who  is 
the  giver  of  them. 

2.  Faith  may  be  farther  considered  as  an  act  of  trust  or  dependence  on  him  who 
is  its  object.  This  is  very  distinct  from  the  former  sense  of  the  word.  For  though 
it  supposes,  indeed,  an  assent  of  the  understanding  to  some  truth  proposed ;  yet  this 
truth  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  produces*in  us  a  resting  or  reliance  on  one  who  is 
able  and  has  expressed  a  willingness  to  do  us  good,  and  whose  promise  is  such  as 
we  have  ground  to  depend  on.  This  supposes  in  him  who  is  the  subject  of  faith,  a 
sense  of  his  own  weakness  or  indigence ;  and  in  him  who  is  the  objectof  it,  a  fitness 
to  be  the  object  of  trust  for  giving  relief.  Thus,  the  sick  man  depends  upon  the 
skill  and  faithfulness  of  the  physician,  and  determines  to  look  no  farther  for  help, 
but  relies  on  his  prescriptions,  and  uses  the  means  which  he  appoints  for  the 
restoring  of  his  health.  Or  when  a  person  is  assaulted  by  one  who  threatens  to 
ruin  him,  and  is  able  to  do  it  as  being  an  overmatch  for  him,  he  has  recourse  to 
and  depends  on  the  assistance  of  one  who  is  able  to  secure  and  defend  him,  and 
thereby  prevent  the  danger  which  he  feared.  Thus  Jehoshaphat,  when  his  country 
was  invaded  by  a  great  multitude  of  foreign  troops,  being  apprehensive  that  he  was  not 
able  to  withstand  them,  exercised  the  faith  of  reliance  on  the  divine  power,  when 
he  said,  '  We  have  no  might  against  this  great  company  that  cometh  against  us, 
neither  know  we  what  to  do  ;  but  our  eyes  are  upon  thee.'1  God  is  very  often  in 
scripture  represented  as  the  object  of  trust.  The  church  says,  •  I  will  trust,  and 
not  be  afraid;  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength. 'k  Elsewhere,  '  he  that  walk- 
eth  in  darkness  and  hath  no  light,'  that  is,  knows  not  which  way  to  turn,  and  is 
helpless  and  destitute  of  all  comfort,  is  encouraged  to  '  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God.'1  This  is  truly  and  properly  a  divine  faith  ;  and, 
accordingly,  an  act  of  religious  worship.  It  is  opposed  to  a  '  trusting  in  man,  and 
making  flesh  his  arm  ;'m  and  it  supposes  a  firm  persuasion  that  God  is  able  to  do  all 
for  us  which  we  stand  in  need  of,  that  he  has  promised  to  do  us  good,  and  that  he 
will  never  fail  nor  forsake  those  who  repose  their  trust  or  confidence  in  him.  With 
this  view  the  believer  relies  on  his  perfections,  seeks  to  him  for  comfort,  and  lays 
the  whole  stress  of  his  hope  of  salvation  on  him,  not  doubting  concerning  the  event, 
but  concluding  himself  safe  if  he  can  say  that  '  the  eternal  God  is  his  refuge,  and 
underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms.'n     [See  Note  K,  page  124.] 

The  Various  Kinds  of  Faith. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  various  kinds  of  faith  mentioned  in  scripture. 
We  read  of  a  faith  which  was  adapted  to  that  extraordinary  dispensation  of  provi- 
dence in  which  God  was  pleased  to  confirm  some  great  and  important  truths  by 
miracles.  This  faith  is  styled  a  faith  in  miracles.  There  is  also  a  faith  which 
nas  no  reference  to  a  supernatural  event,  and  is  not  confined  to  any  particular  age 
or  state  of  the  church  in  which  miracles  are  expected,  but  is  founded  on  the  gospel- 
revelation;  which,  how  much  soever  it  may  resemble  saving  faith,  yet  falls  short  of 
it.     There  is  likewise  a  faith  which  is  inseparably  connected  with  salvation. 

1.  We  shall  speak  first  concerning  the  faith  of  miracles.  This  is  what  our  Sa- 
viour intends,  when  he  tells  his  disciples  that,  •  if  they  had  faith  as  a  grain  of  mus- 
tard-seed, they  should  say  unto  this  mountain,  Remove  hence  to  yonder  place,  and 

h  Matt.  xiii.  45,  46.  i  2  Chron.  xx.  12.  k  Isa.  xii.  2.  1  Chap.  1.  10. 

m  Jer.  xvii.  5.  n  Deut.  xxxiii.  27. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  109 

it  should  remove  ;  and  nothing  should  he  impossible  unto  them.'0  It  is  a  faith 
which  many  had  who  were  not  in  a  state  of  salvation ;  as  is  plain  from  what  our 
Saviour  says,  '  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  pro- 
phesied in  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ?  and  in  thy  name 
done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew 
you  ;  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity,  'p  The  apostle  Paul  supposes  that  a 
person  might  have  '  all  faith,'  that  is,  this  kind  of  faith,  '  so  that  he  could  remove 
mountains,  'i  which  is  a  proverbial  expression,  denoting  that  extraordinary  and  mira- 
culous events  might  attend  it;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  be  destitute  of  'charity' 
or  love  to  God,  and  consequently  without  saving  grace,  and  so  appear  in  the  end  to 
1  be  nothing.'  Some  have  questioned  whether  this  faith  of  miracles  was  peculiar 
to  the  gospel  dispensation  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour  and  the  apostles,  and  so  was 
not  required  in  those  who  wrought  miracles  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation. 
Others  suppose  that,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  it  was  always  necessary  that 
faith  should  be  exercised  when  a  miracle  was  wrought.  We  have  little  or  no  ac- 
count, however,  of  this  faith  as  exercised  by  those  who  wrought  miracles  before  our 
Saviour's  time  ;  and,  therefore,  we  cannot  peremptorily  determine  this  matter. 

According  to  the  account  we  have  in  the  New  Testament,  there  were  several 
things  necessary  to  or  included  in  this  faith  of  miracles.  First,  some  important  arti- 
cle of  revealed  religion  required  to  be  proposed  for  confirmation  ;  and,  in  order  to  this, 
an  explicit  appeal  was  made  to  God,  in  expectation  of  his  immediate  interposition  in 
working  a  miracle  for  that  end.  Everything  which  was  the  object  of  faith,  was  not, 
indeed,  to  be  proved  true  by  a  miracle  ;  but  only  those  things  which  could  not  be  suffi- 
ciently evinced  without  it,  so  as  to  beget  a  divine  faith  in  those  who  were  the  subjects 
of  conviction.  We  never  read  that  miracles  were  wrought  to  convince  the  world  that 
there  was  a  God  or  a  providence,  or  to  persuade  men  concerning  the  truth  of  those 
things  which  might  be  sufficiently  proved  by  rational  arguments.  But  when  there 
could  not  be  proof  given  without  the  finger  of  God  being  rendered  visible  by  a  mira- 
cle wrought,  then  those  who  had  the  faith  of  miracles  depended  on  such  an  instance 
of  divine  condescension,  and  the  people  who  were  to  receive  conviction  were  to 
expect  such  an  extraordinary  event. — Again,  it  was  necessary  that  there  should, 
in  him  who  wrought  the  miracles,  be  a  firm  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  doctrine 
to  be  confirmed  by  it,  together  with  an  explicit  appeal  to  it  for  the  conviction  of  those 
whose  faith  was  to  be  confirmed.  Sometimes  we  read  that,  when  miracles  were  to  be 
wrought  in  favour  of  those  who  before  had  a  sufficient  proof  that  our  Saviour  was  the 
Messiah,  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  have  a  strong  persuasion  of  this  truth, 
and  that  he  was  able  to  work  a  miracle  ;  otherwise  they  had  no  ground  to  expect 
that  a  miracle  should  be  wrought.  .  In  the  former  case,  we  read  of  Christ's  disciples 
working  miracles  for  the  conviction  of  the  Jews,  and  exercising,  at  the  same  time, 
the  faith  of  miracles  ;  and  in  the  latter,  a  general  faith  was  demanded  that  our 
Saviour  was  the  Messiah,  before  the  miracle  was  wrought.  In  this  sense  we  are 
to  understand  our  Lord's  reply  to  the  man  who  desired  that  he  would  cast  the 
devil  out  of  his  son,  '  If  thou  canst  believe,  all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  be- 
lieveth  ;'r  which  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Thou  hast  had  sufficient  conviction  by  other 
miracles  that  I  am  the  Messiah,  and  consequently  hast  no  reason  to  doubt  that  I 
can  cast  the  devil  out  of  thy  son ;  therefore,  if  thou  hast  a  strong- persuasion  of  this 
truth,  the  thing  that  thou  desirest  shall  be  granted.'  Elsewhere  also  it  is  said,  '  He 
did  not  many  mighty  works  there  because  of  their  unbelief.'8 — Further,  how  much 
soever  a  person  might  exercise  this  strong  persuasion  that  a  miracle  should  be  wrought, 
which  we  generally  call  a  faith  of  miracles,  I  cannot  think  that  this  event  always 
ensued  without  exception.  For  sometimes  God  might  refuse  to  work  a  miracle, 
that  he  might  cast  contempt  on  some  vile  persons  who  pretended  to  the  faith  of 
miracles  ;  who,  though  they  professed  their  faith  in  Christ  as  the  Messiah,  yet 
contradicted  their  profession  by  their  conduct.  Hence,  God  would  not  put  the 
honour  upon  thorn  to  work  a  miracle  at  their  desire.  Much  less  are  we  to  suppose 
that  he  would  work  a  miracle  at  the  pleasure  of  any,  if  they  were  persuaded  that 

o  Matt.  xvii.  20.  p  Chap.  vii.  22,  23.  q  1  Cor.  xiii.  2.  r  Mark  ix.  23. 

8  Matt.  xiii.  58. 


110  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

he  would  do  so.  Again,  sometimes  God  might,  in  judgment,  refuse  to  exert  his 
divine  power  in  working  a  miracle,  when  persons  had  had  sufficient  means  for  their 
conviction  by  other  miracles,  but  believed  not.  Finally,  when  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion  had  been  sufficiently  confirmed  by  miracles,  they  were  less  com- 
mon ;  and  then  we  read  nothing  more  of  that  faith  which  took  its  denomination 
from  them. 

2.  There  is  another  kind  of  faith,  which  has  some  things  in  common  with  saving 
faith,  and  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  it,  but  is  vastly  different  from  it.  This,  in 
some,  is  called  an  historical  faith  ;  and  in  others,  by  reason  of  the  short  continu- 
ance of  it,  a  temporary  faith.  An  historical  faith  is  that  whereby  persons  are 
convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  is  revealed  in  the  gospel,  though  it  has  very  little 
influence  on  their  conduct.  Such  have  right  notions  of  divine  things,  but  do  not 
entertain  a  suitable  regard  to  them.  Religion  with  them  is  little  more  than  a  mat- 
ter of  speculation.  They  do  not  doubt  concerning  any  of  the  important  doctrines 
of  the  gospel,  but  are  able  and  ready  to  defend  them  by  proper  arguments  ;  yet, 
though  in  words  they  profess  their  faith  in  Christ,  in  works  they  deny  him.  Such 
as  these  the  apostle  intends  when  he  says,  '  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God  ; 
thou  dost  well:  the  devils  also  believe  and  tremble.'*  He  charges  them  with  a 
vain  presumption,  in  expecting  to  be  justified  by  their  faith  ;  it  being  without 
works,  or  those  fruits  which  were  necessary  to  justify  it,  or  evince  its  sincerity,  or 
to  prove  that  it  was  such  a  grace  as  accompanies  salvation  ;  and  therefore  he  gives 
it  no  better  a  character  than  that  of  a  dead  faith. 

As  for  that  which  is  called  a  temporary  faith,  it  differs  little  from  the  former ; 
unless  we  consider  it  as  having  a  tendency,  in  some  measure,  to  excite  the  affec- 
tions, and  so  far  to  regulate  the  conduct  as  to  produce  in  those  who  have  it  a  form 
of  godliness  ;  and  it  continues  as  long  as  this  form  comports  with  or  is  subservi- 
ent to  their  secular  interest.  But  it  is  not  such  a  faith  as  will  enable  them  to  pass 
through  fiery  trials,  or  to  part  with  all  things  for  Christ's  sake,  or  to  rejoice  in  him 
as  their  portion,  when  they  meet  with  little  but  tribulation  and  persecution  in  the 
world  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel.  Trials  and  persecutions  will  evidently  discover  its 
insincerity  ;  for  it  will  wither  like  a  plant  which  is  without  a  root.  Our  Saviour 
speaks  of  it  in  the  parable,  of  the  '  seed  that  fell  upon  stony  places,  where  they  had 
not  much  earth,  and  forthwith  they  sprang  up,  because  they  had  no  deepness  of 
earth  ;  and  when  the  sun  was  up,  they  were  scorched ;  and  because  they  had  no 
root,  they  withered  away.'  This  he  explains  of  him  '  who  heareth  the  word, 
and  anon  with  joy  receiveth  it ;  yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself,  but  dureth  for  a 
while  ;  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because  of  the  word,  by  and  by 
he  is  offended.'11  This  parable  had  a  particular  relation  to  the  Jews,  who  heard 
John  the  Baptist  gladly,  rejoicing  in  his  light  for  a  season,  and  seemed  to  be  con- 
vinced by  his  doctrine  concerning  the  Messiah  who  was  shortly  to  appear  ;  but 
who,  when  they  apprehended  that  his  kingdom,  instead  of  advancing  them  to  great 
honours  in  the  world,  was  likely  to  expose  them  to  tribulations  and  persecution,  were 
offended  in  him.  It  is  applicable  also  to  all  those  who  think  themselves  something, 
and  are  thought  so  by  others,  as  to  the  profession  they  make  of  Christ  and  his  gos- 
pel ;  but  who  afterwards  appear  to  be  nothing,  deceiving  their  own  souls. 

3.  We  are  next  to  consider  faith  as  a  grace  inseparably  connected  with  salvation. 
This  is  called  'justifying  faith,'  and  also  'a  saving  grace,'  in  this  Answer  in  which 
the  nature  of  it  is  explained.  What  may  be  farther  said  concerning  it  will  be  con- 
sidered under  the  following  Heads,  which  we  propose  to  insist  on  in  the  general  me- 
thod before  laid  down.     [See  Note  L,  p.  126.] 

The  Objects  and  Acts  of  Saving  Faith. 

We  proceed,  therefore,  to  speak  concerning  the  various  objects  and  acts  of  sav- 
ing faith. 
_  1.  Concerning  its  objects.     Every  thing  which  is  the  object  of  it  must  take  its 
rise  from  God.     We  are  now  speaking  concerning  a  divine  faith  ;  and  inasmuch 

t  James  ii.  19.  u  Matt,  xiii.  5,  6,  compared  with  ver.  20,  21. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  Ill 

as  saving  faith  supposes  and  includes  an  assent  to  the  truth  of  divine  revelation, 
we  are  hound  to  believe  whatever  God  has  revealed  in  his  word  ;  so  that  as  all 
scripture  is  the  rule  of  faith,  the  matter  which  it  contains  is  the  object  of  faith.  As 
scripture  contains  an  historical  relation  of  things,  these  are  the  objects  of  faith,  and 
we  are  to  yield  an  assent  to  what  God  reveals,  as  being  of  infallible  verity.  As  it 
is  a  rule  of  duty  and  obedience,  we  are  bound  to  believe  so  as  to  adore  the  sover- 
eignty of  God,  commanding  us  to  submit  to  his  authority,  and  having  a  right  to 
give  laws  to  our  consciences ;  and  we  are  bound  also  to  acknowledge  ourselves  his  sub- 
jects and  servants,  under  an  indispensable  obligation  to  yield  the  obedience  of  faith 
to  him.  As  scripture  contains  many  great  and  precious  promises,  these  are  the 
objects  of  faith  ;  as  we  are  to  desire  and  hope  for  the  accomplishment  of  them,  and 
to  depend  on  the  faithfulness  of  God  for  bringing  it  about, — particularly,  we  are  to 
consider  the  promises  as  they  are  all  yea  and  amen  in  Christ  to  the  glory  of  God. 
As  for  the  threatenings  which  relate  to  the  wrath  of  God  due  to  sin,  and  warnings 
to  guard  the  soul  against  it,  and  induce  us  to  abhor  and  hate  it ;  these  are  objects  of 
faith,  so  far  as  that  we  must  believe  and  tremble,  and  see  the  need  we  stand  in  of 
grace,  which  we  receive  by  faith,  to  enable  us  to  improve  them,  that,  through  the 
virtue  of  Christ's  righteousness,  we  may  hope  to  escape  his  wrath,  and  by  his 
strength  be  fortified  against  the  prevalence  of  corruption  which  has  proved  destruc- 
tive to  multitudes.  But  the  principal  object  of  faith  is  God  in  Christ,  our  great 
Mediator.  Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.'1  This 
is  sometimes  styled  coming  to  the  Father  by  him,  as  it  is  elsewhere  said,  '  No  man 
cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me  ;'  or  it  is  styled  coming  to  him  as  Mediator 
immediately,  that  in  him  we  may  obtain  whatever  he  has  purchased  for  us,  and 
thereby  may  have  access  to  God  as  our  reconciled  God  and  Father,  and  in  so  do- 
ing, obtain  eternal  life.  Accordingly,  he  says,  '  He  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never 
hunger  ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst.  ** 

2.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  particular  acts  of  saving  faith  in  which  we  have 
to  do  with  Christ  as  Mediator,  whereby  we  have  access  to  God  through  him. 
There  are  several  expressions  in  scripture,  by  which  these  acts  of  saving  faith  are 
set  forth.  Some  of  these  are  metaphorical.  In  particular,  faith  is  called  a  looking 
to  him.  Thus  he  is  represented  by  the  prophet  as  saying,  '  Look  unto  me,  and  be 
ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.'2  Sometimes  it  is  called  coming  to  him,  pursu- 
ant to  the  invitation  he  gives,  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'a  This  coming  is  elsewhere  explained,  as  in  the 
scripture  formerly  mentioned,  by  'believing  in  him.'b  Moreover,  as  we  hope  for 
refreshment  and  comfort  in  believing,  faith  is  set  forth  by  the  metaphorical  expres- 
sion of  '  coming  to  the  waters,  and  buying  wine  and  milk  without  money,  and  with- 
out price,'0  that  is,  receiving  from  him  those  blessings  which  tend  to  satisfy  and 
exhilarate  the  soul,  and  which  are  given  to  such  as  have  nothing  to  offer  for  them. 
Sometimes  also  faith  is  represented  by  fleeing  to  him  ;  or,  as  the  apostle  expresses 
it,  'fleeing  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  us,'d — alluding  to  the 
eminent  type  of  faith  contained  in  the  manslayer's  fleeing  to  the  city  of  refuge 
from  the  avenger  of  blood,  and  therein  finding  protection  and  safety.  This  is  a 
description  more  especially  of  faith  as  justifying.  In  this  respect  it  is  elsewhere 
described,  as  a  'putting  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 'e  or  the  glorious  robe  of  his 
righteousness  ;  on  which  account  we  are  said  to  be  '  clothed  with  the  garments  of 
salvation,  and  covered  with  the  robe  of  righteousness. 'f  Again,  when  we  are  ena- 
bled to  apprehend  our  interest  in  him  by  faith,  together  with  the  blessings  which  are 
the  result,  we  are  said  to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus.  There  are  many  other  expres- 
sions by  which  this  grace  is  set  forth  in  scripture.  But  those  acts  of  it  which  we 
shall  more  especially  consider,  are  our  receiving  Christ,  giving  up  ourselves  to  him, 
and  trusting  in  or  relying  on  him. 

Faith  is  that  grace  whereby  we  receive  Christ.  It  is  said,  •  As  many  as  received 
him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on 
his  name,  's     This  contains  the  application  of  an  overture  made  by  him,  not  merely 

x  John  xiv.  1.  y  Chap.  vi.  35.         z  Isa.  xlv.  22.  a  Matt.  xi.  28.         b  John  vi.  35. 

c  Isa.  lv.  1-  d  Heb.  vi.  18.         e  Rom.  xiii.  14.         f  Isa.  lxi.  10.  g  John  i.  12. 


112  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

of  something  he  has  to  bestow  which  might  contribute  to  our  happiness,  but  of  him- 
self. Christ  has  many  things  to  bestow  upon  his  people,  but  he  first  gives  himself; 
that  is,  he  expresses  a  willingness  to  be  their  Prince  and  Saviour,  their  Prophet, 
Priest,  and  King,  that,  being  thus  related  and  adhering  to  him,  they  may  be 
made  partakers  of  his  benefits.  Accordingly,  the  soul  by  faith  applies  itself  to  him, 
and  embraces  the  overture.  Hereupon  he  is  said  to  be  ours  ;  and,  as  the  conse- 
quence, we  lay  claim  to  those  benefits  which  he  has  purchased  for  us  as  our  Re- 
deemer. Christ  is  considered  as  the  first  promised  blessing  in  the  covenant  of 
grace  ;  and  4  with  him'  God  '  freely  gives'  his  people  ■  all  things'  they  stand  in 
need  of  which  respect  their  everlasting  salvation.11  This  supposes  the  person  re- 
ceiving him  to  be  indigent  and  destitute  of  every  thing  which  may  tend  to  make 
him  happy,  brought  into  the  greatest  straits  and  difficulties,  and  standing  in  need 
of  one  who  is  able  to  afford  relief  to  him.  He  has  heard  in  the  gospel  that  Christ 
is  able  to  supply  his  wants,  and  that  he  is  willing  to  come  and  take  up  his  abode 
with  him.  Accordingly,  the  heart  is  open  to  embrace  him,  esteeming  him  alto- 
gether lovely  and  desirable, — and  beholding  that  excellency  and  glory  in  his  person 
which  renders  him  the  object  of  his  delight,  as  he  is  said  to  be  precious  to  them 
that  believe.1  Looking  upon  him  as  God-man  Mediator,  he  concludes  that  he  is 
'  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him,'  and  that  all  the 
treasures  of  grace  and  glory  are  purchased  by  him,  and  given  into  his  hand  to  apply 
to  those  who  have  an  interest  in  him.  He  expects  to  find  them  all  in  Christ,  as 
the  result  of  his  being  made  partaker  of  him.  Accordingly,  he  adheres  to  him  by 
this  which  is  called  an  appropriating  act  of  faith ;  whereby  he  who  was  before  re- 
presented in  the  gospel  as  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer  of  his  people,  the  fountain  of 
all  they  enjoy  or  hope  for,  and  by  whom  they  have  access  to  God  as  their  reconciled 
God  and  Father,  is  applied  by  the  soul  to  itself,  as  the  spring  of  all  its  present  and 
future  comfort  and  happiness. 

Another  act  of  faith  is  giving  up  ourselves  to  Christ.  As,  in  the  covenant  of 
grace,  God  says,  '  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people,'  so  faitli 
builds  on  this  foundation.  It  first  apprehends  that  he  is  able  and  willing  to  do 
his  people  good,  and  make  them  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  himself  ;  and  with  this 
encouragement  the  soul,  as  has  just  been  observed,  receives  him,  and  in  conse- 
quence devotes  itself  to  him,  as  desiring  to  be  amongst  the  number  of  his  faithful 
servants  and  followers.  God  sanctifies  or  separates  his  people  to  himself  as  the 
objects  of  his  discriminating  grace  and  love  ;  and  they  desire,  as  the  consequence 
of  this,  to  give  up  themselves  to  him.  Two  things  are  supposed  in  this  act  of  self- 
dedication.  It  supposes,  first,  a  firm  persuasion  and  acknowledgment  of  his  right 
to  us.  It  not  only  supposes  him  to  have  this  right  as  the  possessor  of  all  things, 
or  as  God, — for  as  the  potter  has  a  right  to  his  clay,  so  has  the  Creator  to  the  work 
of  his  hands ;  but  it  supposes  that  he  has  a  right  to  us  by  purchase  as  Mediator, — 
in  which  character,  faith,  particularly  saving  faith,  of  which  we  are  now  speaking, 
has  more  especially  an  eye  to  him.  •  Ye  are  not  your  own, '  says  the  apostle,  '  for 
ye  are  bought  with  a  price. 'k  Hence,  this  act  of  faith  is  an  ascribing  to  him  of 
that  glory  to  which  he  lays  claim  by  right  of  redemption.  And  as  God  has  con- 
stituted him  heir  of  all  things,  more  especially  of  those  who  are  called  his  peculiar 
treasure ;  so  the  believer  gives  up  himself  to  him.  Before  this,  the  matter  in  dis- 
pute was,  Who  is  Lord  over  us?  whether  ought  we  to  be  at  our  own  disposal  or  at 
his  ?  whether  it  be  expedient  to  serve  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  or  to  be  subject 
to  him  as  our  supreme  Lord  and  Lawgiver?  But  the  soul  is  thoroughly  convinced, 
by  the  internal  efficacious  work  of  the  Spirit,  that  our  great  Mediator  is  made  of 
God  both  Lord  and  Christ,  that  no  one  has  a  right  to  stand  in  competition  with  him, 
and  that  we  owe  not  only  what  we  can  do  but  even  ourselves  unto  him ;  and  as  the 
result  of  this  conviction,  it  devotes  itself  to  him  by  faith. — Again,  our  giving  our- 
selves up  by  iaith  to  Christ,  supposes  that  we  are  sensible  of  the  many  bless- 
ings which  he  has  in  store  lor  his  people.  We  hence  give  up  ourselves  to  him  in 
hope  of  his  doing  all  that  for  us,  and  working  all  that  grace  in  us,  which  is  neces- 
sary to  our  salvation.     More,  however,  shall  be  said  on  this  subject,  when  we  con- 

h  Rom.  viii.  32.  i  1  Pet.  ii.  7.  k  1  Cor.  vi.  20. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  113 

sider  him  as  the  ohject  of  trust.  All  that  I  shall  add  at  present  is,  that,  having  this 
view  of  the  person  of  Christ,  as  one  who  demands  obedience,  love,  and  gratitude  from 
us,  we  give  up  ourselves  entirely  and  without  reserve  to  him.  Thus  the  apostle 
says,  'They  first  gave  their  ownselves  to  the  Lord;'1  and  he  exhorts  the  church 
to  'yield  themselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  were  alive  from  the  dead,'m  and  to 
'present  their  bodies,'  that  is,  themselves,  and  not  merely  the  lower  or  meaner 
part  of  themselves,  'a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is  their 
reasonable  service.'"  As  the  result  of  thus  giving  up  ourselves  to  Christ,  we  say 
by  faith,  '  Lord,  truly  I  am  thy  servant,  and  desire  to  be  so  for  ever.  Work  in  me 
what  thou  requirest,  and  then  command  what  thou  pleasest.  I  am  entirely  at  thy 
disposal ;  do  with  me  as  seemeth  good  in  thy  sight ;  only  let  all  the  dispensa- 
tions of  thy  providence  be  displays  of  thy  love,  and  be  made  subservient  to  my 
salvation.'  This  is  represented  as  our  solemn  act  and  deed  ;  whereby,  with  the 
most  mature  deliberation,  we  make  a  surrender  of  ourselves  to  him.  The  prophet 
speaks  of  it  as  if  it  were  done  by  an  instrument  or  deed  of  conveyance;  and  our 
consent  to  be  his,  is  represented  as  a  giving  up  our  names  to  him :  '  One  shall  say, 
I  am  the  Lord's,  and  another  shall  call  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob  ;  and  another 
shall  subscribe  with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord,  and  surname  himself  by  the  name  of 
Israel.'0  This  is  done  with  the  highest  veneration,  as  an  act  of  religious  worship, 
and  with  the  greatest  humility,  as  being  sensible  that  we  give  him  nothing  more 
than  his  own,  that  he  is  not  profited  hereby,  and  that  the  advantage  redounds  en- 
tirely to  us.  We  do  it  with  judgment.  As  faith  always  supposes  a  conviction  of 
the  judgment,  it  considers  those  relations  which  Christ  stands  in  to  his  people,  and 
endeavours  to  behave  itself. in  conformity  to  them.  We  are  desirous  hereby  to  give 
up  ourselves  to  him  as  a  prophet,  to  be  led  and  guided  by  him  in  the  way  of  salva- 
tion ;  as  a  priest,  to  give  us  a  right  to  eternal  life  as  the  purchase  of  his  blood ;  as 
an  advocate,  to  plead  our  cause ;  and  as  a  king,  to  give  laws  to  us,  and  defend  us 
from  the  insults  of  our  spiritual  enemies,  and  advance  us  to  those  honours  which 
he  has  laid  up  for  his  faithful  subjects.  We  give  up  ourselves  to  him  to  worship 
him  in  all  his  ordinances,  in  hope  of  his  presence  and  blessing  to  attend  them,  in 
order  to  our  spiritual  and  eternal  advantage ;  and  we  do  all  this  without  the  least 
reserve,  and  without  desire  to  have  any  will  separate  from  or  contrary  to  his. 

Another  act  of  faith  consists  in  a  fixed,  unshaken  trust  and  reliance  upon  him.. 
This,  as  was  formerly  observed,  is  a  very  common  and  known  acceptation  of  the 
word  'faith.'  As  we  depend  on  his  promise  as  a  God  that  cannot  lie,  and  give  up 
ourselves  to  him  as  one  who  has  a  right  to  us  ;  so  we  trust  him  as  one  in  whom  we 
can  safely  confide,  and  on  whom  we  can  lay  the  whole  stress  of  our  salvation.  This 
act  of  faith  is  more  frequently  insisted  on  in  scripture  than  any  other,  it  being  a 
main  ingredient  in  all  other  graces  which  accompany  salvation,  and  there  being 
nothing  by  which  God  is  more  glorified.  It  is  not  one  single  perfection  of  the 
divine  nature  which  is  the  object  of  it;  but  every  thing  which  he  has  made  known 
concerning  himself,  as  conducive  to  our  blessedness.  We  trust  him  with  all  we 
have,  and  for  all  we  want  or  hope  for.  This  implies  a  sense  of  our  own  insufficiency 
and  nothingness,  and  a  sense  of  his  all-sufficient  fulness.  The  former  of  these  is 
what  is  sometimes  styled  a  soul-emptying  act  of  faith.  It  is  that  whereby  we  see 
ourselves  to  be  nothing,  not  only  as  we  cannot  be  profitable  to  God,  or  lay  him  un- 
der any  obligations  to  us,  as  those  who  pretend  to  merit  any  good  at  his  hand,  but 
as  unable  to  perform  any  good  action  without  his  assistance.  In  this  respect  it 
says,  'Surely,  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength. 'p  Nothing  tends 
more  than  this  to  humble  and  abase  the  soul  before  him.  Hereby  also  we  are  led 
to  another  act,  which  more  immediately  contains  the  formal  nature  of  faith ;  in 
which  it  depends  on  the  all-sufficiency  and  faithfulness  of  God,  to  supply  our  wants 
and  bestow  the  blessings  which  he  has  promised.  God  the  Father  is  the  object  of 
this  trust  or  dependence,  as  the  divine  all-sufficiency  is  glorified,  grace  imparted, 
and  the  promises  fulfilled  by  him,  through  a  Mediator ;  and  Christ  is  the  object  of 
it,  as  the  soul  apprehends  him  to  be  full  of  grace  and  truth,  and  sees  the  infinite 
value  of  his  merit,  and  his  ability  to  make  good  all  the  promises  of  the  covenant  of 

1  2  Cor.  viii.  5.        m  Rom.  vi.  IS.         n  Chap.  xii.  1.  o  Isa.  xliv.  5.        p  Chap.  xlr.  24. 

II.  P 


114  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

grace,  and  thereby  to  render  us  completely  blessed.  Our  trusting  Christ  with  all 
we  have  or  hope  for,  supposes  that  there  is  something  valuable  which  we  either 
enjoy  or  expect;  and  that  we  are  in  danger  of  losing  it,  unless  it  be  maintained  by 
him  who  has  undertaken  to  'keep'  his  people  'by  his  power  through  faith  unto 
salvation, 'i  and  to  perfect  what  concerns  them.  We  have  souls  more  valuable  than 
the  whole  world;  and  we  'commit  the  keeping  of  them  to  him  in  well-doing,  as 
unto  a  faithful  Creator,'1-  and  merciful  Redeemer,  being  assured  that  'none  shall' 
be  able  to  'pluck  them  out  of  his  hand.'s  We  also  commit  all  the  graces  which 
he  has  wrought  in  us  to  him,  to  be  maintained  and  carried  on  to  perfection.  And 
since  we  are  assured  that  all  the  promises  are  in  his  hand,  and  that  he  has  engaged 
to  make  them  good  to  us,  we  are  encouraged  to  trust  him  for  all  that  we  expect, 
namely,  that  he  will  conduct  us  safely  and  comfortably  through  this  world,  and  at 
last  receive  us  to  glory.  In  so  doing,  we  have  the  highest  satisfaction,  or,  as  the 
apostle  expresses  it,  '  We  know  whom  we  have  believed,'  or  trusted,  'and  are  per- 
suaded that  he  is  able  to  keep  what  we  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day,'* 
or  the  day  of  his  second  coming,  when  grace  shall  be  consummated  in  glory. 

These  acts  of  faith  are  generally  styled,  by  divines,  direct.  In  performing 
them,  we  have  more  immediately,  to  do  with  Christ,  as  our  great  Mediator,  or  God 
the  Father  in  him.  As  they  are,  properly  speaking,  acts  of  religious  worship, 
the  object  of  them  must  be  a  divine  person.  But  there  is  another  sense  of  the 
word  'faith,'  which  as  it  does  not  imply  any  act  of  trust  or  dependence  as  the  for- 
mer does,  so  it  has  not  God  for  its  immediate  object  as  that  has.  This  is  what  we 
call  the  refiex  act  of  faith,  or  the  soul's  being  persuaded  that  it  believes,  or  that 
those  acts  of  faith  which  have  God  or  Christ  for  their  object  are  true  and  genuine. 
This  every  one  cannot  conclude  at  all  times,  who  is  really  enabled  to  put  forth 
those  direct  acts  of  faith,  which  we  have  been  speaking  of;  and  it  is  the  result  of 
self-examination,  accompanied  with  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  his  own 
work.  Some  indeed  have  questioned  the  propriety  of  the  expression  which  styles 
this  an  act  of  faith ;  supposing  that  nothing  can  be  so  called,  but  what  has  a  divine 
person  for  its  object.  But  we  have  already  considered  that  faith,  in  a  sense  differ- 
ent from  that  in  which  we  have  now  explained  it,  may  be  conversant  about  divine 
things.  Hence,  as  we  may  be  said,  by  a  direct  act  of  faith,  to  trust  in  Christ ;  so 
we  may  be  persuaded,  by  this  reflex  act,  that  we  do  so.  And  this  is  more  imme- 
diately necessary  to  assurance,  together  with  that  joy  and  peace  which  we  are  said 
to  have  in  believing.  [See  Note  M,  page  130.]  But  this  we  shall  have  occasion 
to  insist  on  under  a  following  Answer." 

How  Faith  is  Produced. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  grace  of  faith  as  that  which  accompanies  salvation, 
on  which  account  it  is  called  'a  saving  grace  ;'  and  also  that  it  is  wrought  in  the 
heart  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  and  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word.  We  do 
not  suppose  that  every  act  of  faith  denominates  a  person  to  be  in  a  state  of  salva- 
tion ;  for  there  is  a  mere  assent  to  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  which  may,  in  a 
proper  sense,  be  styled  faith  ;  and  there  may  be  an  external  dedication  to  God,  a 
professed  subjection  to  him,  which  falls  short  of  that  faith  which  has  been  described, 
as  it  does  not  proceed  from  a  renewed  nature  or  a  principle  of  spiritual  life  im- 
planted in  the  soul.  There  may  be  a  willingness  and  a  desire  to  be  saved,  when 
the  heart  is  not  purified  by  faith, — a  hearing  of  the  word  with  gladness,  a  rejoicing 
for  a  season,  in  the  light  which  is  imparted  by  it,  and  a  doing  of  many  things  pur- 
suant to  this,  in  persons  who  shall  not  be  saved.  But  faith  is  often  described  as 
referring  to  and  ending  in  salvation.  Thus  we  are  said  to  '  believe  to  the  saving 
of  the  soul,  x  and  to  '  receive  the  end  of  our  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  our  souls.'' 
This  consists  more  especially  in  those  acts  of  faith  which  contain  an  entire  subjec- 
tion of  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  the  soul  to  Christ,  arising  from  the  views 
which  it  has  of  his  glory,  and  its  experience  of  his  almighty  power.     This  is  not 

q  1  Pet.  i.  5.  r  Chap.  iv.  19  s  John  x.  28.  t  2  Tim.  i.  12. 

u  See  Quest,  lxxx.  x  Heb.  x.  39.  v  1  Pet.  i.  9. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  115 

only  the  way  to  everlasting  salvation,  but  the  first-fruits  of  it.  It  is  such  a  receiv- 
ing and  resting  on  Christ  for  salvation  as  has  been  already  described. 

This  grace  is  farther  said  to  be  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner  by  the  Spirit. 
We  formerly  considered  effectual  calling  as  a  work  of  divine  power,  and  proved 
that  the  Spirit  is  the  author  of  it,z  and  that  they  who  are  effectually  called  are  en- 
abled to  accept  of  and  embrace  the  grace  offered  in  the  gospel.  From  this  it  is 
evident  that  faith  is  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  our  effectual  calling ;  and  that, 
therefore,  it  must  be  a  work  of  the  almighty  power  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
That  it  is  so,  farther  appears  from  the  account  which  we  have  of  it  in  several  scrip- 
tures. Thus  the  apostle  Peter,  describing  those  to  whom  he  writes  as  having  '  ob- 
tained like  precious  faith,  through  the  righteousness  of  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,'  and  also  as  having  '  all  things  that  pertain  unto  godliness,'  in  which  faith 
is  certainly  included,  ascribes  this  to  'the  divine  power.'*  Elsewhere  also  we  read 
of  'the  exceeding  greatness  of  the  power'  of  God  exerted  'in  them  that  believe. 'b 
When  the  work  of  faith  is  carried  on,  or  fulfilled  in  the  souls  of  those  in  whom  it 
was  begun,  it  is  considered  as  an  effect  of  the  same  power.0  And  as  all  that  grace 
which  is  the  effect  of  divine  power  is  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  is  said, 
as  acting  in  subserviency  to  the  Father  and  Son,  to  demonstrate  his  personal 
glory ;  so  the  work  of  faith,  as  included  in  that  grace,  is  represented  as  his  work. 
On  this  account  he  is  called  'the  Spirit  of  faith. 'd 

But  what  we  shall  more  particularly  consider  is,  that  the  grace  of  faith  is  wrought 
by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word.  We  have  already  observed  that  the  principle 
of  grace,  implanted  in  regeneration,  is  the  immediate  effect  of  the  divine  power, 
without  the  instrumentality  of  the  word;  but  that  when  the  Spirit  works  faith,  and 
all  other  graces  which  proceed  from  that  principle,  then  he  makes  use  of  the  word. 
Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of 
God.'6  As  it  is  necessary,  in  order  to  our  seeing  any  object,  that  the  eye  be  rightly 
disposed  and  fitted  for  sight,  and  that  the  object  be  presented  to  it ;  so  there  are 
two  things  necessary  to  faith,  namely,  the  soul's  being  changed,  renewed,  quick- 
ened, and  so  prepared  to  act  this  grace,  and  the  object's  being  presented  to  it,  about 
which  it  is  to  be  conversant.  The  latter  is  done  by  the  word  of  God.  Hence,  the 
soul  is  first  internally  disposed  to  receive  what  God  is  pleased  to  reveal  relating  to 
the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ  before  it  believes  ;  and  what  he  is  pleased  to 
reveal  is  contained  in  the  gospel,  which  is  adapted  to  the  various  acts  of  faith,  as 
before  described. 

As  faith  implies  a  coming  to  Christ,  or  receiving  him  ;  the  word  of  God  reveals 
him  to  us  as  giving  an  invitation  to  sinners,  encouraging  them  to  come  to  him. 
Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink.  'f  As 
a  farther  inducement  to  come  to  him,  it  sets  forth  the  advantages  that  will  at- 
tend it,  namely,  that  he  will  not  reject  them,  how  unworthy  soever  they  be.  He 
says,  'Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'s  There  are  also 
many  other  privileges  which  he  will  bestow  on  those  who  come  to  him,  namely,  tho 
blessings  of  both  worlds,  grace  here,  and  glory  hereafter,  all  which  contain  the 
very  sum  and  substance  of  the  gospel. — Again,  if  we  consider  faith  as  including 
a  giving  up  ourselves  to  Christ  to  be  entirely  his  ;  the  word  of  God  represents  him 
as  having  an  undoubted  right  to  all  who  do  so,  inasmuch  as  they  are  bought  with 
the  price  of  his  blood,  given  to  him  as  his  own  by  the  Father.  And  as  they  devote 
themselves  to  him  to  be  his  servants,  it  sets  before  them  the  privileges  which  at- 
tend his  service,  as  they  are  delivered  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  a  servile  fear 
and  dread  of  hi3  wrath  ;  and  lets  them  know  the  ease,  pleasure,  and  delight  which 
there  is  in  bearing  his  yoke,  and  the  blessed  consequences  in  their  having  '  their 
fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  life  everlasting.'11 — Further,  as  faith  looks  to  Christ 
for  forgiveness  of  sin,  in  which  respect  it  is  called  justifying  faith  ;  so  the  word  of  God 
represents  him  to  us,  as  having  made  atonement  for  sin, — as  set  forth' to  be  a  pro- 
pitiation to  secure  us  from  the  guilt  to  which  we  were  liable,  and  from  the  con- 
demning sentence  of  the  law, — as  bearing  the  curse,  and,  in  consequence,  giving 

z  See  Sect.  « Effectual  Calling  a  Divine  Work,'  under  Quest,  lxvii,  lxviii.  a  2  Pet.  i.  1. 

compared  with  the  third  verse.  b  Eph.  i.  19.  c  2  Thess.  L  11.  d  2  Cor.  iv.  13. 

e  Rom.  x.  17.  f  John  vii.  37.  g  John  vi.  37.  h  Rom.  vi.  22. 


116  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

us  a  right  to  all  the  privileges  of  his  children.  It  also  represents  this  forgiveness 
as  full,  free,  and  irreversible  ;  and  the  soul,  by  faith,  rejoices  in  its  freedom  from 
condemnation,  and  in  that  right  and  title  to  eternal  life  which  is  inseparably  con- 
nected with  it. — Again,  as  faith  includes  a  trusting  or  relying  on  Christ,  the  gos- 
pel represents  him  as  an  all-sufficient  Saviour,  '  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him;'1  and  as  faith  trusts  him  for  the  accomplishment  of 
all  the  promises,  it  considers  him  as  having  engaged  to  make  them  good,  inasmuch 
as  •  in  him  they  are  yea  and  in  him  amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God.'k  The  believer, 
therefore,  runs  no  risk,  or  is  at  no  uncertainty  as  to  this  matter ;  for  Christ's  media- 
torial glory  lies  at  stake.  If  there  be  the  least  failure  in  the  accomplishment  of 
any  promise,  or  any  blessing  made  over  to  his  people  in  the  covenant  of  grace 
which  shall  be  conferred  upon  them,  he  is  content  to  bear  the  blame  for  ever.  But 
this  is  altogether  impossible,  since  he  who  has  undertaken  to  apply  the  blessings 
promised,  is  faithful  and  true,  as  well  as  the  Father  who  gave  them.  This  affords 
those  '  strong  consolation  who  are  fled  for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set 
before  them'  in  the  gospel.1  Thus  Christ  is  set  forth  ;  and  agreeably  to  this  dis- 
covery made  of  him,  faith  takes  up  its  rest  in  him,  and  therein  finds  safety  and 
peace. 

The  Degrees  of  Faith. 

We  shall  now  consider  faith  as  strong  or  weak,  increasing  or  declining ;  and  also 
the  various  marks  and  signs  of  its  being  in  these  respective  states.  As  habits  of  sin 
are  stronger  or  weaker,  the  same  may  be  said  concerning  habits  of  grace.  It  is  one 
thing  for  them  to  be  entirely  lost ;  and  another  thing  to  be  in  a  declining  state.  Their 
strength  and  vigour  may  be  much  abated,  and  their  energy  frequently  interrupted ; 
yet  God  will  maintain  the  principle  of  grace,  as  we  shall  endeavour  to  prove  under 
a  following  Answer.m  Grace  is  not  always  equally  strong  and  lively.  The  pro- 
phet supposes  it  to  be  declining,  when  he  says,  '  Revive  thy  work,  0  Lord,  in  the 
midst  of  the  years.'11  Our  Saviour's  advice  to  the  churches  at  Sardis  and  Ephesus 
implies  as  much,  when  he  exhorts  the  former  to  '  strengthen  the  things  which  re- 
main, that  are  ready  to  die  ;'°  and  when  he  bids  the  church  at  Ephesus  '  remem- 
ber from  whence  they  were  fallen,  and  repent  and  do  their  first  works,  'p  Some  are 
said,  as  Abraham,  to  be  '  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God  ;'i  and  others  are 
reproved,  as  our  Saviour  does  his  disciples,  when  he  says,  '  0  ye  of  little  faith.'1* 
As  our  natural  constitution  is  not  always  equally  healthy  and  vigorous,  nor  our  condi- 
tion in  the  world  equally  prosperous ;  the  same  may  be  said  concerning  the  habits  of 
grace.  Sometimes  they  are  strong,  and  then,  as  the  apostle  says  concerning  his 
beloved  Gaius,8  'the  soul  prospereth,'  and  we 'go  from  strength  to  strength,'1 
from  one  degree  of  grace  to  another  ;  but  at  other  times,  we  are  ready  to  '  faint 
in  the  day  of  adversity,'  and  our  'strength  is  small.'u  This  cannot  but  be  observed 
by  all  who  are  not  strangers  to  themselves,  or  who  take  notice  of  the  various  frames 
of  spirit  which  are  visible  in  those  whom  they  converse  with. 

But  it  will  be  inquired,  By  what  marks  or  evidences  may  we  discern  the  strength 
or  weakness  of  faith  ?  Though  this  will  more  evidently  appear  from  what  will  be 
said  under  a  following  Answer, x  when  we  are  led  to  speak  concerning  the  reason  of 
the  imperfection  of  sanctification  in  believers ;  yet  we  shall  not  wholly  pass  it  over 
in  this  place.  Let  it  be  observed,  then,  that  the  strength  or  weakness  of  faith,  is  to 
be  judged  of  by  the  degree  of  esteem  and  value  which  the  soul  has  for  Christ,  and 
the  steadiness  or  abatement  of  its  dependence  on  him.  The  greater  diffidence  or 
distrust  we  have  of  self,  and  the  more  we  see  of  our  own  emptiness  and  nothingness, 
the  stronger  is  our  faith.  On  the  other  hand,  self-confidence,  or  relying  on  our 
own  strength,  is  a  certain  sign  of  the  weakness  of  our  faith. — Again,  strong  faith  is 
that  which  carries  the  soul  through  difficult  duties.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  I  can 
do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengthened  me.'"'  Weak  faith,  on  the  contrary, 

i  Heb.  vii.  25.  k  2  Cor.  i.  20.  1  Heb.  vi.  18.  m  See  Quest,  lxxix. 

n   kIab-  '•'•  2.  o  Rev.  iii.  2.  p  Chap.  ii.  5.  q  Rom.  iv.  20. 

r  Matt.  vi.  30.  ■  3  John  ii.  t  Psal.  lxxxiv.  7-  u  Prov.  xxiv.  10. 
X  See  Quest,  lxxviii.           y  Phil.  iv.  13. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  117 

is  ready  to  sink  under  the  discouragements  which  it  meets  with.  The  former 
is  •  steadfast,  unmoveable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord;'35  the  latter 
is  like  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind.  Strong  faith,  as  it  is  said  of  Job,a  blesses 
God  when  he  strips  him  of  all  earthly  enjoyments,  and  rejoices  that  the  soul  is 
'counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name  ;'b  and  it  carries  the  believer 
above  those  fears  which  have  a  tendency  to  deject  and  dishearten  him.  '  He  shall 
not  be  afraid  of  evil  tidings;  his  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord.'0  Weak 
faith,  on  the  contrary,  is  borne  down  with  discouragements.  The  believer  under 
its  influence  finds  it  hard  to  hold  on  in  the  performance  of  his  duty ;  and  sees 
mountains  of  difficulties  in  his  way,  in  consequence  of  which  he  is  ready  to  con- 
clude that  he  shall  not  be  able  to  get  safely  to  his  journey's  end.  He  does  not 
rightly  improve  the  consideration  of  the  almighty  power  of  God,  and  his  faithful- 
ness to  his  promise,  in  which  he  has  engaged  that  '  the  righteous  shall  hold  on 
his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger. 'd  When 
we  sustain  losses  and  disappointments  in  the  world,  or  things  go  contrary  to  our 
expectation,  we  are  ready  to  say  with  the  psalmist,  '  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be 
gracious  ?  hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ? e  We  sometimes  con- 
cluflte  also,  that  we  have  no  interest  in  the  love  of  God,  because  the  dispensations 
of  his  providence  are  afflictive,  and  fill  us  with  great  uneasiness.  In  this  case,  fear 
looks  upon  every  adverse  providence,  as  it  were,  through  a  magnifying  glass,  and 
apprehends  it  to  be  but  the  beginning  of  sorrows  ;  for  it  cannot  say  with  the  pro- 
phet, '  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid  ;f  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting 
strength.  '* — Moreover,  the  strength  or  weakness  of  faith  may  farther  be  discerned 
by  our  enjoying  or  being  destitute  of  communion  with  God, — our  conversing  with 
him  in  ordinances,  or  being  deprived  of  this  privilege.  We  may  conclude  our  faith 
to  be  strong,  when  we  can  say  as  the  apostle  does,  'Our  conversation  is  in  heaven,' 
or  we  live  above.  But  when,  on  the  other  hand,  we  have  too  great  an  anxiety  or 
solicitude  about  earthly  things,  and  an  immoderate  love  to  the  present  world,  we 
may  conclude  our  faith  to  be  weak. — The  difference  between  strong  and  weak  faith 
may  also  be  discerned  by  the  frame  of  our  spirit  in  prayer.  When  faith  is  strong, 
the  soul  has  a  great  degree  of  boldness  or  liberty  of  access  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
—a  greater  measure  of  importunity  and  fervency,  accompanied  with  an  expecta- 
tion of  the  blessings  prayed  for,  by  a  secret  and  powerful  intimation  from  the  Spirit 
as  a  Spirit  of  grace  and  supplication  ;  whence  it  infers  that  he  who  excites  this 
grace  will  encourage  it,  as  he  '  says  not  to  the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  me  in  vain.'h— . 
We  might  add,  that  strong  faith  may  likewise  be  discerned,  when  it  is  accompanied 
with  an  assurance  of  an  interest  in  Christ's  righteousness,  and  of  our  right  and 
title  to  eternal  life  founded  thereon,  or  that  God  will  guide  us  by  his  counsel  and 
afterwards  receive  us  to  glory,  and  a  persuasion  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  Spirit 
that  nothing  shall  separate  us  from  his  love.  Weak  faith  is  attended  with  many 
doubts  concerning  our  interest  in  Christ ;  sometimes  fearing  that  our  former  hope 
was  no  other  than  a  delusion,  our  present  experiences  not  real.  The  ground  we 
stand  on  sinks  under  us  ;  and  we  are  ready  to  conclude  that  we  shall  one  day  fall 
by  the  hands  of  our  spiritual  enemies.  When  I  speak  of  these  doubts  and  fears 
as  an  evidence  of  weak  faith,  I  do  not  say  that  they  are  ingredients  in  faith  ;  for 
they  are  to  be  considered  rather  as  a  burden  and  encumbrance  which  attends  it. 
Hence,  though  there  be  some  good  thing  in  us  towards  the  Lord  our  God,  or  a 
small  degree  of  faith  like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  these  doubts  proceed  from  the 
weakness  of  faith,  as  opposed  to  that  which  is  strong,  and  which  would  denote  the 
soul  to  be  in  a  happy  and  flourishing  condition. 

The  Use  of  Faith  in  a  Believer  s  Life. 

We  are  now  led  to  speak  concerning  the  use  of  faith  in  the  whole  conduct  of  our 
lives  ;  as  every  thing  which  we  do  in  an  acceptable  manner,  is  said  to  be  done  by  it. 
It  is  one  thing  occasionally  to  put  forth  some  acts  of  faith,  and  another  thing  to  live 

z  1  Cor.  xv.  58.  a  Job  i.  21.  b  Acts  v.  41.  c  Psal.  cxii.  7>  d  Job  xvii.  9. 

e  Psal.  lxxvii.  9.  f  Isa.  xii.  2.  g  Chap.  xxvi.  4.        h  Chap.  xlv.  19. 


118  THE  CONNECTION   OF  FAITH 

by  faith.  As  tho  latter  is  the  most  noble  and  excellent  life  ;  so  nothing  short  of 
it  can,  properly  speaking,  be  called  a  good  life,  how  much  soever  many  are  styled 
good  livers  who  are  wholly  strangers  to  the  grace  of  faith.  The  apostle  Paul 
speaks  of  this  way  of  living,  and  considers  it  as  exemplified  in  himself,  when  he 
says,  '  The  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.*5 
He  speaks  of  faith  as  his  constant  work,  or  that  which  ran  through  the  whole  busi- 
ness of  his  life.  Whether  we  are  engaged  in  civil  or  in  religious  duties,  they  are 
all  to  be  performed  by  faith. 

1.  Here  we  shall  consider  the  life  of  faith,  first,  as  it  discovers  itself  in  all  the 
common  actions  of  life.  In. these  we  act  as  men  ;  but  the  faith  which  is  the  prin- 
cipal ingredient  in  them,  and  their  chief  ornament,  denotes  us  to  walk  as  Christians. 
This  we  are  said  to  do  when  we  receive  every  outward  mercy  as  the  purchase  of 
the  blood  of  Christ,  as  well  as  the  gift  of  his  grace,  and  consider  it  as  a  blessing 
bestowed  by  a  covenant-God,  who,  together  with  outward  things,  is  pleased  to  give 
himself  to  us  ;  which  infinitely  enhances  the  value  of  the  blessing,  and  induces  us 
to  receive  it  with  a  proportionable  degree  of  thankfulness. — Again,  we  live  by  iaith 
when  we  sit  loose  from  all  the  enjoyments  of  this  world,  not  taking  up  our  rest  in  them 
as  if  they  were  our  portion  or  chief  good ;  so  that  the  esteem  and  value  we  havf  for 
them  is  very  much  below  that  which  we  have  for  things  divine  and  heavenly.  When 
we  use  the  things  of  this  li.e  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  account  the  best  outward  enjoy- 
ments nothing  if  compared  with  Christ ;  or  when,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  we  count 
all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  do  count  them 
but  dung,  that  we  may  win  Christ  ;'k  our  exercising  faith  in  this  way  will  quiet  our 
spirits  under  afflictions,  and  induce  us  to  submit  to  the  disposing  providence  of  God 
when  our  best  outward  enjoyments  are  removed,  or  we  called  to  suffer  the  loss  of 
all  things  for  Christ's  sake,  or  by  his  sovereign  will. — Further,  we  live  by  faith  when 
all  the  success  which  we  hope  for  in  our  secular  employments,  is  considered  as  a 
display  of  that  care  which  Christ  takes  of  his  people,  in  which  he  overrules  and 
orders  all  things  for  his  own  glory,  and  their  welfare.  We  are,  in  consequence, 
persuaded  that  lie  will  cause  whatever  we  take  in  hand  to  prosper,  provided  he  sees 
that  it  is  best  for  us  ;  and  if  not,  we  are  disposed  to  acquiesce  in  his  will.  This  is 
such  an  instance  of  faith  as  will  put  us  upon  doing  every  thing  in  the  name  and  to 
the  glory  of  Christ,  and  fortify  us  against  any  disappointment  which  may  attend  our 
expectation  in  every  employment  wherein  we  are  engaged. — Further,  we  live  by 
faith  when  outward  blessings,  instead  of  proving  a  snare  and  temptation  to  draw 
off  our  hearts  from  Christ,  are  a  means  to  bring  us  nearer  to  him  ;  so  that  if  our 
circumstances  are  easy  and  comfortable  in  the  world,  and  we  have  more  frequent 
opportunities  offered  to  us  to  engage  in  religious  duties  than  others,  we  are  accord- 
ingly inclined  to  embrace  them  ;  while  every  thing  we  enjoy,  as  an  instance  of  dis- 
tinguishing favour  from  God,  above  what  many  in  the  world  do,  excites  in  us  a 
due  sense  of  gratitude,  and  an  earnest  desire  and  endeavour  to  use  the  world  to  his 
glory. — Again,  we  live  by  faith  when  adverse  providences,  which  sometimes  have 
a  tendency  to  drive  the  soul  from  Christ,  and  occasion  repining  thoughts,  as  though 
the  divine  distributions  were  not  equal,  are  made  of  use  to  bring  us  nearer  to  him, 
so  that  whatever  we  lose  in  the  creature,  we  look  for  and  endeavour  to  find  in  him ; 
when,  with  a  submissive  spirit,  we  can  say  that  he  does  all  things  well  for  us,  as  we 
hope  and  trust  that  he  will  make  even  those  things  which  run  counter  to  our  se- 
cular interests  subservient  to  our  eternal  welfare  ;  and  when,  in  consequence,  we 
endeavour  to  keep  up  a  becoming  frame  of  spirit,  in  such  a  condition  of  life  as  has 
a  tendency  to  cast  the  soul  down  and  fill  it  with  great  disquietude. — Again,  we  live 
by  faith  when  we  devote  and  consecrate  all  we  have  in  the  world  to  God,  consider- 
ing that,  as  we  are  not  out  own  but  his,  so  all  we  have  is  his  ;  when,  in  consequence, 
we  are  endowed  with  a  public  spirit,  desirous  to  approve  ourselves  blessings  to 
mankind  in  general,  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  ;  and  when,  after  having  done  all, 
we  not  only  say  with  David,  '  Of  thine  own  we  have  given  thee,'1  but  say  as  our 
Saviour  taught  his  disciples  to  do, '  We  are  unprofitable  servants.' — Finally,  the  life 
of  faith  discovers  itself  in  the  government  of  our  affections,  namely,  as  they  are 

i  Gal.  H.  20.  k  Phil.  iii.  8.  1  1  Chron.  xxix.  14. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  119 

•% 

kept  within  due  bounds,  set  upon  right  objects,  and  rendered  subservient  to  pro- 
mote Christ's  glorj  and  interest.  We  are  prevented  from  setting  our  affections 
immoderately  on  the  things  of  this  world,  when  faith  shows  us  that  there  are  far 
better  things  to  draw  them  forth,  which  deserve  our  highest  love.  It  also  prevents 
our  being  worldly  and  carnal ;  as  though  we  were  swallowed  up  with  the  things  of 
sense,  and  had  nothing  else  to  mind,  and  religion  were  only  to  be  occasionally  en- 
gaged in  ;  or  as  though  an  holy,  humble,  self-denying  frame  of  spirit  were  incon- 
sistent with  worldly  business.  Faith  suggests  the  contrary ;  it  puts  us  upon 
making  religion  our  great  business,  and  engaging  in  secular  affairs  rather  as  a  ne- 
cessary avocation  than  as  the  chief  end  of  living.  It  also  puts  us  upon  glorifying 
Christ  in  our  secular  concerns,  as  we  manage  them  in  such  a  way  as  he  ordains. 
By  faith  the  believer  is  kept  in  a  spiritual  frame,  while  abiding  with  God  in  the 
calling  to  which  he  is  called.  This  we  attribute  more  especially  to  the  grace  of 
faith,  not  only  as  it  is  connected  with  other  graces,  and,  as  will  be  observed  under 
our  next  Heady  excites  them,  but  as  it  has  its  eye  constantly  fixed  on  Christ  as  its 
object,  and  by  this  steers  its  course,  and  takes  an  estimate  of  the  valuableness  and 
importance  of  all  the  affairs  of  this  life  by  their  subserviency  to  our  salvation,  and 
the  advancement  of  his  glory. 

2.  Faith  discovers  itself  in  the  pei-formance  of  all  religious  duties,  and  in  the 
exercise  of  all  other  graces.  Thus,  we  read  of  the  prayer  of  faith,  whereby  a  soul 
has  access  to  God  as  to  a  father,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  firmly  relies  on  the  promises 
which  are  established  in  him,  and  has  a  liberty  to  plead  with  him,  and  a  hope  of 
acceptance  in  his  sight.  Moreover,  when  we  wait  on  God  to  hear  what  he  has  to 
impart  to  us  in  his  word,  faith,  having  experienced  some  degree  of  communion  with 
him  already,  and  had  some  displays  of  his  love,  puts  the  soul  upon  desiring  more. 
Accordingly,  the  psalmist  says,  '  My  soul  thirsteth  for  thee  ;  my  flesh  longeth  for 
thee,  to  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary.'m 
And  whatever  other  ordinances  of  divine  appointment  we  are  engaged  in,  we  are 
encouraged  by  faith  to  hope  for  his  presence  and  draw  nigh  to  him  in  them,  with  a 
reverential  fear,  and  delight  in  him. — Faith  also  puts  us  upon  the  exercise  of  those 
graces  which  are  necessary  for  the  right  performance  of  gospel-worship  in  general. 
These  are  not  only  joined  with  it,  but  may  be  said  to  be  excited  by  it;  so  that  faith 
is,  as  it  were,  the  principle  of  all  other  graces.  Thus,  when  the  heart  is  drawn 
forth  in  love  to  Christ,  it  may  be  said  that  '  faith  worketh  by  love.'n  When  this 
love  is  accompanied  with  'joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,'  this  we  have  in  a 
way  of  '  believing.'0  What  tends  to  excite  the  grace  of  love,  is  the  view  which 
faith  takes  of  Christ's  mediatorial  glory  and  excellencies,  and  of  the  obligations  we 
are  under  to  love  him  from  his  love  to  us.  This  is  a  strong  motive,  inducing  us  to 
express  our  love  to  him  by  universal  obedience  ;  which  is  called  '  the  obedience  of 
faith,  'p — Again,  when  we  exercise  the  grace  of  repentance,  and  thereby  hate  and 
turn  from  all  sins,  and  are,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  sensible,  as  we  ought  to  be,  oi 
the  sin  of  unbelief,  it  is  faith  which  gives  us  this  sense  of  unbelief,  as  it  is  best  able 
to  see  its  own  defects.  When  we  confess  sin,  or  humble  ourselves  before  God  for 
it,  faith  views  it  not  only  as  a  violation  of  the  divine  law,  but  as  a  display  of  the 
highest  ingratitude.  When  we  desire,  in  the  exercise  of  repentance,  to  forsake 
sin,  faith  makes  us  sensible  of  our  own  weakness,  and  puts  us  upon  a  firm  and 
steadfast  dependence  on  Christ  to  enable  us  to  do  so.  When,  in  the  further  exer- 
cise of  repentance,  our  consciences  are  burdened  with  a  sense  of  guilt,  and  unbelief 
is  ready  to  suggest  that  our  sins  are  so  heinously  aggravated  that  there  is  no  room 
to  hope  for  pardoning  mercy,  faith  relieves  us  against  these  despairing  thoughts, 
and  encourages  us  to  wait  for  the  mercy  of  God,  who  will  '  abundantly  pardon,  '* 
and  with  whom  there  is  '  forgiveness,  that  he  may  be  feared. 'r — Again,  when  we 
use  endeavours  to  mortify  sin,  we  are  to  do  so  by  a  fiducial  view  of  Christ  crucified ; 
and  when  we  encourage  ourselves  to  hope  that  the  indictment  brought  against  us 
for  it  was  nailed  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  that  there  is  '  no  condemnation  to  us'  as 
being  in  him,9  and  that,  as  the  apostle  says,  •  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  him, 

m  Psal.  lxiii.  1,  2.  n  Gal.  v.  6.  o  1  Pet  i.  8.  p  Rom.  xvi.  26. 

q  Isa.  lv.  7.  r  Pgal.  exxx.  4.  8  Rom.  viii.  1. 


12C  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

I 

that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  no  longer  serve 
sin,'*  all  this  is  to  be  done  by  faith. — We  might  observe,  also,  that  the  grace  of 
patience  is  connected  with  and  is  incited  by  faith.  The  apostle"  joins  faith  and 
patience  together,  as  supposing  that  faith  affords  a  motive  to  patience.  Elsewhere, 
too,  in  the  account  which  we  have  of  the  great  things  which  the  Old  Testament  saints 
did  and  suffered  by  this  grace,  we  read  of  what  great  things  patience  enables  us 
not  only  to  do  but  to  bear.  Hence,  whatever  graces  are  exercised  under  the 
afflictions  of  the  present  life,  faith  excites  in  us  a  resignation  to  the  will  of  God, 
and  considers  them  as  the  chastisements  of  a  merciful  Father,  and  as  '  bringing 
forth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them  that  are  exercised  thereby  ;x 
and  we  are  encouraged  to  bear  them  with  such  a  composed  frame  of  spirit  that 
they  seem  light,  and  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  shall  be  re- 
vealed. This,  faith  has  constantly  in  view,  setting  one  against  the  other ;  so  that 
what  would  otherwise  be  a  hinderance  to  us  in  our  way,  is  improved  by  us  to  our 
spiritual  advantage  ;  and  we  are  enabled  to  go  on,  not  only  safely,  but  comfortably, 
till  we  arrive  at  the  full  fruition  of  what  we  now  behold  at  a  distance,  and  rejoice 
in  the  fiducial  expectation  of. 

How  Faith  is  Attained  or  Increased. 

We  are  now  brought  to  consider  how  faith  is  to  be  attained  or  increased,  and 
what  are  the  means  conducive  to  these  ends.  Though  faith,  in  common  with  all 
other  graces,  is  wrought  in  us  by  the  power  of  God,  yet  we  are  far  from  assert- 
ing that  there  is  no  duty  incumbent  on  us,  in  the  performing  of  which  we  are  to 
hope  and  wait  for  the  divine  blessing,  upon  which  all  the  success  of  it  depends. 
To  deny  this,  would  give  just  occasion  to  charge  the  doctrine  of  efficacious  grace 
with  leading  to  carnal  security  or  licentiousness ;  a  charge  which  many  bring  against 
it  without  ground.  Though  grace  and  duty  are  very  distinct,  they  are  not  inconsist- 
ent with  each  other  ;  the  former  is  God's  work,  the  latter  our  act. 

The  duties  required  of  us,  considered  as  expecting  the  divine  grace  and  blessing 
to  attend  them,  are  a  diligent  waiting  on  God  in  all  his  ordinances, — looking  into 
the  state  of  our  souls,  by  impartial  self-examination, — calling  to  mind  our  past 
miscarriages,  and  what  matter  of  humiliation  we  have  for  them  in  the  sight  of 
God,  as  also  our  natural  aversion  and  inability  to  do  what  is  good,  our  need  of 
Christ's  righteousness  to  take  away  the  guilt  we  have  contracted,  and  of  his  strength 
to  subdue  our  corruptions  and  enable  us  to  plead  earnestly  with  him  for  these  privi- 
leges. As  for  the  unregenerate,  they  must  pray  and  wait  on  him  for  the  first  grace, 
and  say  with  Ephraim,  '  Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned. '?  They  must  be 
earnest  with  him  that  he  would  bestow  upon  them  the  grace  of  faith,  which  is  styled 
his  gift ;  that  he  would  remove  everything  which  is  at  present  an  obstacle  or  hinder- 
ance to  this  grace,  and  also  all  the  prejudices  which  corrupt  nature  has  entertain- 
ed against  Christ  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him  ;  and  that  he  would  shine  into 
their  souls,  to  give  them  the  knowledge  of  his  glory  in  the  face  of  Christ,  reveal 
his  arm,  and  incline  them,  by  the  internal  working  of  his  power,  to  receive  the 
grace  which  is  held  forth  in  the  gospel.  These  are  duties  incumbent  on  persons 
who  are  not  called  effectually,  being  destitute  of  regenerating  grace.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  who  have  ground  to  conclude  that  they  have  experienced  this 
grace,  though  at  present  they  apprehend  that  their  faith  is  weak  and  on  the  de- 
cline, must  be  found  waiting  on  God  in  his  own  way,  and  be  importunate  with 
him  in  prayer  for  the  revival  of  his  work,  that  so  they  may  recover  their  former 
experiences.  They  must  bless  him  for  the  privileges  they  once  enjoyed,  and  be 
humbled  for  their  past  backslidings,  whereby  they  have  provoked  him  to  withdraw 
from  them.  They  must  say  with  the  church,  *  I  will  go  and  return  to  my  first 
husband  ;  for  then  was  it  better  with  me  than  now  ;'z  and,  as-  it  is  elsewhere  ex- 
pressed, '  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us  graciously  ;  so  will  we  render  the 
calves  of  our  lips.'a     They  must  lament  the  dishonour  which  they  have  brought  to 

t  Rom.  vi.  6,  u  Heb.  vi.  12.  x  Chap.  xii.  11.  y  Jer.  xxxi.  18. 

i  11  os.  ii.  7.  a  Chap.  xiv.  2. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  121 

God ;  and  consider  how,  by  means  of  it,  they  have  grieved  the  Holy  Spirit,  wounded 
their  own  consciences,  and  made  work  for  a  bitter  repentance  and  humiliation  be- 
fore God.  They  must  be  sensible  that  it  is  the  same  hand  which  wrought  grace  in 
them  at  first,  which  must  now  recover  them  from  their  fallen  state,  and,  by  exciting 
the  principle  of  grace  implanted,  bring  them  into  a  lively  frame.  And  when  he  has 
done  this,  they  must  still  depend  on  him  to  maintain  this  frame  of  spirit ;  considering 
that  as  the  beginning  so  the  progress  of  grace  is  owing  to  him  who  is  the  author  and 
finisher  of  faith,  who  worketh  in  us  that  which  is  pleasing  in  his  sight,  and  carries 
on  his  own  work  to  perfection. 

Note  I.  The  connexion  of  Faith  with  Justification — If  there  were  a  necessity  for  calling  faith 
1  the  hand  of  the  soul,'  'the  appropriating  act,'  or  '  the  medium,' '  the  condition,'  or  '  the  instrument  of 
justification,'  or  for  applying  to  it  any  other  name  or  description  whatever  not  used  in  scripture,  there 
would  be  intense  interest  in  the  discussions  of  theological  writers  as  to  which  name  or  description 
is  the  most  proper.  All  evangelical  divines  discard  at  once  such  names  as  obviously  assign  to  faith 
a  meritorious  character,  or  represent  it  either  as  the  sinner's  own  act,  or  as  the  reason  of  his  obtain- 
ing justification  ;  but  while,  for  the  most  part,  they  retain  or  select  terms  not  found  in  scripture, 
and  apparently  to  them  somewhat  expressive,  they  seem,  in  a  considerable  degree,  embarrassed  to 
harmonize  the  use  of  them  with  strict  notions  of  the  immediate  connexion  of  justification  with  the 
imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  of  its  being  an  act  of  God  extraneous  to  the  sinner,  and 
affecting  not  his  understanding  or  his  heart,  but  his  condition  in  reference  to  the  divine  law.  In 
one  instant  the  sinner  lives,  or  passes  from  death  to  life  :  he  lives  as  to  both  his  acceptance  with 
God,  and  his  experiencing  the  commencement  of  personal  holiness.  On  the  grounds  of  Christ's 
merits  he  passes  from  under  condemnation,  and  by  the  power  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  he  passes  from 
under  the  uncontrolled  dominion  of  depravity ;  in  the  former  respect,  he  begins  to  live  in  his  posi- 
tion towards  the  divine  law,  and  in  the  latter,  he  begins  to  live  in  his  experience  of  personal  holi- 
ness ;  in  the  one  view,  he  becomes  alive  to  God,  in  being  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  and  in  the  other 
view,  he  becomes  alive  to  God,  in  being  a  subject  of  the  work  of  the  life-giving,  the  sanctifying 
Spirit.  In  other  words,  he  is  at  once  justified  and  regenerated :  he,  at  the  same  instant,  is  ac- 
cepted of  him  who  justifies  the  ungodly,  and  becomes  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  is  not 
first  regenerated  and  then  justified,  or  first  justified  and  then  regenerated  ;  but,  in  one  change,  in 
one  transition,  in  one  event,  he  begins  to  live  both  from  the  death  of  condemnation  and  the  death 
of  sin.  What  he  receives  is  life;  and  this,  though  widely  different  in  its  aspect  as  to  his  relation 
to  the  divine  law  and  its  aspect  as  to  his  personal  character,  is  strictly  one  in  its  nature,  and  one 
in  its  commencement — it  is  eternal  life — life  together  with  Christ :  not  for  one  instant,  or  in  any 
circumstances,  can  we  conceive  of  the  life  of  acceptance  with  God  existing  apart  from  the  life  of 
begun  personal  holiness,  or  the  life  of  begun  personal  holiness  existing  apart  from  the  life  of  accept- 
ance with  God.  The  two  are  not  distinct  or  separate  lives,  but  the  one  life  of  the  soul  viewed 
respectively  in  its  enjoyment  of  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  in  its  being  the  sub- 
ject of  the  operations  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 

Now,  if  there  is,  in  point  of  fact,  no  priority  in  the  order  of  justification  and  regeneration,  and  if 
the  two,  however  different  in  their  aspects  and  references,  constitute  jointly  the  instantaneous  com- 
mencement of  one  spiritual  life,  there  can  be  neither  wisdom  nor  correctness  of  thinking  in  setting 
up  and  advocating  doctrines  based  on  the  assumption,  not  only  of  the  priority  of  the  one  to  the 
other,  but  of  the  priority  of  occurrences  belonging  respectively  to  each.  Yet  it  is  a  taking  for 
granted  of  the  latter  sort  of  priority  which  occasions  all  speculations  and  disputes  as  to  the  relative 
connexion  which  faith  has  with  justification.  Most  theological  writers  assume  that  faith  goes  be- 
fore justification,  and,  in  consequence,  institute  an  inquiry  as  to  whether  it  is  the  condition,  the  in- 
strument, or  the  medium  of  our  being  justified  ;  and  a  few  assume  it  to  follow  justification,  and 
become  divided  in  opinion  as  to  whether  it  appropriates  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  or,  as  the  hand 
of  the  soul,  receives  the  pardon  which  has  been  granted,  or  as  to  whether  there  are  not  even  two 
Justifications, — one  going  before  faith,  and  constituting  the  sinner  righteous  by  union  to  the  Savi- 
our, and  another  following  faith,  and  constituting  him  happy  in  the  reception  of  the  peace  which 
■esults  from  his  acceptance.  These  opinions  all  indicate  embarrassment  in  so  adjusting  the  position 
and  describing  the  character  of  faith,  as  strictly  and  clearly  to  maintain  that  justification  is  altoge- 
ther of  grace,  an  act  of  God,  and  based  on  the  righteousness  or  sacrificial  merits  of  the  Saviour. 
Evangelical  writers  justly  regard  the  exhibition  of  this  doctrine  in  its  integrity  and  in  perfect  lucid- 
ness  as  of  essential  importance ;  but  they  see,  at  the  same  time,  that  faith  has  a  connexion  with 
justification  altogether  inseparable, — that  wherever  a  sinner  is  justified  he  is  necessarily  a  believer, 
— and  they  endeavour,  each  class  in  his  own  way,  so  to  speak  of  the  act  of  believing  and  the  event 
of  being  justified,  that  while  the  latter  is  viewed  as  wholly  of  grace,  the  former  shall  be  regarded  as 
indispensable  or  co-existent.  Most  of  them,  however,  lose  sight  of  justification  being  strictly  an 
art,  and  not  a  process,  or  a  series  of  acts  ;  and  in  proportion  as  they  do  this,  they  depart  from  the 
simple  phraseology  of  scripture,  and  involve  their  ideas  in  obscurity.  Every  epithet,  every  mode 
of  discussion,  in  particular,  which  represents  a  priority  of  a  sinner's  believing  to  his  being  justified, 
entails  consequences  which,  if  not  directly  at  war  with  the  doctrine  of  grace,  can  be  kept  in  appa- 
rent amity  with  it  only  by  means  of  manifold  and  not  very  luminous  explanations. 

Dr.  Ridgeley  justly  objects  to  faith  being  called  the  condition  of  justification,  because,  as  he  ob- 
serves, "  the  word  condition  is  generally  used  to  signify  that  for  the  sake  of  which  a  benefit  is  con- 
ferred "  Yet  he  adds,  that  "  the  word  may  be  explained  in  such  a  way  as  is  consistent  with  the 
doctrine  of  j ustification  by  faith  ;"  and  he  afterwards  proceeds  to  speak  of  faith  both  as  "  the  con- 
dition of  our  claim  to  Christ's  righteousness,"  and  as  "the  medium  of  our  concluding  that  we  ha.v« 

li.  ^ 


122  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

an  interest  in  Christ's  redemption."  What  he  maintains  is  that,  in  speaking  of  the  forgiveness  o( 
sin,  the  putting  on  of  Christ's  righteousness,  or  the  receiving  of  discharge  from  condemnation,  the 
word  'condition'  as  applied  to  faith  is  wrong,  and  that  the  word  then  proper  to  be  used  is  instru- 
ment. He  would  hence  appear  to  make  faith  an  instrument  before  the  act  of  acquittal,  and  a  con- 
dition or  a  medium  <>fier  that  act, — the  instrument  of  our  receiving  or  having  imputed  to  us  Christ's 
righteousness,  and  the  condition  or  medium  of  our  concluding  ourselves  to  have  an  interest  in  it, 
or  experiencing  a  sense  of  acceptance.  If  I  do  not  mistake  the  import  and  tendency  of  bis  dis- 
tinction, he  thus  exhibits  faith  as  both  anterior  and  subsequent  to  the  justifying  act;  so  that,  to  be 
consistent,  he  must  be  viewed  as  exhibiting  two  acts  of  faith,  each  distinct  in  quality  and  office 
from  the  other,  and  holding  a  different  place  in' the  order  of  priority.  I  am  quite  convinced,  in- 
deed, that  he  never  would  have  adopted  any  such  consequence;  and  I  mention  it,  only  to  show  the 
confusion  of  idea  occasioned  by  instituting  distinctions  of  consecutiveness  in  the  parts  or  connex- 
ions of  justification,  and  applying  to  them  epithets  unsanctioned  by  scripture. 

Even, the  word  'instrument'  which  Dr.  Ridgeley  prefers  to  express  the  main  connexion  of  faith 
with  justification,  and  which,  if  any  distinction  of  priority  were  allowable,  is  probably  the  least 
objectionable  term  which  can  be  found,  is  defined  and  illustrated  by  him  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
become  but  in  a  small  degree  less  offensive*than  the  phraseology  which  he  rejects.  "  When  we 
are  said,"  he  observes,  "  to  be  justified  by  faith,  it  is  by  faith  as  apprehending,  pleading,  or  laying 
hold  on  Christ's  righteousness ;"  and  to  illustrate  what  he  means  by  it  as  an  instrument,  he  says, 
"  If  a  person  were  in  a  dungeon,  as  the  prophet  Jeremiah  was,  and  a  rope  were  let  down  to  draw 
him  out,  his  laying  hold  on  it  is  the  instrument,  but  the  hand  which  draws  him  out  is  the  principal 
cause  of  his  release."  Now,  there  is  a  life,  an  activity,  a  conditional  connexion,  a  concurrent 
agency,  in  the  idea  of  the  endungeoned  person  seizing  a  rope  and  clinging  to  it  while  another  per- 
son draws  him  from  his  dungeon,  which  is  utterly  repugnant  to  the  doctrine  of  the  sovereign  and 
entirely  divine  agency  of  justification.  So  very  much,  in  fact,  of  the  idea  of  concurrent  agency  or 
concurrent  causation  is  involved  in  the  so-called  instrumentality,  that  Dr.  Ridgeley  speaks  of  the 
hand  which  draws  the  prisoner  out  as  '  the  principal  cause  of  his  release,' — clearly  implying  that 
what  he  terms  '  the  instrument'  is,  in  reality,  a  cause,  and  a  cause  not  the  less  necessary  and  active 
that  it  is  merely  subordinate.  He  obviously  does  not  mean  to  teach  what  his  language  imports  ; 
yet,  in  nearly  all  he  says  respecting  faith  as  an  instrument — not  only  in  his  illustration  of  it  from 
a  pardoned  criminal  pleading  his  pardon  and  rendering  his  claim  to  it  visible  in  open  court  before 
he  obtains  his  discharge,  but  even  in  his  very  definitions — he  makes  more  or  less  of  an  impression 
upon  the  mind,  that  it  is  really  more  a  precurrent  though  subordinate  cause  than  what  may  strictly 
be  termed  an  instrument.  The  reason  of  this  impression  is  obvious :  an  instrument  is  what  is 
employed  by  an  agent,  and  faith,  when  spoken  of  as  the  instrument  in  justification,  is  represented 
as  employed  by  the  sinner,  or  as  that  by  which  he  lays  hold  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  or  by 
which  he  pleads  that  righteousness  and  receives  acquittal.  The  idea  of  an  instrument  is  therefore 
quite  as  embarrassing  to  correct  notions  of  the  entire  sovereignty  and  divine  agency  of  justification, 
as  that  either  of  medium,  of  condition,  or  of  anything  else  on  the  part  of  man  which  is  represented 
as  connected  with  the  divine  act  of  acquitting  the  sinner,  and  as  preceding  it ;  and  both  it  and  all 
kindred  ideas — if  we  would  have  distinct  conceptions  of  that  all-important  doctrine — would  need 
either  to  be  better  expounded  than  they  usually  are,  or  laid  entirely  aside. 

Yet  the  invariable,  the  necessary  connexion  of  faith  with  justification  requires  to  be  fully  and 
prominently  stated.  But  in  what  terms  is  the  statement  so  to  be  made  as  to  be  free  from  objec- 
tion ?  Obviously  in  the  very  terms  of  scripture, — in  a  translation  or  paraphrase  of  the  expression, 
hxxiorwn  ix.  -ritrnut  or  liKaiuStvn;  %x  imrtiuf,  as  literal,  or  as  faithfully  representative  of  the  sense 
of  the  Greek  words,  as  English  vocables  can  frame.  As  regards  the  connexion  of  faith  with  justi- 
fication, the  entire  force  of  either  phrase  depends  upon  the  preposition  »*.  Now,  this  word  is  ill 
represented  in  English  by  the  word  '  by,'  and  very  rarely,  if  ever,  denotes  the  relation  of  strict  in- 
strumentality, and  still  less  that  of  agency  or  causation.  Its  literal  or  primitive  meaning  is  '  of,'  or 
'  out  of.'  In  a  figurative  sense,  or  in  expressing  a  moral  or  abstract  relation,  its  prevailing  signifi- 
cation ranges  through  almost  every  variety  of  mode  which  can  be  expressed  by  '  in  connexion  with,' 
■  in  relation  to,'  '  out  of,'  '  from,'  '  of.'  But  what  may  be  regarded  as  its  distinctive  or  chief  use  is 
to  give  explicitness  and  energy  to  the  expression  of  the  principal  idea  conveyed — whether  after  a 
noun  or  after  a  verb— by  the  genitive  or  possessive  case  of  nouns  This  idea,  according  to  the  de- 
finition of  Moses  Stuart,  in  his  Grammar  of  the  New  Testament  Dialect,  "  seems  to  be  that  of  an 
essential  and  immediate  relation  or  connexion  of  objects  ;"  and  is  so  expansive  as  to  include,  besides 
the  ideas  of  other  subordinate  relations  or  connexions,  those  of  possession,  source,  occasion,  object, 
subject,  material,  quality,  place,  time,  and  value.  So  many  of  these  and  other  connexions  as  may 
be  expressed  fey  'of,'  or  '  out  of,'  are  just  those,  or  at  least  are  peculiarly  or  specially  those  which, 
with  added  distinctness  and  energy,  are  designated  by  the  preposition  i*.  If  any  one  of  them, 
to  the  exclusion  of  every  other,  were  necessarily  supposed  to  be  intended  in  the  phrase,  Itxauoew* 
ix  *iff-Ttu{,  it  would  seem  to  be  that  of  quality, — justification  tx  vritTttx  being  distinguished,  quali- 
fyingly  or  adjectively,  from  justification  t*  t(y*».  The  phrase,  however,  appears  to  take  •*,  not 
in  the  sense  of  any  one  subordinate  relation  of  the  possessive  case,  but  in  the  general  sense,  or  in 
a  sense  approaching  the  general  one,  of  essential  and  immediate  connexion.  Justification,  in  other 
words,  seems  to  be  represented  in  it,  not  as  by  faith,  or  on  the  condition  of  faith,  or  through  the 
instrumentality  of  faith  ;  but  simply  hs  of  faith, — as  inseparably  connected  with  faith.  Two  texts 
of  scripture — and  to  these  other  quotations  might  be  added — will  place  in  a  strong  light  the  use  of 
ix  in  so  general  yet  definite  a  sense  of  essential  connexion  as  cannot  justly  be  identified  with  any 
one  subordinate  relation  designated  by  the  possessive  case.  In  this  '  tabernacle  we  groan,  earnestly 
desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  t»  «*jit«{«>»  ift*»  t«  %\  ouoanv  our  habitation  which  is  of  heaven." 
1  If  ye,  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall 
i  r*T«g  i  »g  ov{a»ev  the  Father  who  is  in  heaven  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him,'  2  Cor. 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  123 

y.  2 ;  Luke  xi.  13.  Now,  in  what  specific  sense  of  the  possessive  case  can  a  relation  be  affirmed 
between  heaven  and  the  glorified  body  of  believers,  or  between  heaven  and  the  Giver  of  the  bless- 
ings of  salvation  ?  If  any  specific  or  subordinate  sense  whatever  can  be  understood,  must  it  not 
be  one  of  the  dative  case, — not  that  of  '  from '  or  '  of,'  but  that  of '  in?'  But,  as  the  case  used  is 
actually  the  possessive,  and  as  »*  belongs  in  its  invariable  use  and  in  all  its  meanings  to  that  case, 
what  other  relation  can  be  intended  but  the  general  one — made  by  its  particular  application  to  be 
expressly  specific — of  necessary  connexion  ?  The  glorified  bodies  of  believers  are  necessarily  con- 
nected with  heaven, — they  can  be  enjoyed  or  can  exist  only  in  the  heavenly  state — they  are  strictly, 
as  to  inseparable  relation,  m***-*^*  %\  ev^atev.  This  idea  is  not  only  distinct  but  graphic,  and  mani- 
festly would  be  utterly  impaired  by  any  attempt  to  fuse  it  into  the  notion  of  medium,  quality,  con- 
dition, object,  instrumentality,  or  any  other  subordinate  relation  designated  by  the  possessive 
case. 

If,  then,  the  general  but  emphatic  idea  of  inseparable  connexion  be  a  sense  of  the  preposition  i*, 
and  a  sense,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  less  secondary  than  any  subordinate  idea  of  possession, 
quality,  or  instrumentality,  persons  who  speak  in  the  usual  way  of  the  relation  between  faith  and 
justification,  must  feel  themselves  bound  to  show  cause  for  departing  from  this  sense  in  interpret- 
ing the  phrase  iixaieruvn  u  vnmat.  Is  there  anything  in  any  statement  of  scripture,  or  in  the  scrip- 
tural view  of  the  abstract  nature  either  of  faith  or  of  justification,  to  show  that  the  relation  be- 
tween these  is  one  of  condition,  medium,  or  instrumentality?  Does  not  every  scriptural  statement, 
on  the  contrary,  and  every  scriptural  view,  exhibit  faith  and  justification  as  related  simply  in  the 
emphatic  sense  of  inseparable  connexion  ?  He  who  believes  is  justified  ;  and  he  who  is  justified 
believes.  A  sinner  is  '  saved  by  grace,  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  himself:  it  is  the  gift  of 
God.'  His  believing  is  as  truly  a  phasis  of  his  salvation  as  his  being  justified.  He  believes  through 
the  operation  upon  his  mind  of  the  divine  Spirit;  and  is  justified  by  God's  imputing  to  him  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Both  his  faith  and  his  justification  are  of  God  :  the  former  a  gift  or  grace 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  latter  an  act  of  God  in  Christ, — of  the  Father  imputing  the  sacrificial 
merits  of  the  Saviour,  and  accepting  into  his  sovereign  and  complacent  favour.  Nor  though  dif- 
ferently viewed  in  the  economy  of  salvation,  do  they  seem,  as  respects  their  experience  by  the  sin- 
ner, to  be  otherwise  regarded  than  as  constituting,  along  with  regeneration,  one  event, —  as  related 
simply  by  such  inseparable  connexion  as  to  be  the  commencement  of  his  spiritual  life.  If,  by  a  dis- 
tinction based  upon  supposed  analogies  in  human  operations,  faith  may  be  supposed  to  go  before 
the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness ;  then,  by  a  similar  distinction,  life,  on  the  other  hand, 
may  be  supposed  to  go  before  faith,  and  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness  to  go  before  life. 
One  man,  on  the  footing  of  human  analogies  and  distinctions,  may  as  truly  say  that  he  cannot  con- 
ceive of  the  soul's  believing  before  it  be  made  alive,  as  another  man,  on  the  same  footing,  may  say 
that  he  cannot  conceive  of  its  being  acquitted  from  condemnation  before  believing.  Hence,  to  sup- 
pose a  priority  either  in  the  one  way  or  in  the  other,  not  only  goes  beyond  the  simple  statements 
of  the  Bible,  but  tends  to  produce  confusion  of  idea.  Believing,  being  acquitted  on  the  ground  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  and  becoming  a  new  creature,  occur  as  one  event ;  and  believing  and  being 
acquitted  are  exhibited  prominently  and  constantly  as  related  in  inseparable  and  essential  connex- 
ion, because  faith  looks  at  that  truth  which  both  discloses  the  redemptional  work  of  the  Saviour 
on  the  ground  of  which  the  sinner  is  made  alive,  and  is  the  instrument  of  the  divine  Spirit  in  oper- 
ating upon  the  soul.  The  gospel  unfolded  by  the  Holy  Spirit  is  'the  power  of  God  unto  salvation ;' 
it  comes  in  demonstration  and  in  power  and  in  much  assurance;  it  carries  with  it  its  own  evidence, 
and  cannot  be  seen  without  being  believed.  In  the  very  act,  therefore,  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  unfold- 
ing it,  he  works  faith  in  the  soul.  But,  in  the  same  instant  that  the  sinner  believes  he  lives, — lives 
as  to  both  the  imputation  to  bim  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  the  commencement  of  personal 
holiness  in  his  own  heart.  '  Faith  is  the  assured  expectation  1-xo«til*k  of  things  hoped  for,  the 
conviction  iXty^'f  of  things  not  seen.'  It  is  the  act  of  a  living  soul,  while  the  act  in  which  the 
soul  begins  to  live  ;  it  realizes,  both  in  conviction  as  to  what  he  has  accomplished,  and  in  confident 
expectation  of  glorious  and  eternal  results,  the  redemptional  work  of  the  Saviour  ;  and,  if  an  order 
of  priority  could  be  contended  for,  it  might  be  viewed  both  as  actually  laying  hold  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness, and  as  exulting  or  even  as  existing  in  a  sense  of  that  righteousness  being  already  imputed. 
So  close,  so  essential,  so  unique  is  its  connexion  with  the  soul's  acquittal  from  condemnation,  its 
union  to  Christ,  its  resting  on  his  righteousness,  its  being  an  object  of  sovereign  favour,  that  the 
two  cannot  be  viewed  apart  in  their  occurrence  or  existence.  How  forcible,  then,  the  apostle's 
declaration  :  '  Do  we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid  :  yea,  we  establish  the 
law.'  The  believing  soul  is  necessarily,  from  the  essential  connexion  of  faith,  a  soul  spiritually 
alive, — alive  in  union  to  Christ,  in  position  toward  the  divine  law,  in  enjoyment  of  the  divine 
favour,  in  experience  of  the  gracious  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  the  commencement  of 
personal  and  persevering  holiness  ;  it  is  alive  in  the  begun  enjoyment  of  '  life  with  Christ  in  God,' 
having  its  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life.  How,  then,  could  the  apostles,  by 
preaching  faith  do  otherwise  than  establish  the  law  ?  How  forcible,  too,  is  the  metonymy  em- 
ployed in  describing  the  case  of  Abraham, — '  his  faith  was  counted  to  him  lor  righteousness !' 
Whether  that  righteousness  be  viewed  as  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed  in  justification  or  as 
the  commencement  of  personal  holiness  in  regeneration,  faith  has  so  essential  a  connexion  with  the 
former,  and  is  so  identified  with  the  perception  of  the  truth  which  the  Holy  Spirit  employs  as  the 
instrument  of  the  latter,  that  wherever  it  exists,  and  in  the  very  act  of  its  existing,  the  one  right- 
eousness is  imputed  and  the  other  righteousness  is  experienced.  A  believer  is  both  a  justified  and 
a  regenerated  man  :  be  who  has  faith  in  the  record  which  God  has  given  concerning  his  Son,  has 
eternal  life, — he  lives  both  by  the  imputation  to  him  of  the  righteousness  of  his  great  Surety,  and 
the  working  of  personal  righteousness  in  his  heart  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
metonyme  is  hence  peculiarly  emphatic  :  '  Abraham  believed  in  God,  and  it  was  counted  to  him  for 
righteousness.' 

Before  concluding  this  note,  I  may  remark  how  very  different  the  idea  of  instrumentality  is  p* 


124  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

applied  to  the  connexion  which  faith  has  with  justification,  and  as  applied  to  the  relation  which  the 
divine  word  has  to  regeneration.  An  instrument,  as  was  already  observed,  is  that  which  an  agent 
employs  in  producing  an  effect,  or  that  in  the  use  of  which  an  agent  does  or  acts.  Now  the  person 
who  is  justified  is  he  who  believes :  he  it  is  who  has  faith,  and  who,  in  popular  language  on  the  sub- 
ject of  justification,  is  said  to  lay  hold  by  faith  on  Christ's  righteousness,  or  to  receive  by  faith  his 
acquittal  from  condemnation,  or  the  pardon  of  his  sins  and  the  acceptance  of  his  person.  But  this 
receiving,  this  laying  hold  of,  this  believing,  is  not  the  act  of  justifying.  '  It  is  God  that  justifieth.' 
Justification  is  directly,  altogether,  and  in  every  sense,  God's  act.  The  sinner  himself,  then,  being 
in  no  respect  the  agent  in  justification,  and  yet  being  the  party  who  exercises  faith,  faith  cannot  be 
the  instrument  in  justification.  But  in  regeneration,  on  the  contrary,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  both  the 
agent  who  regenerates,  and  he  who  employs  the  word  in  connexion  with  regenerating.  The  word 
regenerates,  not  as  used  by  man,  but  as  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit :  it  is  employed  directly  and  alto- 
gether by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  making  man  a  new  creature  ;  and,  wielded  by  ban  in  his  own  personal 
agency,  it  is  with  propriety  regarded  as  his  instrument.  Accordingly,  the  two  passages  which  con- 
nect the  word  with  regeneration,  (1  Peter  i.  23;  James  i.  18.)  represent  the  relation  of  the  former 
to  the  latter  to  be  that  of  instrumentality.  In  the  one  the  preposition  ?<«  with  a  possessive  case  is 
used  ;  and  in  the  other  the  dative  case  is  used  without  any  preposition.  Now  iia,  when  governing 
in  the  possessive  a  noun  which  does  not  designate  a  cause  or  an  agent,  peculiarly  denotes  instrumen- 
tality ;  and  the  dative  case  in  construction  with  a  prior  clause  designating  causation  or  agency,  con- 
veys, without  a  preposition,  emphatically  the  idea  of  an  instrument.  The  two  passages  read, 
1  Avayiyivvtlf*""!  *  *  iiaXe-you  ^tayrof  &it>u  xai  fumret-  'B*»>fl9liJ  avrixwrifi*  hftas  Kiyaj  aXnQuat  ;' 
and  are  translated  in  the  authorized  version,  '  Being  born  again  by  the  word  of  God  which  liveth 
and  abideth  for  ever,'  '  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of  truth.' — Ed.] 

[Note  K.  What  is  Faith  ? — Faith  is  exhibited  by  Dr.  Ridgeley  under  two  phases, — as  assent  to  what 
is  true  and  good,  and  as  an  act  of  trust  or  dependence  on  him  who  is  its  object.  Both  these  views  of 
faith  appear  to  be  entertained  with  special  reference  to  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  but  at  the  same  time 
with  comprehensive  reference  to  faith  in  general.  Dr.  Ridgeley  talks  of  the  influences  which  affect 
faith, — the  kinds  and  degrees  of  evidence  by  which  the  quality  or  strength  of  it  is  determined  ;  and, 
while  settling  what  faith  is  as  resting  on  divine  testimony,  he  glances  at  its  nature  as  exercised 
about  matters  of  abstract  science  or  merely  human. 

Now  faith  or  belief,  understand  it  as  we  may  and  apply  it  as  we  will,  seems  to  be  just  assent  to 
evidence, — counting  true  propositions  or  statements  submitted  to  the  judgment.  But  though  in 
matters  of  revelation  it  is  necessarily  an  assent  to  what  is  true  and  good, — every  portion  of  divine 
testimony  being  essentially  in  the  highest  sense  both  good  and  true  ;  it  may,  in  other  matters,  par- 
ticularly in  those  of  human  testimony  or  of  flippant  report,  be  an  assent  to  what  is  both  false  and 
mischievous.  Men  often  believe  a  lie,  a  malign  and  insidious  falsehood,  as  really  as  they  believe  a 
truth  ;  and  they  are  affected  in  their  heart  and  conduct  by  what  they  believe,  as  sensibly  for  evil  if 
they  believe  a  pestiferous  error,  as  for  good  if  they  believe  an  infallible  moral  doctrine.  Faith,  in 
its  own  proper  nature,  is  simply  assent,  opening  up  the  avenues  of  the  soul  to  have  all  its  affections 
acted  upon,  and  all  its  faculties  propelled  by  the  moral  influences,  be  they  evil  or  good,  human  or 
divine,  of  the  statements  believed.  Every  statement,  be  it  what  it  may,  has  power  to  affect  either 
the  intellect  or  the  heart,  to  modify  the  ideas,  to  act  upon  the  faculties,  to  touch  the  intellectual  or 
moral  habits  ;  and  it  wields  this  power  immediately  over  the  heart  and  will,  and  propels  to  practical 
results  in  the  conduct,  just  in  the  proportion  of  its  being  of  a  moral  nature,  addressing  itself  to  the 
conscience,  and  unfolding  motives  to  deter  from  one  action  and  incite  to  another.  Whatever  is  be- 
lieved affects  man  according  to  the  nature  of  the  proposition  or  statement, — intellectually  if  it  be 
purely  intellectual,  morally  if  it  be  purely  moral,  moving  the  particular  power  or  inciting  the  parti- 
cular affection  to  which  it  specially  appeals.  Faith  or  belief  lays  hold  upon  the  statement  as  a  mat- 
ter hitherto  extraneous  to  the  man,  and  brings  it  to  bear  upon  his  intellectual  or  moral  nature  as  a 
matter  internal  to  him,  or  a  matter  in  contact  with  his  mind.  So  long  as  any  statement  is  not 
believed,  it  is  as  if  it  did  not  exist ;  but  whenever  it  is  assented  to,  or  counted  true,  or  made  a  mat- 
ter of  faith,  it  ceases  to  be  a  matter  of  indifference,  and  operates  in  a  way  suited  to  its  own  nature, 
and  with  a  force  proportioned  to  the  amount  of  evidence  which  sustains  it  or  the  degree  of  faith 
with  which  it  is  received. 

The  distinction,  then,  between  faith  in  a  statement  as  simply  true,  and  faith  in  a  statement  as 
both  true  and  good, — a  distinction  followed  out  to  the  result  of  a  speculative  assent,  in  the  former 
case,  and  a  practical  assent  seated  partly  in  the  understanding  and  partly  in  the  will,  in  the  latter, — 
seems  to  be  without  foundation.  Some  statements,  such  as  the  axioms  and  elements  of  mathema- 
tical science,  contain  in  themselves  nothing  which  appeals  to  the  moral  feelings,  and  of  course  do 
not  excite  them ;  yet,  whenever  they  are  believed,  they  affect  the  mind  to  the  whole  amount  of 
their  influence,  and,  so  far  as  they  bear  upon  practice  either  in  thinking  or  in  conduct — in  imparting 
ideas  of  mental  calculation,  or  furnishing  materials  and  motives  for  mathematical  experiment— even 
they  are  really  practical.  Absolutely  speculative  believing,  or  believing  which  does  not  modify  the 
thoughts  and  propel  and  influence  mental  or  concrete  action,  seems,  in  a  being  constituted  like  man, 
an  utter  impossibility.  One  statement,  indeed,  has  a  practical  influence,  especially  in  reference  to 
the  will  and  affections,  tenfold,  or  an  hundredfold,  or  a  thousandfold,  more  than  another ;  but  the 
statement  of  higher  influence  differs  from  the  statement  of  lower  influence,  not  on  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  believed,  or  on  account  of  its  being  both  true  and  good  while  the  other  is 
merely  true,  but  on  account  of  its  moral  nature,  or  of  its  containing  matter  which  directly  appeals 
to  the  conscience  or  to  the  fears  or  desires  of  the  heart.  In  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  moral 
import  in  a  statement,  or  to  the  amount  of  motive  and  consideration  affecting  personal  interest 
which  it  discloses,  combined  with  the  degree  of  evidence  in  which  it  is  seen,  or  the  strength  of  faith 
with  which  it  is  received,  will  be  the  energy  with  which  it  moves  and  incites  and  propels  the  affec- 
tions and  will.     But  with  regard  to  even  a  statement  in  the  highest  degree  good  and  true,  or  dis- 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  125 

closing  the  loftiest  considerations  to  affect  the  heart  and  the  conduct,  assent  to  the  truth  of  it  or  the 
act  of  believing  it,  is  immediately  the  affair,  not  of  the  will,  but  altogether  of  the  understanding. 
The  act  of  assent  is  the  act  of  counting  true — it  is  an  intellectual  act ;  and  simply  brings  the  state- 
ment believed  into  contact  with  the  affections  and  will,  there  to  incite  the  one,  and  influence  the 
decisions  of  the  other.  Except  as  the  statement  is  counted  true,  or  is  brought  by  belief  to  disclose 
its  moral  influence,  it  exists  entirely  apart  from  the  mind,  and,  as  regards  the  individual,  is  a  mere 
abstraction.  But  the  counting  of  it  true  is  not  an  act  of  volition,  nor  an  act  of  desire,  nor  an  act  of 
any  affection,  but  an  act  of  the  same  intellectual  kind  as  that  in  which  a  judgment  is  formed,  or  a 
relation  discerned  between  one  object  and  another.  The  understanding,  discerning  something  to  be 
affirmed,  and  perceiving  the  evidence  on  which  it  rests,  counts  the  affirmation  to  be  true  ;  just  as 
the  judgment,  discerning  a  substance  to  exhibit  a  given  quality,  affirms  the  quality  and  the  sub- 
stance to  be  related.  While  the  act  of  judging  concerns  the  relation  of  ideas  in  an  affirmation  or  a 
proposition ;  the  act  of  believing  quite  as  intellectually  concerns  the  relation  of  evidence  and  affir- 
mation in  a  statement.  But  an  act  of  the  will,  on  the  contrary,  has  reference  only  to  conduct.  A 
man  believes,  not  because  he  wills  a  statement  to  be  true,  but  because  he  discerns  evidence  of  its 
being  true.  His  will  may  act  negatively  in  effectually  indisposing  him  either  to  examine  the  state- 
ment or  to  consider  the  evidence  which  supports  it ;  but  it  does  not  act  posit  ively  in  reference  to 
the  relation  between  them  when  they  come  to  be  examined.  A  statement  is  understood,  not  by 
an  act  of  volition,  but  by  being  made  plain  to  the  understanding ;  and  it  is  believed  or  counted 
true,  not  because  a  man  wills  its  truth,  but  because  he  discerns  evidence  which  convinces  his  judg- 
ment. '  With  the  heart,'  indeed,  we  are  told,  '  man  believeth  unto  righteousness.'  But  the  cor- 
relative phrases  'heart'  and  'bowels'  had  the  same  force  in  Hebrew  idiom,  which  the  correlative 
phrases  'head'  and  'heart'  have  among  us, — the  former,  in  many  connexions,  designating  the  un- 
derstanding, and  the  latter  the  will  and  affections.  Among  other  passages,  in  which  '  the  heart ' 
has  the  sense  of  '  the  understanding,'  see  Matt.  xiii.  15;  Luke  xxiv.  25 ;  1  Cor.  ii.  9  ;  Isaiah  x.  7. 
and  xliv.  19 ;  Matt.  xiii.  19;  Eccl.  i.  17;  Luke  ix.  47;  John  xii.  40;  2  Cor.  iii.  15;  Eph.  iv.  18; 
Prov.  ii.  2,  10;  Dan.  x.  12. 

I  may  perhaps  be  reminded,  that  to  regard  the  belief  of  divine  truth  as  distinct  from  any  act  of 
the  will,  is  to  exhibit  faith  as  prior  in  occurrence  to  any  renovating  influence  on  the  moral  powers, 
and,  in  consequence,  to  speak  inconsistently  with  the  doctrine  maintained  in  a  former  note,  that 
faith  and  regeneration,  and  whatever  things  constitute  the  commencement  of  spiritual  or  eternal  life 
;n  the  soul,  are  of  simultaneous  origin.  But  if  the  view  I  have  now  given  of  faith  may,  in  one  re- 
spect, be  construed  to  exhibit  the  exercise  or  first  act  of  it  as  prior,  it  may,  in  another  respect,  be 
construed  to  exhibit  it  as  posterior,  to  the  influencing  of  the  moral  powers.  Man's  will,  while  he  is 
in  an  unrenewed  state,  is  utterly  averse — indeed,  without  the  operation  of  divine  grace  upon  him, 
is  unconquerably  averse — to  contemplate  the  truths  of  the  gospel  in  their  spiritual  or  only  true 
light ;  nor  is  it  less  averse  to  let  his  understanding  glance  at  those  high  and  demonstrative,  but 
spiritual,  evidences  by  which  they  are  evinced  to  be  infallibly  free  from  error  and  truly  divine. 
'  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God :'  it  performs  volitions  or  acts  of  the  will  all  in  opposition 
both  to  the  glorious  gospel  and  its  claims.  Hence,  a  person  who  should  construe  distinctness  of 
ideas  into  priority  of  occurrence,  might  allege  just  as  reasonably  that  the  removal  of  man's  aversion 
to  contemplate  the  gospel  and  its  intrinsic  evidences  must  go  before  faith.  a«  that  faith  must  go  be- 
fore the  removal  of  his  aversion  to  holiness.  All  which  fairly  follows  from  regarding  faith  as  an 
act  of  the  understanding  apart  from  the  will,  is  the  distinctness  merely,  and  not  the  consecutiveness, 
of  the  idea  of  believing  the  truth' and  the  idea  of  the  moral  influence  of  the  truth  affecting  the  heart. 
In  any  case,  perhaps,  a  truth,  correspondingly  to  its  nature,  affects  the  moral  powers  in  the  very 
act  of  its  commending  itself  by  its  evidence  to  the  assent  of  the  understanding ;  or,  while  it  dis- 
closes its  claims  in  such  a  manner  as  to  drive  unbelief  or  doubt  from  the  mind,  it  at  the  same  time 
puts  forth  its  moral  influence  to  make  its  appropriate  impressions  on  the  will  and  the  heart.  But, 
at  all  events,  the  distinctness  of  assent  to  truth  from  the  effect  of  truth  on  the  moral  powers,  affords 
no  reason  for  conceiving  of  any  priority  of  one  thing  to  another  in  the  commencement  of  spiritual 
life  in  the  soul — in  that  wondrous  work  of  the  divine  grace  and  power  upon  man  in  which  a  crea- 
ture who  was  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  becomes  alive  unto  God. 

As  to  faith  being  "  an  act  of  trust  or  dependence  on  him  who  is  its  object,"  Dr.  Ridgeley  uses 
language  inconsistent  with  himself.  The  object  of  faith  is  not  a  person  but  a  proposition  or  a  state- 
ment ;  nor  is  it  necessarily  or  always  such  a  statement  or  proposition  as  has  a  person  for  its  subject. 
The  faith  of  the  gospel,  indeed,  has  for  its  object  statements  which  all  reveal  the  character  of  God, 
and  the  person  respectively  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  economy  of  redemp- 
tion. But  faith  in  its  own  nature — and  it  is  of  this  Dr.  Ridgeley  speaks — may  deal  with  statements 
respecting  things  as  well  as  with  statements  respecting  persons.  A  man  may  believe  what  is  both 
true  and  good  in  science,  in  human  laws,  in  measures  for  working  out  practical  results,  without 
reference  to  any  persons  by  whom  the  science  is  elucidated,  the  laws  framed,  or  the  measures  con- 
structed. In  some  instances  he  is  not  able,  even  if  he  tried,  to  institute  a  connexion  between  what 
he  believes  and  such  views  of  any  person  as  should  modify  and  still  less  constitute  his  faith.  Trust, 
on  the  other  hand,  has  reference  entirely  to  a  person.  The  difference  between  it  arid  faith,  in  fact, 
is  just  that  the  one  has  a  person  and  the  other  has  a  statement  for  its  object.  The  two  are  quite 
distinct  in  their  nature, — faith  being  an  act  of  the  understanding,  and  trust  an  act  of  the  heart ; 
and  they  exist  together,  and  become  inseparably  connected,  only  when  the  statement  believed  ex- 
hibits a  person  in  the  relation  of  a  superior,  a  protector,  a  benefactor,  or  a  deliverer.  A  man  may 
believe  that  certain  principles  of  nursery  discipline  will  tend  to  form  good  habits  in  his  children,  or 
he  may  believe  that  some  neighbour  with  whom  he  has  dealings  possesses  inclination  and  power  to 
thwart  him  in  his  well-being;  but,  in  the  former  case,  he  has  no  person  brought  before  the  view  of 
his  mind  by  his  belief  who  can  be  the  object  of  either  trust  or  any  other  moral  affection,  and,  in  the 
latter  case,  he  regards  the  person  whom  his  belief  exhibits  to  his  view,  not  with  trust,  but  with  dis- 


126  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

trust  and  aversion.  When,  however,  the  statement  which  we  helieve  places  ourselves  in  the  atti- 
tude  of  inferiors,  sufferers,  or  needy,  helpless,  guilty,  or  ruined  individuals,  and  exhibits  to  us  a 
Being  who  has  inclination  and  power  to  protect,  deliver,  succour,  pardon,  or  bless  us,  our  faith  be- 
comes necessarily  associated  with  trust, — faith  in  the  statement,  with  trust  in  the  person.  A  belief 
of  the  gospel,  in  particular,  is  essentially  and  inseparably  accompanied  with  trust  in  God.  We  can- 
not, on  the  one  hand,  know  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  in  its  genuine  light  or  heavenly  evidence,  with- 
out believing  it ;  nor  can  we  know  God  in  his  true  character,  or  as  the  gospel  reveals  him,  without 
confiding  in  his  love  and  depending  on  his  sovereign  favour.  Yet  faith  in  the  divine  testimony  and 
trust  in  the  divine  character,  though  inseparable,  are  perfectly  distinct.  Dr.  Ridgeley  himself  says, 
"  Though  faith,"  as  an  act  of  trust  or  dependence  on  him  who  is  its  object,  "  supposes,  indeed,  an 
assent  of  the  understanding  to  some  truth  proposed ;  yet  this  truth  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  pro- 
duces in  us  a  resting  or  reliance  on  one  who  is  able,  and  has  expressed  a  willingness,  to  do  us  good, 
and  whose  promise  is  such  as  we  have  ground  to  depend  on."  He  thus,  very  justly,  connects 
trust,  not  like  faith  with  the  force  of  the  evidence  by  which  a  statement  is  supported,  but  with  the 
quality  of  the  truth  to  which  the  understanding  assents — not  with  its  being  a  truth  which  dissipates 
doubt  and  produces  conviction,  but  with  its  being  a  truth  which  addresses  the  moral  powers,  ex- 
hibits us  in  the  condition  of  dependent  beings,  and  displays  to  us  a  Being  who  has  power,  inclina- 
tion, and  faithfulness,  to  do  us  good.  While  faith  reposes  on  the  gospel  as  evinced  by  divine  evi- 
dence of  its  truth,  trust  reposes  on  God  as  revealed  in  that  gospel,  our  gracious  benefactor,  our 
deliverer  from  all  evil,  and  the  author  of  eternal  salvation.  We  trust  when  we  believe,  and  we  be- 
lieve when  we  trust ;  yet,  in  the  one  case,  we  exercise  our  understanding,  and,  in  the  other  case, 
we  exercise  our  will  and  affections.  Hence,  faith  in  the  gospel,  though  always  and  inseparably  ac- 
companied with  trust,  is  no  more  to  be  viewed  as  identical  with  it,  than  it  is  to  be  viewed  as  iden- 
tical with  love  to  God,  adoration  of  his  perfections,  gratitude  for  the  wondrous  displays  of  his 
grace,  hope  of  beholding  his  glory,  peace  or  satisfaction  in  a  sense  of  his  complacency,  and  desire  to 
be  conformed  to  his  image  and  to  act  obediently  to  his  holy  will.  These  are  as  truly  elements  of 
spiritual  life,  and  as  really  inseparable  from  faith  in  the  gospel,  as  trust  or  dependence ;  and  they 
are  also  as  emphatically  exhibited  in  the  divine  word  as  possessed  or  exercised  by  every  regenerated, 
every  savingly  enlightened  soul ;  yet  they  are  not  faith  itself,  but,  like  trust  or  dependence,  are 
separately  inculcated,  and  exhibited  as  matters  of  distinct  conception.  Whatever  may  be  said  re- 
specting the  inculcation  of  trust,  and  its  existing  inseparably  with  faith,  may  also  be  said  respecting 
the  inculcation  and  inseparableness  of  love  or  of  any  other  element  of  renovated  character.  To 
speak  of  trust,  therefore,  as  identical  with  faith,  is  to  confound  distinctions  which  are  at  once 
taught  in  the  Bible,  based  on  correct  analyses,  and  conducive  to  clearness  of  conception. 

An  objection  may  possibly  be  stated  against  the  simple  view  which  I  have  given  of  the  faith  of 
the  gospel,  that,  by  exhibiting  faith  as  an  act  simply  of  the  understanding,  and  as  necessarily  con- 
nected with  the  perception  of  the  truth  and  its  evidence,  it  would  seem  to  make  believing  altogether 
human,  and  not  the  result  of  divine  operation  on  the  mind.  The  objection,  however,  is  unfounded. 
For  if  man  has,  without  divine  influence,  an  unconquerable  aversion  to  examine  the  gospel  in  its 
spirituality,  Qr  to  look  upon  its  intrinsic  and  divine  evidences  of  being  true,  and  if,  in  connexion 
with  this  aversion,  he,  as  a  natural  man,  '  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are 
foolishness  to  him,  and  cannot  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned  ;'  it  clearly  follows 
that,  how  purely  intellectual  soever  the  act  of  believing  may  be,  he  can  perform  it  only  by  having 
the  aversion  of  his  will  subdued  and  the  darkness  of  his  mind  illuminated  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  act  of  believing  is  indeed  his  own — it  is  not  the  Holy  Spirit  but  the  man  himself  who 
believes  ;  yet  his  faith — as  springing  from  a  spiritual  exhibition  of  truth  and  a  convincing  display  of 
intrinsic  evidence  which  only  God  can  make  to  a  mind  deterred  by  a  perverse  will  and  a  depraved 
heart  from  contemplating  what  is  spiritual — is  truly  and  emphatically  '  the  faith  of  the  operation  of 
God.*— Ed.] 

[Note  L.  Are  there  several  kinds  of  Faith  ? — The  varieties  of  character  described  by  Dr.  Ridge- 
ley, in  his  discussion  of  the  various  kinds  of  faith,  unquestionably  exist,  and  differ  from  one  another 
by  very  obvious,  and,  in  some  instances,  opposite  peculiarities.  But  what  saith  the  scripture  as  to 
the  origin  and  nature  of  the  varieties  which  respectively  distinguish  them  ?  Do  these  varieties  con- 
sist in  the  kinds  of  their  faith,  or  in  the  kinds  of  their  knowledge,  their  notions,  and  their  moral 
feelings  ?  Do  the  various  classes  believe  in  different  ways  the  same  thing,  or  believe  in  the  same 
way  different  things  or  things  differently  modified  and  understood  ?  This  question — if  we  consider 
how  grievously  perplexed  many  a  religious  inquirer  has  been,  and  how  agitated  with  suspense  and 
anxiety  many  a  sincere  Christian,  by  discussions  respecting  different  kinds  of  faith — is  well  worthy 
of  investigation,  and  ought  to  be  examined  with  care. 

The  faith  of  miracles,  even  according  to  Dr.  Ridgeley 's  own  showing,  was  a  variety,  not  in  the 
way  of  believing,  but  in  the  thing  believed.  All  his  illustrations  of  it  have  reference,  not  to  the 
faith  itself,  but  to  the  kind  of  truths  with  which  it  was  conversant.  Without  attempting,  then, 
to  disturb  or  dispute  any  part  of  the  account  which  he  gives  of  it, — an  account  which,  though  ques- 
tionable perhaps  in  some  subordinate  particulars,  seems  in  the  main  inexpugnable  ;  we  may  firmly 
ask  on  what  pretence  it  is  exhibited  as  a  peculiar  hind  of  faith  ?  If  variety  in  the  nature  or  classi- 
fication of  truths  believed  constitutes  variety  in  the  species  or  modes  of  believing,  there  must,  in 
reference  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  be  a  doctrinal  faith, — in  reference  to  its  precepts,  a  precep- 
tive faith, — in  reference  to  its  promises,  a  promissory  faith, — in  reference  to  its  prophecies,  a  pro- 
phetic faith — in  reference  to  its  histories,  a  historiographical  faith, — in  reference  to  its  mysteries,  a 
mysterious  faith  ;  and  there  must  also,  in  reference  to  the  respective  sciences  and  avocational  pur- 
suits of  ordinary  life,  be  a  geographical,  a  geological,  a  mathematical,  an  astronomical,  a  chemical,  a 
botanical,  a  mineralogical,  a  conchological,  a  mercantile,  a  commercial,  an  agricultural,  a  mechanical, 
and  a  political  faith.  But  every  one  sees  that  these  instances,  and  in  a  multitude  of  others,  the 
varieties  which  exist,  are  varieties,  not  in  the  mode  of  believing,  or  in  the  nature,  sDecies,  or  kind  of 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  127 

faith,  but  simply  and  entirely  in  the  things  believed, — the  classes  of  truths  or  principles  to  which 
assent  is  given.  Why,  then,  should  a  variety  in  one  set  of  truths  only — in  those  which  were  con- 
cerned with  the  working  of  miracles — be  regarded  as  belonging,  not  to  the  peculiarity  of  the  truths, 
but  to  the  peculiar  way  of  believing  them  ? 

If  the  account  which  Dr.  Ridgeley  gives  of  what  he  calls  historical  faith,  or  of  what  some  writers 
call  speculative  faith,  were  true,  it  would  certainly  present  us  with  a  variety  in  the  mode  of  be- 
lieving. "  An  historical  faith  is  that,"  he  says,  "  whereby  persons  are  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
what  is  revealed  in  the  gospel,  though  it  has  very  little  influence  on  their  conduct.  Such  have 
right  notions  of  divine  things,  but  do  not  entertain  a  suitable  regard  to  them.  Religion  with  them 
is  little  more  than  a  matter  of  speculation.  They  do  not  doubt  concerning  any  of  the  important 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  but  are  able  and  ready  to  defend  them  by  proper  arguments ;  yet  though,  in 
words,  they  profess  their  faith  in  Christ,  in  works  they  deny  him."  How  remarkably  does  this 
short  description  differ  in  tone-  at  the  commencement  and  at  the  close  !  The  persons  described  are 
said  at  the  outset  to  be  'convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  is  revealed  in  the  gospel,' — to  have  'no 
doubt  concerning  any  of  the  important  doctrines  of  the  gospel ;'  and  yet,  before  the  description 
closes,  they  come  down  from  their  soarings  of  '  right  notions '  and  assured  faith  of  divine  things,  and 
are  believers  only  in  words  and  in  profession, — '  in  words  they  profess  their  faith  in  Christ,  but  in 
works  they  deny  him.'  So  palpable  an  inconsistency  in  statement  may  surely  suggest  that  the 
entire  idea  of  the  persons,  or  at  least  of  their  faith,  is  erroneous.  To  profess  faith, — to  '  profess 
faith  in  words,'  is  as  different  as  can  be  from  '  having  no  doubt  of  doctrines,'  and  being  '  convinced 
of  the  truth.'  But  as,  in  the  latter  expressions,  Dr.  Ridgeley  entirely  over-estimates  what  he  calls 
historical  faith,  and  seems  almost,  if  not  altogether,  to  identify  it  with  what  he  calls  saving  faith ; 
so,  in  the  former  expression,  he  quite  as  much  under-estimates  it,  and  seems  to  represent  it  as  no  faith 
whatever.  The  persons  whom  he  describes,  or  rather  means  to  describe,  do  much  more  than  '  pro- 
fess' faith  or  believe  merely  'in  words  :'  they  unquestionably  believe  something  respecting  revealed 
truth,  and  believe  it  just  as  really  and  intellectually  as  any  other  matter  to  which  they  yield  their 
assent.  But  what  do  they  believe  ?  This  is  the  question  of  true  importance,  and  the  only  one  of 
real  meaning,  respecting  them.  Do  they,  as  Dr.  Ridgeley  represents  them,  believe  '  the  truth  of 
what  is  revealed  in  the  scripture  ?'  Have  they  '  no  doubt  concerning  any  of  the  important  doctrines 
of  the  gospel  ?'  Do  they  possess  '  right  notions  of  divine  things  ?'  Far  otherwise ;  for,  in  this  case, 
they  must  have  been  taught  of  God,  and  cannot  fail  to  be  genuine  believers  in  the  Saviour.  Wrong 
notions  of  divine  things,  crude  and  carnal  conceptions  of  the  truth  revealed  in  the  scripture,  posi- 
tive ignorance  and  unbelief  as  to  the  important  doctrines,  the  true  spiritual  saving  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  are  what  constitute  the  very  peculiarity  of  their  character.  If  they  knew  and  thought  aright 
respecting  the  truths  of  Christianity  ;  if  they  had  right  notions,  spiritual,  genuine,  realizing  con- 
ceptions of  divine  things ;  if  they  saw  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel  in  their  true  light,  and  un- 
derstood them  in  their  momentous  and  awfully  impressive  connexion  with  their  own  highest  inter- 
ests for  time  and  eternity ;  they  would  cease  to  be  spoken  of  as  historical  or  speculative  believers, 
and  be  certainly  regarded  as  undoubted  Christians.  Their  conceptions,  their  notions,  their  know- 
ledge of  the  gospel,  and  not  their  mode  of  believing  it,  is  the  source  of  their  religious  indifference, 
and  the  reason  of  their  cold  formality.  They  are  to  be  set  right  by  questioning  them,  not  how 
they  believe,  but  what  they  believe, — not  whether  they  believe  in  the  right  way,  but  whether  they 
believe  the  right  thing.  '  This  is  eternal  life,  to  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  thou  hast  sent.'  Let  those  who  in  words  acknowledge  Christ  but  in  works  deny  him,  come 
to  the  hnowledye  of  the  truth,  let  them  obtain  correct  views  of  the  great  salvation,  let  them  under- 
stand the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  see  in  the  light  of  heaven — the  only  light  which  can  dis- 
close it  to  them  in  its  true  colours — the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ ;  and,  simply  in  the  correcting  of 
their  notions  and  the  enlightening  of  their  understanding,  they  will  possess  faith  to  the  saving  of 
the  soul.  Any  man  who  was  once  a  formal  professor,  but  now,  through  divine  grace,  is  a  sincere 
and  devoted  follower  of  Christ,  may  most  distinctly  trace  in  his  own  experience  a  change,  a  glorious, 
gorgeous,  wondrous  change  of  views,  in  the  transition  he  made  from  formality  to  spiritual  life  ;  but 
he  will  search  long  and  vainly  to  trace  any  difference  which  occurred  in  his  mode  of  believing,  or  in 
the  nature  of  his  intellectual  act  of  faith.  Either  totally  new  ideas  were  presented  to  his  mind,  or 
old  ideas  were  presented  in  connexions  so  novel  and  so  solemnly  impressive,  that  a  stream  of  ani- 
mating, strange,  engrossive  emotions  burst  upon  his  heart  and  deposited  in  his  affections  the  germs 
of  all  holy  thinking  and  acting.  But  beyond  the  reception  of  new  and  heavenly  light, — a  light 
which  shone  in  upon  his  mind,  and  showed  all  its  former  notions  to  be  darkness, — and  a  light  which 
exhibited  the  gospel  as  he  now  saw  it  in  such  intrinsic  and  commanding  evidence  as  to  constrain  his 
belief  of  all  its  disclosures  ; — beyond  the  breaking  in  of  this  light,  and  the  glow  of  abiding  emotion 
which  it  kindled  in  his  heart,  he  has  no  recollection,  no  consciousness  of  any  change  affecting  his 
intellect, — still  less  of  such  a  change  as  made  him  believe  in  a  different  manner,  or  with  a  different 
sort  of  intellectual  act,  from  what  he  did  before. 

Some  writers  regard  what  they  call  '  the  faith  of  devils '  as  another  and  distinct  kind  of  faith. 
Dr.  Ridgeley,  however,  views  the  possessors  of  '  historical  faith '  and  devils  as  believing  in  the 
same  way.  "  Such  as  these,"  says  he,  referring  to  the  former,  "  the  apostle  intends  when  he  says, 
'  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God ;  thou  dost  well :  the  devils  also  believe,  and  tremble.' 
He  charges  them  with  a  vain  presumption,  in  expecting  to  be  justified  by  their  faith;  it  being  with- 
out works,  or  those  fruits  which  were  necessary  to  justify  or  evince  its  sincerity,  or  to  prove  that  it 
was  such  a  grace  as  accompanies  salvation  ;  and,  therefore,  he  gives  it  no  better  a  character  than 
that  of  a  dead  faith."  Now,  a  man's  believing  that  there  is  one  God,  if  he  at  the  same  time  believe 
that  he  himself  is  a  transgressor,  obnoxious  to  the  divine  anger,  and  without  any  means  of  escape  or 
hope  of  obtaining  pardon,  will,  like  the  belief  of  any  other  moral  statement,  work  its  appropriate 
effect,  and  produce  in  him  terror  and  dismay.  '  The  devils  also  believe,  and  tremble.'  On  their 
mind  as  well  as  on  man's,  a  moral  statement,  when  believed,  makes  impressions  corresponding  to 


128  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

its  nature.  They  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  but  they  know,  at  the  same  time,  that  they  have 
incurred  his  wrath  by  their  wickedness,  that  they  cannot  make  amends  for  their  iniquities,  that 
they  have  no  refuge  from  his  righteous  indignation  ;  and-  well  may  they  tremble.  But  here  is  no 
idle,  speculative,  uninfluential,  believing;  here  is  no  distinctiveness  or  peculiarity  in  the  kind  of  in- 
tellectual act  performed  ,  here  simply  is  believing  accompanied  with  the  common  phenomena  of  all 
faith, — that  the  mind  which  believes  is  affected  in  a  manner  corresponding  to  the  nature  of  the  thing 
believed  Let  a  man,  while  he  believes  that  there  is  one  God,  believe  at  the  same  time  that  there 
is  '  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus ;'  let  him  have  distinct  conceptions 
and  corresponding  belief,  on  the  one  hand,  of  his  own  ruined  and  helpless  state  as  a  sinner,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  of  the  fulness,  freeness,  and  glorious  adaptation  of  the  divine  plan  of  mercy  to  save 
him  with  an  everlasting  salvation  ;  and,  while  pangs  of  sorrow  will  rend  his  heart  on  account  of  the 
number  and  foulness  and  aggravations  of  his  sins,  he  will  experience  hope  toward  God,  and  joy  and 
peace  in  believing, — he  will  '  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  serve  God  in  the  spirit,  and  have  no  con- 
fidence in  the  flesh.'  Let  another  man,  on  the  contrary,  believe  that  the  Creator  of  the  universe 
and  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  is  not  God  infinite, — that  he  takes  very  slender  notice  of  human  con- 
duct, and  has  promulged  over  his  creatures  a  law  of  not  very  rigid  holiness, — that  his  claims  upon 
the  religious  homage  of  men  do  not  amount  to  more  than  the  exaction  of  attendance  on  public  or- 
dinances on  Sabbath,  or  at  most  a  routine  observance  of  formal  worship  in  the  family, — that  Chris- 
tian discipleship  includes  nothing  higher  than  scientific  or  didactic  acquaintance  with  the  narratives 
and  doctrines  of  the  Bible, — and  that  the  work  of  redemption  secures  salvation  to  all  who  come  up 
to  this  standard  of  discipleship,  and  are  free  from  offensive  wickedness  ;  and  this  man,  correspond- 
ingly to  the  nature  of  the  principles  which  he  believes,  will  be  a  formalist,  a  merely  nominal  Chris- 
tian, '  having  the  form  of  godliness  and  denying  its  power.'  But  the  difference  between  him  and 
the  former  character,  is  a  difference,  not  in  the  manner  of  believing,  but  in  the  things  believed ;  it 
is  not  that  the  one  has  a  historical  faith  or  a  faith  of  devils,  while  the  other  has  a  faith  of  totally 
another  kind,  but  that  the  one  believes  principles  which  his  depraved  mind  has  transmuted  and 
falsified  from  the  statements  of  the  Bible,  while  the  other  believes  the  very  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
made  plain  to  his  understanding  by  light  from  heaven,  and  unfolded  to  him  in  their  evidence  and 
impressed  upon  him  in  their  power  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  both  persons,  while 
believing  widely  different  things,  exemplify  in  their  respective  experience  that  every  man,  believe 
what  he  may,  is  affected  in  his  heart  and  conduct  according,  not  to  the  manner  of  his  believing, 
but  to  the  nature  and  moral  influence  of  the  principles  which  he  believes. 

The  apostle  James'  distinction,  then,  between  dead  faith  and  living  faith,  has  reference  entirely 
to  the  nature  of  the  results  which  follow,  or  to  the  kind  and  amount  of  moral  influence  exerted  on 
the  heart.  A  man  who  calls  himself  a  believer  in  the  gospel,  but  does  not  feel  and  act  like  a 
converted  man,  has  a  faith  which,  as  to  all  the  activities  of  Christian  character,  is  '  dead,'  and  which, 
therefore,  falls  far  short  of  resting  on  those  words  which  are  '  spirit  and  life,' — '  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth.'  Such  a  man  may  '  say'  that  he  believes  the  testimony 
which  God  has  given  concerning  his  Son ;  but  he  no  more  really  believes  it,  than  a  man  who  says  to 
a  brother  or  sister  who  is  naked  and  destitute  of  daily  food,  '  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed  and 
filled,  yet  gives  them  not  those  things  which  are  needful  to  the  body,'  is  really  possessed  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence.  As,  in  the  latter  case,  there  is  an  utter  destitution  of  the  fraternal  sympathy 
pretended ;  so,  in  the  former,  there  is  an  utter  destitution  of  the  faith  professed.  The  character 
described  is  not  one  who  believes  the  gospel,  but  believes  it  in  a  wrong  way  ;  but  he  is  one  who 
does  not  believe  it  at  all,  or  who  believes  only  such  caricatures  and  falsifications  of  it  as  make  it 
quite  '  another  gospel,'  and  not  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,— not  '  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.' 

In  addition  to  the  faith  of  miracles  and  historical  faith — with  the  appendages  which  some  writers 
make  to  the  latter,  of  the  faith  of  devils  and  dead  faith — Dr.  Ridgeley  speaks  also  of  temporary 
faith.  This,  he  says,  "  differs  from  historical  faith,  only  in  being  of  short  and  uncertain  duration, 
and  in  having  a  tendency,  in  some  measure,  to  excite  the  affections,  and  so  far  to  regulate  the  con- 
duct as  to  produce  in  those  who  have  it  a  form  of  godliness."  He  quotes,  however,  only  one  text 
in  which  he  alleges  it  to  be  mentioned,  and  not  one  in  which  it  is  called  faith  or  believing  the  gos- 
pel. Our  blessed  Lord  speaks  of  a  class  of  persons  who  '  hear  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy  receive 
it,  yet  who  have  not  root  in  themselves,  but  endure  for  a  while  :  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution 
ariseth  because  of  the  word,  by  and  by  they  are  offended.'  'i  hese  are  the  persons  who,  it  is  alleged, 
have  temporary  faith,  or  believe  the  gospel  in  a  different  manner  or  by  a  different  sort  of  act  from 
both  historical  and  saved  believers.  But  is  it  not  apparent,  at  a  glance,  that  they  actually  do  not 
believe  the  gospel, — that  '  they  have  no  root  in  themselves,' — that,  strangers  to  divine  grace,  they 
want  that  spiritual  illumination,  those  correct  notions  of  divine  things,  which  are  essential  to  a  belief 
of  '  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,' — that,  while  they  '  receive  the  word,'  and  receive  it  '  with  joy,'  they 
have  mistaken  views  of  its  import,  and  cherish  very  different  hopes,  or  hopes  based  on  very  uifferent 
foundations,  from  those  which  it  sanctions, — that,  therefore,  like  all  formal  or  hypocritical  professors 
of  Christian  discipleship,  they  are  distinguished,  not  by  believing  right  principles  in  a  wrong  way, 
but  by  believing  principles  which  come  far  short  of  those  spiritual,  realizing  views  which  are  in- 
cluded in  a  real  knowledge  of  the  gospel  ?  A  conception  that  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  substitutionary 
atonement  opens  a  more  luxurious  way  to  heaven,  than  the  doctrine  of  penance  and  self-mortifica- 
tion ;  a  notion  that  the  gospel  relaxes  the  severity  of  the  law,  and  substitutes  a  sincere  or  a  well- 
intended  for  a  perfect  obedience;  an  idea  that  Christianity  conceals  every  awful  manifestation  of 
the  divine  character,  and  reveals  God  in  an  aspect  of  general  or  indiscriminate  mercy ;  even  the 
low  and  grovelling  fancy  so  powerful  over  many  pretended  followers  of  Christ  in  the  days  of  his 
personal  ministry,  and  so  powerful  still  over  multitudes  living  in  circumstances  where  Christianity 
is  fashionable  or  a  matter  of  conventional  propriety,  that  important  temporal  benefits,  a  good 
name  in  the  world,  social  advantage,  prosperity  in  temporal  interests,  may  be  attained  by  professing 
Christian  discipleship ; — any  of  these  may,  and  all  of  them  often  have  been,  quite  sufficient  to 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  129 

stamp  upon  men  the  character  of  the  persons  described  in  our  Lord's  parable, — to  make  them  men 
wbo  'hear  the  word  and  anon  with  joy  receive  it,'  but  who  have  no  root  in  themselves,  and  who, 
'  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because  of  the  word,  by  and  by  are  offended.'  But  do  I 
need  to  point  out  that  what  ruins  them  is  not  wrong  faith,  but  wrong  principles, — that  they  err, 
not  by  believing  the  truth  in  a  wrong  way,  but  by  transmuting  the  truth  into  error,  and  resting  their 
faith  upoti  the  latter  ? 

The  last  kind  of  faith  of  which  Dr.  Ridgeley  speaks  is  what  he  calls  '  saving  faith,'  and  what 
some  writers  call  '  evangelical  faith.'  "What  is  thus  denominated  is  the  faith  of  a  true  disciple, — a 
subject  of  divine  grace,  or  of  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit, — a  believer  of  the  gospel  rightly 
understood,  and  experienced  in  its  power.  Now  the  faith  of  such  a  man  is  unquestionably  a  grace ; 
it  springs  from  the  special  work  of  the  Divine  Spirit  on  the  soul,  and  cannot  be  produced  or  attained 
by  man's  own  efforts.  But  is  it  therefore  different  as  to  the  mode  in  which  it  is  performed,  or  as 
to  the  kind  of  intellectual  act  in  which  it  is  exercised,  from  faith  as  directed  to  other  statements 
than  those  of  the  gospel  ?  A  natural  man  cannot  of  himself  believe,  just  because  he  cannot  of  him- 
self knout,  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  He  is  unable  to  attain  faith  in  spiritual,  correct,  realiz- 
ing views  of  the  gospel,  not  because  they  must  be  believed  by  a  mode  of  intellectual  acting  to 
which  he  is  a  stranger,  but  because  '  they  are  foolishness  to  him,  and  are  spiritually  discerned.' 
He  cannot  of  himself  see  either  the  reality  or  the  intrinsic  evidence  of  the  gospel ;  and,  hence,  must 
owe  the  faith  which  he  may  afterwards  possess  in  it  to  the  grace  of  God,  to  the  gracious  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who" alone  can  disclose  it  in  that  reality  and  evidence  to  his  mind.  He,  accordingly, 
differs  from  a  merely  nominal  or  hypocritical  professor  of  Christianity,  not  by  the  peculiar  manner 
in  which  his  mind  operates  or  acts  when  believing,  but  by  the  divine  illumination  which  he  enjoys, — . 
by  his  perception,  in  heavenly  light,  of  the  doctrines  of  salvation,  and  the  evidences  which  demon- 
strate them  to  be  true.  The  apostles,  when  contrasting  the  natural  and  the  spiritual  state  of  true 
Christians,  or  when  speaking  of'  the  transition  in  which  they  became  believers  in  Christ,  make  no 
allusion  to  the  commencement  in  them  of  a  new  and  peculiar  way  of  believing,  but  describe  them 
as  having  been  formerly  in  darkness,  but  now  light  in  the  Lord, —as  having  received  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ  Jesus, — as  having  had  the  eyes  of  their 
understanding  enlightened, — as  having  been  called  into  God's  marvellous  light.  Whatever  change 
is  effected  by  grace  on  the  intellect  or  understanding,  they  describe,  not  once  as  consisting  in  any 
new  capacity  imparted  to  it,  or  in  its  commencing  to  believe  in  a  different  manner  or  with  a  different 
sort  of  acting  from  before,  but  always  as  consisting  in  its  being  enlightened  by  heavenly  teaching 
and  convinced  by  heavenly  evidence, — in  its  acquiring  spiritual  knowledge  or  correct  ideas  of  the 
glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God.  Nor,  when  they  addressed  the  ungodly  and  called  on  them  to 
believe  in  Christ,  do  they  ever  seem  to  have  entertained  their  hearers  with  discussions  respecting 
kiwis  of  faith,  or  to  have  once  hinted  that  believing  the  gospel  was  a  different  sort  of  intellectual 
act  from  believing  ordinary  statements.  They  appear,  on  the  contrary,  to  have  expended  their 
whole  concern  in  getting  men  to  believe  the  right  thing, — in  placing  luminously  and  impressively 
before  them  the  great  truths  which  were  requisite  to  be  believed ;  and  whether  preaching  these 
truths  to  Jews  or  to  Gentiles,  whether  calling  upon  Greeks  or  barbarians,  upon  bond  or  free,  upon  the 
philosophers  of  Athens  or  the  savages  of  the  wilderness  to  believe  them  as  the  truths  of  salvation, 
they  seem  to  have  always  taken  for  granted  that  their  hearers  knew  well  what  believing  of  faith 
was.  When  men  were  duly  instructed  as  to  the  doctrines  they  should  believe,  and  as  to  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  looking  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to  explain  and  enforce  them,  their  apostolic  instructors, 
without  adding  a  word  respecting  the  nature  of  believing,  seem  to  have  declared  to  them  what  they 
esteemed  'the  whole  counsel  of  God.'  One  text,  indeed,  though  only  one,  has  the  appearance  of 
defining  faith  :  '  Now  faith  is  the  confident  expectation  of  things  hoped  for,  the  conviction  of  things 
not  seen,'  Heb.  xi.  1.  These  words,  however,  are  not  a  definition  of  faith,  but  a  description  ;  and 
they  describe  it,  not  in  itself,  but  in  its  results.  By  a  metonymy — one  of  the  most  common  rhe- 
torical figures  either  in  ordinary  language  or  in  the  sacred  scriptures — they  speak  of  faith,  not  in 
the  act  of  performance,  but  in  the  habit  of  mind  and  state  of  moral  feeling  which  that  act  induces, 
and  represent  it  as  a  settled  conviction  of  unseen  realities  and  a  confident  hope  of  blessings  hereafter 
to  be  enjoyed.  They  thus  exhibit  faith  in  the  divine  and  life-giving  and  saving  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  like  faith  in  all  the  variety  of  sphere  in  which  it  is  exercised,  as  affecting  the  heart  and  all 
the  powers  of  the  soul  in  exact  accordance  with  the  nature  of  the  statements  believed. 

Dr.  Ridgeley  makes  still  another  distinction  as  to  kinds  of  faith — he  distinguishes  between 
'  saving  faith '  and  'justifying  faith.'  "  There  is  this  difference,"  says  he,  (last  sentence  of  the  sec- 
tion, "  Inferences  from  the  doctrine  of  Justification,")  "  between  saving  faith,  as  we  generally  call 
it,  and  justifying  faith, — the  former  respects  Christ  in  all  his  offices,  the  latter  considers  him  only  in 
his  priestly  office,  or  as  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sin."  Now,  the  real  distinction  in  this  case 
is,  that  justification  is  correlative  with  our  Lord's  work  of  atonement,  while  salvation  is  correlative 
with  his  whole  work  as  mediator.  But  if,  for  this  reason,  faith  in  connexion  with  entire  salvation  is  to 
be  distinguished  from  faith  in  connexion  with  justification,  it  must  also,  for  reasons  exactly  similar  and 
of  equal  strength,  be  distinguished  from  faith  in  connexion  with  sanctification,  with  prayer,  with  con- 
solation, with  hope,  with  resistance  of  temptation,  and  with  triumph  over  the  last  enemy ;  or  if  belief 
of  the  doctrines  which  have  reference  to  our  Lord's  entire  mediatorial  work  must  be  distinguished  from 
belief  of  the  doctrines  which  have  reference  to  his  work  of  atonement,  it  must  also  be  distinguished 
from  belief  of  those  doctrines  which  have  reference  to  his  intercessory  work,  to  his  character  as  the 
head  of  the  church,  to  his  kingly  government,  to  his  second  advent  and  judging  the  world,  to  the  vari- 
ous works  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  the  characters  in  which  the  Father  is  revealed  in  the  economy  of  re- 
demption, and  to  all  the  various  manifestations  of  Deity,  by  prophecy,  promise,  teaching,  or  miracle, 
made  or  narrated  in  the  divine  word.  The  varieties,  kinds,  or  subdivisions  of  saving  faith,  would, 
in  consequence,  be  unmanageable  in  their  number  and  perfectly  bewildering  in  their  afflr-itie*. 
But  the  oracles  of  truth, — 'majestic  in  their  own  simplicity,'  and  gloriously  alien  in  their  manner 

II.  ft  # 


130  THE  CONNECTION  OF  FAITH 

from  the  '  complex'  and  mystifying  conceptions  of  human  reason — speak  of  the  faith  of  the  gosptk/ 
i;i  all  its  parts,  in  all  its  offices,  from  its  commencement  in  justification  till  its  being  matured  into 
vision  in  the  perfecting  of  the  soul  at  death,  in  uniform  phraseology,  and  under  the  one  unqualified 
epithet  of  faith.  They  represent  the  sinner,  when  made  alive  to  God,  as  justified  by  faith, — when 
conflicting  with  the  world,  as  overcoming  it  by  faith, — when  sanctified  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  as 
having  their  hearts  purified  by  faith, — when  approaching  the  throne  of  God  in  prayer,  as  drawing 
nigh  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith, — when  standing  in  the  grace  of  God,  and  rejoicing  in  the  hope  of 
his  glory,  as  having  access  to  it  by  faith, — when  experiencing  communion  with  Christ,  as  having  him 
dwelling  in  their  hearts  by  faith, — when  walking  with  God,  and  living  in  union  with  the  Saviour, 
as  walking  and  living  in  faith, — when  working  righteousness,  obtaining  promises,  stopping  the 
mouths  of  lions,  quenching  the  violence  of  fire,  becoming  strong  out  of  weakness,  waxing  valiant 
in  fight,  turning  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens,  seeing  the  promises  afar  off  and  being  persuaded 
of  them  and  embracing  them,  as  doing  all  and  embracing  all  through  faith.  In  every  part  of  salva- 
tion, whether  justification  or  whatever  else,  they  are  simply  said  to  believe.  Though  the  particular 
truths  on  which  their  minds  rest  are  different  in  different  epochs,  emergencies,  relations,  or  works, 
their  faith,  as  regards  both  its  intrinsic  nature  and  the  divine  illumination  which  exhibits  to  it  the 
truth  and  its  evidence,  is  strictly  one. — Ed.] 

[Note  M.  Acts  of  Faith,  Direct  and  Reflex."] — What  is  the  impression  which  Dr.  Ridgeley's  ac- 
count of  the  various  acts  of  saving  faith  would  have  upon  the  mind  of  a  perplexed  religious  enquirer, 
or  a  young  and  feeble  believer  ?     Would  he  not  conclude  that  all  the  acts,  in  the  distinctness  with 

which  they  are  described,  are  performed  in  the  instant  of  the  commencement  of  spiritual  life, that 

receiving  Christ  as  a  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  a  persuasion  and  an  acknowledgment  of  his  right  to 
us  by  his  purchase  as  Mediator,  a  surrender  of  ourselves  to  him  in  the  way  of  solemn  dedication  to 
his  service  and  animated  hope  of  his  working  out  our  entire  well-being,  a  soul-emptying  sense  of  our 
own  nothingness,  a  dependence  on  the  all-sufficiency  and  faithfulness  of  God,  and  an  assured  re- 
liance or  confidence  in  him  for  perfecting  all  which  concerns  us,  are  consciously  experienced  in  the 
first  moment  of  believing,  or  are  all  ingredients  in  the  faith  of  a  Christian  in  what  circumstances  or 
degree  soever  it  is  exercised?  He  would  next  think  of  his  own  experience;  and,  though  for  a 
while  he  might  feel  merely  bewildered,  agitated,  or  alarmed,  he  would  be  in  hazard  of  sooner  or 
later  settling  down  into  despondency,  and  writing  bitter  things  respecting  his  soul.  "  If  faith,"  he 
would  be  apt  to  say,  "  has  so  many  acts,  and  these  so  distinct,  so  comprehensive,  and  involving 
such  enlarged  views  of  the  divine  character,  and  such  emotions  and  purposes  of  self-emptying,  hope, 
and  holy  confidence,  I  cannot,  no,  I  cannot  think  otherwise  than  that  I  am  an  unbeliever, — just  as 
much  a  stranger  to  faith  as  the  most  ungodly  man  who  lives."  How  reviving  to  such  a  smitten 
soul  would  be  the  somewhat  startling  question,  "  Then,  since  you  are  an  unbeliever,  it  is  a  matter 
of  perfect  indifference  to  you  whether  Christ  is  God  or  a  mere  man,  or  whether  he  died  for  you  on 
the  cross  and  intercedes  for  you  in  heaven,  or  not  ?"  "  O,  no  1"  he  might  exclaim ;  "  any  thing  is 
indifferent  rather  than  the  glorious  truths  of  the  gospel.  But  for  Christ's  being  just  what  the  Bible 
represents  him,  the  Great  God  our  Saviour  who  died  for  our  sins  and  rose  again  for  our  justification, 
I  am  certainly  and  eternally  ruined.  No,  no  ;  the  truth  respecting  Christ  is  not  and  cannot  be  a 
matter  of  indifference."  The  man  would  thus  evince  that  he  really  believes,  that  Christ  is  precious 
to  him,  that  he  rejoices  in  Christ  Jesus,  serves  God  in  the  spirit  and  has  no  confidence  in  the  flesh. 
Yet  he  is  thrown  into  bewilderment  and  despondency  by  a  systematic  exhibition  to  him  of  '  the 
various  acts  of  faith.'  Talk  to  him  of  the  ingredients,  and  acts,  and  exercises,  and  excursions  of 
believing — telling  him  that  faith  is  identical  with  all — and  he  sits  down  in  darkness  and  sorrow ; 
but  talk  to  him  of  the  life-giving  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  the  exhibitions  they  give  of  the  divine 
character  and  the  statements  they  make  of  the  grace  and  love  and  mediatorial  work  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  he  walks  abroad  in  the  light  of  heaven,  and  goes  on  his  way  rejoicing. 

What  Dr.  Ridgeley  writes  respecting  the  various  acts  of  faith — apart  from  his  identifying  it  with 
faith  itself,  or  with  faith  in  its  own  nature  as  distinguished  from  other  graces — is  clearly  unobjec- 
tionable. Another  man,  entertaining  simple  views  on  the  subject  of  faith,  and  throwing  away  the 
distinctions  and  refinements  of  the  scholastic  theology,  would,  in  most  instances,  have  said  the 
same  things  in  the  same  words,  and  in  other  instances  similar  things  in  somewhat  different  language, 
in  describing  the  internal  or  experimental  character  of  a  Christian.  A  believer,  even  at  the  com- 
mencement of  his  spiritual  life,  and  much  more  in  the  course  of  its  progress,  has  substantially  all 
the  experiences  which  Dr.  Ridgeley  describes.  Some  of  them,  however,  he  possesses  so  slenderly 
that  he  cannot  see  a  portraiture  of  them  in  a  full-tinted  description ;  and  most  of  them  he  is  unable 
to  identify  with  his  act  of  believing,  or  with  the  exercise  of  the  specific  grace  of  faith.  If  believing 
alone  include  all  the  hope,  confidence,  self-renunciation,  and  various  emotions,  and  holy  habits  re- 
presented, he  must  be  utterly  in  a  difficulty  to  discover  how  he  is  to  add  to  his  faith  the  numerous 
graces  enjoined  in  the  divine  word,  all  as  inherent  as  faith  itself  in  the  character  of  genuine  disciple- 
ship.  Let  us  be  told  simply  that  a  man  who  believes  the  gospel  receives  Christ,  renounces  self- 
dependence,  trusts  in  God,  and  hopes  to  become  matured  in  every  good  word  and  work,  and  we 
feel  no  perplexity  ;  but,let  us  be  told  that  self-renunciation,  confidence  in  God,  living  hope  and 
other  emotions,  and  habits  of  the  spiritual  life  are  faith  itself — faith  regarded  apart  from  every  other 
Christian  grace,  or  viewed  in  its  own  peculiar  and  distinguishing  nature — and  we  either  lie  stunned 
from  the  infliction  of  a  blow,  or  dash  aside  the  uplifted  wand,  and  request  to  have  the  texts  of  scrip- 
ture pointed  out  which  warrant  the  representation  we  have  heard. 

But  if  we  are  liable  to  be  perplexed  by  what  is  said  respecting  'the  direct  acts  of  faith,'  we  may 
po-sibly — if  our  minds  should  happen  to  be  untainted  with  scholasticism — regard  with  unmixed 
wonder  the  account  which  is  given  of  '  the  reflex  act  of  faith.'  This  act,  as  Dr.  Ridgeley  defines  it, 
consists  in  "  the  soul's  being  persuaded  that  it  believes,  or  that  those  acts  of  faith  which  have  God 
or  Christ  for  their  object,  are  true  and  genuine."  He,  in  other  words,  who  performs  the  reflex  act 
*f  faith  believes  that  he  believes,  or  he  has  faith  in  his  faith.     Now,  Dr.  Ridgeley  himself  very 


WITH  JUSTIFICATION.  13! 

justly  remarks,  "  that  as  all  scripture  is  the  rule  of  faith,  the  matter  which  it  contains  is  the  object 
of  faith."  [See  First  subdivision  of  the  section,  "  The  Objects  and  Acts  of  Saving  Faith."]  But 
where  does  scripture  say,  respecting  any  living  man  whatever,  that  he  believes  or  is  a  believer  ?  Such 
a  proposition  as  "  I,  A.  B.,  believe  in  Christ,"  or  "  Those  acts  of  faith  which  1,  A.  D.,  perform,  and 
which  have  God  or  Christ  for  their  object,  are  true  and  genuine,"  is  entirely  beyond  the  record  ;  and 
cannot,  tnerefore,  be  a  legitimate  or  a  real  object  of  a  faith  which  rests  entirely  on  the  divine  word. 
A  man  may  believe  that  the  blessings  of  redemption  are  divinely  sufficient  for  him,  divinely  free  for 
his  acceptance,  and  divinely  adapted  to  every  need  and  capacity  of  his  soul, — he  may  believe  thart 
he  is  in  exactly  the  predicament  to  need  such  a  Saviour  as  the  gospel  reveals,  and  that  Christ  is 
exactly  such  a  Saviour  as  will  deliver  him  from  all  his  evils, — he  may  believe  that  his  heart  and 
mind  and  body  are  in  just  the  condition  to  require  the  manifestations  of  the  gracious  character  of 
Deity  and  the  internal  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  described  in  the  scriptures,  and  that  those 
manifestations  and  operations  are  divinely  competent  to  work  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  God's 
good  pleasure, — and  he  may  even  believe  so  firmly  as  to  be  assured  of  these  truths,  or  to  enjoy  as 
really  'the  assurance  of  faith,'  as  '  the  assurance  of  understanding,'  or  '  the  assurance  of  hope,' — he 
may  do  all  this,  while  he  looks  simply  on  the  Bible,  seeing  there,  on  the  one  hand,  direct  state- 
ments as  to  every  matter  relating  to  the  divine  character  and  the  work  of  redemption,  and,  on  the 
other,  descriptions  of  the  conduct,  moral  affections,  ignorance  and  helplessness,  of  those  whom 
Christ  died  to  save,  which  hold  up  such  a  mirror  to  his  mind  that  he  sees  the  reflection  of  his  like- 
ness, just  as  '  a  natural  man  beholdeth  his  face  in  a  glass  ;'  but  if  he  believe  more, — if  he  so  in- 
dividualize his  feelings  and  condition  as  to  make  them,  distinctively  and  characteristically  of  him- 
self, a  matter  of  revelation, — if  he  set  up,  not  the  truths  respecting  the  gracious  character  of  God 
and  the  mediatorial  work  of  Christ  and  the  peculiar  offices  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  a  proposition 
respecting  the  genuineness  of  his  own  believing,  as  the  object  of  his  faith, — if  he  fix  his  belief,  not 
on  statements  of  the  divine  word  respecting  the  class  or  character  of  beings  whom  Christ  died  to 
save,  but  on  a  statement  of  his  own  making  respecting  himself  as  an  individual, — he  goes  entirely 
beyond  the  limits  of  what  God  has  commanded  us  to  believe,  and  runs  no  small  hazard  of  losing  the 
true  comfort  of  an  assured  or  strong  and  unwavering  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  of  deluding  himself 
with  the  false  comfort  derived  from  resting  on  his  own  experience,  and  even  of  substituting  his  own 
acts  of  believing  for  the  work  of  the  Saviour,  and  building  his  hopes  of  eternal  well-being,  not 
solely  and  immediately  upon  Christ,  but  chiefly  or  altogether  upon  his  own  faith.  These  conse- 
quences are  far,  very  far,  from  having  been  intended  or  glanced  at  by  Dr.  Ridgeley  ;  yet  they  appear 
fairly  to  follow  from  the  account  he  gives  of  the  reflex  act  of  believing — Ed.] 


ADOPTION. 

Question  LXXIV.  What  is  Adoption  f 

Answer.  Adoption  is  an  act  of  the  free  grace  of  God,  in  and  for  his  only  Son  Jesus  Christ ; 
whereby  all  those  that  are  justified,  are  received  into  the  number  of  his  children,  have  his  name  put 
upon  them,  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  given  to  them,  are  under  his  fatherly  care  and  dispensations,  ad- 
mitted to  all  the  liberties  and  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God,  made  heirs  of  all  the  promises,  and 
fellow-heirs  with  Christ  in  glory. 

In  discussing  this  Answer,  we  shall  observe  the  following  method.  First,  we  shall 
consider  the  various  senses  in  which  persons  are  the  sons  of  God  ;  and  particularly, 
how  they  are  so  called  bj  adoption.  Secondly,  we  shall  show  the  difference  be- 
tween adoption  as  understood  by  men,  and  as  it  is  applied  in  this  Answer  to  God's 
taking  persons  into  the  relation  of  being  his  children ;  whence  it  will  appear  to  be  an 
act  of  his  free  grace.  Thirdly,  we  shall  consider  the  reference  the  sonship  of  be- 
lievers has  to  the  superior  and  more  glorious  Sonship  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  how  it 
is  said  to  be  for  his  sake.  Lastly,  we  shall  consider  the  privileges  conferred  on  or 
reserved  for  those,  who  are  the  sons  of  God  by  adoption. 

The  Various  Senses  of  the  name  '  Sons  of  God.1 

We  shall  here  consider,  then,  the  various  senses  in  which  persons  are  called  the 
sons  of  God. 

1.  Some  are  called  the  sons  of  God,  as  they  are  invested  with  many  honours  or 
prerogatives  from  God  as  a  part  of  his  image.  Thus  magistrates  are  called  'the 
children  of  the  Most  High.'b 

2.  Others  are  called  God's  children,  by  an  external  federal  relation,  as  members 
of  the  visible  church.     In  this  sense  we  are  to  understand  the  scripture  in  which 

b  Psal.  lxxxii.  6. 


132  ADOPTION. 

it  i>  said,  '  the  sons  of  God  saw  the  daughters  of  men,'c  &c.  When  Moses  went 
in  to  Pharaoh  to  demand  liberty  for  the  Israelites,  he  was  ordered  to  say,  '  Israel  is 
my  son,  even  my  first-born.'d  Though  this  privilege,  by  which  the  church  is  dis- 
tinguished from  the  world,  is  high  and  honourable  ;  yet  it  is  not  inseparably  con- 
nected with  salvation.  For  God  says  concerning  Israel,  when  revolting  and  back- 
Blidiug  from  him,  '  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled 
against  nil'.'"  Many  of  those  also  who  are  called  '  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  shall 
be  cast  into  outer  darkness,  where  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 'f 

3.  The  name  '  sons  of  God '  is  sometimes  taken  in  a  more  large  sense,  as  appli- 
cable to  all  mankind.  Thus  the  prophet  says,  *  Have  we  not  all  one  father  ?  hath 
not  one  God  created  us?'s  And  the  apostle  Paul,  when  disputing  with  the  Athe- 
nians, speaks  in  their  own  language,  and  quotes  a  saying  taken  from  one  of  their 
poets,  which  lie  applies  to  the  great  God,  as  'giving  to  all  life  and  breath,  and  all 
things;'  on  which  account  men  are  called  '  his  offspring.'11 

4.  Those  are  called  the  sons  of  God  who  are  endowed  with  his  supernatural  image, 
and  admitted  to  the  highest  honours  and  privileges  conferred  upon  creatures. 
Thus  the  angels  are  called  '  the  sons  of  God.'1 

5.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of  God,  in  a  sense  not  applicable  to 
any  other.  His  Sonship  includes  his  deity,  and  his  having,  in  his  human  nature, 
received  a  commission  from  the  Father,  to  engage  in  the  great  work  of  our  redemp- 
tion, as  becoming  surety  for  us ;  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  those  saving  bless- 
ings which  we  enjoy  or  hope  for. 

6.  Believers  are  called  the  sons  of  God,  by  a  special  adoption.  This  is  to  be 
particularly  considered,  as  it  is  the  subject  of  the  present  Answer.  Adoption  is  a 
word  taken  from  the  civil  law.  The  practice  which  it  denotes  was  much  in  use 
among  the  Romans  in  the  apostles'  time  ;  in  which  it  was  a  custom  for  persons 
who  had  no  children  of  their  own,  and  were  possessed  of  an  estate,  to  prevent  its 
being  divided,  or  descending  to  strangers,  to  make  choice  of  such  as  were  agreeable 
to  them  and  beloved  by  them,  whom  they  took  into  the  political  relation  of  chil- 
dren, obliging  them  to  take  their  name  upon  them  and  to  pay  respect  to  them  as  if 
they  had  been  their  natural  parents,  engaging  to  deal  with  them  as  if  they  had  been 
so,  and  accordingly  giving  them  a  right  to  their  estates  as  an  inheritance.  This  new 
relation,  founded  in  mutual  consent,  is  a  bond  of  affection ;  and  the  privilege  arising 
from  it  is,  that  he  who  is  in  this  sense  a  father,  takes  care  of  and  provides  for  the 
person  whom  he  adopts,  as  if  he  were  his  son  by  nature.  Hence,  civilians  call 
adoption  an  act  of  legitimation,  imitating  nature,  or  supplying  the  place  of  it. 

The  Difference  between  Divine  and  Human  Adoption. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  difference  between  adoption  as  understood  by 
men,  and  as  it  is  applied  in  this  Answer  to  God's  taking  persons  into  the  relation 
of  being  his  children. 

1.  When  men  adopt  persons,  or  take  them  into  the  relation  of  children,  they  do 
it  because  they  are  destitute  of  children  of  their  own  to  possess  their  estates,  and 
so  fix  their  love  on  strangers.  But  God  was  under  no  obligation  to  do  this  ;  for  if 
he  designed  to  manifest  his  glory  to  any  creatures,  the  holy  angels  were  subjects 
capable  of  receiving  the  displays  of  it ;  and  his  own  Son,  who  had  all  the  perfec- 
tions of  the  divine  nature,  was  infinitely  the  object  of  -his  delight,  and  in  all  re- 
spects fitted  to  be  as  he  is  styled,  '  the  heir  of  all  things. 'k 

2.  When  men  adopt,  they  are  generally  inclined  to  do  it  by  seeing  some  excel- 
lency or  amiableness  in  the  persons  whom  they  fix  their  love  upon.  Thus  Pharaoh's 
daughter  took  up  Moses,  and  nourished  him  as  her  own  son,  because  he  was  '  ex- 
ceediug  fair.'1  Or  it  may  be,  she  was  moved  by  a  natural  compassion  she  had  for 
him,  besides  the  motive  of  his  beauty  ;  as  it  is  said,  '  the  babe  wept,  and  she  had 
compassion  on  him.'m     Mordecai  also  adopted  Esther,  or  took  her  as  his  own 

e  Gen.  vi.  2.  d  Exod.  iv.  22.  e  Isa.  i.  2.  f  Matt.  viii.  12. 

g  Mai.  ii.  10.  h  Acts  xvii.  25;  compared  with  28.  i  Job  xxxviii.  7. 

k  Heb.  i.  2.  1  Acts  vii.  20,  21.  m  Exod.  ii.  6. 


ADOPTION.  133 

daughter,  'for  she  was  his  uncle's  daughter,  and  was  fair  and  beautiful,'  and  an 
orphan,  '  having  neither  father  nor  mother.'11  But  when  God  takes  any  into  the  rela- 
tion of  children,  they  have  no  beauty  or  comeliness,  and  might  justly  have  been  for 
ever  the  object  of  his  abhorrence.  Thus  he  says  concerning  the  church  of  Israel, 
when  he  first  took  them  into  this  relation,  '  None  eye  pitied  thee  ;  but  thou  wast 
cast  out  in  the  open  field,  to  the  loathing  of  thy  person.  And  when  I  passed  by 
thee,  and  saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own  blood,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast 
in  thy  blood,  Live,'0  &c.  It  might  indeed  be  said  concerning  man,  when  admitted 
to  this  favour  and  privilege,  that  he  was  miserable  ;  but  misery,  how  much  soever 
it  may  render  the  soul  an  object  of  pity,  cannot,  properly  speaking,  be  said  to  be 
a  motive  or  inducement  whence  the  divine  compassion  took  its  rise.  This  appears 
from  the  account  we  have  of  the  mercy  of  God,  as  founded  only  on  his  sovereign 
will  or  pleasure,  as  he  says,  '  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and 
I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compassion  ;'p  and  also  from  the  con- 
sideration of  man's  being  exposed  to  misery  by  sin,  which  rendered  him  an  object 
rather  of  vindictive  justice  than  of  mercy.  His  misery,  therefore,  cannot  be  the 
ground  of  God's  giving  him  a  right  to  an  inheritance.  Hence,  adoption  is  truly 
said,  in  this  Answer,  to  be  an  act  of  the  free  grace  of  God. 

3.  When  men  adopt,  their  taking  persons  into  the  relation  of  children,  is  not 
necessarily  attended  with  any  change  of  disposition  or  temper  in  the  persons  adopted. 
A  person  may  be  admitted  to  this  privilege,  and  yet  remain  the  same,  in  that  re- 
spect, as  he  was  before.  But  when  God  takes  his  people  into  the  relation  of  chil- 
dren, he  gives  them  not  only  those  other  privileges  which  arise  thence,  but  also 
that  temper  and  disposition  which  becomes  those  who  are  thus  related  to  him. 

The  Reference  of  the  Sonship  of  Believers  to  the  Sonship  of  Christ. 

We  are  next  to  consider  the  reference  which  the  sonship  of  believers  has  to  the 
superior  and  more  glorious  Sonship  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  how  it  is  said  to  be  for 
his  sake.  Here  we  must  suppose  that  there  is  a  sense  in  which  Christ  is  said  to  be 
the  Son  of  God,  as  the  result  of  the  divine  decree.  This  contains  an  idea  very  dis- 
tinct from  his  being  a  divine  person.  For  that  was  not  the  result  of  the  will  of 
the  Father  ;  whereas  it  is  said  concerning  him,  '  I  will  declare  the  decree  ;  the 
Lord  hath  said  unto  me,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.'i  Else- 
where, also,  it  is  said,  '  He  hath  by  inheritance  obtained  a  more  excellent  name 
than '  the  angels  ;  and  this  is  represented  as  the  consequence  of  God's  saying  to 
him,  '  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee,'  and  '  I  will  be  to  him  a 
Father,  and  he  shall  be  to  me  a  Son  ;'r  which  plainly  refers  to  Christ  as  Media- 
tor.8 Now,  when  we  consider  this  mediatorial  Sonship  of  Christ,  if  I  may  so  ex- 
press it,  we  are  far  from  asserting  that  Christ's  Sonship  and  that  of  believers  is  of 
the  same  kind  ;  for,  as  much  as  he  exceeds  them  as  Mediator,  as  to  the  glory  of 
his  person  and  office,  so  much  is  his  Sonship  superior  to  theirs. 

This  being  premised,  we  may  now  better  understand  the  reference  which  the 
sonship  of  believers  has  to  Christ's  being  the  Son  of  God  as  Mediator.  Let  it  be 
considered,  then,  that  it  is  a  prerogative  and  glory  of  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God, 
that  he  has  all  things  which  relate  to  the  salvation  of  his  elect  put  into  his  hand. 
Hence,  whatever  the  saints  enjoy  or  hope  for,  which  is  sometimes  called  in  scrip- 
ture their  inheritance,  agreeably  to  their  character  as  the  children  of  God  by  adop- 
tion, is  considered  as  first  purchased  by  Christ  and  then  put  into  his  hand.  Ou 
this  account  it  is  styled  his  inheritance ;  he  being,  pursuant  to  his  having  accom- 
plished the  work  of  redemption,  constituted  heir  of  all  things ;  and'  as  such,  not 
only  having  a  right  to  his  people,  but  being  put  in  possession  of  all  those  spiritual 
blessings  in  heavenly  places,  wherewith  they  are  'blessed  in  him.'*  It  hence  fol- 
lows that  the  sonship  of  believers,  and  their  right  to  that  inheritance  which  God 
has  reserved  for  them,  depends  upon  the  sonship  of  Christ,  which  is  infinitely  more 

ii  Esther  ii.  7.  o  Ezek.  xvi.  5.  p  Rom.  ix.  15..  q  Psal.  ii.  7.  r  Heb.  i.  4,  5. 

s  [For  an  examination  of  the  views  which  Dr.  Ridgeley  here  ami  elsewhere  expresses  of  our 
Lord's  Sonship,  See  Note  '  The  Sonship  of  Christ,'  under  Quest,  ix,  x,  xi. — Ed.] 
t  Euh.  i.  3. 


134  ADOPTION. 

glorious  and  excellent.  As  God's  adopted  sons,  they  have  the  honour  conferred 
upon  them  of  being  '  made  kings  and  priests '  to  him.u  These  honours  are  conferred 
by  Christ;  and,  in  order  to  their  being  so,  they  are  first  given  to  him  to  bestow 
upon  them.  Thus  lie  says,  ' 1  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath 
appointed  unto  me.'1  Christ  is  first  appointed  heir  of  all  things  as  Mediator; 
and  then  his  people,  or  his  children,  are  considered  as  'heirs  of  God,'  as  the  apos- 
tle expresses  it,  'and  joint-heirs  with  Christ.' *  Not  that  they  have  any  share  in 
his  personal  or  mediatorial  glory  ;  but  when  they  are  styled  'joint-heirs '  with  him, 
we  must  consider  them  as  having  a  right  to  that  inheritance  which  he  is  possessed 
of  in  their  name  as  Mediator.  In  this' sense  we  are  to  understand  those  scriptures 
which  speak  of  God  being  first  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  then,  in 
him,  our  Father.  Thus  Christ  says,  '  I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father ; 
and  to  my  God,  and  your  God.'z  Elsewhere  God  is  styled  'the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,'  and  then  '  the  Father  of  mercies,'  or  our  merciful  Father.8  Again, 
the  apostle  says,  '  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings,  in  heavenly  places,  in  Christ,  having 
predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  himself.'b  And 
inasmuch  as  he  designed  to  '  bring  many  sons  to  glory, '  they  being  '  made  meet  to 
be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,'  he  first  '  made  the  Captain  of 
their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings.'0  In  this  respect,  our  right  to  the  inheri- 
tance of  children  is  founded  in  the  eternal  purpose  of  God  relating  to  that  right, 
and  in  the  purchase  of  Christ  as  having  obtained  this  inheritance  for  us. 

The  Privileges  of  Adoption. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  privileges  conferred  on  or  reserved  for  those  who  are 
the  sons  of  God  by  adoption.  These  are  summed  up  in  a  very  comprehensive  ex- 
pression which  contains  an  amazing  display  of  divine  grace :  '  He  that  overcometh, 
shall  inherit  all  things  ;  and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son.'d  It  is  a 
very  large  grant  which  God  is  pleased  to  make  to  them :  '  they  shall  inherit  all 
things.'  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God  ;  and  in  having  him,  they  are 
said  to  possess  all  things,  which  are  eminently  and  transcendently  in  him.  They 
have  a  right  to  all  the  blessings  which  he  had  designed  for  them,  and  which  have 
a  tendency  to  make  them  completely  happy.  In  this  sense  we  are  to  understand  our 
Saviour's  words  in  the  parable:  '  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is 
thine.' e  Nothing  greater  than  this  can  be  desired  or  enjoyed  by  creatures  whom 
the  Lord  delights  to  honour.  Let  us,  however,  be  a  little  more  particular  in  con- 
sidering the  privileges  which  God  confers  on  or  has  reserved  for  his  children. 

1.  They  are  all  emancipated,  or  freed  from  the  slavery  which  they  were  before 
under  either  to  sin  or  Satan.  They  who  were  once  '  the  servants  of  sin,'  are,  by 
adoption,  'made  free  from  sin,  and  become  the.  servants  of  righteousness,'  or  be- 
come '  servants  to  God,  have  their  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting 
life.'f  '  The  Son  makes  them  free  ;'  and  therefore,  '  they  are  free  indeed.  *  They  are 
described  as  having  formerly  'served  divers  lusts  and  pleasures  ;'h  and  are  said  to 
have  been  '  of  their  father,  the  devil,'  and  to  '  have  done  his  works,'  or  followed 
his  suggestions,1  ensnared  and  '  taken  captive  by  him  at  his  will  ;'k  and,  in  conse- 
quence, they  were  in  perpetual  bondage,  arising  from  a  dread  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  from  a  '  fear  of  death  '  impressed  on  their  spirits  by  him  who  is  said  to  have 
'the  power  of  death.'1  But  they  have  now  deliverance  from  these  evils  ;  which 
cannot  but  be  reckoned  a  glorious  privilege. 

2.  They  have  God's  name  put  upon  them,  and  accordingly  are  described  as  '  his 
people,  called  by  his  name.'™  This  is  an  high  and  honourable  character,  denoting 
their  relation  to  him  as  a  peculiar  people  ;  and  it  belongs  to  them  alone.  Thus 
the  church  says,  '  We  are  thine  ;  thou  never  bearest  rule  over  them,'n  namely, 

u  Rev.  i.  6.  x  Luke  xxii.  29.                       y  Rom.  viii.  17.                       z  John  xx.  17. 

a  2  Cor.  i.  3.  b  Eph.  i.  3.  compared  with  5.             c  Heb.  ii.  10.  compared  with  Col.  i.  12. 

d  Rev.  xxi.  7.  e  Luke  xv.  31.         f  Rom.  vi.  17.  18,  22.         g  John  viii.  36.         h  Tit.  iii.  3. 

i  John  vim.  44.  k  2  Tim.  ii.  26.                  1  Heb.  ii.  14,  15.                  m.2  Chron.  vii.  14. 
n  Isa.  lxiiv.  19. 


ADOPTION.  135 

thine  adversaries  ;  '  they  were  not  called  by  thy  name.'  God's  adopted  children 
have  also  Christ's  name  put  on  them.  '  Of  him  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth  is  named.'0  This  signifies  not  only  that  propriety  which  he  has  in  them  as 
Mediator,  but  their  relation  to  him  as  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord, — his  sheep,  whom 
he  leads  and  feeds  like  a  shepherd.  They  are  also  styled  his  children,  when  he 
says,  •  Behold  I  and  the  children  which  God  hath  given  me.'P  Indeed,  when  he 
is  called  a  surety,  or  an  advocate,  or  is  said  to  execute  certain  offices  as  a  Saviour 
or  Redeemer,  these  are  all  relative  terms  ;  and  whatever  he  does  in  the  capacities 
which  they  denote  is  in  the  name  of  his  people,  and  for  their  advantage.  Accord- 
ingly, it  is  said,  '  Of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption.'  i 

3.  They  arc  taken  into  God's  family,  and  dealt  with  as  members  of  it ;  and  ac- 
cordingly are  styled  'fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God.'r 
As  the  consequence  of  this,  they  have  protection,  provision,  and  communion  with 
him.  First,  they  have  safe  protection.  As  the  master  of  a  family  thinks  himself 
obliged  to  secure  and  defend  from  danger  all  who  are  under  his  roof,  whose  house 
is,  as  it  were,  their  castle ;  so  Christ  is  his  people's  defence.  Accordingly,  it  is 
said  concerning  him,  '  A  man  shall  be  as  an  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and  a 
covert  from  the  tempest ;  as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place,  and  as  the  shadow  of  a 
great  rock  in  a  weary  land.'8  As  the  consequence  of  this,  it  is  added,  '  My  peo- 
ple shall  dwell  in  a  peaceable  habitation,  and  in  sure  dwellings,  and  in  quiet  rest- 
ing-places.'* '  They  dwell  on  high  ;  their  place  of  defence  is  the  munition  of  rocks.'" 
He  who  has  subdued  their  enemies,  and  will,  in  his  own  time,  bruise  them  under 
their  feet,  will  take  care  that  they  shall  not  meet  with  that  disturbance  from 
them  which  may  hinder  their  repose  or  rest  in  him,  or  render  their  state  unsafe,  so 
as  to  endanger  their  perishing  or  falling  from  it.— Again,  they  enjoy  the  plentiful 
provisions  of  God's  house.  Hence,  Christ  is  called  their  'shepherd,'1  not  only  as 
leading  and  defending  them,  but  as  providing  for  them.  '  He  shall  feed  his  flock 
like  a  shepherd. 'J  As  all  grace  is  treasured  up  in  him,  and  there  is  a  fulness  of  it 
which  he  has  to  impart  to  the  heirs  of  salvation  which  is  sufficient  to  supply  all 
their  wants ;  so  they  shall  never  have  reason  to  complain  that  they  are  straitened 
in  him.  The  blessings  of  his  house  are  not  only  exhilarating  but  satisfying,  and 
such  as  have  a  tendency  to  make  them  completely  happy. — Further,  they  are  ad- 
mitted to  the  greatest  intimacy  with  Christ,  and  have  sweet  communion  with  him : 
'  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him.'z  He  deals  with  them  as  with 
4  friends :'  particularly,  as  he  tells  his  disciples,  in  that  '  all  that  he  has  heard  of 
the  Father,'3  that  is,  whatever  he  had  a  commission  to  impart  for  their  direction 
or  comfort,  he  'makes  known  unto  them;'  which  must  needs  be  reckoned  a  very 
great  privilege.  If  the  queen  of  Sheba,  when  beholding  the  advantages  which  they 
who  were  in  Solomon's  presence  enjoyed,  could  not  but  with  an  ecstasy  of  admira- 
tion say,  '  Happy  are  thy  men  ;  happy  are  thy  servants,  which  stand  continually 
before  thee,  that  hear  thy  wisdom  ;'b  much  more  may  they  be  said  to  be  happy 
who  are  admitted  into  his  presence  in  whom  'are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge.'0 

4.  Another  privilege  which  they  enjoy,  is  access  to  God,  as  a  reconciled  Father, 
through  Christ.  They  have  liberty  to  '  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
they  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.'d  Whatever  their 
straits  and  difficulties  are,  God  holds  forth  his  golden  sceptre,  invites  them  to  come 
to  him,  asks,  '  What  is  thy  petition  ?'  and  gives  them  ground  to  hope  that  it  shall 
be  granted,  so  far  as  it  may  redound  to  his  glory  and  their  good.  And  inasmuch  as 
they  are  often  straitened  in  their  spirits,  and  unprepared  to  draw  nigh  to  him,  they 
have  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  to  assist  them;  on  which  account  he  is  called  'the 
Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  they  cry,  Abba,  Father.' e  This  privilege  is  said  to  be 
a  consequence  of  their  being  sons  :  '  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the 
Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father. 'f  By  this  means  they  have 

o  Eph.  iii.  15.  p  Heb.  ii.  13.  q  1  Cor.  i.  31  r  Eph.  ii.  19. 

s  Ish.  xxxii.  2.  t  Ver.  18.  U  Chap,  xxxiii.  16.  x  Psal.  xxiii.  1. 

y  Isa.  xl.  11.  z  Psal.  xxv.  14.  a  John  xv.  15.  It   1  Kings  x.  8. 

c  Col.  ii.  3.  <1  Heb.  iv.  16.  e  Hum,  viii.  .15.  f  Gal.  iv.  6. 


136  ADOPTION. 

becoming  conceptions  of  the  Divine  Majesty,  a  reverential  fear  of  him,  a  love  to 
liini,  earnest  desires  of  communion  with  him,  and  of  being  made  partakers  of  what 
be  ha-  to  impart.  They  have  a  right  to  plead  the  promises;  and  in  so  doing,  are 
encouraged  to  hope  for  the  blessings  they  contain. 

5.  As  God's  children  are  prone  to  backslide  from  him,  and  so  have  need  of  re- 
storing grace,  he  will  recover  and  humble  them,  and  thereby  prevent  their  total 
apostasy,  This  he  sometimes  does  by  afflictions,  which  the  apostle  calls  fatherly 
chastisements,  and  which  he  reckons  not  only  consistent  with  his  love,  but  evi- 
dences of  it.  '  Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth  ;'  and  '  if  ye  be  without  chas- 
tisement, whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards,  and  notsons.'s  The 
apostle  speaks  here,  of  afflictions,  not  as  considered  absolutely  m  themselves,  but 
as  proceeding  from  the  love  of  God,  as  designed  to  do  them  good,  and  as  adapted  to 
the  present  state,  in  which  they  are  training  up  for  the  glorious  inheritance  reserved 
for  them  in  heaven,  and  need  some  trying  dispensations  which  may  put  them  in 
mind  of  that  state  oi"  perfect  blessedness  which  is  laid  up  for  them.  These  afflic- 
tions are  rendered  subservient  to  their  present  and  future  advantage.  In  the  pre- 
sent life,  they  '  bring  forth  the  peaceful  fruits  of  righteousness '  to  them ;  and  when 
they  are  in  the  end  perfectly  freed  from  them,  they  will  tend  to  enhance  their  joy 
and  praise.  This  leads  us  to  consider  another  privilege,  which  is  so  great  that  it 
crowns  all  those  they  are  now  possessed  of. 

6.  They  shall,  at  last,  be  brought  into  God's  immediate  presence,  and  satisfied 
with  his  likeness.  The  apostle,  speaking  of  the  perfect  blessedness  of  the  saints, 
when  raised  from  the  dead,  and  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  made 
partakers  of  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God,  calls  it  by  way  of  eminence,  'the 
adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  their  bodies.'  This  signifies,  not  only  the  full 
manifestation  of  their  adoption,  but  their  taking  possession  of  their  inheritance, 
which  they  are  now  waiting  and  hoping  for,  and  which  is  too  great  for  the  heart 
of  man  to  conceive  of  in  this  present  state.  '  Now,'  says  the  apostle,  '  are  we  the 
sons  of  God ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be  ;  but  we  know  that, 
when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is.'h  Hence, 
all  the  blessings  which  we  have  either  in  hand  or  in  hope,  the  blessings  of  both 
worlds,  the  blessings  which  are  conferred  upon  us  from  our  conversion  to  our  glori- 
fication, are  the  privileges  which  God  bestows  on  those  who  are  his  adopted  children. 

The  Connection  between  Adoption  and  Justification.  * 

From  what  has  been  said  concerning  adoption,  we  may  take  occasion  to  observe 
how,  in  some  respects,  it  agrees  with  justification,  or  may  indeed  be  reckoned  a  branch 
of  it,  and,  in  other  respects,  includes  something  which  is  an  ingredient  in  sanctifi- 
cation.  We  formerly  observed,  when  treating  of  justification,  that,  when  God  for- 
gives sin,  he  confers  on  his  people  a  right  to  life,  or  to  all  the  blessings  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  in  which  are  contained  the  promises  which  belong  to  the  life  that 
now  is,  and  that  which  is  to  come.  These  are  the  privileges  which  God's  adopted 
children  are  made  partakers  of ;  and  in  this  respect  some  divines  suppose  that 
adoption  is  included  in  our  justification.1 

If  justification  be  explained  as  denoting  an  immanent  act  in  God,  whereby  the 
elect  are  considered,  in  the  covenant  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  as  in  Christ 
their  federal  head  ;  they  are  then  considered  as  the  adopted  children  of  God 
in  Christ.  Accordingly,  when  described  as  chosen  in  Christ  unto  eternal  life,  they 
are  said  to  be  'predestinated  unto  the  adoption  of  children  ;'k  which  is  a  privilege 
to  be  obtained  by  Jesus  Christ.  In  this  respect  all  the  elect  are  called  Christ's 
'seed  that  shall  serve  him,'1  whom  he  had  a  special  regard  to,  when  he  made  his 
soul  an  offering  for  sin,  and  concerning  whom  he  had  the  promise  made  to  him  in 
the  covenant  which  passed  between  the  Father  and  him,  that '  he  should  see  them, 
and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord,'  with  respect  to  their  everlasting  salvation,  'should 
prosper  in  his  hand.'m   Now,  when  Christ  is  considered  as  the  head  of  the  elect,  who 

g  Htb.  xii.  6,  8,  11.         hi  John  iii.  2.         i  Vid.  Turret.  Theol.  Elenct.  Tom.  2.  Loc.  16.  §  7. 
k  Luh-  '•  5-  1  Psal.  x.xii.  30.  m  Isa.  liii.  10. 


SANCTIFICATION.  137 

are  in  this  sense  called  his  sons  whom  he  has  engaged  to  bring  to  glory,  faith  is  the 
fruit  and  consequence  of  adoption.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  '  Because  ye 
are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba, 
Father.'11 

But  as  justification  is  a  declared  act,  and  is  said  to  be  by  faith ;  so  adoption, 
agreeing  with  it,  is  of  the  same  nature.  Accordingly  we  are  said  to  be  the  '  chil- 
dren of  God  by  faith  ;'°  that  is,  it  is  by  faith  that  we  have  a  right  to  claim  the 
relation  of  children,  together  with  the  privileges  which  are  the  result  of  it. 

Moreover,  as  adoption  includes  a  person's  being  made  meet  for  the  inheritance 
which  God  has  reserved  for  him,  and  his  being  endowed  with  the  temper  and  dis- 
position of  his  children,  consisting  in  humility,  heavenly-mindedness,  love  to  him, 
dependence  upon  him,  a  zeal  for  his  glory,  a  likeness  to  Christ,  a  having  in  some 
measure  the  same  mind  in  us  which  was  in  him,  it  in  this  respect  agrees  with  sanc- 
tification, — which  is  what  we  are  next  to  consider. 


SANCTIFICATION. 


Question  LXXV.   What  is  sanctification  f 

Answer.  Sanctification  is  a  work  of  God's  grace,  whereby  they  whom  God  hath,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  chosen  to  be  holy,  are  in  time,  through  the  powerful  operation  of  his 
Spirit,  applying  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ  unto  them,  renewed  in  their  whole  man,  after 
the  image  of  God.  having  the  seeds  of  repentance  unto  life,  and  of  all  other  saving  graces,  put  into 
their  hearts;  and  those  graces  so  stirred  up,  increased,  and  strengthened,  as  that  they  more  and 
more  die  unto  sin,  and  rise  unto  newness  of  life. 

The  meaning  of  the  word  '  Sanctify.' 

We  shall  show  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  word  '  sanctify.'  Sanctifying 
is  sometimes  considered  as  what  has  God  for  its  object.  Thus  he  is  said  to 
'  sanctify  himself,'  when  he  appears  in  the  glory  of  his  holiness,  and  gives  occasion 
to  the  world  to  adore  that  perfection.  This  he  is  sometimes  represented  as  doing, 
when  he  punishes  sin  in  a  visible  and  exemplary  manner.  Thus,  when  God  threat- 
ens to  call  for  'a  sword,'  and  to  'plead  against'  a  rebellious  people  'with  pestilence 
and  with  blood,'  he  is  said,  by  this  means,  to  'magnify  and  sanctify  himself,'  so  as 
to  be  '  known,'  that  is,  as  a  holy  God,  '  in  the  eyes  of  many  nations.'  Likewise, 
when  he  fulfils  his  promises,  and  thereby  advances  his  holiness,  as  when  he  brought 
his  people  out  of  captivity,  and  gathered  them  out  of  the  countries  in  which  they 
had  been  scattered,  he  is  said  to  be  'sanctified  in  them.'P  And  he  is  sanctified  by 
his  people,  when  they  give  him  the  glory  which  is  due  to  his  holiness,  as  thus  dis- 
placed and  magnified  by  him.  Thus,  God's  people  are  said  to  '  sanctify  the  Lord 
of  hosts,'  when  they  make  him  the  object  of  their  '  fear  and  of  their  dread. 'i 

This,  however,  is  not  the  sense  in  which  we  are  here  to  understand  the  word 
'  sanctify.'  But  we  are  to  consider  it  as  applied  to  men.  In  this  respect  it  is 
taken  in  various  senses.  Sometimes  it  is  used  to  denote  their  consecration  or 
separation  to  God.  Thus,  our  Saviour  says,  when  devoting  and  applying  himself 
to  the  work  for  which  he  came  into  the  world,  'For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself. * 
But  this  is  not  the  sense  in  which  it  is  to  be  understood  in  this  Answer.  More- 
over, it  is  often  taken  in  scripture  for  persons  being  devoted  to  God  to  minister  in 
holy  things.  Thus,  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  '  sanctified,  that  they  might  minister 
unto  him  in  the  priest's  office.'3  It  is  sometimes  taken  also  for  an  external  federal 
dedication  to  God,  to  walk  before  him  as  a  peculiar  people  in  observance  of  his  holy 
institutions.  Thus,  when  Israel  consented  to  be  God's  people,  they  are  styled, 
'holiness  unto  the  Lord,''  'the  holy  seed,'u  and  'a  holy  nation.'1  And  the  church 
under  the  gospel-dispensation,  as  consecrated  and  professing  subjection  to  Christ, 

n  Gal.  iv.  6.  o  Chap.  iii.  26.  p  Ezek.  xxxviii.  21—23.  q  Isa.  viii.  13. 

r  John  xvii.  19.  s  Exod.  xxviii.  41.  t  Jer.  ii.  3.  u  Ezra  ix.  2.        x  1  Pet.  ii.  9. 

II.  S 


138  SANCTIFICATION. 

or  as  separated  to  his  service  and  waiting  for  his  presence  while  engaged  in  all 
those  ordinances  which  he  has  appointed  in  the  gospel,  is  described  as  '  called  to 
be  saints  ;'y  and,  as  thus  sanctified,  they  are  related  to  him  in  an  external  and 
visible  way.  Neither  is  this,  however,  the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  understood 
in  this  Answer. 

We  are  here  to  understand  sanctification  as  a  special  discriminating  grace, 
whereby  persons  are,  not  externally  only,  but  really  devoted  to  Christ  by  faith. 
It  is  the  internal  beauty  of  the  soul ;  whereby  all  the  faculties  being  renewed,  and 
a  powerful  effectual  change  wrought  in  them,  they  are  enabled  to  turn  from  sin 
unto  God,  and  exercise  all  those  graces  by  which  they  '  walk  in  holiness  and  righ- 
teousness before  him  all  the  days  of  their  lives,'2  till  this  work,  which  is  gradually 
carried  on  here,  shall  be  brought  to  perfection  hereafter. 

What  Sanctification  includes. 

Sanctification,  as  described  in  this  Answer,  may  be  considered  as  including 
several  graces  which  have  been  already  insisted  on,  namely,  regeneration,  effectual 
calling,  and  faith.  There  is  also  another  grace  connected  with  it,  which  will  be 
particularly  insisted  on  under  the  next  Answer,  namely,  repentance  unto  life.  All 
these  graces  are  said  to  be  wrought  by  the  powerful  operation  of  the  Spirit  in  those 
who  were,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  chosen  to  be  holy.  Regeneration  is 
styled  by  some  'initial  sanctification,'  as  all  graces  take  their  rise  from  the  principle 
which  is  therein  implanted.  Effectual  calling,  or  conversion,  is  that  whereby  we 
are  brougfit  into  the  way  of  holiness,  and  internally  disposed  to  walk  in  it.  Faith 
is  that  grace  whereby  this  work  is  promoted  ;  as  all  holy  actions  proceed  from  it, 
as  deriving  strength  from  Christ  to  perform  them.  Repentance  is  that  whereby 
the  work  of  sanctification  discovers  itself  in  the  soul's  abhorring  and  fleeing  from 
everything  which  tends  to  defile  it,  and  approves  itself  to  God  as  one  who  is  of 
purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity  without  the  greatest  detestation.  But  as  these 
graces  either  have  been  or  will  be  particularly  insisted  on  in  their  proper  place,  we 
shall  more  especially  consider  sanctification  as  a  progressive  work.  As  such  it  is 
distinguished  from  them ;  and,  as  the  subject  of  it,  we  daily  consecrate  or  de- 
vote ourselves  to  God,  our  actions  have  all  a  tendency  to  advance  his  glory,  and, 
by  the  Spirit,  we  are  enabled  more  and  more  to  die  unto  sin  and  to  live  unto  righ- 
teousness. It  is  therefore  not  merely  one  act  of  grace,  but  includes  the  whole  pro- 
gress of  the  work  of  grace,  as  gradually  carried  on  till  perfected  in  glory.  This  is 
what  we  are  particularly  to  consider. 

I.  Sanctification  includes  a  continual  devotedness  to  God.  As  the  first  act  of 
faith  consists  in  making  a  surrender  of  ourselves  to  Christ,  depending  on  his  assist- 
ance in  beginning  the  work  of  obedience  in  the  exercise  of  all  Christian  graces  ; 
so  sanctification  is  the  continuance  of  this  surrender  and  dependence.  When  we 
are  converted,  we  receive  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  ;  and  in  sanctification  we  walk  in 
him,  exercise  a  daily  dependence  on  him  in  the  execution  of  all  his  offices,  make 
his  word  our  rule,  and  delight  in  it  after  the  inward  man.  How  difficult  soever 
the  duties  are  which  he  commands,  we  take  pleasure  in  the  performance  of  them, 
make  religion  our  great  business,  and,  in  order  to  this,  conclude  that  every  thing 
we  receive  from  him  is  to  be  improved  to  his  glory.  And  as  every  duty  is  to  be 
performed  by  faith  ;  so  what  was  formerly  observed  concerning  the  life  of  faith,  is 
to  be  considered  as  an  expedient  to  promote  the  work  of  sanctification. 

II.  In  the  carrying  on  of  the  work  of  sanctification,  we  are  to  endeavour,  to  our 
utmost,  to  guard  against  the  prevailing  power  of  sin,  by  all  those  methods  which  are 
prescribed  in  the  gospel ;  that  so  it  may  not  have  dominion  over  us.  This  is  gen- 
erally styled  the  work  of  mortification.  The  apostle  speaks  of  '  our  old  man  being 
crucified  with  Christ,  and  the  body  of  sin  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not 
serve  sin;'a  of  our  '  crucifying  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts  ;'  and  of  our 
'mortifying  the  deeds  of  the  body  through  the  Spirit,' b— that  is,  by  his  assistance 
and  grace,  which  is  necessary  to  our  success.0     This  is  a  very  difficult  work,  espe- 

f  Rom,  i.  7-  z  Luke  i.  75.  a  Rom.  v'u  (J.  b  Gal.  v.  24.  c  Rom.  viii.  13. 


SANCT1FICATION.  139 

cially  considering  the  prevalence  of  corruption, — the  multitude  of  temptations  to 
which  we  are  exposed, — the  subtilty  and  watchfulness  of  Satan,  who  walks  about 
like  a  roaring  lion  seeking  whom  he  may  devour, — the  treachery  of  our  own  hearts, 
which  are  so  prone  to  depart  from  God, — the  fickleness  and  instability  of  our  reso- 
lutions,—the  irregularity  of  our  affections,  and  the  constant  efforts  made  by  cor- 
rupt nature  to  gain  the  ascendency  over  them,  and  turn  them  aside  from  God.  Cor- 
rupt nature  sometimes  gains  the  ascendency  by  presenting  things  in  a  false  view, 
calling  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  representing  some  things  as  harmless  and  not  dis- 
pleasing to  God,  which  are  most  pernicious  and  offensive  ;  endeavouring  to  lead  us 
into  mistakes  as  to  the  matter  of  sin  or  duty,  and  to  persuade  us  that  those  things 
will  issue  well  which  are  likely  to  prove  bitterness  in  the  end  ;  and  attempting  to 
make  us  believe  that  we  are  in  a  right  and  safe  way,  when  in  reality  we  are  walking 
contrary  to  God,  and  corrupt  nature  is  gaining  strength.  This,  however,  will  be 
farther  considered,  when  we  speak  concerning  the  imperfection  of  sanctification  in 
believers.*1  Now,  the  difficulties  which  we  have  stated  render  it  necessary  for  us 
to  make  use  of  those  methods  which  God  has  prescribed  for  the  mortification 
of  sin. 

1.  We  must  endeavour  to  maintain  a  constant  sense  of  the  heinous  nature  of  sin, 
as  it  is  contrary  to  the  holiness  of  God,  a  stain  which  cannot  be  washed  away  but 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  the  highest  display  of  ingratitude  for  all  the  benefits  which 
we  have  received,  a  bitter  and  an  only  evil,  the  abominable  thing  that  God  hates. 
It  is  to  be  considered  not  only  as  condemning,  but  as  defiling  ;  that,  by  so  con- 
sidering it,  we  may  maintain  a  constant  abhorrence  of  it, — and  that  not  only  of 
those  sins  which  expose  us  to  scorn  and  reproach  in  the  eye  of  the  world,  but  of 
every  thing  which  is  in  itself  sinful,  as  contrary  to  the  law  of  God. 

2.  We  must  be  watchful  against  the  breakings  forth  of  corrupt  nature  ;  observe 
the  frame  and  disposition  of  our  spirits,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  sin,  which  has  a 
tendency  to  harden  us ;  and  avoid  all  occasions  of  or  incentives  to  it,  '  hating  even 
the  garment  spotted  by  the  flesh, 'e  '  abstaining  from  all  appearance  of  evil.'f  We 
may  add,  that  we  are  frequently  to  examine  ourselves  with  respect  to  our  behaviour 
in  every  state  of  life  ;  whether  sin  be  gaining  or  losing  ground  in  us  ;  whether  we 
make  conscience  of  performing  every  duty,  both  personal  and  relative  ;  what  guilt 
we  contract  by  sins  of  omission,  or  the  want  of  that  fervency  of  spirit  which  has  a 
tendency  to  beget  a  formal,  dead,  and  stupid  frame  and  temper  of  mind,  and  there- 
by hinder  the  progress  of  the  work  of  sanctification.  But  that  which  is  the  prin- 
cipal if  not  the  only  expedient  which  will  prove  effectual  for  the  mortifying  of  sin, 
is  our  seeking  help  against  it  from  him  who  is  able  to  give  us  the  victory  over  it. 

3.  Whatever  attempts  we  use  against  the  prevailing  power  of  sin,  in  order  to  the 
mortifying  of  it,  must  be  performed  by  faith  ;  seeking  and  deriving  that  help  from 
Christ  which  is  necessary  to  our  success.  Hence,  as  the  dominion  of  sin  consists  in 
its  rendering  us  guilty  in  the  sight  of  God,  so  that  the  conscience  is  burdened  by 
reason  of  the  dread  which  it  has  of  the  punishment  which  is  due  to  us,  and  of  the 
condemning  sentence  of  the  law  to  which  we  are  liable  ;  and  as  its  mortification,  in 
this  respect,  consists  in  our  deliverance  from  that  which  makes  us  so  uneasy  ;  no 
expedient  can  be  used  to  mortify  it,  but  our  looking  by  faith  to  Christ  as  a  propi- 
tiation for  sin,  whereby  we  are  enabled  to  behold  the  debt  which  we  had  contracted 
cancelled,  the  indictment  superseded,  and  the  condemning  sentence  repealed, 
whence  the  soul  concludes  that  iniquity  shall  not  be  its  ruin.  This  is  the  only  me- 
thod we  are  to  take  when  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  which  is  daily 
committed  by  us.  It  was  shadowed  forth  by  the  Israelites  looking  to  the  brazen 
serpent,  a  type  of  Christ  crucified,  when  they  were  stung  with  fiery  serpents,  which 
occasioned  exquisite  pain,  and  would,  without  this  expedient,  have  brought  imme- 
diate death.  Thus  the  deadly  wound  of  sin  is  healed  by  the  sovereign  balm  of 
Christ's  blood  applied  by  faith  ;  and  we,  by  his  having  fulfilled  the  law,  may  be 
said  to  be  dead  to  it,  as  freed  from  its  curse  and  from  all  the  sad  consequences 
which  would  follow. 

Again,  sin  is  said  to  have  dominion  over  us,  in  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of 

d  See  Quest,  lxxviii.  e  Jude  23.  f  2  Thess.  v.  22. 


140  SANCTIFICATION. 

our  souls  being  enslaved  by  it,  whereby,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  |  we  are  carnal, 
sold  under  sin  ;'*  m  our  being  weak  and  unable  to  perform  what  is  good ;  and  in 
the  corruption  of  nature  being  so  predominant,  that  we  are,  as  it  were,  carried 
down  the  stream,  which  we  strive  against,  but  in  vain.  Now,  in  this  respect,  sin  is 
to  be  mortified  by  a  fiducial  application  to  Christ  for  help  against  it.  We  are  to 
consider  him  as  having  undertaken  to  deliver  not  only  from  the  condemning,  but 
from  the  prevailing  power  of  sin.  His  delivering  us  from  this  is  a  part  of  the  work 
which  he  is  now  engaged  in ;  wherein  he  applies  the  redemption  he  purchased,  by 
the  powerful  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  soul  seeks  to  him  for  them.  x\.s 
it  is  natural  for  us,  when  we  are  in  imminent  danger  of  present  ruin,  or  are  assaulted 
by  an  enemy  whose  superior  force  we  are  not  able  to  withstand,  to  cry  out  to  some 
kind  friend  for  help;  or  when  we  are  in  danger  of  death,  by  some  disease  which 
nature  is  ready  to  sink  under,  to  apply  ourselves  to  the  physician  for  relief ;  so  the 
believer  is  to  apply  to  Christ  for  strength  against  the  prevailing  power  of  indwell- 
ing sin,  and  for  grace  to  make  him  more  than  a  conqueror  over  it ;  and  Christ,  by 
his  Spirit,  enables  us,  as  the  apostle  says,  'to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body.'h 
In  order  to  our  thus  applying  to  Christ,  we  take  encouragement  from  the  promises 
of  God,  and  from  the  connection  which  there  is  between  Christ's  having  made 
satisfaction  for  sin,  and  his  delivering  his  redeemed  people  from  the  power  of  it. 
The  apostle  says,  '  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  ;  for  ye  are  not  under  the 
law,'  that  is,  under  the  condemning  sentence  of  it,  'but  under  grace,' '  as  having 
an  interest  in  that  grace  which  has  engaged  to  deliver  from  sin.  In  both  these  re- 
spects, we  consider  Christ,  not  only  as  able,  but  as  having  undertaken,  to  deliver 
his  people  from  all  their  spiritual  enemies,  to  relieve  them  in  all  their  straits  and 
exigencies,  and  to  bring  them  off  safe  and  victorious.  This  is  the  method  which 
we  are  to  take  to  mortify  sin  ;  and  it  is  a  never-failing  remedy.  What  was  ob- 
served under  the  foregoing  Heads,  concerning  our  endeavouring  to  see  the  evil  of 
sin,  and  exercising  watchfulness  against  the  occasions  of  it,  are  necessary  duties, 
without  which  sin  will  gain  strength.  The  victory  over  it,  however,  is  principally 
owing  to  our  deriving  righteousness  and  strength,  by  faith,  from  Christ ;  whereby 
he  has  the  glory  of  a  conqueror  over  it,  and  we  have  the  advantage  of  receiving  this 
privilege  as  applying  ourselves  to  him,  and  relying  upon  him,  for  it. 

Having  considered  the  way  in  which  sin  is  to  be  mortified  agreeably  to  the  gos- 
pel-rule, we  shall,  before  we  close  this  Head,  take  notice  of  some  other  methods 
which  many  rest  in,  thinking  thereby  to  free  themselves  from  the  dominion  of  sin, 
which  will  not  answer  that  end.  Some,  who  do  not  duly  consider  the  spirituality 
of  the  law  of  God,  have  no  other  notion  of  sin  than  as  it  discovers  itself  in  those 
gross  enormities  which  are  matter  of  public  scandal  or  reproach  in  the  eye  of  the 
world.  Such  sentiments  of  moral  evil  the  apostle  Paul  had  before  his  conversion ; 
he  says,  '  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once  ;'k  and,  '  I  had  not  known  lust,  except 
the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt  not  covet.'  '  Sin'  did  not '  appear  to  be  sin  ;' l  that  is, 
nothing  was  thought  sin  by  him  but  that  which  was  openly  scandalous,  and  deemed 
so  by  universal  consent.  He  hence  says  elsewhere,  that  '  touching  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  in  the  law,  he  was  blameless. 'm  Ephraim  also  is  represented  as  say- 
ing, '  In  all  my  labour  they  shall  find  none  iniquity  in  me  that  were  sin.'n  Per- 
sons of  the  class  to  which  we  refer  think  they  shall  come  off  well,  if  they  can  say 
that  they  are  not  guilty  of  some  enormous  crimes  ;  so  that  none  can  charge  them 
with  those  open  debaucheries  or  other  sins  which  are  not  to  be  mentioned  among 
Christians.  Or  if,  through  any  change  in  their  condition  of  life,  or  by  being  deliv- 
ered from  those  temptations  which  gave  occasion  to  them,  or  by  their  natural  temper 
being  less  inclined  to  them  than  before,  they  abstain  from  such  crimes,  they  call  their 
abstinence  a  mortifying  of  sin  ;  though  the  most  that  can  be  said  of  it  is,  that  sin 
is  only  curbed  or  confined,  and  their  natural  inclinations  to  it  abated,  while  it  is  far 
from  being  dead.  Others  who  will  allow  that  sin  is  of  a  far  larger  extent,  and  in- 
cludes that  which  prevails  in  the  heart,  as  well  as  that  which  renders  itself  visible 
in  the  life,  and  contains  the  omission  of  duties,  as  well  as  the  actual  commission 

g  Rom.  vii.  14.  h  Chap.  viii.  13.  i  Chap.  vi.  14.  k  Chap.  vii.  9. 

comparetl  with  7.  1  Verse  13.  m  Phil.  iii.  6.  n  Hos.  xii.  8. 


SANCTIFICATION.  141 

of  known  sins,  often  take  a  preposterous  method  to  mortify  it.  If  they  are  sensi- 
ble of  the  guilt  which  is  contracted,  they  use  no  other  method  to  be  discharged 
irom  it,  but  to  pretend  to  make  atonement,  either  by  confessing  their  sins,  by  using 
endeavours  to  abstain  from  them,  or  by  the  performance  of  some  duties  of  religion 
by  which  they  think  to  make  God  amends  for  the  injuries  they  have  offered  to  him. 
This,  however,  is  so  far  from  mortifying  sin,  that  it  increases  its  guilt,  and  causes 
it  to  take  deeper  root,  and  afterwards  to  break  forth  in  a  greater 'degree  ;  or  it 
tends  to  stupify  the  conscience,  so  that  they  afterwards  go  on  in  the  way  of  sin, 
with  carnal  security,  and  without  remorse.  Others  think,  that  to  mortify  sin,  is 
nothing  else  but  to  subdue  and  keep  under  their  passions,  at  least  to  such  a  degree 
that  they  may  not,  through  the  irregularity  and  impetuous  violence  of  them,  com- 
mit those  sins  which  they  cannot  but  reflect  upon  with  shame  when  brought  into 
a  more  calm  and  considerate  temper  of  mind.  In  order  to  this,  they  subject  them- 
selves to  certain  rules,  which  the  light  of  nature  will  suggest,  and  the  wiser  heathen 
have  laid  down,  to  induce  persons  to  lead  a  virtuous  life.  They  argue  with  them- 
selves, that  it  is  below  the  dignity  of  human  nature  for  men  to  suffer  their  passions 
to  lead  their  reason  captive,  or  to  do  that  which  betrays  a  want  of  wisdom  as  well  as 
temper.  If  by  this  means  the  exorbitancy  of  their  passions  is  abated,  and  many  sins 
which  it  occasions  are  prevented,  they  conclude  their  lives  to  be  unblemished,  and 
sin  subdued.  Yet  all  they  do  is  nothing  but  a  restraining  of  the  fury  of  their  temper, 
or  the  giving  of  a  check  to  some  sins,  while  sin  in  general  remains  unmortified. ' 

As  to  the  methods  prescribed  by  some  Popish  casuists,  of  emaciating  the  body, 
or  keeping  it  under  by  physic  or  a  sparing  diet,  and  submitting  to  hard  penances, 
not  only  to  atone  for  past  sins,  but  to  prevent  them  for  the  future ;  these  have  not  a 
tendency  to  strike  at  the  root  of  sin,  and  therefore  are  unjustly  called  a  mortifying 
of  it.  For  though  an  abstemious  regular  way  of  living  is  conducive  to  some  valu- 
able ends,  and  though  without  it,  men  are  led  to  the  commission  of  many  sins ;  yet 
it  is  no  expedient  to  take  away  guilt,  nor  does  it  sufficiently  subdue  the  enslaving, 
captivating,  and  prevailing  power  of  indwelling  sin,  which  discovers  itself  in  various 
shapes,  and  attends  every  condition  and  circumstance  of  life.  Equally  useless  are 
those  common  methods  which  many  others  take,  and  which  are  of  a  different  nature. 
When  persons  resolve,  though  in  their  own  strength,  to  break  off  their  sins  by  re- 
pentance, or  when  they  endeavour  to  strengthen  their  resolutions  to  lead  a  virtuous 
life,  when  these  are  weak  and  not  much  regarded  by  them,  their  efforts  will  not 
answer  the  designed  end.  Sin  will  be  too  strong  for  all  their  resolutions ;  and 
the  engagements  with  which  they  bind  themselves  will  be  but  like  the  cords  with 
which  Sampson  was  bound,  which  were  broken  by  him  like  threads.  If  we  rely 
on  our  own  strength,  how  much  soever  we  may  be  resolved  to  abstain  from  sin  at 
present,  God  will  make  us  sensible  of  our  weakness  by  leaving  us  to  ourselves ;  and 
then  how  much  soever  we  resolve  to  abstain  from  sin,  it  will  appear  that  it  is  far 
irom  being  mortified  or  subdued  by  us.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  mortification  of 
sin  cannot  be  performed,  but  by  going  forth  in  the  name  and  strength  of  Christ,  who 
is  able  to  keep  us  from  falling,  or,  when  fallen,  to  recover  us.  This  will  be  found 
in  the  end  to  be  the  best  expedient  for  promoting  this  branch  of  our  sanctification. 

III.  In  carrying  on  the  work  of  sanctification,  we  are  enabled  to  walk  with  God, 
or  before  him,  in  holiness  and  righteousness.  We  are  first  made  alive  in  regener- 
ation ;  and  then  we  put  forth  living  actions.  The  experience  of  this  some  call 
vivification,  as  distinguished  from  that  part  of  sanctification  which  has  been  already 
considered,  namely,  mortification  of  sin.  This  is  what  we  may  call  leading  an  holy 
life  ;  and  we  are  to  understand  by  it  much  more  than  many  do.  They  suppose 
that  it  consists  only  in  the  performance  of  some  moral  duties  which  contain  the 
external  part  of  religion,  without  which  there  would  not  be  the  least  shadow  of 
holiness ;  in  performing  those  duties  which  we  owe  to  men  in  the  various  relations, 
which  we  stand  in  to  them  ;  or,  at  least,  in  keeping  ourselves  clear  of  those  '  pollu- 
tions which  are  in  the  world  through  lust.'0  The  Pharisee,  in  the  gospel,  thought 
himself  an  extraordinarily  holy  person,  because  he  was  no  extortioner,  nor  unjust, 
nor  adulterer,  but  fasted,  paid  tithes,  and  performed  several  works  of  charity. 

o  2  Pet.  i.  4. 


142  SANCTIFICATION. 

Many  also  are  great  pretenders  to  holiness,  who  have  no  other  than  a  form  of  god- 
liness without  the  power  of  it,  or  who  are  more  than  ordinarily  diligent  in  their 
attendance  on  the  ordinances  of  God's  appointment,  though  they  are  far  from  giving 
that  attendance  in  a  right  way,  and  are  like  those  whom  the  prophet  speaks  of,  who 
are  said  to  '  seek  God  daily,  and  to  delight  to  know  his  ways,  as  a  nation  that  did 
righteousness,  and  forsook  not  the  ordinance  of  their  God,'  though  at  the  same  time, 
they  are  said  to  '  fast  for  strife  and  debate,  and  to  smite  with  the  list  of  wickedness. 'p 

That  we  may  consider  several  other  things  which  are  contained  in  a  person's 
leading  an  holy  life,  let  it  be  observed  that  our  natures  must  be  changed.  Sanc- 
tification  always  supposes  and  flows  from  regeneration.  There  must  be  grace  in 
the  heart,  else  it  can  never  discover  itself  in  the  life.  The  root  must  be  good, 
else  the  tree  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit.  The  spring  of  action  must  be  cleansed, 
otherwise  the  actions  themselves  will  be  impure.  Some  persons,  who  are  generally 
strangers  to  the  internal  work  of  grace,  are  very  apt  to  insist  much  on  the  good- 
ness of  their  hearts ;  and  they  sometimes  plead  this  in  excuse  for  the  badness  of 
their  lives ;  while,  in  reality,  they  never  had  a  due  sense  of  the  plague  and  perverse- 
ness  of  their  own  hearts.  Good  actions  must  proceed  from  a  good  principle,  otherwise 
persons  are  in  an  unsanctified  state.  And,  as  these  actions  must  be  conformable 
to  the  rule  laid  down  in  the  word  of  God,  and  performed  in  a  right  manner,  and 
to  the  glory  of  God  as  the  end  designed  by  them  ;  so  they  must  be  performed  by 
faith,  whereby  we,  being  sensible  of  our  own  weakness  and  unworthiness,  depend 
on  Christ  for  assistance  and  acceptance.  This  exercise  of  faith  and  dependence 
must  be  our  constant  work  and  business  ;  whereby  we  are  said  to  walk  with  God, 
as  well  as  to  live  to  him. 

Again,  in  order  to  our  leading  a  holy  life,  we  must  make  use  of  those  motives 
and  inducements  which  are  contained  in  the  gospel.  In  particular,  we  are  to  have 
in  our  view  that  perfect  pattern  of  holiness  which  Christ  has  given  us.  He  has 
'left  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his  steps. '^  Whatever  we  find  in  the 
life  of  Christ,  prescribed  for  our  imitation,  should  be  improved  to  promote  the  work 
of  sanctification.  His  humility,  meekness,  patience,  submission  to  the  divine  will, 
his  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  mankind,  and  his  unfainting  perse- 
verance in  pursuing  the  end  for  which  he  came  into  the  world,  are  all  mentioned 
in  scripture,  not  merely  that  we  should  yield  an  assent  to  the  account  we  have  of 
them  in  the  gospel-history,  but  that  '  the  same  mind  should  be  in  us,  which  was 
also  in  him.'r  •  He,'  says  the  apostle,  '  that  saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought  him- 
self also  to  walk  even  as  he  walked.'8  We  may  add,  that  we  ought  to  set  before 
us  the  example  of  others,  and  be  followers  of  them  so  far  as  they  followed  him. 
Their  example,  indeed,  is  as  much  inferior  to  Christ's,  as  imperfect  holiness  is  to 
that  which  is  perfect ;  yet  it  is  an  encouragement  to  us,  that,  in  following  the  foot- 
steps of  the  flock,  we  have  many  bright  examples  of  those  who,  through  faith  and 
patience,  inherit  the  promises. — Another  motive  to  holiness  is  the  love  of  Christ, 
expressed  in  the  great  work  of  our  redemption,  and  in  that  care  and  compassion 
which  he  has  extended  towards  us  in  the  application  of  it,  in  all  the  methods  he 
has  used  in  beginning  and  carrying  on  the  work  of  grace  ;  in  regard  to  which  we 
may  say,  '  Hitherto  the  Lord  hath  helped  us.'  The  love  of  Christ  ought  to  be  im- 
proved so  as  to  '  constrain  us, '  *  as  he  has  hereby  laid  us  under  the  highest  obliga- 
tion to  live  to  him.  And  as  love  to  Christ  is  the  main  ingredient  in  sanctification ; 
so  when  by  faith  we  behold  him  as  the  most  engaging  and  desirable  object,  it  will 
afford  a  constant  inducement  to  holiness. — Another  motive  to  holiness,  is  our  rela- 
tion to  God  as  his  children,  and  our  professed  subjection  to  him.  As  we  gave  up 
ourselves  to  him  when  first  we  believed,  avouched  him  to  be  our  God,  and,  since 
then,  have  experienced  many  instances  of  his  condescending  goodness  and  faithful- 
ness ;  as  he  has  been  pleased  to  grant  us  some  degrees  of  communion  with  him, 
through  Christ ;  as  he  has  given  us  many  great  and  precious  promises,  and,  in 
various  instances,  made  them  good  to  us ;  and  as  he  has  reserved  an  inheritance 
for  all  that  are  sanctified,  in  that  better  world  to  which  they  shall  at  last  be  brought ; 
so,  on  all  these  grounds,  we  should  be  induced  to  lead  a  life  of  holiness.     '  Having 

p  ha.  lviii.  2.  q  1  Pet.  ii.  21.  r  Phil.  ii.  5  si  John  ii.  6.  t  2  Cor.  v.  14. 


SANCTIFICATION.  143 

these  promises,'  says  the  apostle,  'let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the 
flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.'u 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Doctrine  of  Sanctification. 

1.  From  what  has  been  said  in  explaining  the  doctrine  of  sanctification,  we  may 
infer  the  difference  that  there  is  between  moral  virtue,  so  far  as  it  may  be  attained 
by  the  light  of  nature  and  the  improvement  of  human  reason,  and  that  holiness  of 
heart  and  life  which  includes  all  Christian  virtues,  and  is  inseparably  connected 
with  salvation.  All  who  are  conversant  with  the  writings  of  the  heathen  moralists 
will  find  in  some  of  them  a  great  many  things  which  tend  to  regulate  the  conduct 
of  life,  and  precepts  laid  down  which,  if  followed,  bear  a  great  resemblance  to  the 
grace  of  sanctification.  In  this  matter,  some  who  have  been  destitute  of  the  light 
of  the  gospel  have  very  much  excelled  many  who  bear  the  Christian  name.  When 
we  find  a  lively  representation  of  the  universal  corruption  and  degeneracy  of  human 
nature,  the  disorder  and  irregularity  of  the  affections,  and  man's  natural  propensity 
to  vice  ;  rules  laid  down  for  the  attaining  of  virtue,  by  means  of  which  men  are 
directed  how  to  free  themselves  from  that  slavery  which  they  are  under  to  their 
lusts  ;  and  advice  given  to  press  after  a  resemblance  and  conformity  to  God ;  these 
things  carry  in  them  a  great  show  of  holiness.  A  late  writer  x  has  collected  several 
passages  out  of  their  writings  with  a  design  to  prove  that,  though  they  were 
destitute  of  gospel-light,  yet  they  might  attain  salvation ;  inasmuch  as  they  use 
many  expressions  which  very  much  resemble  the  grace  of  sanctification.  One  of 
them,  for  example,  speaking  concerning  contentment  in  the  station  of  life  in  which 
providence  had  fixed  him,  says,  "A  servant  of  God  should  not  be  solicitous  for  the 
morrow.  Can  any  good  man  fear  that  he  should  want  food  ?  Doth  God  so  neglect 
his  servants,  and  his  witnesses,  as  that  they  should  be  destitute  of  his  care  and 
providence?"  And  he  adds,  "  Did  I  ever,  Lord,  accuse  thee,  or  complain  of  thy 
government  ?  Was  I  not  always  willing  to  be  sick  when  it  was  thy  pleasure  that 
I  should  be  so  ?  Did  I  ever  desire  to  be  what  thou  wouldst  not  have  me  to  be  ? 
Am  I  not  always  ready  to  do  what  thou  commandest  ?  Wilt  thou  have  me  to  con- 
tinue here  ?  I  will  freely  do  as  thou  wiliest.  Or,  wouldst  thou  have  me  depart 
hence  ?  I  will  freely  do  it  at  thy  command.  I  have  always  had  my  will  subject  to 
that  of  God.  Deal  with  me  according  to  thy  pleasure.  I  am  always  of  the  same 
mind  with  thee.  I  refuse  nothing  which  thou  art  pleased  to  lay  upon  me.  Lead 
me  whither  thou  wilt ;  clothe  me  as  thou  pleasest.  I  will  be  a  magistrate,  or  private 
person  ;  continue  me  in  my  country,  or  in  exile ;  I  will  not  only  submit  to  but 
defend  thy  proceedings  in  all  things."  We  might  also  produce  quotations  out  of 
other  writings,  whereby  it  appears  that  some  of  the  heathen  excelled  many  Chris- 
tians in  the  consistency  of  their  sentiments  about  religious  matters  with  the  divine 
perfections  ;  as  when  they  say,  "  Whatever  endowment  of  the  mind  has  a  tendency 
to  make  a  man  truly  great  and  excellent,  is  owing  to  an  internal  divine  influence. "* 
Others,  speaking  of  the  natural  propensity  which  there  is  in  mankind  to  vice, 
maintained  that,  to  guard  against  it,  there  is  a  necessity  of  their  having  assistance 
from  God  in  order  to  their  leading  a  virtuous  life  ;  and  that  virtue  is  not  attained 
by  instruction,  that  is,  not  only  by  that  means,  but  that  it  is  from  God,  and  is  to 
be  sought  for  at  his  hands  by  faith  and  prayer.  Much  to  this  purpose  may  be 
seen  in  the  writings  of  Plato,  Maximus  Tyrius,  Hierocles,  and  several  others.z 

The  principal  use  which  I  would  make  of  the  fact  I  have  been  illustrating,  is  to 
observe  that  it  should  humble  many  Christians,  who  are  far  from  coming  up  to  the 
Heathen  in  the  practice  of  moral  virtue.  As  for  the  sentiments  of  those  who  deny 
the  necessity  of  our  having  divine  influence  in  order  to  our  performing  in  a  right 
manner  the  duties  Which  God  requires  of  us,  they  fall  very  short  of  what  the  light 

u  2  Cor.  vii.  1. 

x  See  Whitby's  Dis.  &c,  page  541,  in  which  he  quotes  Arrian,  as  giving  the  sense  of  Epictetus, 
lib.  i.  cap.  9.  lib.  iii.  cap.  5,  24,  26,  36,  &c. 

y  Vid.  Cic.  de  natura  Deorum,  lib.  ii.    '  Nullus  unquam  vir  magnus  fuit,  sine  aliquo  afflatu  divine' 

z  See  Gale's  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  book  iii.  chap.  i.  and  chap.  x.  and  Wits,  de  QScon.  Feed, 
pages  4G 1—463. 


144  i  SANCTIF1CATI0N. 

of  nature  has  suggested  to  those  who  have  duly  attended  to  it,  though  destitute  of 
divine  revelation.  When  I  meet  with  such  expressions  as  I  have  quoted,  and  many 
other  divine  things,  in  the  writings  of  Plato,  and  what  he  says  of  the  conversation 
of  his  master  Socrates,  both  in  his  life  and  at  his  death,  I  cannot  but  apply  in  this 
case  what  our  Saviour  says  to  the  Scribe  in  the  gospel  who  answered  him  discreetly, 
'  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.'  a  These  things,  it  is  true,  very  much 
resemble  the  grace  of  sanctification  ;  yet,  in  many  respects,  they  fall  short  of  it ; 
inasmuch  as  those  who  maintained  them  had  no  acts  of  faith  in  a  Mediator,  whom 
they  were  altogether  strangers  to,  being  destitute  of  divine  revelation.  It  is  not 
my  design,  at  present,  to  inquire  whether  they  had  any  hope  of  salvation,  this  sub- 
ject having  been  considered  under  a  former  Answer.b  All  that  I  shall  here  observe 
is,  that  some  of  the  best  of  them  were  charged  with  notorious  crimes,  which  a  Chris- 
tian would  hardly  reckon  consistent  with  the  truth  of  grace.  Plato  was  charged 
with  flattering  tyrants,  and  too  much  indulging  pride  and  luxury  ;c  Socrates,  with 
pleading  for  fornication  and  incest,  and  practising  sodomy ;  if  what  some  have 
reported  concerning  them  be  true.d  But,  without  laying  any  stress  on  the  char- 
acter of  particular  persons,  who,  in  other  respects,  have  said  and  done  many  excel- 
lent things  ;  it  is  evident,  that  whatever  appearance  of  holiness  there  may  be  in  the 
writings  or  conversation  of  those  who  are  strangers  to  Christ  and  his  gospel,  falls 
•  short  of  the  grace  of  sanctification.  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  recommend- 
ing or  practising  moral  virtues,  as  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  man,  and  the  dictates 
of  reason  ;  and  a  person's  being  led  in  that  way  of  holiness  which  our  Saviour  has 
prescribed  in  the  gospel.  This  takes  its  rise  from  a  change  of  nature  wrought  in 
regeneration,  is  excited  by  gospel-motives,  is  encouraged  by  promises  of  holy  attain- 
ments, and  proceeds  from  the  grace  of  faith,  without  which  all  pretensions  to  holi- 
ness are  vain  and  defective.  What  advances  soever  the  heathen  moralists  may 
have  made,  in  endeavouring  to  free  themselves  from  the  slavery  of  sin,  they  were 
very  deficient  as  to  its  mortification.  Being  ignorant  of  that  great  atonement 
which  is  made  by  Christ,  as  the  only  expedient  to  take  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  they 
could  not  by  any  method  attain  a  conscience  void  of  offence,  or  any  degree  of  hope 
concerning  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  the  way  of  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Moreover,  their  using  endeavours  to  stop  the  current  of  vice,  and  to  subdue  their 
inordinate  affections,  could  not  be  effectual  to  answer  that  end,  inasmuch  as  they 
were  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  affords  his  divine  assistance  in  order  to 
the  attainment  of  it,  in  no  other  way  than  what  is  prescribed  in  the  gospel.  Hence, 
as  'without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord,'  this  grace  is  to  be  expected  in 
that  way  which  God  has  prescribed  ;  and  every  one  who  is  holy  is  made  so  by  the 
Spirit,  who  glorifies  himself  in  rendering  men  fruitful  in  every  good  work,  they 
being  raised  by  him  from  the  death  of  sin  to  the  life  of  faith  in  Christ ;  which  is  a 
blessing  peculiar  to  the  gospel. 

2.  Since  holiness  is  required  of  all  persons,  as  what  is  absolutely  necessary  to  sal- 
vation, and  is  also  recommended  as  that  which  God  works  in  those  in  whom  the 
gospel  is  made  effectual  to  salvation  ;  we  may  infer  that  no  gospel  doctrine  has 
the  least  tendency  to  lead  to  licentiousness.  The  grace  of  God  may  indeed  be 
abused  ;  and  men  who  are  strangers  to  it  may  take  occasion,  from  '  the  abounding' 
of  that  grace,  to  '  continue  in  sin,'  as  some  did  in  the  apostle's  days  ;  e  but  this  is 
not  the  genuine  tendency  of  the  gospel,  which  is  to  lead  men  to  holiness.  Whatever 
duties  it  engages  to,  are  all  designed  to  answer  this  end  ;  and  whatever  privileges 

a  Mark  xii.  34.  b  See  Quest.  lx.  c  Vid.  G.  J.  Voss.  de  Hist.  Graec.  page  22. 

d  See  Gale's  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  part  iii.  book  i.  chap.  1,  2.  This  learned  writer  having,  in 
some  other  parts  of  that  work,  mentioned  several  things  which  were  praiseworthy  in  some  of  the 
philosophers,  here  takes  occasion  to  speak  of  some  other  things  w  hich  were  great  blemishes  in  them. 
Ill  other  parts  of  this  elahorate  work,  he  proves  that  those  who  lived  in  the  first  ages  of  the  church, 
aiul  were  attached  to  their  philosophy,  were  by  this  means,  as  he  supposes,  led  aside  from  many 
Hi  eat  aud  important  truths  of  the  gospel.  Of  this  number  were  Origen,  Justin  Martyr,  and  several 
others.  He  farther  supposes  that  what  many  of  them  advanced  concerning  the  liberty  of  man's 
will  as  to  what  r.spects  spiritual  things,  gave  occasion  to  the  Pelagians  to  propagate  thos-e  doctrines 
which  were  subversive  of  the  grace  of  God;  and  that  the  Arian  and  Samosatian  heresies  took  their 
ri-e    rom  the  fame  source.     See  part  iii.  book  ii.  chap.  i. 

e  ]{oin.  vi.  1. 


SANCTIFICATION.  145 

are  offered  in  it,  are  all  inducements  to  holiness.  Are  we  '  delivered  out  of  the 
hands  of  our'  spiritual  '  enemies  ? '  It  is  '  that  we  should  serve  him  in  holiness  and 
righteousness  before  him,  all  4he  days  of  our  lives.,f  As  for  the  promises,  they 
are  an  inducement  to  us,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  to  '  cleanse  ourselves  from  all 
filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.'s  And 
every  ordinance  and  providence  should  be  improved  by  us,  to  promote  the  work  of 
sanctification. 

3.  Let  us  examine  ourselves  whether  this  work  be  begun  and  the  grace  of  God 
wrought  in  us  in  truth,  and,  if  so,  whether  it  be  increasing  or  declining  in  our  souls. 
As  to  the  truth  of  grace,  let  us  take  heed  that  we  do  not  think  we  are  something 
when  we  are  nothing,  deceiving  our  own  souls  ;  or  rest  in  a  form  of  godliness,  while 
denying  the  power  of  it,  or  in  a  name  to  live,  while  we  are  dead.  Let  us  think 
that  it  is  not  enough  to  abstain  from  grosser  enormities,  or  engage  in  some  exter- 
nal duties  of  religion,  with  wrong  ends.  If,  upon  inquiry  into  ourselves,  we  find 
that  we  are  destitute  of  a  principle  of  spiritual  life  and  grace,  let  us  not  think 
that,  because  we  have  escaped  some  of  the  pollutions  which  are  in  the  world,  or  do 
not  run  with  others  in  all  excess  of  riot,  we  therefore  lead  holy  lives.  But  rather  let 
us  inquire  whether  the  life  we  live  in  the  flesh  be  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
under  the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  with  great  diffidence  of  our  own  righteousness  and 
strength,  and  firm  dependence  upon  Christ ;  and  whether,  as  the  result  of  this,  we 
are  found  in  the  practice  of  universal  holiness,  and  hate  and  avoid  all  appearance 
of  evil,  using  all  those  endeavours  which  are  prescribed  in  the  gospel,  to  glorify 
him  in  our  spirits,  souls,  and  bodies,  which  are  his.  If  we  have  ground  to  hope 
that  the  work  of  sanctification  is  begun,  let  us  inquire  whether  it  be  advancing  or 
declining  ;  whether  we  go  from  strength  to  strength,  or  make  improvements  in  pro- 
portion to  the  privileges  we  enjoy.  Many  have  reason  to  complain  that  it  is  not 
with  them  as  in  months  past ;  that  grace  is  languishing,  the  frame  of  their  spirits 
in  holy  duties  stupid,  and  they  destitute  of  that  communion  with  God  which  they 
once  enjoyed.  Such  ought  to  remember  whence  they  are  fallen,  and  repent,  and 
do  their  first  works ;  and  beg  of  God,  from  whom  alone  our  fruit  is  derived,  that  he 
would  revive  the  work  of  grace  in  them,  and  cause  their  souls  to  flourish  in  the 
courts  of  his  house,  and  to  bring  forth  much  fruit  unto  holiness,  to  the  glory  of  his 
own  name  and  their  spiritual  peace  and  comfort.  As  for  those  who  are  frequently 
complaining  of  and  bewailing  their  declensions  in  grace,  who  seem  to  others  to  be 
making  a  very  considerable  progress  in  it,  let  them  not  give  way  to  unbelief,  so  far 
as  to  deny  or  set  aside  the  experiences  which  they  have  had  of  God's  presence  with 
them  ;  for  sometimes  grace  grows,  though  without  our  own  observation.  If  they 
are  destitute  of  the  comforts  of  it  or  of  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are  peace, 
assurance,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  let  them  consider  that  the  work  of  sanctifica- 
tion, in  the  present  state,  is,  at  best,  but  growing  up  towards  that  perfection  to 
which  it  has  not  yet  arrived.  If  it  does  not  spring  up  and  flourish,  as  to  those 
fruits  and  effects  of  it  which  they  are  pressing  after  but  have  not  attained,  let  them 
bless  God  if  grace  is  taking  root  downward,  and  is  attended  with  an  humble  sense 
of  their  own  weakness  and  imperfection,  and  an  earnest  desire  for  those  spiritual 
blessings  which  they  are  labouring  after.  This  ought  to  afford  matter  of  thankful- 
ness, rather  than  have  a  tendency  to  weaken  their  hands,  or  induce  them  to  con- 
clude that  they  are  in  an  unsanctified  state  because  of  the  many  hinderances  and 
discouragements  which  attend  their  progress  in  holiness. 

f  Luke  i.  74,  75.  g  2  Cor.  vii.  1. 


II, 


146  REPENTANCE. 


REPENTANCE. 

Question  LXXVI.   What  is Bepentance  unto  life? 

Answer.  Repentance  unto  life  is  a  saving  grace,  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner  by  the  Spirit 
and  Word  of  God ;  wherebv,  out  of  the  sight  and  sense,  not  only  of  the  danger,  but  also  of  the 
filthini'ss  and  odiousness  of  "his  sins,  and  upon  the  apprehension  of  God's  mercy  in  Christ  to  such 
as  are  penitent,  he  so  grieves  for,  and  hates  his  sins,  as  that  he  turns  from  them  all  to  God,  purpos- 
ing and  endeavouring  constantly  to  walk  with  him  in  all  the  ways  of  new  obedience. 

In  discussing  this  Answer  we  shall  consider  that  the  subject  of  repentance  is  a  sinful 
fallen  creature  ;  that,  though  this  is  his  condition,  he  is  naturally  averse  to  the  ex- 
ercise of  repentance,  till  God  is  pleased  to  bring  him  to  it ;  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
brings  him  to  repent ;  and  what  are  the  various  acts  and  effects  of  repentance. 

The  Subjects  of  Bepentance. 

No  one  can  be  said  to  repent  but  a  sinner.  Whatever  other  graces  might  be 
exercised  by  man  in  a  state  of  innocency,  or  shall  be  exercised  by  him  when 
brought  to  a  state  of  perfection  ;  there  cannot,  properly  speaking,  be  any  room  for 
repentance.  Some,  indeed,  have  queried  whether  there  shall  be  repentance  in 
heaven.  But  it  may  easily  be  determined,  that,  though  that  hatred  of  sin  in 
general  and  opposition  to  it  which  is  contained  in  true  repentance,  is  not  inconsis- 
tent with  a  state  of  perfect  blessedness,  as  it  is  inseparably  connected  with  perfec- 
tion of  holiness  ;  yet  a  sense  of  sin,  which  is  afflictive,  and  is  attended  with  grief 
and  sorrow  of  heart  for  the  guilt  and  consequences  of  sin,  is  altogether  inconsistent 
with  a  state  of  perfection ;  and  these  are  some  ingredients  in  that  repentance  which 
comes  under  our  present  consideration.  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  the 
subject  of  repentance  is  a  sinner. 

Man's  Natural  Aversion  to  Bepentance. 

Though  all  sinners  contract  guilt,  expose  themselves  to  misery,  and  will  sooner 
or  later  be  filled  with  distress  and  sorrow  for  what  they  have  done  against  God  ; 
yet  many  have  no  sense  of  it  at  present,  nor  repentance  or  remorse  for  it.  These 
are  described  as  'past  feeling, 'h  as  'hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin,'1 
as  obstinate,  and  having  'their  neck  as  an  iron  sinew,  and  their  brow  as  brass. 'k 
There  are  several  methods  which  they  take  to  ward  off  the  force  of  convictions. 
Sometimes  they  are  stupid,  and  hardly  give  themselves  the  liberty  to  consider  the 
difference  which  there  is  between  moral  good  and  evil,  or  the  natural  obligation 
we  are  under  to  pursue  the  one  and  avoid  the  other.  They  consider  not  the  all- 
seeing  eye  of  God,  which  observes  all  their  actions,  nor  the  power  of  his  anger,  who 
will  take  vengeance  on  impenitent  sinners.  They  regard  not  the  various  aggra- 
vations of  sin,  nor  consider  that  God  will,  for  those  things,  bring  them  to  judg- 
ment. Hence,  impenitency  is  generally  attended  with  presumption  ;  whereby  the 
person  concludes,  though  without  ground,  that  it  shall  go  well  with  him  in  the  end. 
Such  an  one  is  represented  as  blessing  himself  in  his  heart,  saying,  '  I  shall  have 
peace,  though  I  walk  in  the  imagination,'  or  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  in  the  stubborn- 
ness '  of  mine  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst.'1  Or  if,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
cannot  but  conclude  that  with  God  is  terrible  majesty,  that  he  is  a  consuming  fire, 
and  that  none  ever  hardened  themselves  against  him  and  prospered,  and  if  he  does 
not  fall  down  before  him  with  humble  confession  of  sin  and  repentance  for  it,  he 
will  certainly  be  broken  with  his  rod  of  iron  and  dashed  in  pieces  like  a  potter's 
vessel, — broken  with  a  tempest,  and  utterly  destroyed,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled. 
Then  he  resolves  that  some  time  or  other  he  will  repent,  but  still  delays  and  puts  off 
repentance  for  a  more  convenient  season ;  and  though  God  gives  him  space  to  do  it, 

h  E*h.  iv.  19.  i  Heb.  iii.  13.  k  Isa.  xlviii.  4.  1  Deut.  xxix.  19. 


REPENTANCE.  147 

he  repenteth  not.m     Thus  he  goes  on  in  the  greatness  of  his  way,  till  God  visits 
him  with  the  blessings  of  his  goodness,  and  brings  him  to  repentance. 

Repentance  wrought  by  the  Divine  Spirit. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  that  repentance  is  God's  work  ;  or,  as  is  observed  in 
this  Answer,  that  it  is  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Whether  we  consider  it  as  a 
common  or  as  a  saving  grace,  it  is  the  Spirit  that  convinces  or  reproves  the  world  of 
sin.  If  it  be  of  the  same  kind  as  that  which  Pharaoh,  Ahab,  or  Judas  had,  it  is 
excited  by  a  dread  of  God's  judgments,  and  his  wrath  breaking  in  upon  conscience, 
when  he  reproves  for  sin,  and  sets  it  in  order  before  their  eyes.  If  they  are  touched 
with  a  sense  of  guilt,  and,  in  consequence,  stopped  for  the  present,  or  obliged  to 
make  a  retreat,  and  desist  from  pursuing  their  former  methods,  it  is  God,  in  the 
course  of  his  providence,  that  gives  a  check  to  them.  But  this  comes  short  of 
that  repentance  which  is  said  to  be  unto  life,  or  which  is  styled  a  saving  grace  ; 
which  is  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  the  beginning  of  that  saving  work  which 
is  a  branch  of  sanctification,  and  shall  end  in  complete  salvation. 

This  is  expressly  styled,  in  scripture,  '  repentance  unto  life,  'D  inasmuch  as  every 
one  who  is  favoured  with  it  shall  obtain  eternal  life  ;  and  it  is  connected  with  con- 
version and  remission  of  sins,  which  will  certainly  end  in  eternal  salvation.  Thus 
it  is  said,  '  Repent  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the 
times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. '°  For  this  reason  it 
is  called  a  saving  grace,  or  a  grace  which  accompanies  salvation ;  on  which  account 
it  is  distinguished  from  that  repentance  which  some  have  who  yet  remain  in  a  state 
of  unregeneracy.  It  is  also  called  '  repentance  to  salvation,  not  to  be  repented 
of  ;'p  that  is,  it  shall  issue  well ;  and  he  who  thus  repents,  shall,  in  the  end,  have 
reason  to  bless  God,  and  rejoice  in  his  grace,  who  has  made  him  partaker  of  it. 

The  Means  of  Repentance. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  instrument  or  means  whereby  the  Spirit  works 
this  grace.  It  is  said  to  be  '  wrought  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  by  the  word  of 
God,'  as  all  other  graces  are,  except  regeneration,  as  was  formerly  observed.  We 
must  first  suppose  the  principle  of  grace  implanted,  and  the  word  presenting  mo- 
tives and  arguments  leading  to  repentance ;  and  then  the  understanding  is  enlight- 
ened and  disposed  to  receive  what  is  imparted.  The  word  '  calls  sinners  to  repent- 
ance.'i  Hence,  when  this  grace  is  wrought,  we  are  not  only  turned  by  the  power 
of  God,  but  '  instructed  'r  by  the  Spirit's  setting  home  what  is  contained  in  the 
word,  whereby  we  are  led  into  the  knowledge  of  those  things  which  are  necessary 
to  repentance.  The  word  contains  a  display  of  the  holiness  of  the  divine  nature 
and  law,  and  of  our  obligation,  in  conformity  to  it,  to  exercise  holiness  of  heart 
and  life ;  as  God  says,  '  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy.'8  It  contains  also  a  display  of 
the  holiness  of  God  in  his  threatenings,  which  he  has  Renounced  against  every 
transgression  and  disobedience,  which  shall  receive  a  just  recompence  of  reward  ; 
and  in  all  the  instances  of  his  punishing  sin  in  those  who  have  exposed  themselves 
to  its  penalty,  that  hereby  he  might  deter  men  from  it,  and  lead  them  to  repent- 
ance. Accordingly,  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  law  of  God  as  '  holy,  and  the  com- 
mandment holy,  just,  and  good  ;'1  and  of  its  leading  him  into  the  knowledge  of  sin, 
by  which  means  it  appeared  to  be  sin,  that  is,  opposite  to  an  holy  God,  and,  as  he 
expresses  it,  'became  exceeding  sinful.' — Moreover,  by  the  word  of  God  persons 
are  led  into  themselves ;  and  by  comparing  their  hearts  and  lives  with  it,  are  en- 
abled to  see  their  own  vileness  and  want  of  conformity  to  the  rule  which  he  has  given 
them,  the  deceitfulness  and  desperate  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  and  what  occasion 
there  is  to  abhor  themselves,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  Thus  the  apostle,  in  the 
place  just  mentioned,  speaks  of  himself  as  'once  alive  without  the  law  ;  but  when  the 
commandment  came,  sin  revived  and  he  died, '  and  he  concluded  himself  to  be  '  carnal, 

m  Rev.  ii.  21.  n  Acts  xi.  18.  o  Chap.  iii.  19.  p  2  Cor.  vii.  10. 

q  Matt.  ix.  13.  r  Jer.  xxxi.  19.  s  Lev.  xi.  44.  t  Rom.  vii.  12,  13. 


148  REPENTANCE. 

sold  under  sin.*11  This  is  a  necessary  means  leading  to  repentance. — We  may  add  that 
God  makes  use,  not  only  of  the  word,  but  of  his  providences  to  answer  this  end. 
Hence,  he  speaks  of  a  sinning  people,  when  '  carried  away  captive  into  the  land  of 
the  enemy,'  as  'bethinking'  themselves,  and  afterwards  ' repenting  and  making  sup- 
plication to  him.'x  We  read  also  of  sickness  and  bodily  diseases  as  ordained  by  God 
to  bring  persons  to  repentance.  Thus  Elihu  speaks  of  a  person  being  '  chastened 
with  pain  upon  his  bed,  and  the  multitude  of  his  bones  with  strong  pain  ;  his  soul 
drawing  nigh  to  the  grave,  and  his  life  to  the  destroyers  ;'*  and  then  represents 
the  person  thus  chastened,  and  afterwards  recovered  from  his  sickness,  as  acknow- 
ledging that  he  had  '  sinned  and  perverted  that  which  is  right,  and  that  it  profited 
him  not.'  The  apostle  likewise  speaks  of  '  the  goodness  of  God' in  the  various 
dispensations  of  his  providence,  as  '  leading  to  repentance.  'z  But  these  dispensa- 
tions are  always  to  be  considered  in  conjunction  with  the  word,  and  as  impressed 
on  the  consciences  of  men  by  the  Spirit,  in  order  to  their  attaining  this  desir- 
able end. — In  order,  however,  that  we  may  insist  on  this  matter  more  particularly, 
we  must  take  an  estimate  of  repentance,  either  as  it  is  a  common  or  a  special  grace. 
In  both  these  respects  it  is  from  the  Spirit,  and  wrought  by  the  instrumentality  of 
the  word,  applied  to  the  consciences  of  men  ;  but  there  is  a  vast  difference  between 
the  one  and  the  other  in  the  application  of  the  word,  as  well  as  in  the  effects  and 
consequences. 

1.  As  to  those  who  are  brought  under  convictions,  but  not  made  partakers  of  the 
saving  grace  of  repentance,  the  Holy  Spirit  awakens  them,  and  fills  them  with  the 
terrors  of  God,  and  the  dread  of  his  vengeance,  'by  the  law,'  by  which  '  is  the  know- 
ledge of  sin,'  and  '  all  the  world  becomes  guilty  before  God.'a  These  are  what  we 
call  legal  convictions  ;  whereby  the  wound  is  opened,  but  no  healing  medicine  ap- 
plied. The  sinner  apprehends  himself  under  a  sentence  of  condemnation,  but  at  the 
same  time  cannot  apply  any  promise  which  may  afford  hope  and  relief  to  him ;  groans 
under  his  burden,  and  knows  not  where  to  find  ease  or  comfort,  and  dreads  the 
consequences  as  what  would  sink  him  into  hell.  God  appears  to  him  as  a  consum- 
ing fire  ;  his  arrows  stick  fast  in  his  soul ;  the  poison  of  them  drinketh  up  his 
spirits.  If  he  endeavour  to  shake  off  his  fears,  and  to  relieve  himself  against  his 
despairing  thoughts,  he  is,  notwithstanding,  described  as  being  like  '  the  troubled 
sea,'  when  it  'cannot  rest,'  which  'casts  forth  mire  and  dirt.'b  This  is  a  most 
afflictive  case  ;  concerning  which  it  is  said,  that  though  '  the  spirit  of  a  man  will 
sustain  his  infirmity,  a  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear?'c  [See  Note  N,  page  152.] 
Thus  it  is  with  some  when  convinced  of  sin  by  the  law.  But  there  are  others  who 
endeavour  to  quiet  their  consciences  by  using  indirect  methods,  thinking  to  make 
atonement  for  their  sin,  and  by  some  instances  of  external  reformation  to  make 
God  amends,  and  thereby  procure  his  favour,  but  to  no  purpose  ;  for  '  sin  taking 
occasion  by  the  commandment,  works  in  them  all  manner  of  concupiscence.  'd  And 
if  they  grow  stupid,  which  is  often  the  consequence,  their  sense  of  sin  is  entirely 
lost,  and  their  repentance  ends  in  presumption,  and  a  great  degree  of  boldness  in 
the  commission  of  all  manner  of  wickedness. 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  how  the  Spirit  works  repentance  unto  life,  which  is 
principally  insisted  on  in  this  Answer.  This  is  said  to  be  done  by  the  word  of  God ; 
not  by  the  law  without  the  gospel,  but  by  them  both,  the  one  being  made  subser- 
vient to  the  other.  The  law  shows  the  sinner  his  sin,  and  the  gospel  directs  him 
where  he  may  find  a  remedy.  The  one  wounds  and  the  other  heals.  '  The  law 
enters,'  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  '  that  the  offence  might  abound  ;'e  but  the 
gospel  shows  him  how  'grace  does  much  more  abound,'  and  where  he  may  obtain 
forgiveness.  By  this  means  he  is  kept  from  sinking  under  the  weight  of  guilt 
which  lies  on  his  conscience.  The  gospel  also  leads  him,  from  motives  which  are 
truly  excellent,  to  hate  and  abstain  from  sin  ;  for  which  reason  his  repentance  is 
called  evangelical. 

u  Rom.  vii.  9,  14.  x  1  Kings  viii.  46,  47.  y  Job  xxxiii.  19,  27. 

z  Rom.  u.  4.  a  Rom.  iii.  20.  compared  with  19.  b  Isa.  lvii.  20. 

c  Prov.  xviii.  14.  d  Rom.  vii.  8.  e  Rom.  v.  20. 


REPENTANCE.  149 


The  Difference  between  Legal  and  Evangelical  Repentance. 

That  we  may  better  understand  the  nature  of  this  repentance,  we  shall  consider 
how  it  differs  from  that  which  we  before  described,  which  arises  only  from  convic- 
tion of  sin  by  the  law,  which  a  person  may  have  who  is  destitute  of  this  grace  of 
repentance  which  we  are  speaking  of.  Repentance,  of  what  kind  soever  it  be,  in- 
cludes a  sense  of  sin.  But  if  the  sense  of  sin  be  such  as  an  unregenerate  person 
may  have,  it  includes  little  more  than  a  sense  of  the  danger  and  misery  which  he 
has  exposed  himself  to  by  sins  committed.  The  principal  motives  leading  to  it  are 
the  threatenings  which  the  law  of  God  denounces  against  those  who  violate  it.  De- 
struction from  God  is  a  terror  to  him  who  has  such  a  sense  of  sin  ;  and  if  this  were 
not  the  consequence  of  sin,  he  would  be  so  far  from  repenting  of  it,  that  it  would  be 
the  object  of  his  chief  delight.  Besides,  that  guilt  which  he  charges  himself  with  is 
principally  such  as  arises  from  the  commission  of  the  most  notorious  crimes,  which 
expose  him  to  the  greatest  degree  of  punishment.  Repentance  unto  life,  on  the 
contrary,  brings  a  soul  under  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  as  it  is  contrary  to  the 
holy  nature  and  law  of  God,  which  the  least,  as  well  as  the  greatest  sins,  are 
opposed  to,  and  contain  a  violation  of.  He,  therefore,  who  has  this  repentance, 
charges  himself  not  only  with  open  sins  which  are  detestable  in  the  eyes  of  men, 
but  with  secret  sins  which  others  have  little  or  no  sense  of, — sins  of  omission  as 
well  as  sins  of  commission  ;  and  he  is  particularly  affected  with  the  sin  of  unbelief, 
inasmuch  as  it  contains  a  contempt  of  Christ  and  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel.  He 
is  sensible  not  only  of  those  sins  which  break  forth  in  his  life,  but  of  that  propen- 
sity of  nature  whereby  he  is  inclined  to  rebel  against  God.  Hence,  the  sense  of 
guilt  which  he  entertains  differs,  in  some  respects,  from  that  which  those  are 
brought  under  who  are  destitute  of  saving  repentance.  But  that  in  which  they 
more  especially  differ  is,  that  saving  repentance  includes  a  sense  of  the  filth  and 
odious  nature  of  sin,  and  so  considers  it  as  defiling,  or  contrary  to  the  holiness  of 
God,  and  rendering  the  soul  worthy  to  be  abhorred  by  him.  Hence,  as  the  sense 
of  guilt  excites  fear,  and  a  dread  of  the  wrath  of  God  ;  so  this  sense  of  the  odious 
nature  of  sin  fills  him  with  shame,  confusion  of  face,  and  self-abhorrence.  These 
are  inseparably  connected  with  the  grace  of  repentance.  Accordingly,  they  are 
joined  together,  as  Job  says,  '  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes  ;'f  or 
as  God  describes  his  people  when  he  promises  that  he  will  bestow  this  blessing  on 
them,  '  Then  shall  ye  remember  your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  that  were 
not  good,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for  your  iniquities,  and 
for  your  abominations. '&  Before  this  they  set  too  high  a  value  upon  themselves, 
and  were  ready  to  palliate  and  excuse  their  crimes,  or  insist  on  their  innocence, 
though  their  iniquity  was  written  in  legible  characters,  as  with  a  pen  of  iron  and 
the  point  of  a  diamond,  and  to  say  with  Ephraim,  '  In  all  my  labour  they  shall 
find  none  iniquity  in  me  that  were  sin,  'h  and  resembled  the  rebellious  people  con- 
cerning whom  the  prophet  Jeremiah  says,  that  '  though  in  their  skirts  were  found 
the  blood  of  the  souls  of  the  poor  innocents,'  they  had  the  front  to  say,  '  Because 
I  am  innocent,  surely  his  anger  shall  turn  from  me.'1  When,  however,  God  brings 
them  to  repentance,  and  heals  their  backslidings,  they  express  themselves  in  a  very 
different  way :  '  We  lie  down  in  our  shame,  and  our  confusion  covers  us  ;  for  we 
have  sinned  against  the  Lord  our  God.'k  Now,  this  is  such  an  ingredient  in  true 
repentance  as  is  not  be  found  in  that  which  falls  short  of  being  a  saving  grace.  In 
the  latter  case,  the  sinner  is  afraid  of  punishment  indeed,  or  perhaps  he  may  be 
filled  with  shame  because  of  the  reproach  which  attends  his  vile  and  notorious 
crimes  in  the  eyes  of  the  world ;  yet  he  is  not  ashamed  or  confounded,  as  consider- 
ing how  vile  he  has  rendered  himself  in  the  eye  of  a  holy  God. 

There  is  another  thing  observed  in  this  Answer  which  is  an  ingredient  in  repent- 
ance unto  life.  This  repentance  is  connected  with  faith,  inasmuch  as  he  who  is 
the  subject  of  it  apprehends  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  to  such  as  are  penitent ; 
and  this  effectually  secures  him  from  that  despair  which  sometimes,  as  was  before 

f  Job  xlii.  6.        g  Ezek.  xxxvi.^1.         h  Hos.  xii.  8.         i  Jer.  ii.  34,  35.        k  Chap.  iii.  25. 


150  REPENTANCE. 

observed,  attends  a  legal  repentance,  as  well  as  affords  him  relief  against  the  sense 
of  guilt  with  which  this  grace  is  attended.  The  difference  between  legal  and  evan- 
gelical repentance  does  not  so  much  consist  in  the  former  representing  sin  as  more 
aggravated,  or  in  inducing  him  who  is  the  subject  of  it  to  think  himself  a  greater 
sinner  than  the  other  ;  for  the  true  penitent  is  ready  to  confess  himself  the  chief 
of  sinners.  He  is  far  from  extenuating  his  sin  ;  being  ready  on  all  occasions  to 
charge  himself  with  more  guilt  than  others  are  generally  sensible  of.  But  that 
which  he  depends  upon  as  his  only  comfort  and  support  is  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ,  or  the  consideration  that  there  is  forgiveness  with  him  that  he  may  be 
feared.  This  is  what  affords  the  principal  motive  and  encouragement  to  repent- 
ance, and  has  a  tendency  to  excite  the  various  acts  of  it. 

The  Various  Acts  of  Evangelical  Repentance. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  what  are  the  various  acts  of  repentance  unto  life,  or 
what  are  the  fruits  and  effects  produced  by  it. 

1.  The  soul  is  filled  with  hatred  of  sin.  When  he  who  truly  repents  looks 
back  on  his  past  life,  he  bewails  what  cannot  now  be  avoided,  charges  himself 
with  folly  and  madness,  and  wishes,  though  to  no  purpose,  that  he  had  done 
many  things  which  he  has  omitted,  and  avoided  those  sins,  together  with  the 
occasions  of  them,  which  he  has  committed,  the  guilt  of  which  lies  with  great 
weight  upon  him.  How  glad  would  he  be  if  lost  seasons  and  opportunities  of 
grace  might  be  recalled,  and  the  talents  which  were  once  put  into  his  hand, 
though  misimproved,  regained !  But  all  these  wishes  are  in  vain.  These,  how- 
ever, are  the  after-thoughts  which  will  arise  in  the  minds  of  those  who  are 
brought  under  a  sense  of  sin.  Sin  wounds  the  soul.  The  Spirit  of  God,  when 
convincing  of  it,  opens  the  wound,  and  causes  a  person  to  feel  the  smart  of  it,  and 
gives  him  to  know  that  '  it  is  an  evil  thing,  and  bitter,  that  he  has  forsaken  the 
Lord  his  God.'1  This  sometimes  depresses  the  spirits,  and  causes  him  to  walk  softly, 
to  •  sit  alone  and  keep  silence,  'm  being  filled  with  an  uneasiness  which  is  very 
afflictive  to  him.  At  other  times  it  gives  vent  to  itself  in  tears,  '  I  am  weary, '  says 
the  psalmist,  '  with  my  groaning  ;  all  the  night  make  I  my  bed  to  swim  ;  I  water 
my  couch  with  my  tears.'11  In  this  case,  the  only  thing  which  gives  the  penitent  relief 
or  comfort  is,  that  the  guilt  of  sin  is  removed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  tends 
to  quiet  his  spirit,  which  would  otherwise  be  swallowed  up  with  overmuch  sorrow. 
We  may  add  that  sin  is  always  the  object  of  his  detestation,  even  when  there  is  an 
abatement  of  that  grief  which,  by  the  divine  supports  and  comforts,  he  is  protected 
against.  He  hates  sin,  not  merely  because  of  the  sad  consequences  of  it,  but  as 
it  is  in  itself  the  object  of  abhorrence.  His  heart  is  hence  set  against  all  sin  ;  as 
the  psalmist  says,  '  I  hate  every  false  way.'0  This  hatred  discovers  itself  by 
putting  him  upon  fleeing  from  it,  together  with  all  the  occasions  of  it,  or  incentives 
to  it.  He  not  only  abstains  from  those  sins  which  they  who  have  little  more  than 
the  remains  of  moral  virtue  are  ashamed  of  and  afraid  to  commit,  but  hates  every 
thing  which  has  the  appearance  of  sin  ;  and  this  hatred  is  irreconcilable.  As  for- 
giveness does  not  make  sin  less  odious  in  its  own  nature  ;  so  whatever  experience 
he  has  of  the  grace  of  God  in  forgiveness,  or  whatever  measure  of  peace  he  enjoys, 
whereby  his  grief  and  sorrow  are  assuaged,  his  hatred  of  sin  not  only  remains  but 
increases. 

2.  He,  therefore,  turns  from  sin  unto  God.  He  first  hates  sin,  and  then  flees 
from  it ;  seeing  it  to  be  the  spring  of  all  his  grief  and  fears,— that  which  separates 
between  him  and  his  God.  Thus  Ephraim,  when  brought  to  repentance,  and  re- 
flecting with  a  kind  of  indignation  on  his  past  conduct,  when  addicted  to  idols,  is 
represented  as  saying,  •  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?'c  So  the  true 
penitent,  who  has  hitherto  been  walking  in  those  paths  which  lead  to  death  and  de- 
struction, now  inquires  after  the  way  of  holiness,  and  the  paths  of  peace.  As  he 
has  hitherto  walked  contrary  to  God,  now  he  desires  to  walk  with  him  ;  and  having 
wearied  himself  in  the  greatness  of  his  way,  and  seeing  no  fruit  in  those  things 

1  Jer.  ii.  19.  m  Lam.  iii.  28.  n  Psal.  vi.  6.  o  Jsal.  cxix   104.  p  Hos.  xiv.  & 


REPENTANCE.  151 

whereof  he  is  now  ashamed,  and  being  brought  into  the  utmost  straits,  he  deter- 
mines to  return  to  his  God  and  Father.  In  doing  this  he  purposes  and  endeavours 
to  walk  with  him  in  all  the  ways  of  new  obedience.  Accordingly,  the  apostle 
exhorts  those  who  had  received  good  by  his  ministry  that,  '  with  purpose  of  heart, 
they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord.'i  This  purpose  is  not  like  those  hasty  resolutions 
which  unconverted  sinners  make,  when  God  is  hedging  up  their  way  with  thorns, 
and  they  are  under  the  most  distressing  apprehensions  of  his  wrath.  Then  they 
say  as  the  people  did  to  Joshua,  '  We  will  serve  the  Lord  ;'r  though  they  are  not 
sensible  how  difficult  it  is  to  fulfil  the  engagements  which  they  lay  themselves  un- 
der, or  of  the  deceitfulness  of  their  own  hearts,  and  the  need  they  stand  in  of  grace 
from  God  to  enable  them  so  to  do.  This  purpose  to  walk  with  God  does  not  so 
much  respect  what  a  person  will  do  hereafter  ;  but  it  contains  a  resolution  which 
is  immediately  put  in  execution  ;  and  so  is  opposed  to  the  penitent's  former  obsti 
nacy,  when  determining  to  go  on  in  the  way  of  his  own  heart.  Thus  the  prodigal 
son,  in  the  parable,  no  sooner  resolved  that  he  would  '  arise  and  go  to  his  Father,'* 
than  he  arose  and  went.  True  repentance  is  always  attended  with  endeavours 
after  new  obedience  ;  so  that  a  person  lays  aside  that  sloth  and  indolence  which 
was  inconsistent  with  his  setting  a  due  value  on  or  improving  the  means  of  grace. 
As  the  result  of  this,  he  now  exerts  himself,  with  all  his  might,  in  pursuing  after 
those  things  by  which  he  may  approve  himself  God's  faithful  servant.  And  hereby 
he  discovers  the  sincerity  of  his  repentance.  This  he  does,  or  rather  is  enabled 
to  do,  by  that  grace  which  at  first  began  and  then  carries  on  this  work  in  the  soul, 
and  by  which  he  '  has  his  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end'  thereof  'everlasting  life.'* 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Doctrine  of  Repentance. 

1.  From  what  has  been  said  we  may  infer  that,  since  repentance  is  a  grace  which 
accompanies  salvation,  and  consequently  is  absolutely  necessary  to  it,  it  is  an  in- 
stance of  unwarrantable  and  bold  presumption,  for  impenitent  sinners  to  expect 
that  they  shall  be  made  partakers  of  the  benefits  which  Christ  has  purchased,  while 
they  continue  in  a  state  of  enmity,  opposition,  and  rebellion  against  him,  or  that 
they  shall  be  saved  by  him  in  their  sins,  without  being  saved  .from  them.  For  '  he 
that  covereth  his  sins,  shall  not  prosper  ;  but  whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketh  them, , 
shall  have  mercy. 'u 

2.  Since  repentance  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  and  his  gift,  we  infer  that  what- 
ever endeavours  we  are  obliged  to  use,  or  whatever  motives  or  inducements  are 
given  to  lead  us  to  it,  we  must  not  conclude  that  it  is  in  our  own  power  to  repent 
when  we  please.  It  should,  therefore,  be  the  matter  of  our  earnest  and  constant 
prayer  to  God,  that  he  would  turn  our  hearts,  give  us  a  true  sight  and  sense  of  sin, 
accompanied  with  faith  in  Christ ;  as  Ephraim  is  represented,  saying,  '  Turn  thou 
me,  and  I  shall  be  turned.'1 

3.  Let  not  those  who  have  a  distressing  sense  of  their  former  sins,  how  great  so- 
ever they  have  been,  give  way  to  despairing  thoughts  ;  but  let  them  lay  hold  on  the 
mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  extended  to  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  improve  it  to  encour- 
age them,  from  evangelical  motives,  to  hate  sin,  and  forsake  it.  There  will  be  a 
tendency  to  remove  their  fears  while  they  look  on  God,  not  as  a  sin-revenging  judge, 
but  a  reconciled  Father,  ready  and  willing  to  receive  those  who  return  to  him  with 
unfeigned  repentance. 

4.  Since  we  daily  commit  sin,  it  follows  that  we  stand  in  need  of  daily  repent- 
ance. Moreover,  repentance  being  a  branch  of  sanctification,  as  the  latter  is  a 
progressive  work,  so  is  the  former.  We  are  not  to  expect  that  sin  should  be  wholly 
extirpated  while  we  are  in  this  imperfect  state  ;  and  therefore  it  is  constantly  to  be 
bewailed,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  working  effectually  in  us.  avoided  ;  that,  in  con- 
sequence, we  may  have  a  comfortable  hope  that  the  promise  shall  be  fulfilled,  '  They 
that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.'* 

q  Acts  xi.  23.  r  Josh.  xxiv.  21.  s  Luke  xv.  18,  comp.  with  20.  t  Rom.  vi.  22. 

u  Prov.  xxviii.  13.  x  Jer.  xxxi.  18.  y  pga].  exxvi.  5.' 


152  THE  CONNECTION  AND  THE  DIFFERENCE 

[Note  N.  Legal  Convictions  of  Sin. — That  there  are  "  persons  brought  under  convictions  of  sin, 
but  not  made  partakers  of  the  saving  grace  of  repentance,"  is  beyond  doubt.  But  are  we  to  believe 
that  their  convictions  result  from  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  their  soul,  or,  in  other  words, 
that,  like  all  convictions  which  the  Divine  Spirit  produces,  they  spring  up  in  connexion  with  an 
exhibition  to  the  mind  of  the  work  of  Christ  and  the  plan  of  mercy  ?  To  discuss  this  question  here 
would  only  be  to  repeat  in  substance  what  was  said  in  a  former  note,  under  the  title  "  Common 
Grace."  But  I  may  remark  that  when  the  Saviour  spake  of  the  Comforter  coming  to  reprove  the 
world  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment,  he  added,  '  He  will  guide  you  into  all  truth  ;  *  *  * 
he  shall  glorify  me  ;  for  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you,' — that  when,  through 
the  prophet  Zechariah,  he  promised  to  pour  out  upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem,  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications,  he  said,  *  They  shall  look  upon  me  whom 
they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,' — that  the  inspired  comment  upon  the  declaration, 
'  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh,'  points  us  to  the  scenes  of  the  day  of  Pentecost  when  '  all 
were  rilled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues  as  the  Spirit  gave  them 
utterance,'  and  when,  in  connexion  with  the  exhibition  of  Christ  as  the  Saviour,  men  not  only  were 
■  goaded  in  their  heart,'  but  '  received  the  word  gladly,' — and  that,  in  general  throughout  the  scrip- 
tures, the  economical  work  of  the  Divine  Spirit  is  represented  as  a  work  of  grace  and  a  work  con- 
nected with  salvation,  while  such  conviction  of  sin  as  he  produces  is  exhibited  as  resulting  by  means 
of  a  disclosure  to  the  mind,  not  only  of  the  claims  of  the  divine  law,  but  of  the  mediatorial  work  of 
the  Redeemer.  Convictions  of  sin,  therefore,  which  are  not  attended  with  the  saving  grace  of  re- 
pentance, would  seem  to  arise  wholly  from  the  effects  of  God's  general  moral  administration,  making 
impression  upon  man's  natural  conscience.  They  are,  accordingly,  found  to  be  experienced  by  men 
in  all  varieties  of  circumstances, — not  only  as  enjoying  the  ministration  of  the  gospel  and  its  or- 
dinances, but  as  living  amidst  the  ignorance  and  stupidities  of  heathenism.  Mere  conscience,  when 
roused  by  peculiar  occurrences,  has  proverbially  an  agitating  and  even  terrific  power ;  and  it  pro- 
duces or  entertains  convictions  of  sin,  self-accusations  of  guilt,  which,  whether  weak  or  strong,  are 
distinguished  from  the  hallowing  convictions  produced  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  just  by 
their  being  unaccompanied  with  '  the  saving  grace  of  repentance.'  While  conviction  accompanied 
with  grace  is  just  repentance,  or  a  part  of  it,  conviction  unaccompanied  with  grace  is  unmingled 
self-accusation  or  remorse.  Hence,  persons  who  experience  the  latter  may  be  to  the  full^as  miser- 
able as  Dr.  Ridgeley  describes.  It  is  doubtful,  however,  whether  the  passage  which  he  quotes  has 
reference  to  the  misery  arising  from  their  convictions  :  '  The  wicked  are  like  the  troubled  sea,  when 
it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt.'  The  words  would  rather  seem  to  describe  the 
wretchedness  arising  from  the  depravity  of  their  nature, — the  turbulence  and  tempestuousness  of 
their  unholy  passions, — the  tumult  and  agitation  of  proud  and  angry  tempers,  and  of  ungovernable 
and  rabid  lusts,  which  continually  cast  up,  in  the  thoughts  and  conduct,  pollution  and  vfleness  and 
every  thing  at  war  with  tranquillity  or  repose Ed.] 


THE  CONNECTION  AND  THE  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  JUSTI- 
FICATION AND  SANCTIFICATION. 

Question  LXXV1I.  Wherein  do  Justification  and  Sanctification  differ  f 

Answer.  Although  Sanctification  be  inseparably  joined  with  Justification ;  yet  they  differ,  in 
that  God,  in  Justification,  imputeth  the  righteousness  of  Christ;  in  Sanctification,  his  Spirit  infuseth 
grace,  and  enableth  to  the  exercise  thereof;  in  the  former  sin  is  pardoned,  in  the  other  it  is  sub- 
dued ;  the  one  doth  equally  free  all  believers  from  the  revenging  wrath  of  God,  and  that  perfectly 
in  this  life,  that  they  never  fall  into  condemnation,  the  other  is  neither  equal  in  all,  nor  in  this  life 
perfect  in  any,  but  growing  up  to  perfection. 

Tms  Answer  being  principally  a  recapitulation  of  what  is  contained  in  those  which 
have  been  already  insisted  on,  wherein  the  doctrine  of  justification  and  sanctifica- 
tion are  particularly  explained,  we  shall  not  much  enlarge  on  it.  But  as  there  are 
some  who  suppose  that  one  of  these  graces  may  be  attained  without  the  other ; 
and  as  others  confound  them,  as  though  to  be  justified  and  to  be  sanctified  implied 
the  same  thing ;  we  shall  briefly  consider,  first,  what  is  supposed  in  this  Answer, 
namely,  that  justification  and  sanctification  are  inseparably  joinod  together,  and 
next,  what  is  directly  contained  in  the  Answer,  namely,  somo  things  in  which  justi- 
fication and  sanctification  differ. 

The  Connection  between  Justification  and  Sanctification. 

Sanctification  and  justification  are  inseparably  joined  together  ;  so  that  no  one 
has  a  warrant  to  claim  the  one  without  the  other.  This  appears  from  the  fact  that 
they  are  graces  which  accompany  salvation.     When  the  apostle  connects  justilica- 


BETWEEN  JUSTIFICATION  AND  SANCTIFICATION.  153 

tion  and  effectual  calling  together  in  the  golden  chain  of  our  salvation,2  he  includes 
sanctification  in  this  calling.  Elsewhere,  when  Christ  is  said  to  be  '  made  righte- 
ousness and  redemption'  to  us  for  our  justification,  he  is,  at  the  same  time,  said  to 
be  made  'wisdom  and  sanctification. 'a  We  are  also  said  to  be  'saved  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost, ' b  which  is  the  beginning 
of  the  work  of  sanctification,  'that,  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made 
heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life.'  Speaking  of  some  who  were  once  great 
sinners,  and  afterwards  made  true  believers,  the  apostle  says,  that  they  were 
'washed,  sanctified,  and  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit 
of  our  God.'c  And  when  God  promises  to  pardon  and  '  pass  by  the  transgression 
of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage,' d  he  also  gives  them  ground  to  expect  that  he  would 
'  subdue  their  iniquities.'  The  former  of  these  he  does  in  justification ;  the  latter, 
in  sanctification. 

From  the  connection  which  there  is  between  justification  and  sanctification,  we 
infer  that  no  one  has  ground  to  conclude  that  his  sins  are  pardoned,  and  that  he 
shall  be  saved,  while  he  is  in  an  unsanctified  state.  For  as  such  a  supposition 
tends  to  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness ;  so  it  separates  what  he  has  joined 
together,  and,  in  those  who  entertain  it,  is  a  certain  evidence  that  they  are  neither 
justified  nor  sanctified.  Let  us  therefore  give  diligence  to  evince  the  truth  of  our 
justification,  by  our  sanctification  ;  or  that  we  have  a  right  and  title  to  Christ's 
righteousness,  by  the  life  of  faith,  and  the  exercise  of  all  those  other  graces  which 
accompany  or  flow  from  it. 

The  Difference  between  Justification  and  Sanctification. 

We  have,  in  this  Answer,  an  account  of  some  things  in  which  justification  and 
sanctification  differ. 

1.  '  In  justification  God  imputes  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to  us  ;  whereas,  in 
sanctification  the  Spirit  inmseth  grace  and  enableth  to  the  exercise  thereof.'  What 
it  is  for  God  to  impute  Christ's  righteousness  has  been  already  considered.  We 
shall  at  present,  therefore,  make  only  one  additional  remark.  The  righteousness 
whereby  we  are  justified  is,  without  us,  wrought  out  by  Christ  for  us, — so  that  it 
is  'by  his  obedience,'  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  that  'we  are  made  righteous  ;'e 
and  that  which  Christ  did  as  our  surety,  is  placed  to  our  account  and  accepted  by 
the  justice  of  God  as  if  it  had  been  done  by  us.  In  sanctification,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  are  wrought  and  excited  in  us ;  and  we  are  denomi- 
nated holy,  and  our  right  to  eternal  life  is  evinced,  though  not  procured. 

2.  In  justification  sin  is  pardoned ;  in  sanctification  it  is  subdued.  The  former 
takes  away  its  guilt ;  the  latter  its  reigning  power.  When  sin  is  pardoned,  it  shall 
not  be  our  ruin  ;  yet  it  gives  us  daily  disturbance  and  uneasiness,  makes  work  for 
repentance,  and  is  to  be  opposed  by  our  dying  to  it,  and  living  to  righteousness. 
This  is,  therefore,  sufficiently  distinguished  from  justification  ;  which  is  also  to  be 
considered  as  a  motive  or  inducement  leading  to  it. 

3.  Justification  equally  frees  all  believers  from  the  avenging  wrath  of  God,  in 
which  respect  it  is  perfect  in  this  life,  so  that  a  justified  person  shall  never  fall  into 
condemnation  ;  whereas,  the  work  of  sanctification  is  not  equal  in  all,  not  perfect 
in  this  life,  but  growing  up  to  perfection.  For  understanding  this,  let  us  consider 
that  when  we  speak  of  justification  as  perfect  in  this  life,  or  say  that  all  are  equally 
justified,  we  mean  that  when  God  forgives  one  sin,  he  forgives  all ;  so  that,  as  the 
apostle  says,  '  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus. 'f  And 
he  adds,  '  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  it  is  God  that 
justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  it  is  Christ  that  died.'s  Were  it  not  so, 
a  person  might  be  said  to  be  justified,  and  not  have  a  right  to  eternal  life,  which 
implies  a  contradiction  ;  for  though  he  might  be  acquitted,  as  to  the  guilt  charged 
upon  him  by  one  indictment,  he  would  be  condemned  by  that  which  is  contained 
in  another.     We  may  hence  infer,  that  all  justified  persons  have  an  equal  right  to 

z  Rom.  viii.  30.  a  1  Cor.  i.  31.  b  Tit.  iii.  5.  c  1  Cor.  vi.  11. 

d  Micah  vii.  18,  19.  e  Rom.  v.  19.  f  Chap.  viii.  1.  g  Verses  33,  34. 

II.  U 


154  THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCT1FICAT10N. 

conclude  themselves  discharged  from  guilt,  and  the  condemning  sentence  of  the 
law  of  God  ;  though  all  cannot  see  their  right  to  claim  this  privilege  by  reason  of 
the  weakness  of  their  faith.  Sanctihcation,  on  the  other  hand,  is  far  from  being 
equal  in  all ;  for  the  best  of  believers  have  reason  to  complain  of  the  weakness  of 
their  faith,  and  the  imperfection  of  all  other  graces  which  are  wrought  in  them  by 
the  Spirit.  If  it  be  inquired  whence  this  imperfection  of  sanctification  arises,  a 
reply  will  be  given  under  the  following  Answer. 


THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 

QUESTION  LXXVIII.   Whence  ariseth  the  imperfection  of  sanctification  in  believers? 

Answer.  The  imperfection  of  sanctification  in  believers  ariseth  from  the  remnants  of  sin  abiding 
in  everv  part  of  them,  and  the  perpetual  1  listings  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  whereby  they  are 
often  foiled  with  temptations,  and  fall  into  many  sins,  are  hindered  in  all  their  spiritual  services, 
and  their  best  works  are  imperfect  and  defiled  in  the  sight  of  God. 

In  this  Answer,  we  may  consider,  first,  that  there  is  something  supposed,  namely, 
that  the  work  of  sanctification  is  imperfect  in  this  life,  or  that  there  are  the  rem- 
nants of  sin  still  abiding  in  the  best  of  men  ;  secondly,  in  what  the  imperfection  of 
sanctification  more  especially  discovers  itself,  and  in  particular,  what  we  are  to 
understand  by  the  lusting  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit ;  and  thirdly,  the  conse- 
quences of  this,  namely,  their  being  foiled  with  temptations,  falling  into  many  sins, 
and  being  hindered  in  their  spiritual  services. 

The  Imperfection  of  Believers. 

The  thing  supposed  in  this  Answer,  that  the  work  of  sanctification  is  imperfect 
in  this  life,  must  be  allowed  by  all  who  are  not  strangers  to  themselves.  It  is  said, 
'  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth,  that  doeth  good,  and  sinneth  not.'h  Fine  gold 
is  not  without  a  mixture  of  some  baser  metal  or  alloy  ;  even  so,  our  best  frames  of 
spirit,  when  we  think  ourselves  nearest  heaven,  or  when  we  have  most  communion 
with  God,  are  not  without  a  tincture  of  indwelling  sin,  which  is  easy  to  be  discerned 
in  us.  Whatever  grace  we  exercise,  there  are  some  defects  attending  it,  with  re- 
spect either  to  the  manner  of  its  exerting  itself,  or  to  the  degree  of  it.  Perfection, 
therefore,  how  desirable  soever  it  be,  is  a  blessing  which  we  cannot  at  present  attain 
to.  And  if  it  be  thus  with  us  when  at  the  best,  we  shall  find  that,  at  other  times, 
corrupt  nature  not  only  discovers  itself,  but  gives  us  great  interruption  and  disturb- 
ance ;  so  that  the  work  of  sanctification  seems  to  be,  as  it  were,  at  a  stand,  and  we 
are  induced  to  question  the  truth  and  sincerity  of  our  graces.  If,  notwithstanding 
this,  we  have  sufficient  ground  to  conclude  that  our  hearts  are  right  with  God ;  we 
are  still  obliged  to  say  with  the  apostle,  that  we  are  '  carnal,  sold  under  sin, '  and 
that,  'when  we  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  us.''  This  is  an  undeniable 
proof  of  the  imperfection  ot  the  work  of  sanctification. 

The  contrary  opinion  is  maintained  by  many  ;  who  pretend  that  perfection  is 
attainable  in  this  life.  To  gain  countenance  to  their  opinion,  they  refer  to  some 
scriptures  in  which  persons  are  characterized  as  4  perfect '  men,  and  to  others  in 
which  perfection  is  represented  as  a  duty  incumbent  on  us.  Thus  our  Saviour  says, 
'  Be  ye  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect  ;'k  and  the  apos- 
tle, in  his  valedictory  exhortation  to  the  church,  advises  them  to  '  be  perfect,'  as  well 
as  '  of  one  mind,'  as  they  expected  that  the  God  of  love  and  peace  should  be  with 
them.1  These  scriptures,  however,  speak  not  of  a  sinless  perfection,  but  of  such  a 
pertection  as  is  opposed  to  hypocrisy  ;  as  Hezekiah  says  concerning  himself,  that  he 
had  '  walked  before  the  Lord  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart. 'm  The  perfection  of 
those  who  are  thus  described  in  scripture,  is  explained  as  denoting  their  uprightness. 

h  Eccl.  vii.  20.  i  Rom.  vii.  14,  compared  with  21.  k  Matt.  v.  48. 

1  2  Cor.  xiii.  II.  m  isa.  xxxviii.  3. 


THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION.  155 

Thus  Job  is  described  as  '  a  perfect  and  upright  man,  one  that  feared  God  and  eschew- 
ed evil  ;'n  though  he  elsewhere  disclaims  anj  pretensions  to  a  sinless  perfection,  and 
says,  '  If  I  say  I  am  perfect,  mine  own  mouth  shall  prove  me  perverse.'  °  So  when 
Noah  is  said  to  have  been  '  perfect  in  his  generations, '  the  statement  is  explained 
as  denoting  that  he  was  a  'just '  or  an  '  holy  man,'  and  one  that  '  walked  with  God.'? 
As  for  scriptures  which  speak  of  perfection  as  a  duty  incumbent  on  us,  they  are  to 
be  understood,  not  concerning  a  perfection  of  degrees,  but  concerning  the  perfection 
of  grace,  as  to  those  essential  parts  of  it  without  which  it  could  not  be  denominated 
true  and  genuine.  True  grace  is  perfect  indeed,  as  it  contains  those  necessary  in- 
gredients whereby  an  action  is  denominated  good  in  all  its  circumstances,  in  opposi- 
tion to  that  which  is  so  only  in  some  respects  ;  and  therefore  it  must  proceed  from 
a  good  principle,  a  heart  renewed  by  regenerating  grace  ;  it  must  be  agreeable  to 
the  rule  which  God  has  prescribed  in  the  gospel,  and  be  performed  in  a  right  man- 
ner and  for  right  ends.  Thus  a  person  may  be  said  to  be  a  perfect  man,  just  as  a 
new-born  infant  is  denominated  a  man,  as  having  all  the  essential  perfections  of  the 
human  nature,  though  not  arrived  at  that  perfection,  in  other  respects,  to  which  it 
shall  afterwards  attain.  Accordingly,  grace,  when  described  in  scripture  as  perfect, 
is  sometimes  explained  by  a  metaphorical  allusion  to  a  state  of  perfect  manhood,  in 
opposition  to  that  of  children.  In  this  manner  the  apostle  speaks  of  some,  whom 
he  represents  as  '  being  of  full  age,' — where  the  same  word  is  used  '  which  is  else- 
where rendered  '  perfect ;'  and  these  he  opposes  to  others  whom  he  had  been  speak- 
ing of  as  weak  believers,  or  'babes  '  in  Christ.1"  Elsewhere  also  he  speaks  of  the 
church,  which  he  styles  '  the  body  of  Christ,'  as  arrived  at  a  state  of  manhood,  and 
so  calls  it '  a  perfect  man,'  which  had  attained  '  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  ful- 
ness of  Christ ' — still  alluding  to  that  stature  at  which  persons  arrive  when  they  are 
adult ;  and  these  he  opposes  in  the  following  words,  to  children,  who,  through  the 
weakness  of  their  faith,  were  liable  to  be  '  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with 
every  wind  of  doctrine.'3  Moreover,  in  other  places  where  Christians  are  described 
as  perfect,  there  is  a  word  used  which  signifies  their  having  that  internal  furniture 
whereby  they  are  prepared  or  disposed  to  do  what  is  good.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks 
of  'the  man  of  God  '  being  '  perfect,'  *  that  is,  '  throughly  furnished  unto  all  good 
works.'"  Elsewhere  also  he  prays  for  those  to  whom  he  writes,  that  God  would 
'make  them  perfect  in,'  or  for,  '  every  good  work,'  to  the  end  'that  they  may  do 
his  will.'1  This  is  such  a  perfection  as  is  necessary  to  our  putting  forth  any  act  of 
grace  ;  and  therefore  does  not  in  the  least  infer  that  perfection  which  they  plead 
for  whom  we  are  now  opposing. 

Indeed,  they  take  occasion  to  defend  their  doctrine,  not  merely  from  the  sense 
they  give  of  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  persons  being  perfect, — which  they  can- 
not but  suppose  may  be  otherwise  understood  ;  but  the  main  thing  from  which  they 
defend  it  is  the  opinion  that  God  does  not  require  sinless  perfection  of  fallen  man, 
inasmuch  as  that  is  impossible, — and  that  therefore  he  calls  that  perfection  which 
includes  our  using  those  endeavours  to  lead  a  good  life  which  are  in  our  own  power. 
This  opinion  is  agreeable  to  the  Pelagian  scheme,  and  to  that  which  the  Papists 
maintain  ;  who  make  farther  advances  on  the  Pelagian  hypothesis,  and  assert,  not 
only  that  men  may  attain  perfection  in  this  life,  but  that  they  may  arrive  at  such 
a  degree  of  it  as  exceeds  the  demands  of  the  law,  and  perform  works  of  supereroga- 
tion. This  doctrine  is  calculated  to  establish  that  of  justification  by  works.  What 
may  be  alleged  in  opposition  to  it  is,  that  it  is  disagreeable  to  the  divine  perfections, 
and  a  notorious  making  void  of  the  law  of  God,  to  assert  that  our  obligation  to  yield 
perfect  obedience  ceases,  because  we  have  lost  our  power  to  perform  it ;  as  though 
a  person's  being  insolvent,  were  a  sufficient  excuse  for  his  not  paying  a  just  debt. 
We  must  distinguish  between  God's  demanding  perfect  obedience  as  an  outstanding 
debt,  which  is  consistent  with  the  glory  of  his  holiness  and  sovereignty  as  a  law- 
giver ;  and  his  determining  that  we  shall  not  be  saved,  unless  we  perform  it  in  our 

ii  Job  i.  1,  compared  with  8.  o  Cliap.  ix.  20.  p  Gen.  vi.  9.  q  TtXuei. 

r   l!<  t>.  v.  13,  i4.  s  Eph.  iv.  13,  14.         t  Ajt/«,-.  u  2  Tim.  iii.  17. 

x  The  word  is  xarafrirai;  which  signifies  to  give  them  an  internal  disposition  or  fitness  for  the 
performance  oi  the  duties  which  they  were  to  engage  in.     lleb.  xiii.  21. 


156  THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 

own  persons.  Wo  also  distinguish  between  his  connecting  a  right  to  eternal  life 
with  our  performing  perfect  obedience,  as  what  he  might  justly  insist  on  according 
to  the  tenor  of  the  first  covenant,  as  our  Saviour  tells  the  young  man  in  the  gospel, 
'  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments  ;'?  and  his  resolving  that  we 
shall  not  be  saved,  unless  we  are  able  to  perform  it.  The  gospel  proposes  another 
expedient,  namely,  that  they  who  were  obliged  to  yield  perfect  obedience,  and  ought 
to  be  humbled  for  their  inability  to  perform  it,  should  depend  on  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, which  is  the  foundation  of  their  right  to  eternal  life  ;  in  which  respect  they 
are  said  to  be  perfect  or  4  complete  in  him.'z  This  is  the  only  just  notion  of  per- 
fection, as  attainable  in  this  life.  To  conclude  this  Head,  it  is  very  unreasonable 
for  a  person  to  suppose  that  God  will  abate  some  part  of  the  debt  of  perfect  obe- 
dience, and  so  to  call  our  performing  those  works  which  have  many  imperfections 
adhering  to  them,  a  state  of  perfection.  To  do  this,  is  to  make  it  an  easier  matter 
to  be  a  Christian  than  God  has  made  it.  Thus  concerning  the  thing  supposed  in 
this  Answer,  namely,  that  the  work  of  sanctification  is  imperfect  in  this  life. 

Why  Believers  are  allowed  to  be  Imperfect. 

But  before  we  pass  to  another  subject,  we  shall  inquire  why  God  does  not  bring 
this  work  to  perfection  at  once  ;  which  he  could  easily  have  done,  and,  as  is  cer- 
tain, will  do  when  he  brings  the  soul  to  heaven.  Now,  let  it  be  considered  in  gen- 
eral, that  it  is  not  meet  for  us  to  say  unto  God,  Why  dost  thou  thus  ?  especially 
considering  that  this,  as  well  as  many  of  his  other  works,  is  designed  to  display  the 
glory  of  his  sovereignty  ;  which  very  eminently  appears  in  the  beginning,  carrying 
on,  and  perfecting  the  work  of  grace.  We  may  as  well  ask  the  reason,  why  he  did  not 
begin  the  work  of  sanctification  sooner,  or  why  he  makes  use  of  this  or  that  instrument 
or  means  rather  than  another  to  effect  it.  These  things  are  to  be  resolved  into  his 
own  pleasure.  But  as  it  is  evident  that  he  does  not  bring  this  work  to  perfection  in 
this  world,  we  may  adore  his  wisdom  in  this  arrangement,  as  well  as  his  sovereignty. 

1.  Hereby  he  gives  his  people  occasion  to  exercise  repentance  and  godly  sorrow 
for  their  former  sins  committed  before  they  were  converted.  Perfect  holiness 
would  admit  of  no  occasion  to  bring  past  sins  to  remembrance  ;  but  when  we  sin 
daily,  and  have  daily  need  of  the  exercise  of  repentance  and  godly  sorrow,  we  have 
occasion  to  entertain  a  more  sensible  view  of  past  sins.  When  corrupt  nature  dis- 
covers itself  in  those  who  are  converted,  they  take  occasion  to  consider  how  they 
have  been  transgressors  from  the  womb.  Thus  David,  when  he  repented  of  his  sin 
in  the  matter  of  Uriah,  at  the  same  time  that  he  aggravated  the  guilt  of  this  crime 
as  it  justly  deserved,  he  called  to  mind  his  former  sins  from  his  very  infancy,  and 
charged  that  guilt  upon  himself  which  he  brought  into  the  world :  '  Behold  I  was 
shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me.'a  And  when  Job  considers 
God's  afflictive  providences  towards  him,  as  designed  to  bring  sin  to  remembrance, 
and  desires  that  he  would  'make  him  to  know  his  transgression  and  his  sin  ;'  he 
adds,  '  Thou  writest  bitter  things  against  me,  and  makest  me  to  possess  the  iniqui- 
ties of  my  youth. 'b  Sins  committed  after  conversion  were  brought  to  mind,  and 
ordered  as  a  means  to  humble  him  for  those  which  were  committed  before  it.  As 
for  sius  committed  before  conversion,  they  cannot,  till  he  who  has  committed  them 
be  converted,  be  said  to  be  truly  repented  of ;  for  to  say  that  they  can  would  be  to 
suppose  the  grace  of  repentance  antecedent  to  conversion.  Hence,  if  the  work  of 
sanctification  were  to  be  immediately  brought  to  perfection,  perfect  holiness  would 
here  be  as  much  attended  with  perfect  happiness  as  it  is  in  heaven,  and  consequently 
godly  sorrow  would  be  no  more  exercised  on  earth  than  it  is  there.  But  God,  in  or- 
dering the  gradual  progress  of  the  work  of  sanctification,  attended  with  the  remains 
of  sin,  gives  occasion  to  many  humbling  reflections,  tending  to  excite  unfeigned 
repentance,  not  only  for  sins  committed  after  they  had  experienced  the  grace  of 
God,  but  for  those  great  lengths  they  ran  in  sin  before  they  tasted  that  the  Lord 
was  gracious.  On  this  account,  he  does  not  bring  the  work  of  sanctification  to 
perfection  in  this  present  world. 

y  Matt  xix.  16.  z  Col.  ii.  10.  a  Psal.  li.  5.  b  Job  xiii.  23,  26. 


THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION.  157 

2.  Another  reason  of  this  dispensation  of  providence  is,  that  believers,  from  their 
own  experience  of  the  breakings  forth  of  corruption,  together  with  the  guilt  they 
contract  thereby,  and  the  advantage  they  receive  in  gaining  any  victory  over  it, 
may  be  qualified  to  administer  suitable  advice  and  warning  to  those  who  are  in  a 
state  of  unregeneracy,  that  they  may  be  persuaded  to  see  the  evil  of  sin,  which  at 
present  they  do  not. 

3.  God  farther  orders  this,  that  he  may  give  occasion  to  his  people  to  exercise  a 
daily  conflict  with  indwelling  sin.  He  suffers  it  to  give  them  great  disturbance  and 
uneasiness,  that  they  may  be  induced  to  endeavour  to  mortify  it,  and  be  found  in 
the  exercise  of  such  graces  as  are  adapted  to  an  imperfect  state.  These  graces 
cannot  be  exercised  in  heaven ;  nor  could  they  be  exercised  on  earth,  were  believers 
to  be  brought  into  a  sinless  state  and  remain  in  it  while  here  ;  particularly  there 
could  not  be  any  acts  of  faith,  in  managing  that  conflict  whereby  they  endeavour 
to  stand  their  ground  while  exposed  to  the  difficulties  which  arise  from  the  per- 
petual lustings  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit. 

How  the  Imperfection  of  Sanctification  is  displayed. 

We  are  now  led  to  inquire  in  what  the  imperfection  of  sanctification  more  especially 
discovers  itself.  This  it  does  in  the  weakness  of  every  grace  which  we  are  at  any 
time  enabled  to  act,  and  in  the  many  failures  we  are  chargeable  with  in  the  perfor- 
mance of  every  duty  incumbent  upon  us  ;  so  that,  as  appears  from  what  was  said 
under  a  former  Head  concerning  perfection  as  not  attainable  in  this  life,  if  an  exact 
scrutiny  were  made  into  our  best  actions,  and  they  weighed  in  the  balance,  they 
would  be  found  very  defective.  But  the  imperfection  of  sanctification  more  parti- 
cularly appears,  as  is  observed  in  this  Answer,  from  the  perpetual  lustings  of  the 
flesh  against  the  spirit.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks  of  '  the  flesh  lusting  against  the 
spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh,'0  and  of  the  contrariety  of  the  one  to  the  other, 
'  so  that  we  cannot  do  the  things  that  we  would  ;'  and  he  points  himself  out  as  an 
instance  when  he  says,  '  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good 
thing  ;  for  to  will  is  present  with  me,  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find 
not.  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not ;  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  'd 
This  reluctance  and  opposition  to  what  is  good,  he  lays  to  the  charge  of  sin  which 
dwelt  in  him,  which  he  considers  as  having,  as  it  were,  the  force  of  a  law.  In  par- 
ticular, he  styles  it  'the  law  of  his  members  warring  against  the  law  of  his  mind  ;' 
which  is  the  same  thing  as  the  lusting  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit.  It  hence 
appears  that,  when  God  implants  a  principle  of  grace  in  regeneration,  and  carries 
on  the  work  of  sanctification  in  believers,  he  does  not  wholly  destroy  or  root  out 
those  habits  of  sin  which  were  formerly  in  the  soul,  but  enables  us  to  militate 
against  and  overcome  them  by  his  implanting  and  exciting  a  principle  of  grace. 
Hence  arises  this  conflict  which  we  are  to  consider. 

Indwelling  sin  is  constantly  opposing  the  principle  of  grace  ;  but  it  does  not 
always  prevail  against  it.  The  event  or  success  of  this  combat  is  various,  at  dif- 
ferent times.  When  corrupt  nature  prevails,  the  principle  of  grace, -though  not 
wholly  extinguished,  remains  inactive,  or  does  not  exert  itself  as  at  other  times. 
All  grace  becomes  languid,  and  there  appears  but  little  difference  between  the  be- 
liever and  an  unbeliever.  He  falls  into  very  great  sins,  whereby  he  wounds  his 
own  conscience,  grieves  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  makes  sad  work  for  a  bitter  repent- 
ance, which  will  afterwards  follow.  But  as  the  principle  of  spiritual  life  and  grace 
is  not  wholly  lost,  it  will  some  time  or  other  be  excited,  and  then  will  oppose  the 
flesh  or  the  corruption  of  nature,  and  maintain  its  ground  against  it ;  and,  as  the 
result,  those  acts  of  grace  will  be  again  put  forth  which  were  before  suspended. 

Having  thus  given  an  account  of  the  conflict  between  indwelling  sin  and  grace, 
we  shall  now  more  particularly  show  how  the  habits  of  sin  exert  themselves  in  those 
who  are  unregenerate,  where  there  is  no  principle  of  grace  to  oppose  them,  and  then 
how  they  exert  themselves  in  believers,  what  opposition  is  made  to  them  by  the 

c  Gal.  v.  19.  d  Rom.  vii.  18—23. 


158  THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 

principle  of  grace  in  them,  and  how  it  comes  to  pass  that  sometimes  the  one  prevails, 
and  sometimes  the  other. 

1.  We  shall  consider  those  violent  efforts  which  are  made  by  corrupt  nature,  in 
those  who  are  unregenerate.  Though  there  is  no  principle  of  grace  in  such  per- 
sons to  enable  them  to  withstand  these  ;  yet  they  have  a  conflict  in  their  own 
spirits.  There  is  something  in  nature  which,  for  a  time,  keeps  them  from  comply- 
ing with  temptations  to  the  greatest  sins  ;  though  the  flesh,  or  that  propensity 
which  is  in  them  to  sin,  will  prevail  at  last,  and  lead  them  from  one  degree  of  im- 
piety to  another,  unless  prevented  by  the  grace  of  God.  Here  the  conflict  is  be- 
tween corrupt  nature  and  an  enlightened  conscience.  This  is  the  case  more 
especially  in  those  who  have  had  the  advantage  of  a  religious  education,  and  the 
good  example  of  some  whom  they  have  conversed  with,  whereby  they  have  con- 
tracted some  habits  of  moral  virtue  which  are  not  immediately  extinguished.  It 
is  not  an  easy  matter  to  persuade  them  to  commit  those  gross  and  scandalous  sins 
which  others,  whose  minds  are  blinded,  and  whose  hearts  are  hardened  to  a  greater 
degree  by  the  deceitfulness  of  sin,  commit  with  greediness  and  without  remorse. 
The  principles  of  education  are  not  immediately  broken  through  ;  for  in  this  case 
men  meet  with  a  great  struggle  in  their  own  breasts,  before  they  entirely  lose 
them  ;  and  they  proceed,  by  various  steps,  from  one  degree  of  wickedness  to  an- 
other.6 A  breach  is  first  made  in  the  fence,  and  afterwards  widened  by  a  continu- 
ance in  the  same  sins,  or  by  committing  new  ones,  especially  such  as  have  in  them 
a  greater  degree  of  presumption.  The  individual  is  hence  'disposed  to  comply  with 
temptations  to  greater  sins  ;  though  it  would  be  to  no  purpose  to  tempt  him  to  be 
openly  profane,  blaspheme  the  name  of  God,  or  cast  off  all  external  forms  of  reli- 
gion, and  abandon  himself  to  those  immoralities  which  the  most  notoriously 
wicked  and  profligate  sinners  commit  without  shame,  till  he  has  paved  the  way  to 
them  by  the  commission  of  other  sins  which  lead  to  them. 

That  which  at  first  prevents  or  restrains  him  from  the  commission  of  them,  is 
something  short  of  a  principle  of  grace :  we  call  it  the  dictates  of  natural  conscience, 
which  often  checks  and  reproves  him.  His  natural  temper  or  disposition  is  not  at 
present  so  far  vitiated  as  to  allow  of  anything  which  is  openly  vile  and  scandalous,  or 
to  incline  him  to  pursue  it.  He  abhors  it,  and,  as  it  were,  trembles  at  the  thought 
of  it.  Thus,  when  Hazael  was  told  by  the  prophet  Elisha  of  all  the  evil  which  he 
would  do  to  the  children  of  Israel,  that  he  would  '  set  their  strongholds  on  fire, 
slay  their  young  men  with  the  sword,  dash  their  children,  and  rip  up  their  women 
with  child,'  he  entertained  the  thought  with  a  kind  of  abhorrence,  and  said,  '  But 
what!  is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great  thing  ?'f  Yet  afterwards, 
when  king  of  Syria,  we  find  him  of  another  mind  ;  for  he  was  a  greater  scourge  to 
the  people  of  God  than  any  of  the  neighbouring  princes,  and  '  smote  them  in  all 
the  coasts  of  Israel.'?  Now,  that  which  prevents  these  greater  sins  is  generally 
fear  or  shame.  Men's  consciences  terrify  them  with  the  thoughts  of  the  wrath  of 
God  to  which  they  would  expose  themselves  by  committing  them  ;  or  they  are 
apprehensive  that  such  a  course  of  life  would  blast  their  reputation  amongst  men, 
and  be  altogether  inconsistent  with  that  form  of  godliness  which  they  have  had  a 
liking  to  from  their  childhood.  But  as  these  restraints  do  not  proceed  from  the 
internal  and  powerful  influence  of  regenerating  grace,  being  excited  by  lower 
motives  than  those  which  the  Spirit  of  God  suggests  in  those  who  are  converted, 
■ — as  natural  conscience  is  the  main  restraint,  corrupt  nature  first  endeavours  to 
counteract  its  dictates,  ami  by  degrees  gets  the  mastery  over  them.  When  con- 
science reproves  the  transgressors,  they  first  offer  a  bribe  to  it  by  performing  some 
moral  duties  to  silence  its  accusations  for  presumptuous  sins,  and  pretend  that  their 
crime  falls  short  of  those  committed  by  many  others.  At  other  times,  they  com- 
plain of  its  being  too  strict  in  its  demands  of  duty,  or  severe  in  its  reproofs  for  sin. 
If  all  this  will  not  prevail  against  it,  and  if  it  still  perform  the  office  of  a  faithful 
reprover,  the  sinner  resolves  to  stop  his  ears  against  convictions.     If  even  this  will 

e  It  is  a  true  observation  which  some  have  laid  down  in  this  known  aphorism,  ■  Nemo  repente 
fit  turpissimus.' 

f  2  Kings  viii.  12,  13.  U  Chap.  x.  32. 


THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION.  159 

not  altogether  prevent  his  being  made  uneasy,  he  betakes  himself  to  those  diversions 
which  may  give  another  turn  to  his  thoughts  ;  he  will  not  allow  himself  time  for 
serious  reflection  ;  he  associates  with  those  whose  conversation  will  effectually  tend 
to  extinguish  all  his  former  impressions  of  moral  virtue.  By  this  means  ho  at  last 
stupifies  his  conscience,  so  that  it  becomes,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  'seared  with 
a  hot  iron  ;'h  and  so  he  gets,  as  I  may  express  it,  a  fatal  victory  over  himself,  and 
henceforth  meets  with  no  reluctance  or  opposition  in  his  own  breast,  while,  '  being 
past  feeling,  he  gives  himself  over  unto  lasciviousness,  to  work  uncleanness '  and  all 
manner  of  '  iniquity  with  greediness.'1 

2.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  conflict  which  is  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit 
in  those  in  whom  the  work  of  sanctification  is  begun.  Here  we  shall  first  observe  the 
lustings  of  the  flesh ;  and  then  the  opposition  it  meets  with  from  the  principle  of  grace 
implanted  and  excited  in  them,  which  is  called  the  lusting  of  the  spirit  against  it.  Now, 
as  to  corrupt  nature  exerting  itself  in  believers  to  prevent  the  actings  of  grace,  what 
gives  occasion  to  it  is  the  Spirit's  withdrawing  his  powerful  influences ;  which,  when 
the  soul  is  favoured  with  them,  have  a  tendency  to  prevent  those  pernicious  conse- 
quences which  otherwise  ensue.  God  withdraws  these  powerful  influences  some- 
times in  a  way  of  sovereignty,  to  show  the  believer  that  it  is  not  in  his  own  power 
to  avoid  sin  when  he  will,  or  that  he  cannot,  without  the  aids  of  divine  grace,  with- 
stand those  temptations  which  are  offered  to  him  to  commit  it.  Or  God  withdraws 
these  influences  with  a  design  to  let  him  know  what  is  in  his  heart,  to  give  him 
occasion  to  humble  him  for  past  sins  or  present  miscarriages,  and  to  make  him 
more  watchful  for  the  future. — Again,  there  are  some  things  which  present  them- 
selves in  an  objective  way,  which  are  as  so  many  snares  laid  to  entangle  him.  Cor- 
rupt nature  makes  a  bad  improvement  of  these  ;  so  that  his  natural  constitution  is 
more  and  more  vitiated  by  giving  way  to  sin,  and  defiled  by  the  remains  of  sin  which 
dwelleth  in  him.  The  temptation  is  generally  adapted  to  the  corrupt  inclination 
of  his  nature,  and  Satan  has  a  hand  in  it.  Thus,  if  his  natural  temper  incline  him 
to  be  proud  or  ambitious,  immediately  the  honours  and  applause  of  the  world  are 
presented  to  him  ;  and  he  never  wants  examples  of  those  who,  in  an  unlawful  way, 
have  gained  a  great  measure  of  esteem  in  the  world,  and  made  themselves  consi- 
derable in  the  stations  in  which  they  have  been  placed.  If  he  is  naturally  addicted 
to  pleasures,  of  what  kind  soever  they  be,  something  is  offered  which  is  agreeable 
to  corrupt  nature,  and  which  seems  delightful  to  it,  though  it  is  in  itself  sinful.  If 
he  is  more  than  ordinarily  addicted  to  covetousness,  the  profits  and  advantages  of 
the  world  are  presented  as  a  bait  to  corrupt  nature,  and  groundless  fears  are  raised  in 
him  of  being  reduced  to  poverty,  which,  by  an  immoderate  pursuit  after  the  world, 
he  is  tempted  to  guard  against.  If  his  natural  constitution  inclines  him  to  resent 
injuries,  Satan  has  always  his  instruments  ready  at  hand  to  stir  up  his  corruption 
and  provoke  him  to  wrath,  by  offering  either  real  or  supposed  injuries;  magnifying 
the  former  beyond  their  due  bounds,  or  inferring  the  latter  without  duly  consider- 
ing the  design  of  those  whose  innocent  behaviour  sometimes  gives  occasion  to  them, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  overcharging  his  thoughts  with  them  as  though  no  expedient 
could  be  found  to  atone  for  them.  If  his  natural  constitution  inclines  him  to  sloth 
and  inactivity,  the  difficulties  of  religion  are  set  before  him  to  discourage  him  from 
the  exercise  of  that  diligence  which  is  necessary  to  surmount  them.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  his  natural  temper  leads  him  to  be  courageous  and  resolute,  corrupt 
nature  endeavours  to  make  him  self-confident,  and  thereby  to  weaken  his  trust  in 
God.  Or  if  he  is  naturally  inclined  to  fear,  something  is  offered  to  him  which  may 
tend  to  his  discouragement,  and  to  sink  him  into  despair.  These  are  the  methods 
used  by  the  flesh,  when  lusting  against  the  spirit. 

Let  us  next  consider  the  opposition  of  the  spirit  to  the  flesh,  or  how  the  principle 
of  grace  in  believers  inclines  them  to  make  a  stand  against  indwelling  sin,  which  is 
called  the  lusting  of  the  spirit  against  the  flesh.  The  grace  of  God,  when  wrought 
in  the  heart  in  regeneration,  is  not  an  inactive  principle  ;  for  it  soon  exerts  itself, 
being  excited  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  who  implanted  it.  There  henceforth  is, 
or  ought  to  be,  a  constant  opposition  made  by  it  to  corrupt  nature.     This  is  the 

h  1  Tim.  iv.  2.  i  Eph.  iv.  19. 


160  THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCT1FICATION. 

case,  not  only  as  the  believer,  with  unfeigned  repentance,  mourns  on  account  of 
corrupt  nature,  and  exercises  that  self-abhorrence  which  the  too  great  prevalence 
of  it  calls  for  ;  but  as  it  leads  him  to  implore  help  from  God  against  it,  by  whose 
assistance  he  endeavours  to  subdue  the  corrupt  motions  of  the  flesh,  or,  as  the 
apostle  expresses  it,  to  '  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  'k  that,  in  consequence,  they 
may  not  be  entertained,  or  prove  injurious  and  destructive  to  him.  Moreover,  as 
there  is  something  objective,  as  well  as  subjective,  in  this  work,  since  the  power  of 
God  never  excites  the  principle  of  grace  without  presenting  objects  for  it  to  be  con- 
versant about ;  so  there  are  several  things  suggested  to  the  soul  which,  if  duly 
weighed  and  improved,  are  a  means  conducive  to  its  being  preserved  from  a  com- 
pliance with  the  corrupt  motions  of  indwelling  sin.  These  are  of  a  superior  nature 
to  those  made  use  of  by  an  enlightened  conscience,  in  unregenerate  persons,  to 
prevent  their  committing  the  vilest  abominations.  Indeed,  they  are  such — espe- 
cially some  of  them — as,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  can  be  used  by  none  but 
those  in  whom  the  work  of  grace  is  begun.  Accordingly,  a  believer  considers  not 
onlv  the  glorious  excellencies  and  perfections  of  Christ,  which  he  is  now  duly  sen- 
sible of,  as  he  is  said  to  be  precious  to  them  that  believe  ;  but  he  is  also  affected 
with  the  manifold  engagements  which  he  has  been  laid  under  to  love  him,  and  to 
hate  and  oppose  every  thing  which  is  contrary  to  his  glory  and  interest.  The  love 
of  Christ  constraineth  him  ;  and  therefore  he  abhors  the  thoughts  of  being  so  un- 
grateful and  disingenuous  as  he  would  appear  to  be,  should  he  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  The  sense  of  redeeming  love  and  grace  is  deeply  impressed  on  his  soul.  He 
calls  to  mind  how  he  has  been  quickened,  effectually  called,  and  brought  into  the 
way  of  peace  and  holiness  ;  and  therefore  cannot  entertain  any  thoughts  of  relaps- 
ing or  returning  again  to  folly.  Here  he  considers  the  great  advantage  which  he 
has  received  ;  which  he  would  not  lose  on  any  terms.  The  delight  which  he  has 
had  in  the  ways  of  God  and  godliness,  has  been  so  great,  that  corrupt  nature  can- 
not produce  any  thing  which  may  be  an  equivalent  for  the  loss  of  it.  He  is  very 
sensible  that  the  more  closely  he  has  walked  with  God,  the  more  comfortably  he 
has  walked.  Besides,  he  looks  forward,  and,  by  faith,  takes  a  view  of  the  blessed 
issue  of  the  life  of  grace,  or  of  those  reserves  of  glory  which  are  laid  up  for  him  in 
another  world ;  and  he  is,  in  consequence,  inclined  to  cast  the  utmost  contempt  on 
every  thing  which  has  the  least  tendency  to  induce  him  to  relinquish  or  abandon 
his  interest  in  them. — Again,  he  considers  and  improves  the  bright  examples  which 
are  set  before  him  to  encourage  him  to  go  on  in  the  way  of  holiness  ;  takes  Christ 
himself  for  a  pattern,  endeavouring,  so  far  as  he  is  able,  to  follow  him ;  walks  as 
they  have  done  who  have  not  only  stood  their  ground,  but  come  off  victorious  in 
the  conflict,  and  are  reaping  the  blessed  fruits  and  effects  of  victory.  He  also  con- 
siders as  an  inducement  to  him  to  oppose  the  corrupt  motions  of  the  flesh,  that  he 
has  by  faith,  as  his  own  act  and  deed,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  given  up  himself 
to  Christ  entirely,  and  without  reserve,  and  professed  his  obligation  to  obey  him  in 
all  things,  and  to  avoid  whatever  has  a  tendency  to  displease  him.  He  hence 
reckons  that  he  is  not  his  own,  or  at  his  own  disposal,  but  Christ's,  whose  he  is, 
by  a  double  right,  not  only  as  purchased  by  him,  but  as  devoted  and  consecrated 
to  him.  He  therefore  says  with  the  apostle,  '  How  shall  we,  that  are  dead  to  sin, 
live  any  longer  therein?'1  He  communes  with  himself  to  this  effect:  '  I  have 
given  up  my  name  to  Christ ;  and  I  have  not,  since  doing  so,  seen  the  least  reason 
to  repent  of  what  I  did.  I  have  not  found  the  least  iniquity  in  him,  neither  has 
he  been  a  hard  master ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  he  has  expressed  the  greatest 
tenderness  and  compassion  to  me ;  and  to  his  grace  alone  it  is  owing  that  I  am 
what  I  am.  Shall  I,  then,  abandon  his  interest,  or  prove  a  deserter  at  last,  and 
turn  aside  into  the  enemy's  camp?  Is  there  any  thing  which  can  be  proposed  as  a 
sufficient  motive  for  my  doing  so  ?'  Such  thoughts  as  these,  through  the  prevail- 
ing influence  of  the  principle  of  grace  implanted  and  excited  by  the  Spirit,  are  an 
effectual  means  to  keep  him  from  a  sinful  compliance  with  the  motions  of  the  flesh, 
and  to  excite  him  to  make  the  greatest  resistance  against  them. 

We  have  thus  considered  the  opposition  which  there  is  between  the  flesh  and  the 

k  Rom.  viii.  13.  1  Chap.  vi.  2. 


THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION.  161 

spirit,  and  how  each  of  these  prevails  bj  turns.  We  might  now  observe  the  con- 
sequence of  the  victory  obtained  on  either  side.  When  grace  prevails,  all  things 
tend  to  promote  our  spiritual  peace  and  joy  ;  and  we  are  fortified  against  tempta- 
tions, and  not  only  enabled  to  stand  our  ground,  but  made  more  than  conquerors 
through  him  that  loved  us.  But  it  is  not  always  so  with  a  believer.  He  some- 
times finds  that  corrupt  nature  prevails  ;  and  then  many  sad  consequences  follow, 
which  not  only  occasion  the  loss  of  the  peace  and  joy  which  he  had  before,  but  ex- 
pose him  to  many  troubles  which  render  his  life  very  uncomfortable. 

The  Consequences  of  the  Prevailing  Power  of  Indwelling  Sin. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  what  are  the  consequences  of  the  prevailing  power 
of  indwelling  sin.  When  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  God  is  pleased 
to  withhold  his  grace,  the  soul  is  subjected  to  many  evils.  These  are  mentioned  in 
the  remaining  part  of  this  Answer. 

1.  A  believer  is  foiled  with  temptation.  Satan,  by  this  means,  gains  ground 
against  him,  and  pursues  the  victory  which  the  flesh  has  obtained  against  the  spirit. 
His  conflicts  are  now  doubled,  arising,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  not  only  from 
'  flesh  and  blood, '  but  from '  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world.  'm  His  difficulties 
increase  upon  him ;  his  enemies  are  more  insulting,  and  he  less  able  to  stand  his 
ground  against  them ;  his  faith  is  weakened,  and  his  fears  are  increasing,  so  that 
he  is  perpetually  subject  to  bondage.  Sometimes  he  is  inclined  to  think  that  he 
shall  one  day  fall,  and  that  whatever  he  formerly  thought  he  had  gained  will  be 
lost  by  the  assaults  of  his  spiritual  enemies.  At  other  times  he  is  disposed  to 
question  whether  ever  he  had  the  truth  of  grace  or  not.  In  this  case  his  spirit 
must  needs  be  filled  with  the  greatest  perplexity,  and  almost  overwhelmed  within 
him.  He  is  destitute  of  that  boldness  or  liberty  of  access  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
and  that  comfortable  sense  of  his  interest  in  Christ,  which  once  he  had  ;  and  he 
finds  it  very  difficult  to  recover  those  lively  frames  which  he  has  lost,  or  to  stand 
his  ground  against  the  great  opposition  made  by  corrupt  nature,  which  still  in- 
creases as  faith  grows  weaker. 

2.  Another  consequence  of  the  power  of  indwelling  sin,  is  the  believer's  fall- 
ing into  many  sins.  We  are  not  to  suppose,  indeed,  that  he  shall  be  so  far  left 
as  to  fall  into  a  state  ol  unregeneracy,  or  lose  the  principle  of  grace  which  was 
implanted  in  regeneration.  Yet  when  this  principle  does  not  exert  itself,  and  cor- 
rupt nature,  on  the  other  hand,  is  prevalent,  it  is  hard  to  say  how  far  he  will  run 
into  the  commission  of  known  and  wilful  sins.  As  for  sins  of  infirmity,  they  can- 
not be  avoided,  when  we  are  in  the  best  frame.  But  in  this  case  we  shall  find  a 
person  committing  presumptuous  sins,  so  that  if  we  were  to  judge  of  his  state  by 
his  present  frames,  without  considering  the  former  experiences  which  he  had  of  the 
grace  of  God,  we  should  be  ready  to  question  whether  his  heart  were  right  with  God. 
Sins  of  omission  generally  follow.  He  cannot  draw  nigh  to  God  with  that  frame 
of  spirit  which  he  once  had,  and  therefore  is  ready  to  say,  '  What  profit  should  I 
have  if  I  pray  unto  him?'n  and  sometimes  concludes  that  he  contracts  guilt  by 
attempting  to  engage  in  holy  duties.  We  may  add,  as  is  farther  observed  in  this 
Answer,  that  he  is  hindered  in  all  his  spiritual  services.  Thus  the  apostle  says, 
'  When  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me.'0  He  finds  his  heart  disposed  to 
wander  from  God,  and  his  thoughts  taken  up  with  vanity.  On  this  account  it  may 
be  truly  said,  that  his  best  works  are  not  only  imperfect,  but  defiled  in  the  sight  of 
God,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  and  observes  the  various  steps  by  which  it  treach- 
erously departs  from  him.  Nor  can  the  believer  find  any  way  to  recover  himself 
till  God  is  pleased  to  revive  his  work,  take  away  the  guilt  which  he  has  contracted, 
recover  him  out  of  the  snare  into  which  he  has  fallen,  and  so  cause  the  work  oi 
grace  again  to  flourish  in  the  soul  as  it  once  did. 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Imperfect  State  of  Believers. 

We  shall  conclude  with  some  inferences  from  what  has  been  said  concerning  the 

m  Epb.  vi.  12.  n  Job  xxi.  15.  o  Rom.  vii.  21. 

II.  X 


162  THE  IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 

imperfection  of  sanctification  in  believers,  together  with  the  reasons  and  conse- 
quences of  it. 

1.  Since  sinless  perfection  is  not  attainable  in  this  life,  we  should  take  occasion  to 
give  a  check  to  our  censorious  thoughts  concerning  persons  or  things,  so  as  not  to 
determine  persons  to  be  in  an  unconverted  state,  because  they  are  chargeable  with 
many  sinful  infirmities,  which  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  truth  of  grace.  Some 
abatements  are  to  be  made  for  their  being  sanctified  but  in  part,  and  having  the 
remnants  of  sin  in  them.  Indeed,  the  greatest  degree  of  grace  which  can  be 
attained  here,  comes  far  short  of  that  which  the  saints  have  arrived  at  in  heaven. 
Accordingly,  the  difference  between  a  believer  and  an  unregenerate  sinner  does  not 
consist  in  the  one  being  perfect  and  the  other  imperfect ;  for  when  we  consider  the 
brightest  characters  given  of  any  in  scripture,  their  blemishes  as  well  as  their  graces 
are  recorded,  so  that  none  but  our  Saviour  could  challenge  the  world  to  convict  or 
reprove  them  of  sin.  The  apostle  speaks  of  Elias,  as  '  a  man  subject  to  like  passions 
as  we  are  ;'p  and  he  might  have  spoken  similarly  of  many  others.  Hence,  when  we 
are  sensible  of  our  own  imperfections,  we  ought  to  inquire  whether  the  spots  we  find 
in  ourselves  are  like  the  spots  of  God's  children  ?  or  whether  our  infirmities  may  be 
reckoned  consistent  with  the  truth  of  grace  ?  Should  we  be  able  to  draw  a  favour- 
able conclusion,  then,  though  it  affords  matter  for  humiliation  that  we  are  liable  to 
any  sinful  failures  or  defects,  it  will  be  some  encouragement  to  us,  and  matter  of 
thanksgiving  to  God,  that  notwithstanding  this  our  hearts  are  right  with  him. 

That  we  may  be,  in  some  measure,  satisfied  as  to  this  matter,  we  must  distin- 
guish between  a  person's  being  tempted  to  the  greatest  sins  which  are  inconsistent 
with  the  truth  of  grace,  and  his  complying  with  the  temptation.  A  temptation  of 
this  kind  may  offer  itself ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  grace  may  exert  itself  in  an 
eminent  degree,  by  the  opposition  which  it  makes  to  it,  whether  it  arises  from 
indwelling  sin  or  from  Satan. — Again,  when  we  read  of  some  sins  which  are  incon- 
sistent with  the  truth  of  grace,  such  as  those  which  the  apostle  speaks  of,  when  he 
says  that  '  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor 
abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor 
revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  '•*  and  elsewhere,  that '  the 
fearful  and  unbelieving,'  as  well  as  those  who  are  guilty  of  other  notorious  crimes, 
shall  'have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone,'1,  we  must 
distinguish  between  those  who  are  guilty  of  these  sins  in  a  less  degree  than  what  is 
intended,  when  they  are  said  to  exclude  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  and  others  who 
are  guilty  of  them,  in  a  notorious  degree,  with  greater  aggravations.  Thus  unbeliev- 
ing fears  in  those  who  are  called  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake,  if  they  do  not  issue  in 
a  denial  of  him,  are  not  altogether  inconsistent  with  the  truth  of  grace,  though 
they  render  a  person  guilty  before  God.  The  least  degree  of  covetousness,  in  the 
same  way,  though  it  is  not  to  be  excused,  does  not  exclude  from  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven ;  but  the  prevailing  love  of  the  world,  or  the  immoderate  pursuit  of  it  in  those 
who  use  unlawful  means  to  attain  it,  or  have  a  rooted  habitual  desire  after  it  more 
than  after  Christ,  or  put  it  in  his  room,  is  to  be  reckoned  a  mark  of  unregen- 
eracy. — Further,  we  must  distinguish  between  sinful  infirmities,  and  allowed  in- 
firmities, or  those  who  sin  through  surprise,  being  assaulted  by  an  unforeseen  tempta- 
tion, when  not  on  their  guard,  and  those  who  commit  the  same  sin  with  deliberation. 
The  latter  gives  greater  ground  to  fear  that  a  person  is  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy 
than  the  former. — We  must  also  distinguish  between  sins  committed  and  repented 
of,  with  that  degree  of  godly  sorrow  which  is  proportioned  to  their  respective  aggra- 
vations ;  and  the  same  sins  committed  and  continued  in  with  impenitency.  The 
latter  gives  ground  to  conclude  that  a  person  is  in  an  unconverted  state,  though  not 
the  former.  The  difference  arises  not  merely  from  the  nature  of  the  crimes,  for  we 
suppose  the  sins  in  themselves  to  be  the  same ;  but  from  other  evidences  which  a 
person  has  or  has  not  of  his  being  in  a  state  of  grace. 

2.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  opposition  which  there  is  between 
natural  conscience  and  corrupt  nature  in  the  unregenerate,  we  may  infer  that  it  is 
a  great  blessing  to  have  a  religious  education,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  prevent  many 

p  James  v.  17.  q  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  r  Rev.  xxi.  8. 


THE   IMPERFECTION  OF  SANCTIFICATION.  163 

enormities  which  others  who  are  destitute  of  it  run  into.  They  who  have  had  this 
privilege  ought  to  bless  God  for  it,  and  make  a  right  improvement  of  it.  But  as 
those  principles  which  take  their  rise  from  it  are  liable,  unless  the  grace  of  God 
prevent,  to  be  overcome  and  lost ;  let  us  press  after  something  more  than  this,  and 
be  importunate  with  God,  whose  providence  has  favoured  us  thus  far,  that  he  would 
give  us  a  better  preservative  against  sin,  or  that  its  prevailing  power  may  be  pre- 
vented by  converting  grace. 

3.  From  the  opposition  which  corrupt  nature  makes  in  believers  to  the  work  of 
grace,  we  may  infer  that  the  standing  of  the  best  of  men,  or  their  not  being  charge- 
able with  the  greatest  sins,  is  owing  not  so  much  to  themselves  as  to  the  grace  of 
God,  by  which  we  are  what  we  are  ;  that  therefore  the  glory  of  our  being  pre- 
served from  such  sins  belongs  entirely  to  him  ;  that  we  have  reason,  when  we  are 
praying  against  our  spiritual  enemies,  to  beg  that  God  would  deliver  us  from  the 
greatest  of  them,  namely,  ourselves  ;  and  that  he  who  has  a  sovereignty  over  the 
hearts  of  all  men,  and  can  govern  and  sanctify  their  natural  tempers  and  disposi- 
tions, would  keep  us  from  being  drawn  away  by  these ;  and  that  we  ought  to  walk 
watchfully,  and  be  always  on  our  guard,  depending  on  the  grace  of  God  for  help, 
that  indwelling  sin  may  not  so  far  prevail  as  to  turn  aside  and  alienate  our  affections 
from  him. 

4.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  flesh  and  the  spirit  prevailing  by  turns, 
we  infer  the  uncertainty  of  the  frame  of  our  spirits,  and  what  changes  we  are  liable 
to,  with  respect  to  the  actings  of  grace  or  the  comforts  which  result  from  it.  This 
somewhat  resembles  the  state  of  man  as  subject  to  various  changes  with  respect  to 
the  dispensations  of  providence  ;  sometimes  lifted  up,  at  other  times  cast  down,  and 
not  abiding  long  in  the  same  condition.  Thus  we  are  enabled  at  some  times  to 
gain  advantage  over  indwelling  sin,  and  enjoy  the  comforts  which  arise  thence ; 
at  other  times,  when  the  flesh  prevails,  the  acts  of  grace  are  interrupted,  and  its 
comforts  almost,  if  not  entirely,  lost.  What  reason  have  we,  therefore,  to  bless 
God  that,  though  our  graces  are  far  from  being  brought  to  perfection,  and  our 
frames  so  various,  yet  he  has  given  us  ground  to  conclude  that  grace  shall  not 
whollj  he  lost,  and  that  our  state,  as  we  are  justified,  is  not  liable  to  the  same 
uncertainty,  so  that  that  which  interrupts  the  progress  of  sanctification  does  not 
bring  us  into  an  unjustified  state,  or  render  us  liable  to  condemnation  ? 

5.  From  the  inconveniences  we  sustain  by  the  flesh  prevailing  against  the  spirit, 
as  we  are  foiled  by  temptation,  fall  into  sins,  and  are  hindered  in  spiritual  services, 
we  infer  the  great  hurt  which  sin  does  to  those  who  are  in  a  justified  and  sanctified 
state,  as  well  as  to  those  who  are  under  the  dominion  of  it.  It  is  hence  a  vile  and 
unwarrantable  way  of  speaking  to  say,  as  some  do,  that  because  nothing  shall  sepa- 
rate them  from  the  love  of  Christ,  or  bring  those  who  are  justified  back  again  into  an 
unjustified  state,  therefore  sin  can  do  them  no  hurt;  as  though  all  the  consequences 
of  the  prevalency  of  corrupt  nature,  and  the  dishonour  we  bring  to  God,  and  the 
guilt  we  contract,  could  hardly  be  reckoned  prejudicial.  This  is  such  a  way  of 
speaking  as  confutes  itself  in  the  opinion  of  all  judicious  and  sober  Christians. — 
Again,  we  might  infer  from  the  consequences  of  the  prevalence  of  corruption,  as 
we  are  liable  hereby  to  be  discouraged  from  duty  or  hindered  in  the  performance 
of  it,  that  we  ought,  if  we  find  it  thus  with  us,  to  take  occasion  to  inquire  whether 
some  secret  sin  be  not  indulged  and  entertained  by  us,  which  gives  occasion  to  the 
prevalence  of  corrupt  nature,  and  for  which  we  ought  to  be  humbled.  Or  if  we 
have  lived  in  the  omission  of  those  duties  which  are  incumbent  on  us,  or  have  pro- 
voked God  to  leave  us  to  ourselves,  and  so  have  had  a  hand  in  our  present  evils, 
we  have  occasion  for  great  humiliation.  And  we  ought  to  be  very  importunate 
with  God  for  restoring  grace,  not  only  that  our  faith  may  not  fail,  but  that  we  may 
be  recovered  out  of  the  snare  in  which  we  are  entangled,  and  may  be  brought  off 
victorious  over  all  our  spiritual  enemies. 


164  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

Question  I, XXIX.  May  not  true  believers,  by  reason  of  their  imperfections,  and  the  many  tempta- 
tions and  sins  they  are  overtaken  with,  fall  away  from  the  state  ofgrac:  ? 

Answer.  True  believers,  by  reason  of  the  unchangeable  love  of  God,  and  his  decree  and  cove- 
nant to  give  them  perseverance,  their  inseparable  union  with  Christ,  his  continual  intercession  for 
them,  ami  the  Spirit  and  seed  of  God  abiding  in  them,  can  neither  totally  nor  finally  fall  from  the 
state  of  grace,  but  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation. 

General  View  of  the  Doctrine  of  Perseverance. 

It  is  natural  for  persons,  when  they  enjoy  any  blessing,  to  be  solicitous  about  their 
retaining  it ;  otherwise  the  pleasure  which  arises  from  it,  if  it  is  likely  to  be  short 
and  transitory,  is  rather  an  amusement  than  a  solid  and  substantial  happiness. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  those  graces  and  privileges  which  believers  are  made  par- 
takers of,  as  the  fruits  and  effects  of  the  death  of  Christ,  These  are  undoubtedly 
the  most  valuable  blessings.  It  hence  highly  concerns  us  to  inquire  whether  we 
may  assuredly  conclude  that  we  shall  not  lose  them,  and  so  fail  of  that  future  bless- 
edness which  we  have  had  so  delightful  a  prospect  of. 

The  saints'  perseverance  has  been  denied  not  only  by  many  since  the  Reformation, 
and,  in  particular,  by  Papists,  Socinians,  and  Remonstrants,  but  also  by  the  Pela- 
gians of  old,  and  by  all  those  whose  sentiments  bear  some  affinity  to  their  scheme, 
or  are  derived  from  it.  Indeed,  when  persons  endeavour  to  establish  the  doctrines 
of  conditional  election,  universal  redemption,  &c.  ;  or  when  they  explain  the  na- 
ture of  human  liberty  so  as  to  make  the  grace  of  God  to  be  dependent  on  it  for  its 
efficacy  in  the  beginning  and  carrying  on  of  the  work  of  conversion  and  sanctification ; 
and  accordingly  assert,  that  the  will  has  an  equal  power  to  determine  itself  to  good 
or  evil, — that  the  grace  of  God  affords  no  other  assistance  to  promote  the  one  or 
guard  against  the  other  than  what  is  objective,  or,  at  least,  than  by  supporting  our  na- 
tural faculties, — and,  if  there  be  any  divine  concourse,  that  it  consists  only  in  what 
respects  the  external  dispensations  of  providence,  as  a  remote  means  conducive  to  the 
end,  the  event  depending  on  our  own  conduct  or  disposition  to  improve  these  means  ; 
I  say,  when  persons  maintain  these  and  similar  doctrines,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  if 
we  find  them  pleading  for  the  possibility  of  a  believer's  falling  totally  and  finally 
from  the  grace  of  God.  They  who  have  brought  themselves  into  a  state  of  grace, 
may  apostatize  or  fall  from  it.  If  a  man's  free-will  first  inclined  itself  to  exercise 
those  graces  which  we  call  special,  such  as  faith,  repentance,  love  to  God,  &c,  it 
follows  that  he  may  lose  them  and  relapse  to  the  contrary  vices,  and  may  plunge 
himself  into  the  same  depths  of  sin  and  misery  whence  he  had  escaped.  Accord- 
ing to  this  scheme,  there  may  be,  in  the  course  of  our  lives,  a  great  many  instances 
of  defection  irom  the  grace  of  God,  and  recovery  to  it,  and  finally,  a  drawing  back 
unto  perdition.  Or  if  a  person  be  so  happy  as  to  recover  himself  out  of  his  last 
apostacy  before  he  leaves  the  world,  he  is  saved  ;  otherwise,  he  finally  perishes. 
This  is  a  doctrine  which  some  defend  ;  but  the  contrary  to  it  we  shall  endeavour 
to  maintain,  as  being  the  subject  insisted  on  in  this  Answer. 

But  before  we  proceed  to  the  defence  of  it,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  premise  some- 
thing which  may  have,  at  least,  a  remote  tendency  to  dispose  us  to  receive  convic- 
tion from  the  arguments  which  may  be  brought  to  prove  it.  We  may  consider 
that  the  contrary  side  of  the  question  is  in  itself  less  desirable,  if  it  could  be  de- 
fended. It  is  certain  that  the  doctrine  of  the  possibility  of  the  saints  falling  from 
grace,  tends  very  much  to  abate  that  delight  and  comfort  which  the  believer  has 
in  the  fore-views  of  the  issue  and  event  of  his  present  state.  It  is  a  very  melan- 
choly thought  to  consider  that  he  who  has  now  advanced  to  the  very  borders  of 
heaven,  may  be  cast  down  into  hell ;  that  though  he  has  at  present  an  interest  in 
the  special  and  discriminating  love  of  God,  he  may  afterwards  become  the  object 
of  his  hatred,  so  as  never  to  behold  his  face  with  joy  in  a  future  world ;  that,  though 
his  feet  are  set  upon  a  rock,  his  goings  are  not  established  ;  that,  though  he  is  walk- 
ing in  a  plain  and  safe  path,  he  may  be  ensnared,  entangled,  and  fall,  so  as  never 
to  rise  again  ;  that  though  God  is  his  friend,  he  may  suffer  him  to  fall  into  the 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  165 

hands  of  his  enemies,  and  be  in  consequence  ruined  and  undone,  as  though  his  own 
glory  were  not  concerned  in  his  coming  off  victorious  over  them,  or  connected 
with  the  salvation  of  his  people.  Hence,  as  this  doctrine  renders  the  state  of  believ- 
ers very  precarious  and  uncertain,  it  tends  effectually  to  damp  their  joys,  and  blast 
their  expectations,'  and  subject  them  to  perpetual  bondage  ;  and  it  is  a  great  hin- 
derance  to  their  offering  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God,  whose  grace  is  not  so  much 
magnified  towards  them  as  it  would  be,  had  they  ground  to  conclude  that  the  work 
which  is  now  begun  should  certainly  be  brought  to  perfection.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  doctrine  which  we  are  to  maintain  is  in  itself  so  very  comfortable  that,  if  we 
were  at  present  in  suspense  concerning  its  truth,  we  cannot  but  desire  that  it  may 
appear  to  be  agreeable  to  the  mind  of  God.  It  is  certainly  a  very  delightful  thing  for 
us  to  be  assured,  that  what  is  at  present  well,  shall  end  well ;  that  they  who  are 
brought  to  believe  in  Christ,  shall  for  ever  abide  with  him ;  and  that  the  work  of 
grace  which,  at  present,  affords  so  fair  and .  pleasing  a  prospect  of  its  being  at  last 
perfected  in  glory,  shall  not  miscarry.  This  will  have  a  tendency  to  enhance  our 
joy  in  proportion  to  the  ground  we  have  to  conclude  that  the  work  is  true  and  gen- 
uine ;  and  it  will  excite  our  thankfulness  to  God,  when  we  consider  that  he  who  is 
the  author  will  also  be  the  finisher  of  faith.  It  is  certain,  therefore,  that  this  doc- 
trine deserves  confirmation. 

We  shall  endeavour  to  establish  our  faith  in  it  according  to  the  following  method : 
— First,  we  shall  consider  what  we  are  to  understand  by  persevering  in  grace,  or 
falling  from  it.  Secondly,  we  shall  prove  that  the  best  believers  would  certainly 
fall  from  grace,  were  they  left  to  themselves ;  so  that  their  perseverance  in  grace 
is  principally  to  be  ascribed  to  the  power  of  God,  which  keeps  them  through  faith 
unto  salvation.  Thirdly,  we  shall  consider  what  ground  we  have  to  conclude  that 
the  saints  shall  persevere  in  grace  ;  and  so  explain  and  illustrate  the  several  argu- 
ments insisted  on  in  this  Answer,  and  add  some  others  taken  from  several  scrip- 
tures by  which  this  doctrine  may  be  defended.  Lastly,  we  shall  endeavour  to  an- 
swer some  objections  which  are  generally  brought  against  it. 

Explanation  of  the  Doctrine  of  Perseverance. 

We  shall  consider  what  we  are  to  understand  by  persevering  in  grace,  or  falling 
from  it. 

1.  When  we  speak  of  a  person  as  persevering  in  grace,  we  suppose  that  he  has 
the  truth  of  grace.  We  do  not  mean  that  a  person  may  not  fall  away  from  a  pro- 
fession of  faith  ;  or  that  no  one  can  lose  that  which  we  generally  call  common 
grace,  which,  in  many  things,  bears  a  resemblance  to  that  which  is  saving.  We 
have  already  shown  that  there  is  a  temporary  faith  whereby  persons  appear  religious 
while  their  doing  so  comports  with  their  secular  interests  ;  but  when  they  are  called 
by  reason  of  persecution  or  tribulation,  which  may  arise  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel, 
to  forego  their  worldly  interests,  or  quit  their  pretensions  to  religion,  they  fall 
away,  or  lose  that  grace  which,  as  the  evangelist  says,8  they  *  seemed  to  have.' 
We  read  of  some  whose  hope  of  salvation  is  like  the  spider's  web,  or  the  giving  up 
of  the  ghost ;  but  these  are  described  not  as  true  believers,  but  as  hypocrites.  It 
is  beyond  dispute  that  such  may  apostatize,  and  not  only  lay  aside  the  external 
practice  of  some  religious  duties,  but  deny  and  oppose  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
which  they  once  assented  to  the  truth  of. 

2.  It  is  certain  that  true  believers  may  fall  into  very  great  sins  ;  but  yet  they 
*hall  be  recovered  and  brought  again  to  repentance.  We  must  distinguish,  there- 
fore, between  their  dishonouring  Christ,  disobeying  his  commands,  and  thereby 
provoking  him  to  be  angry  with  them  ;  and  their  falling  away  totally  from  him. 
We  formerly  considered,  when  we  proved  that  perfection  is  not  attainable  in  this 
life,  that  the  best  men  are  sometimes  chargeable  with  great  failings  and  defects. 
Indeed,  sometimes  their  sins  are  very  heinously  aggravated,  their  conversation  in 
the  mean  while  discovering  that  they  are  destitute  of  the  actings  of  grace,  and 
that  to  such  a  degree  that  they  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  those  who  are  in 

s  Luke  viii.  18. 


ICC)  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

an  unregenerate  state.  It  is  hence  one  thing  for  a  believer  not  to  be  able  to  put  forth 
those  acts  of  grace  which  he  once  did ;  and  another  thing  for  him  to  lose  the  principle 
of  grace.  It  would  be  a  very  preposterous  thing  to  say,  that,  when  David  sinned  in 
the  matter  of  Uriah,  the  principle  of  grace  exerted  itself ;  yet  it  was  not  wholly  lost. 
It  is  not  the  same  in  this  case  as  in  the  more  common  instances  of  the  saints'  in- 
firmities, which  they  are  daily  chargeable  with,  and  in  which  the  conflict  which 
there  is  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit  appears  ;  for  when  corrupt  nature  exerts 
itself  to  such  a  degree  as  to  lead  persons  to  the  commission  of  deliberate  and  pre- 
sumptuous sins,  they  hardly  appear  at  the  time  to  be  believers.  Yet  if  we  com- 
pare what  they  were  before  they  fell,  with  what  they  shall  be  when  brought  to  re- 
pentance, we  may  conclude  that  they  did  not,  by  their  fall,  bring  themselves  alto- 
gether into  a  state  of  unregeneracy. 

3.  It  is  beyond  dispute  that,  as  a  believer  may  be  destitute  of  the  acts  of  grace, 
so  he  may  lose  the  comforts  of  it,  and  sink  into  the  depths  of  despair.  Of  this  we 
have  several  instances  recorded  in  scripture,  which  correspond  with  the  experiences 
of  many  in  our  day.  Thus  the  psalmist  at  one  time  says,  that  he  was  '  cast  down,' 
and  'his  soul  disquieted  within  him.'1  At  another  time  he  says,  '  The  sorrows  of 
death  compassed  me,  and  the  pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me.'  Elsewhere  also  he 
complains,  '  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  for  ever  ?  will  he  be  favourable  no  more  ?  is  his 
mercy  clean  gone  for  ever  ?  doth  his  promise  fail  for  evermore  ?  ha,th  God  forgotten 
to  be  gracious  ?  hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ?'u  Again,  a  believer 
is  represented  as  being  altogether  destitute  of  a  comfortable  sense  of  the  divine 
love,  when  complaining,  '  Thou  hast  laid  me  in  the  lowest  pit,  in  darkness,  in  the 
deeps.  Thy  wrath  lieth  hard  upon  me,  and  thou  hast  afflicted  me  with  all  thy 
waves.  Wilt  thou  show  wonders  to  the  dead  ?  Shall  the  dead  arise  and  praise 
thee  ?  Shall  thy  loving-kindness  be  declared  in  the  grave,  or  thy  faithfulness  in 
destruction?  Thy  fierce  wrath  goeth  over  me,  thy  terrors  have  cut  me  off.'x  It 
is  certain,  too,  that  when  at  any  time  he  falls  into  very  great  sins,  which  seem  in- 
consistent with  a  state  of  grace,  he  has  no  present  evidence  that  he  is  a  believer, 
and  is  never  favoured  with  a  comfortable  sense  of  his  interest  in  Christ.  Nor  is 
the  joy  of  God's  salvation  restored  to  him,  till  he  is  brought  unfeignedly  to  repent 
of  his  sin.  Former  experiences  will  not  evince  the  truth  of  grace,  while  he  remains 
impenitent.  It  is  a  bad  sign  when  any  one,  who  formerly  appeared  to  have  the  truth 
of  grace,  but  is  now  fallen  into  great  sins,  thinks  himself  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace, 
without  the  exercise  of  true  repentance ;  for  his  thinking  so  can  be  deemed  little 
better  than  presumption.  Yet  God,  whose  mercy  is  infinitely  above  our  deserts, 
will,  in  the  end,  recover  him  ;  though,  at  present,  he  does  not  look  like  one  of  his 
children. 

4.  There  are  some  who  suppose  that  a  believer  may  totally,  though  not  finally, 
fall  from  grace.  They  hold  this  opinion  because  they  conclude,  as  they  have  suffi- 
cient warrant  to  do  from  scripture,  that  believers  shall  not  fall  finally,  inasmuch  as 
the  purpose  of  God  concerning  election  must  stand  ;  and  that  if  they  had  not  been 
chosen  to  salvation  they  would  never  have  been  brought  into  a  state  of  grace.  They 
suppose  that  persons,  before  they  fell,  were  in  a  state  of  sanctification,  and  thus 
were  partakers  of  a  blessing  which  is  inseparably  connected  with  salvation.  Hence, 
though  they  consider  them,  in  their  present  state,  as  having  lost  the  grace  of  sanc- 
tification, and  so  to  have  fallen  totally  ;  yet  they  believe  that  they  shall  be  re- 
covered, and  therefore  not  fall  finally.  Sanctification  is  Christ's  purchase  ;  and 
where  grace  is  purchased  for  any  one,  a  price  of  redemption  is  paid  for  his  deliver- 
ance from  condemnation ;  and  consequently  he  shall  be  recovered  and  saved  at 
last,  though,  at  present,  he  is,  according  to  their  opinion,  totally  fallen.  These 
suppose  that,  not  only  the  acts  of  grace,  but  the  very  principle  and  the  reason  of 
it  may  be  lost,  because  they  cannot  see  how  great  and  notorious  sins,  such  as  those 
committed  by  David,  Peter,  Solomon,  and  some  others,  can  consist  with  a  principle 
of  grace.  This  opinion  indeed  cuts  the  knot  of  some  difficulties  which  seem  to 
attend  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance,  though  falling  into  great  sins.  I 
think  it  may  easily  be  proved,  however,  and  we  shall  endeavour  to  do  so,  that  be- 

t  Psal.  xlii.  5.  and  cxvi.  3  u  psal.  lxxvii.  7—9.  x  Psal.  lxxxviii.  6,  &c 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  167 

lievers  shall  be  preserved  from  a  total  as  well  as  from  a  final  apostasy ;  or  that, 
when  they  fall  into  great  sins,  they  do  not  lose  the  principle  of  grace,  though  it  be 
at  the  time  inactive.  This  we  shall  take  occasion  to  insist  on  more  particularly 
under  a  following  Head,  when  we  consider  the  argument  mentioned  in  this  Answer 
for  the  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  perseverance  taken  from  the  Spirit  and  seed  of  God 
abiding  in  a  believer,  as  that  which  preserves  him  from  a  total  as  well  as  a  final 
apostasy. 

Perseverance  the  result  of  the  Divine  Power  and  Will. 

We  shall  now  consider  that  the  best  believers  would  certainly  fall  from  grace, 
were  they  left  to  themselves  ;  so  that  their  perseverance  in  grace  is  principally  to 
be  ascribed  to  the  power  of  God,  which  keeps  them  through  faith  unto  salvation. 
This  is  particularly  observed  in  this  Answer  ;  which  lays  down  several  arguments 
to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance  in  grace,  and  supposes  that  perse- 
verance to  be  founded  on  God's  power  and  will  to  maintain  it.  God  is  styled  '  the 
preserver  of  men,'?  inasmuch  as  he  upholds  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power",  so 
that  independency  on  him  is  inconsistent  with  the  idea  of  our  being  creatures ;  and 
we  have  no  less  ground  to  conclude  that  his  power  maintains  the  new  creature,  or 
that  grace  which  took  its  rise  from  him.  '  Should  he  fail  or  forsake  us,  we  could 
not  put  forth  the  least  act  of  grace,  much  less  persevere  in  grace.  When  man  at 
first  came  out  of  the  hands  of  God,  he  was  endowed  with  a  greater  ability  to  stand 
than  any  one,  excepting  our  Saviour,  has  been  favoured  with  since  sin  entered  into 
the  world  ;  yet  he  apostatized,  not  from  any  necessity  of  nature,  but  by  adhering 
to  that  temptation  which  he  might  have  withstood.  Then  how  unable  is  he  to 
stand  in  his  present  state,  having  become  weak,  and,  though  brought  into  a  state 
of  grace,  having  been  renewed  and  sanctified  only  in  part,  and  having  still  the  re- 
mains of  corruption,  which  maintain  a  constant  opposition  to  the  principle  of  grace? 
Our  perseverance  in  grace,  therefore,  cannot  be  owing  to  ourselves.  Accordingly, 
the  apostle  ascribes  it  to  a  divine  hand,  when  he  says,  '  we  are  kept  by  the  power 
of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation.'2 

A  late  celebrated  writer,  on  the  other  side  of  the  question, a  attempts  to  evade 
the  force  of  this  argument  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  perseverance,  though,  I  think, 
without  much  strength  of  reasoning.  He  says  that  all  who  are  preserved  to  salva- 
tion are  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  but  not  that  all  believers  are  so  kept.  We  re- 
ply, that  all  believers  whose  character  answers  that  of  the  church  to  which  the  apos- 
tle writes,  shall  be  saved,  namely,  all  who  are  '  begotten  again  unto  a  lively  hope, 
by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  them;'  whose  '  faith,'  after  it  has 
been  tried,  shall  be  '  found  unto  praise,  and  honour,  and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of 
Jesus  Christ. 'b  I  say,  these  shall  certainly  be  saved  ;  and  if  all  who  are  thus  pre- 
served to  salvation  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  every  thing  is  conceded  which 
we  contend  for.  But  the  writer  referred  to  adds,  that  when  they  are  said  to  be 
kept  through  faith,  the  meaning  is,  they  are  kept  if  they  continue  in  the  faith. 
Now,  their  continuance  in  the  faith  was  put  out  of  all  dispute,  by  what  is  said  con- 
cerning them  in  the  words  going  before  and  following,  as  now  referred  to.  Besides, 
the  writer's  argument  amounts  to  no  more  than  this  ;  they  shall  be  kept  by  the 
power  of  God,  if  they  keep  themselves  ;  or  they  shall  persevere  if  they  persevere. 
To  this  argument  I  need  make  no  reply. 

But  as  our  main  design  in  this  Head  is  not  to  prove  that  believers  shall  perse- 
vere, a  point  which  we  reserve  to  our  next,  but  to  show  that  whatever  we  assert 
concerning  their  perseverance  takes  its  rise  from  God  ;  we  shall  consider  this  as 
plainly  contained  in  scripture.  Thus  the  apostle  Paul  speaks  of  the  Lord's  'deliv- 
ering him  from  every  evil  work,  and  preserving  him  to  his  heavenly  kingdom.'0 
The  apostle  Jude  speaks  of  believers  as  '  sanctified  by  God  the  Father,  and  preserved 
in  Jesus  Christ,  and  called,'  or  as  being  first  called,  and  then  preserved  by  God  the 

y  Job  vii.  20.  z  1  Pet.  i.  5.  a  See  Whitby's  discourse,  &c.  p.  463. 

b  1  Pet.  i.  3,  4,  7.  c  2  Tim.  iv.  18.  Jude  verse  1, 


1G8  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

Father,  through  the  intervention  of  Christ,  our  great  Mediator,  till  they  are  brought 
to  glory.  And  our  Saviour,  in  his  affectionate  prayer  for  his  church,  a  little  before 
he  left  the  world,  says,  '  Holy  Father,  keep,  through  thine  own  name,  those  whom 
thou  hast  given  me.'d  These  words  not  only  prove  that  the  perseverance  of  the 
saints  is  owing  to  God,  but  that  the  glory  of  his  own  name  is  concerned  in  it ;  so 
that  it  is  not  from  ourselves,  but  from  him.  There  is  also  a  scripture  in  which 
our  Saviour  speaks  of  the  perseverance  of  his  '  sheep '  in  grace,  and  of  his  giving 
them  eternal  life  ;  and  he  adds,  •  They  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hand.'e  It  is  owing,  therefore,  to  his  care,  as  the  great  Shepherd 
of  the  sheep,  and  to  his  power,  which  is  superior  to  that  of  all  those  who  attempt  to 
destroy  them,  that  they  shall  persevere  in  grace. 

Proofs  of  the  Doctrine  of  Perseverance. 

We  shall  now  consider  what  ground  we  have  to  conclude  that  the  saints  shall 
persevere  in  grace,  and  so  explain  and  illustrate  the  arguments  insisted  on  in  this 
Answer,  together  with  some  others  which  may  be  taken  from  the  sense  of  several 
scriptures,  by  which  this  doctrine  may  be  defended. 

1.  The  saints'  perseverance  in  grace  may  be  proved  from  the  unchangeable  love 
of  God,  and  his  decree  and  purpose,  relating  to  their  salvation,  in  which  it  is  dis- 
covered and  executed.  That  God  loved  them  with  a  love  of  good-will,  before  they 
were  inclined  to  express  any  love  to  him,  is  evident ;  because  their  love  to  him  is 
assigned  as  the  effect  and  consequence  of  his  love  to  them,  as  the  apostle  says, 
'We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us.'f  The  love  of  God  to  his  people,  there- 
fore, must  be  considered  as  an  immanent  act ;  whence  it  follows,  that  it  was  from 
eternity,  since  all  God's  immanent  acts  are  eternal.  This  is  particularly  expressed 
by  the  prophet  when  he  says,  '  The  Lord  hath  appeared  of  old  unto  me,  saying, 
Yea,  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love.'s  Were  this  language  meant  of  a 
love  that  shall  never  have  an  end,  it  would  plainly  prove  the  doctrine  we  are  defend- 
ing ;  but  as  the  words  which  immediately  follow,  '  Therefore,  with  loving-kindness  have 
I  drawn  thee, '  seem  to  intimate  that  the  love  is  that  which  was  from  everlasting,  his 
drawing  them  or  bringing  them  into  a  converted  state  being  the  result  of  it,  it  fol- 
lows that  this  everlasting  love  is  the  same  as  his  eternal  purpose  or  design  to  save 
them.  Now,  if  there  be  such  an  eternal  purpose  relating  to  their  salvation,  it  neces- 
sarily infers  their  perseverance  ;  and  that  there  was  such  a  design  in  God  was 
proved  under  a  former  Answer.h  Besides,  they  who  are  the  objects  of  this  eternal 
purpose  of  grace  are  frequently  described  in  scripture  as  believers,  inasmuch  as  faith 
and  salvation  are  inseparably  connected  together.  Hence,  the  execution  of  God's 
purpose  in  giving  faith,  necessarily  infers  the  execution  of  it  in  saving  those  who 
believe.  That  the  purpose  of  grace  is  unchangeable,  was  formerly  proved  ; '  and 
may  be  farther  argued  from  what  the  apostle  says  concerning  '  the  immutability  of 
his  counsel,'  shown  to  '  the  heirs  of  promise,',  as  the  ground  of  that  'strong  consola- 
tion '  which  they  have  '  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set 
before  them.  'k  Now,  if  God  cannot  change  his  purpose  relating  to  the  salvation  of 
believers,  it  necessarily  follows  that  they  shall  certainly  attain  salvation,  and  conse- 
quently shall  persevere  in  grace. 

It  will  be  objected  that,  though  God  may  be  said  to  love  his  people  while  they 
retain  their  integrity,  yet  they  may  provoke  him  by  their  sins  to  cast  them  off ;  so 
that  the  present  exercise  of  divine  love  to  them  is  no  certain  argument  that  it  shall 
be  extended  to  the  end,  or  that,  by  virtue  of  it,  he  will  enable  them  to  persevere, 
and  then  bring  them  to  glory.  Now,  we  do  not  deny  that  believers,  by  their  sins, 
may  so  far  provoke  God,  that,  if  he  should  mark  their  iniquities,  or  deal  with  them 
according  to  the  demerit  of  them,  he  would  cast  them  off  for  ever.  Still  he  will  not 
do  this,  because  his  doing  it  would  be  inconsistent  with  his  purpose  to  recover  them 
from  their  backslidings,  and  forgive  their  iniquities.    Moreover,  it  cannot  be  denied 

d  John  xvii.  11.  e  Chap#  x  28.  f  1  John  iv.  19.  g  Jer.  xxxi.  3. 

Tri  "eSt*  *"'  xiii'  *  See  Sect-  ' The  Etern>ty»  Wisdom,  Unchangeableness  of  the  Pur- 

pos.-s  <,'  Unction,  under  Quest,  xii,  xiii.  and  Sect.  *  The  immutability  of  God,'  under  Quest,  ix,  x,xi. 
k  ik-u.  vi    1  j,  18. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  169 

that,  notwithstanding  God's  eternal  love  to  them,  there  are  many  instances  of  his 
hatred. and  displeasure  expressed  in  the  external  dispensations  of  his  providence, 
which  are  as  often  changed  as  their  conduct  towards  him  is  changed.  But  this 
fact  does  not  infer  a  change  in  God's  purpose.  He  may  testify  his  displeasure 
against  them,  or,  as  the  psalmist  expresses  it,  '  visit  their  transgressions  with  the 
rod,  and  their  iniquities  with  stripes  j'1  and  yet  he  cannot  change  his  resolution  to 
save  them,  but  will,  by  some  methods  of  grace,  recover  them  from  their  backslidings, 
and  enable  them  to  persevere  in  grace,  since  '  his  counsel  shall  stand,  and  he  will  do 
all  his  pleasure.' 

2.  Another  argument  to  prove  the  saints'  perseverance,  may  be  taken  from  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  the  many  promises  respecting  their  salvation  which  are  con- 
tained in  it.  That  this  may  appear,  let  it  be  considered  that,  as  was  observed  un- 
der a  former  Answer,"1  Christ  was  appointed  to  be  the  head  of  this  covenant. 
Accordingly,  there  was  an  eternal  transaction  between  the  Father  and  him,  in 
which  all  things  relating  to  the  everlasting  salvation  of  the  elect,  whom  he  therein 
represented,  were  stipulated,  in  their  behalf.  In  this  covenant,  God  the  Father  pro- 
mised, not  only  that  Christ  should  'have  a  seed  to  serve  him,'n  but  that  he  'should 
see  his  seed,'  that  '  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord,'  with  relation  to  them,  '  should  pros- 
per in  his  hand,'  and  that  he  should  'see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satis- 
fied,'0 which  implies  that  he  should  see  the  fruits  and  effects  of  all  that  he  had 
done  and  suffered  for  them  in  order  to  their  salvation.  Nor  is  this  said  respecting 
some  of  them,  but  respecting  all ;  and  it  could  not  have  had  its  accomplishment, 
were  it  possible  for  them  not  to  persevere  in  grace. 

Again,  in  this  covenant  Christ  has  undertaken  to  keep  them,  as  the  result  of 
his  becoming  a  surety  for  them  ;  in  doing  which,  he  not  only  engaged  to  pay  the 
debt  of  obedience  and  sufferings  which  was  due  from  them,  which  he  has  already 
done,  but  that  he  would  work  all  that  grace  in  them  which  he  purchased  by  his 
blood.  Now,  he  has  already  begun  this  work  in  them  ;  though  it  is  not  yet  ac- 
complished. Can  we  suppose,  then,  that  he  will  not  bring  it  to  perfection,  or  that 
he  will  not  enable  them  to  endure  to  the  end,  that  they  may  be  saved  ?  This 
would  argue  the  greatest  unfaithfulness  in  him,  who  is  styled  'faithful  and  true.' 
Moreover,  as  there  are  engagements  on  Christ's  part  relating  to  this  matter,  and 
as,  in  pursuance  of  these,  they  are  said  to  be  in  his  hand ;  so  the  Father  has  given 
them  an  additional  security,  that  they  shall  be  preserved  from  apostacy.  They  are 
hence  said  to  be  also  'in  his  hand,'  whence  'none  can  pluck  them  out ;'  and  it  is 
thence  argued  that  '  they  shall  never  perish.'?  We  may  observe,  too,  that  the  life 
which  Christ  is  said  to  give  them  is  not  only  the  beginning  of  life,  in  the  first  grace 
which  they  are  made  partakers  of  in  conversion,  but  is  called  '  eternal  life,'  which 
certainly  denotes  the  completing  of  the  work  of  grace  in  their  everlasting  salvation. 

Further,  the  promises  contained  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  relate  not  only  to  their 
sanctification  here,  but  to  their  salvation  hereafter.  On  this  account  it  is  called 
'an  everlasting  covenant,'  and  the  mercies  of  it,  'the  sure  mercies  of  David  j'0-  that 
is,  either  those  mercies  which  David,  who  had  an  interest  in  this  covenant,  was 
given  to  expect,  or  mercies  which  Christ  had  engaged  to  purchase  and  bestow,  who  is 
here,  as  elsewhere, r  called  David,  inasmuch  as  David  was  an  eminent  type  of  him,  as 
well  as  because  he  was  his  seed  according  to  the  flesh.  That  the  latter  is  the  more 
probable  sense  of  the  two,  appears  from  the  following  words,  in  which  he  is  said  to 
be  'given  for  a  witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people.'  Now, 
if  these  mercies  are  in  Christ's  hand  to  be  applied,  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  are 
styled  '  sure  mercies.'  We  might  here  consider  the  covenant  of  grace  as  contain- 
ing all  the  promises  which  respect  the  beginning,  carrying  on,  or  completing  of 
the  salvation  of  his  people.  These  relate,  not  only  to  what  God  will  do  for  them, 
but  to  what  he  will  enable  them  to  be  and  do,  in  those  things  which  concern  their 
faithfulness  to  him  ;  whereby  they  have  the  highest  security  that  they  shall  be- 
have themselves  as  becomes  a  covenant-people.  Thus  he  assures  them  that  he  will 
be  to  them  a  God,  that  is,  that  he  will  glorify  his  divine  perfections  in  bestowing 

1  Psal.  lxxxix.  32.  m  See  Quest,  xxxi.  n  Pial.  xxii.  30. 

o  Isa.  liii.  10,  11.  p  John  x.  28,  29.  q  Isa.  lv.  3  4.  r  Hos.  iii.  5. 

II.  Y 


170  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

on  them  the  special  and. distinguishing  blessings  of  the  covenant;  and  that  they 
shall  be  to  him  a  people,  that  is,  shall  so  behave  themselves  that  they  shall  not,  by 
apostacy  from  him,  oblige  him  to  disown  his  relation  to  them  or  exclude  them  from 
his  covenant.  He  has  encouraged  them  to  expect,  not  only  those  great  things 
which  he  would  do  for  them  provided  they  yielded  obedience  to  his  law,  but 
also  that  he  would  'put  his  law  into  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,' 
whereby  they  might  be  disposed  to  obey  him.  And  when  he  says  that  they 
•  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying, 
Know  the  Lord,'  he  gives  them  to  understand  that  they  should  not  only  teach  or 
instruct  one  another  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  which  respects  their  being  favoured 
with  the  external  means  of  grace,  but  that  they  '  should  all  know  him,  from  the 
least  of  them  unto  the  greatest.'  This  denotes  that  they  should  have,  not  only  a 
speculative  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  but  a  saving  knowledge  of  it,  such  as  is  in- 
separably connected  with  'life  eternal.'8  That  this  knowledge  is  intended  appears 
from  its  being  accompanied  with  or  flowing  from  forgiveness  of  sin ;  for  it  is  immediately 
added,  '  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity,'  and  this  is  expressed  with  a  peculiar  emphasis. 
Now,  their  enjoying  forgiveness  of  sins,  connected  with  a  saving  knowledge  of  divine 
truth,  is  certainly  inconsistent  with  their  falling  from  a  justified  state,  especially  as 
it  is  said,  '  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more.'*  Elsewhere,  also,  when  God  speaks 
of  his  'making  an  everlasting  covenant'  with  his  people,11  he  promises  that  'he  will 
not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good ;'  and,  inasmuch  as  they  are  prone,  by 
reason  of  the  deceitfulness  of  their  hearts,  to  turn  aside  from  him,  he  adds,  '  I  will 
put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me.'  Here  it  is  not 
only  said  that  he  will  not  turn  from  them,  if  they  fear  him ;  but  he  gives  them  se- 
curity in  this  covenant,  that  they  shall  fear  him.  Can  we  conclude,  then,  that  they, 
in  whom  this  covenant  is  so  far  made  good  that  God  has  put  his  fear  in  their  hearts, 
which  is  supposed  in  their  being  believers,  shall  not  attain  the  other  blessing  pro- 
mised, namely,  that  of  their  not  departing  from  him  ?  Moreover,  the  stability  of 
this  covenant,  as  a  foundation  of  the  saints'  perseverance,  is  set  forth  by  a  meta- 
phor, taken  from  the  most  fixed  and  stable  parts  of  nature  ;  and  it  is  said  to  exceed 
these  in  stability,  '  The  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed  ;  but  my 
kindness  shall  not  depart  from  thee  ;  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be 
removed,  saith  the  Lord,  that  hath  mercy  on  thee.'x 

The  principal  objection  which  is  brought  to  enervate  the  force  of  the  argument 
taken  from  those  promises  of  the  covenant  which  respect  the  saints'  perseverance, 
is,  that  either  these  promises  are  to  be  considered  as  conditional,  and  the  conditions 
of  them  as  not  fulfilled,  in  which  case  they  are  not  obligatory,  so  that  God  is  not 
bound  to  give  salvation  to  those  to  whom  he  has  promised  it  on  these  conditions  ; 
or  else  they  are  to  be  considered  as  made  to  a  political  body,  namely,  the  Jewish 
nation,  in  which  case  they  respect,  not  their  eternal  salvation,  but  only  some 
temporal  deliverances  of  which  they  were  to  be  made  partakers,  and  which 
belonged  to  them  generally  as  a  church, — everlasting  salvation  never  being  con- 
sidered as  a  blessing  which  shall  be  applied  to  whole  nations,  how  much  soever 
a  whole  nation  may  partake  of  the  common  gifts  of  divine  bounty  which  are  be- 
stowed in  this  world. — In  answer  to  this  objection,  in  both  its  branches,  I  need 
only  refer  to  what  has  been  said  elsewhere.  As  to  the  former  branch  of  it,  we 
have  endeavoured  to  show  how  those  scriptures  are  to  be  understood  which  are  laid 
down  in  a  conditional  form,  without  supposing  that  they  militate  against  the  ab- 
soluteness of  God's  purpose,  or  its  unchangeableness,  and  independency  on  the 
conduct  of  men.?  As  to  the  latter  branch  of  it,  what  has  been  said  in  answer  to 
an  objection  of  a  similar  nature,  brought  against  the  doctrine  of  election  by  Dr. 
Whitby,  and  others,  who  suppose  that  the  blessings  which  the  elect  are  said 
in  scripture  to  be  made  partakers  of  respect  the  nation  of  the  Jews  or  the  church 
in  general,  and  not  a  particular  number  chosen  out  of  them  to  salvation,  and  that 
the  promises  which  are  directed  to  them  are  only  such  as  they  were  given  to  ex- 
pect as  a  church  or  political  body  of  men,  may  well  be  applied  to  our  present  pur- 

«  John  xvii.  3.  t  Jer.  xxxi.  33,  34.  u  Chap,  xxxii.  40. 

x  l»a.  liv.  10.  y  See  vol  i.  pages  289—292.  et  alibi  passim. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  171 

pose,  and  serve  as  an  answer  to  this  objection.2  In  this  place,  therefore,  I  shall 
add  but  a  few  remarks  bj  way  of  reply. 

If  any  expressions  are  annexed  to  the  promises  of  the  covenant  which  give  occa- 
sion to  some  to  conclude  that  they  are  conditional,  we  must  take  heed  that  we  do 
not  understand  them  as  denoting  the  dependence  of  God's  determinations  on  the 
arbitrary  will  of  man  ;  as  though  his  purpose  relating  to  the  salvation  of  his  people 
were  indeterminate,  and  it  were  a  matter  of  doubt  with  him,  as  well  as  with  us, 
whether  he  should  fulfil  it  or  not,  because  it  is  uncertain  whether  the  conditions  of 
it  shall  be  performed.  To  suppose  this  is  inconsistent  with  the  divine  perfections. 
But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  we  suppose  that  the  grace  or  duty  annexed  to  the  pro- 
mise must  have  some  idea  of  a  condition  contained  in  it,  this  may  be  understood 
according  to  the  tenor  of  God's  revealed  will,  as  denoting  nothing  else  but  a  condi- 
tion of  our  expectation,  or  of  our  claim  to  the  blessing  promised ;  and  then  nothing 
can  be  inferred  from  it,  but  that  some  who  lay  claim  to  or  expect  salvation,  without 
performing  the  condition  of  it,  may  apostatize,  and  miss  it ;  which  does  not  in  the 
least  militate  against  the  doctrine  we  are  defending.  We  may  add  that,  when  such 
a  condition  is  annexed  to  a  promise,  (for  I  will  not  decline  to  call  it  so  in  the  sense 
just  stated,)  and  there  is  another  promise  added,  in  which  God  engages  that  he 
will  enable  his  people  to  perform  it,  the  condition  is  then  equivalent  to  an  abso- 
lute promise.  Of  this  kind  are  those  conditions  which  are  mentioned  in  the  scrip- 
tures formerly  referred  to.  When  God  promises  that  he  will  be  a  God  to  his  people, 
that  he  will  forgive  their  iniquities,  and  never  reverse  the  sentence  of  forgiveness, 
or  remember  their  sins  any  more,  and  that  he  will  never  turn  away  from  them  to 
do  them  good,  he,  at  the  same  time,  promises  that  he  will  put  his  law  in  their  in- 
ward parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  and  put  his  fear  in  their  hearts,  and  so 
enable  them  to  behave  themselves  as  his  people,  or  to  be  to  him  a  people.  When, 
again,  God  sets  forth  the  stability  of  his  covenant,  and  intimates  that  it  should  not 
be  removed,  he  adds  that  his  kindness  shall  not  depart  from  them.  Nor  does  this 
kindness  respect  merely  some  temporal  blessings  which  he  would  bestow  upon  them, 
but  his  extending  that  grace  to  them  which  should  keep  them  faithful  to  him. 
Hence,  he  says  that  '  in  righteousness  they  should  be  established ;'  words  which 
contain  a  promise  that  he  would  maintain  grace  in  them,  without  which  they  could 
hardly  be  said  to  be  established  in  righteousness,  as  well  as  that  he  would  perform 
the  other  things  promised  to  them  in  this  covenant. 

The  other  branch  of  the  objection  we  are  examining,  considers  that  the  promises 
are  given  to  the  church  in  general,  or  to  the  Jews  as  a  political  body  of  men  ;  and 
that  they  cannot  be  supposed  to  respect  their  everlasting  salvation,  but  only  some 
temporal  blessings  which  they  should  enjoy.  Now,  this  point  is  to  be  determined 
by  the  express  words  contained  in  the  promise.  If  God  tells  those  to  whom  the 
promises  are  made  that  he  will  do  that  for  them  which  includes  more  than  the 
blessings  which  they  are  supposed  to  enjoy  of  a  temporal  nature,  we  are  not  to  con- 
clude that  there  is  nothing  of  salvation  referred  to  in  them,  when  the  words  thus 
seem  to  imply  the  contrary.  Besides,  though  these  promises  are  said  to  be  given 
to  the  Jews  as  a  political  body  of  men,  and  there  are  some  circumstances  in  them 
which  have  an  immediate  and  particular  relation  to  that  people  ;  yet  the  promises 
of  special  grace  and  salvation  were  to  be  applied  only  by  those  among  them  who 
believed.  Moreover,  the  same  promises  are  to  be  applied  by  believers  in  all  ages  ; 
else  we  must  understand  the  texts  which  contain  them  as  only  an  historical  relation 
of  things  which  do  not  belong  to  us, — an  interpretation  which  would  tend  very 
much  to  detract  from  the  spirituality  and  usefulness  of  many  parts  of  scripture. 
To  make  this  appear,  we  might  consider  some  promises  which,  when  first  made, 
had  a  particular  relation  to  God's  dealings  with  his  people  in  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  were  then  placed,  but  which  are,  notwithstanding,  applied  in  a  more 
extensive  manner  to  New  Testament  believers  in  all  ages.  Thus,  when  God  says 
to  his  people,  in  the  scripture  formerly  referred  to,  ■  All  thy  children  shall  be  taught 
of  the  Lord,'a  whatever  respect  the  promise  may  have  to  the  church  of.  the  Jews, 
our  Saviour  applies  it  in  a  more  extensive  way,  as  belonging  to  believers  in  all 

z  See  Sect.  '  The  Meaning  of  Election,'  under  Quest,  xii,  xiii.  a  Isa.  liv.  13. 


172  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

ajes,  when  he  says,  «  Every  man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard  and  learned  of  the 
l-'ather,  cometh  unto  me.'b  Again,  God  promises  Joshua  that  '  he  would  not  fail 
nor  forsake  him,'  and  encourages  him  thereby  'not  to  fear  nor  be  dismayed,'0  when 
he  was  to  pass  over  Jordan  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  afterwards  to  engage  in  a 
work  which  was  attended  with  many  difficulties.  Now,  this  promise  is  applied  by 
the  apostle  as  an  inducement  to  believers  in  his  day  to  be  '  content  with  such  things 
as  they  have ;'  for  after  exhorting  them  to  be  so,  he  adds,  that  what  God  told  Joshua 
of  old  was  written  for  their  encouragement,  namely,  that  '  he  would  never  leave 
them,  nor  forsake  them.'d  We  cannot  therefore  but  conclude,  that  the  objection 
we  have  been  considering  is  of  no  force  in  either  of  its  branches  to  overthrow  the 
doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance,  as  founded  on  the  stability  of  the  promises  of 
the  covenant  of  grace. 

3.  The  saints'  perseverance  in  grace  may  be  farther  proved  from  their  insepar- 
able union  with  Christ.  Not  only  is  this  union  federal,  as  he  is  the  head  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  they  his  members,  whose  salvation,  as  was  observed  under 
the  last  Head,  he  has  engaged  to  bring  about ;  but  he  may  be  considered  also  as 
their  vital  head,  from  whom  they  receive  spiritual  life  and  influence  ;  so  that  as 
long  as  they  abide  in  him,  their  spiritual  life  is  maintained  as  derived  from  him. 
If  we  consider  the  church,  or  the  whole  election  of  grace  as  united  to  him,  it  is 
called  '  his  body,'e  'the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all;'f  and  every  believer 
being  a  member  of  this  body,  or  a  part,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  of  this  fulness,  if  it 
should  perish  and  be  separated  from  him,  his  body  would  be  defective,  and  he  would 
sustain  a  loss  of  that  which  is  an  ingredient  in  his  fulness.  Moreover,  as  this  union 
includes  that  relation  between  Christ  and  his  people  which  is,"  by  a  metaphorical 
way  of  speaking,  styled  conjugal,^  and  accordingly  is  mutual,  as  the  result  of  his 
becoming  theirs  by  an  act  of  grace,  and  they  his  by  an  act  of  self-dedication ;  so  it 
is  the  foundation  of  mutual  love,  which  is  abiding.  The  love  is  certainly  abiding 
on  his  part ;  because  it  is  unchangeable,  as  founded  on  a  covenant  engagement 
which  he  cannot  violate  ;  and  though  their  love  to  him  is  in  itself  subject  to  change 
through  the  prevalency  of  corrupt  nature,  which  too  much  inclines  them  to  be  un- 
steadfast  in  this  marriage  covenant,  yet  he  will  recover  and  bring  them  back  to 
him.  He  will  not  deal  with  them  as  persons  do  with  strangers,  whom  they  exclude 
from  their  presence  or  favour,  if  they  render  themselves  unworthy  of  it ;  but  as 
persons  who  stand  in  a  nearer  relation  to  him,  and  accordingly  are  the  objects  of 
his  special  love,  and  shall  not  be  cast  off  for  ever,  how  much  soever  he  may  resent 
their  unworthy  behaviour  to  him.  Not  to  be  separate  from  Christ,  is,  according  to 
the  apostle's  expression,  not  to  '  be  separated  from  his  love  ;'  and  this,  he  says,  he 
was  '  persuaded '  he  should  not  be.  '  I  am  persuaded, '  says  he,  '  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to 
come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'h  Accordingly  it  is  said,  that 
Christ  'having  loved  his  own  which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them  unto  the  end.'1 

Here  I  cannot  but  take  notice  of  a  very  jejune  and  empty  sense  which  some  give 
of  this  text,  to  evade  the  force  of  the  argument  taken  from  it  to  prove  the  doctrine 
we  are  maintaining.  By  '  his  own  '  they  mean  no  other  than  Christ's  disciples, 
whom  he  was  at  the  time  conversant  with.  Indeed,  they  apply  whatever  Christ 
says,  in  some  following  chapters,  to  them,  exclusive  of  all  others.  When,  for  exam- 
ple, he  says,  *  Ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world  ;'k 
and  '  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also;'1  they  suppose  that  he  speaks  of  them  in 
particular.  So,  in  interpreting  the  text  before  us,  they  understand  the  clause, 
'having  loved  his  own  which  were  in  the  world,'  to  mean  his  own  disciples,  as 
though  he  had  a  propriety  in  none  but  them  ;  and  the  clause  '  he  loved  them  to  the 
end,'  to  mean,  not  to  the  end  of  their  lives,  for  that  would  prove  the  doctrine  we 
arc  maintaining,  but  to  the  end  of  his  life,  which  was  now  at  hand  ;  and  his  love  to 
them,  they  suppose  to  be  expressed  in  his  condescending  to  wash  their  feet.     But 

b  John  vi.  45.  c  Josh.  i.  5,  6.  d  Heb.  xiii.  5.  e  Col.  i.  24.  f  Eph.  i.  28. 

g  See  pagea  3,  4.         h  Rom.  viii.  35,  38,  39.  i  John  xiii.  i.  k  Chap.  xv.  19 

1  Chap.  xiv.  19. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  173 

if  this  were  the  sense  of  the  words,  his  love  to  them  would  not  be  so  extraordinary 
a  privilege  as  it  really  is ;  for  it  would  be  only  an  instance  of  human  and  not  divine 
love.  Indeed,  our  happiness  consists,  not  only  in  Christ's  loving  us  to  the  end  of 
his  life,  but  in  his  continuing  to  express  his  love  in  his  going  into  heaven  to  prepare 
a  place  for  us,  in  his  there  making  continual  intercession  on  our  behalf,  and  in  his 
coming  again  in  the  end,  to  receive  us  to  himself,  that  where  he  is  we  may  be  also. 

4.  The  saints'  perseverance  farther  appears  from  Christ's  continual  intercession 
for  them.  This  was  particularly  explained  under  a  foregoing  Answer.m  The  apos- 
tle, speaking  of  his  '  ever  living  to  make  intercession  '  for  his  people,  infers  that  '  he 
is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  him.'n  But  this 
Christ  could  not  be  said  to  do,  should  he  leave  the  work  which  he  has  begun  in 
them  imperfect,  and  suffer  those  who  come  to  him  by  faith,  to  apostatize  from  him. 
We  formerly  considered  Christ's  intercession  as  including  his  appearing  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  in  behalf  of  those  for  whom  he  offered  himself  a  sacrifice  while  on 
earth.  We  considered  also  that  what  he  intercedes  for  shall  certainly  be  granted 
him,  not  only  because  he  is  the  Son  of  God  in  whom  he  is  well-pleased,  but  because 
he  pleads  his  own  merits,  and  because  to  deny  him  what  he  merited,  would  be,  in 
effect,  to  deny  the  sufficiency  of  his  sacrifice,  as  though  the  purchase  had  not  been 
fully  satisfactory.  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  as  he  himself  said  on  earth,  that 
'the  Father  heareth  him  always.'  It  is  also  evident  that  he  prays  for  the  perse- 
verance of  his  people.  He  says  to  Peter,  '  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not.'0  And  there  are  many  things  in  the  affectionate  prayer,  mentioned  in 
John  xvii.,  which  he  put  up  to  God  immediately  before  his  last  sufferings,  which 
respect  his  people's  perseverance  in  grace.  Thus  he  says,  •  Holy  Father,  keep, 
through  thine  own  name,  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be  one, 
as  we  are  ;'p  and,  '  I  pray  not  that  thou  shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but 
that  thou  shouldst  keep  them  from  the  evil  ;'q  that  is,  either  that  he  would  keep 
them  from  the  evil  which  often  attends  the  condition  in  which  they  are  in  the  world, 
that  so  the  work  of  grace  may  not  suffer,  at  least  not  miscarry  thereby  ;  or  that  he 
would  keep  them  from  the  evil  one,  that  so  they  may  not  be  brought  again  under 
his  dominion.  He  also  prays  •  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one  ;'r  that  is, 
not  only  that  they  may  be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the  same  design,  but  that 
their  unanimity  may  continue  till  they  are  brought  to  a  state  of  perfection,  and 
'  that  the  world  may  know  that  God  has  loved  them,  even  as  he  has  loved  Christ.' 
Moreover,  he  declares  his  will ;  which  shows  that  his  intercession  is  founded  on 
justice,  and  accordingly  is  of  the  nature  of  a  demand,  rather  than  of  a  supplication 
for  what  might  be  given  or  denied,  and  his  '  will '  is,  '  that  they  whom  the  Father 
has  given  him  may  be  with  him  where  he  is,  that  they  may  behold  his  glory.'8 
Now,  all  these  expressions  are  very  inconsistent  with  the  supposition,  that  it  is  possi- 
ble that  they  whom  he  thus  intercedes  for  may  apostatize,  or  fall  short  of  salvation. 

It  is  objected  by  some,  that  this  prayer  respects  none  but  his  disciples,  who  were 
his  immediate  friends  and  followers,  and  not  believers  in  all  ages  and  places  in  the 
world.  But  the  contrary  is  evident  from  several  things  which  are  mentioned  in  it. 
For  instance,  he  says,  that  '  the  Father  hath  given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that 
he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  he  hath  given  him.'4  The  sense  of  these 
words  will  sink  too  low,  if  we  suppose  that  he  intends,  ■  Thou  hast  given  me  power 
to  dispose  of  all  persons  and  things  in  this  world,  that  I  may  give  eternal  life  to 
that  small  number  which  thou  hast  given  me,  namely,  my  disciples.'  He  obviously 
speaks  of  that  universal  dominion  which  he  has  over  all  persons  and  things,  which 
were  committed  to  him  with  the  view  that  all  those  who  were  put  into  his  hand 
to  be  redeemed  and  saved,  should  attain  eternal  life.  Again,  he  says,  *  I  have 
manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world,  thine 
they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  me,  and  they  have  kept  thy  word.'u  Did  Christ 
manifest  the  divine  name  and  glory  to  none  but  those  who  were  his  disciples ;  and 
were  there  none  but  they  who  had  kept  his  word  ?  Moreover,  when  he  says  that 
they  whom  he  prayed  for  are  the  Father's,  and  adds,  '  All  mine  are  thine,  and 

m  See  vol.  i.  Quest,  lv.  ti   Heb.  vii.  25.  o  Luke  xxii.  32.  p  John  xvii.  11. 

«l  John  xvii.  15.  r  Verse  23.  3  Verse  24.  t  Verse  2.  u  Verse  6. 


174  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

thine  are  mine,  and  I  am  glorified  in  them,'x  is  the  number  of  those  whom  Christ 
has  a  right  to,  and  the  Father  has  set  apart  for  himself,  in  whom  he  would 
show  forth  his  glory  as  the  objects  of  his  love,  and  in  whom  Christ  as  Mediator 
was  to  be  glorified,  so  small  that  it  included  only  the  eleven  disciples  ?  Or,  does 
it  not  rather  respect  all  who  have  believed,  or  shall  believe,  from  the  beginning  to 
the  end  of  time  ?  And  again,  when  he  speaks  of  '  the  world  hating  them,  because 
they  are  not  of  the  world,'-v  and  of  their  being  exposed  to  the  evils  which  are  in 
the  world,  or  the  assaults  of  Satan  who  is  their  avowed  ftnemy  ;  is  this  applicable 
only  to  the  disciples  ?  And  when  he  says,  'Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,'  that 
is,  for  those  who  now  believe,  'but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  ;'z  does  it  not 
plainly  intimate  that  he  had  others  in  view  besides  his  disciples  ?  These,  and 
several  other  passages  in  this  prayer,  are  a  sufficient  evidence  that  there  is  no 
weight  in  the  objection,  to  overthrow  the  argument  we  are  maintaining. 

5.  Believers'  perseverance  in  grace  may  be  proved  from  the  Spirit  and  seed  of 
God  abiding  in  them.  When  they  were  regenerated,  it  was  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  condescending  to  come  and  take  up  his  abode  in  them.  Thus  we 
often  read  of  their  being  acted  by,  and  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  is  said  to  dwell  where  he  is  pleased  to  display  his  divine  power  and  glory ; 
and  if  these  displays  are  internal,  then  he  dwells  in  the  heart.  Our  Saviour 
speaks  of  him  as  '  another  Comforter '  given,  '  that  he  may  abide '  with  his  peo- 
ple 'for  ever.'a  This  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  is  very  distinct  from  that  extra- 
ordinary dispensation  which  the  church  had,  when  they  were  favoured  with  in- 
spiration ;  for  the  apostle  speaks  of  it  as  a  privilege  peculiar  to  believers  as  such : 
'  Ye  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in 
you.  Now  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.'b  The 
meaning  of  these  words  cannot  be  that  those  have  no  interest  in  Christ  who  have 
not  the  extraordinary  afflatus  of  the  Spirit,  such  as  the  prophets  had.  We  must 
suppose,  therefore,  that  the  privilege  spoken  of  is  one  which  believers  have  in  all 
ages.  Now,  if  the  Spirit  is  pleased  to  condescend  thus  to  take  up  his  abode  in  the 
soul,  and  that  for  ever,  he  will  certainly  preserve  it  from  apostasy.  We  may  add, 
that  there  are  several  fruits  and  effects  of  the  Spirit's  dwelling  in  the  soul,  which 
afford  an  additional  proof  of  this  doctrine.  Thus  believers  are  said  to  have  '  the 
first-fruits  of  the  Spirit  ;'c  that  is,  they  have  those  graces  wrought  in  them  which 
are  the  beginning  of  salvation  ;  and  as  the  first-fruits  are  a  part  of  the  harvest 
which  will  follow,  these  are  the  foretastes  of  the  heavenly  blessedness  which  God 
would  never  have  bestowed  upon  them  had  he  not  designed  to  preserve  them  from 
apostasy.  Moreover,  believers  are  said  to  be  '  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  their  inheritance. 'd  The  earnest,  as  given  by 
men,  is  generally  deemed  a  part  of  payment ;  and  upon  any  receiving  it,  they  are 
satisfied  that  they  shall,  at  last,  receive  the  full  reward.  And  shall  believers  miss 
of  the  heavenly  blessedness,  who  have  such  a  glorious  pledge  and  earnest  of  it  ? 
Again,  if  we  consider  '  the  Spirit '  as  '  bearing  witness  with  their  spirits,  that  they 
are  the  children  of  God ;  and  if  children,  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint- 
heirs  with  Christ;'  and  that  'they  shall  be  glorified  together'  with  him;e  is  this 
testimony  invalid,  or  not  to  be  depended  on  ?  Yet  it  could  not  be  depended  on 
were  it  possible  for  them  to  fall  from  a  state  of  grace. 

This  testimony,  as  will  be  observed  under  the  next  Answer,  is  what  we  de- 
pend very  much  upon,  in  order  to  our  attaining  assurance  that  we  are  in  a  state 
of  grace,  and  that  we  shall  persevere  in  it.  At  present,  we  shall  take  it  for  grant- 
ed that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  assurance,  or  that  this  blessing  is  attainable. 
The  use  which  I  would  make  of  this  supposition  to  maintain  our  present  argu- 
ment, is,  that  the  Spirit's  having  any  hand  in  working  or  encouraging  this  hope 
that  we  have  of  the  truth  of  grace,  and  consequently  that  we  shall  persevere  in 
it  to  salvation,  argues  that  the  hope  is  warrantable,  and  not  delusive ;  for  he 
who  is  the  author  or  giver  of  it  cannot  deceive  our  expectation,  or  put  us  upon 
looking  for  that  which  is  not  a  reality.      It  hence  follows  that  it  is  impossible 

x  John  xyii.  9,  10.  y  Verses  14,  15.  z  Verse  20.  a  Chap.  xiv.  16. 

o  Kom.  vin.  9.  c  Verse  23.  d  Eph.  i.  13    14.  e  Rom.  vi.i.  16, 17- 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  175 

that  they  should  apostatize  to  whom  '  God  has  given '  this  '  good  hope  through 
grace,'  so  that  they  should  fail  of  that 'everlasting  consolation,'  which  is  connected 
with  it.f  This  consequence  will  hardly  he  denied  by  those  who  are  on  the  other 
side  of  the  question ;  and  we  may  observe,  that  they  who  oppose  the  doctrine  of 
perseverance,  always  deny  that  of  assurance,  especially  as  proceeding  from  the 
testimony  of  the  Spirit.  Yet  that  we  may  not  be  misunderstood,  we  do  not  say, 
that  every  one  who  has  a  strong  persuasion  that  he  shall  be  saved,  shall  be  saved  ; 
for  such  a  persuasion  is  no  other  than  enthusiasm.  But  our  argument,  in  short,  is, 
that  if  there  is  a  witness  of  the  Spirit  to  the  truth  of  grace  which  cannot  be  charged 
with  enthusiasm,  then  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining  is  undeniably  true.  This 
will  more  evidently  appear  from  what  will  be  said  in  defence  of  the  doctrine  of 
assurance  under  our  next  Answer. 

We  proceed,  therefore,  to  the  other  branch  of  the  argument  we  have  mentioned 
to  prove  this  doctrine,  namely,  that  believers  have  the  seed,  of  God  abiding  in  them. 
This  is  founded  on  what  the  apostle  says  in  1  John  iii.  9,  '  Whosoever  is  born  of 
God  doth  not  commit  sin  ;  for  his  seed  abideth  in  him,  and  he  cannot  sin  because 
he  is  born  of  God.'  For  understanding  this,  let  us  consider  that,  by  the  words 
'he  cannot  commit  sin,'  the  apostle  does  not  intend  that  such  a  one  is  not  a  sinner, 
or  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  sinless  perfection  attainable  in  this  life  ;  for  that 
is  contrary,  not  only  to  the  whole  tenor  of  scripture  and  daily  experience  of  man- 
kind, but  to  what  he  had  expressly  said,  '  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive 
ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us.'s  In  this  text  he  is  doubtless  speaking  of 
persons  committing  sins  which  are  inconsistent  with  the  truth  of  grace ;  as  he  says, 
in  a  foregoing  verse,  '  Whosoever  sinneth  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him.'h 
The  sin  he  speaks  of  is  such  as  argues  a  person  to  be  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy. 
.Accordingly,  when  he  says,  '  He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil,'1  he  certainly 
speaks  of  such  a  commission  of  sin  as  argues  us  to  be  under  the  reigning  power  of 
the  devil.  That  this  may  plainly  appear  to  be  his  meaning,  we  may  observe  that 
he  elsewhere  distinguishes  between  'a  sin  that  is  unto  death,'  and  a  sin  that  is  'not 
unto  death. 'k  Here  he  does  not  mean,  as  the  Papists  suppose,  that  some  sins  de- 
serve eternal  death,  and  others  not ;  the  former  oi  which  they  call  mortal  sins,  the 
latter  venial.  But  he  is  speaking  of  a  sin  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  principle 
of  grace,  and  the  sin  which  is  consistent  with  it.  The  former  is  sometimes  called 
'  the  pollution  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust  ;n  the  latter,  '  the  spot  of  God's 
children.'111  The  least  sin  deserves  death,  though  they  who  commit  it  shall  not 
perish,  but  be  brought  to  repentance  ;  but  the  '  sin  unto  death '  is  wilful  sin,  com- 
mitted and  continued  in  with  impenitency  ;  and  with  this  limitation  we  are  to  un- 
derstand the  apostle's  words,  '  He  who  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin.' 

We  shall  now  consider  the  reason  assigned  why  the  person  he  speaks  of  cannot 
in  this  sense  commit  sin,  namely,  he  is  '  born  of  God,'  and  '  the  seed  of  God  abid- 
eth in  him.'  To  be  born  of  God  is  what  is  elsewhere  styled  regeneration,  or  being 
born  of  the  Spirit ;  in  which  there  is  a  principle  of  grace  implanted,  which  is  here 
called  '  the  seed  of  God.'  Indeed,  this  metaphorical  way  of  speaking  is  very  ex- 
pressive of  the  thing  intended.  For  as  in  nature  the  seed  produces  fruit,  and  in 
things  moral  the  principle  of  action  produces  action,  as  the  principle  of  reason  pro- 
duces acts  of  reason  ;  so  in  things  spiritual,  the  principle  of  grace  produces  acts  of 
grace  ;  and  this  principle  being  from  God,  which  has  been  largely  proved  under  a 
foregoing  Answer,n  it  is  here  called  '  the  seed  of  God.'  Now,  this  seed  of  God,  or 
this  principle,  is  not  merely  said  to  be  in  the  believer,  as  that  which  for  the  present 
is  the  ground  of  spiritual  actions ;  but  it  is  said  to  'remain  in  him.'  As,  elsewhere, 
Christ  speaks  of  the  Spirit  as  '  abiding'  with  his  people  '  for  ever  ;'°  so  here  the 
apostle  speaks  of  the  principle  of  grace  wrought  by  the  Spirit  as  abiding,  that  is, 
continuing  for  ever.  He  hence  infers  that  a  believer  'cannot  sin.'  If  he  had  been 
speaking  only  of  its  being  implanted,  but  not  abiding,  all  that  could  be  inferred 
would  be  that  he  does  not  sin.  But  as  he  argues  that  he  cannot  sin,  that  is,  apos- 
tatize, we  must  understand  that  the  principle  abides  in  him  continually.    Now,  this 

f  2  Thess.  ii.  16.  g  1  John  i.  8.  h  Chap.  iii.  6.  i  Ver.  8. 

k  Chap.  v.  16,  17.  1  2  Pet.  i.  4.  m  Deut.  xxxii.  5. 

a  See  Sect.  '  Effectual  Calling  a  Divine  Work,'  under  Quest,  lxrii,  lxviii.  o  John  xir.  16. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

plainly  amounts  to  the  argument  we  are  maintaining,  namely,  that  because  the  seed 
of  God  abides  in  a  believer,  he  cannot  apostatize  or  fall  short  of  salvation. 

They  who  are  on  the  other  side  of  the  question  seem  to  find  it  very  difficult  to  evade 
the  force  of  this  argument.  Some  suppose  that  the  apostle  intends  no  more  than  that 
he  who  is  born  of  God  should  not  commit  sin.  But  this  interpretation  is  not  only 
remote  from  the  sense  of  the  words  t  cannot  sin,'P  but  does  not  sufficiently  distin- 
guish one  who  is  born  of  God  from  another  who  is  not  so ;  for  it  is  as  much  a  truth 
that  an  unregenerate  person  ought  not  to  sin,  as  that  a  regenerate  person  ought  not 
to  do  so.  Others  suppose  the  apostle  to  mean  that  believers  sin  with  difficulty,  or 
are  hardly  brought  to  commit  sin.  But  as  this  also  does  not  answer  to  the  sense 
of  the  words  '  cannot  sin, '  so  it  is  inconsistent  with  that  beautiful  gradation  which 
we  may  observe  in  the  words.  To  say  that  the  believer  does  not  sin,  and  then  if  he 
commits  sin  it  is  with  some  difficulty,  does  not  correspond  with  the  climax  which 
the  apostle  makes  use  of  when  he  says  he  does  not  commit  sin,  yea,  he  cannot. 
Others  suppose  the  apostle's  meaning  is,  that  he  who  is  born  of  God  cannot  sin 
unto  death,  or  apostatize  so  as  to  fall  short  of  salvation,  so  long  as  he  makes  a 
right  use  of  the  principle  of  grace  which  is  implanted  in  him  ;  but  that,  by  oppos- 
ing and  afterwards  extinguishing  it,  he  may  become  an  apostate.  But  we  may 
observe  that  the  apostle  attributes  his  perseverance  in  grace,  not  to  his  making  use 
of  the  principle,  but  to  his  having  it,  or  to  its  abiding  in  him.  And  he  sufficiently 
guards  against  the  supposition  of  its  being  possible  that  the  principle  of  grace  may 
be  wholly  lost ;  for  then  this  seed  could  not  be  said  to  abide  in  him,  nor  would  the 
inference  deduced  from  its  abiding  in  him,  namely,  that  he  cannot  sin,  be  just. 

We  have  thus  considered  the  latter  branch  of  the  present  argument  to  prove  the 
saints'  perseverance  in  grace,  taken  from  the  seed  of  God  abiding  in  believers.  But 
there  is  one  thing  which  must  be  observed  before  I  dismiss  this  Head,  namely,  that 
the  principle  of  grace,  which  is  signified  by  this  metaphor,  though  it  exists  and 
abides  in  a  believer,  does  not  always  exert  itself  so  as  to  produce  those  acts  of  grace 
which  would  otherwise  proceed  from  it.  This  cannot  be  better  illustrated  than 
by  a  similitude  taken  from  the  soul,  which  is  the  principle  of  reason  in  man. 
Though  it  is  as  much  the  principle  of  reason  in  an  infant  in  the  womb  as  it  is  in 
any,  yet  it  is  altogether  inactive  ;  for  most  allow  that  infants  have  not  the  exercise 
of  thought  or  acts  of  reason.  And  when  a  person  is  newly  born,  it  hardly  appears 
that  this  principle  is  deduced  into  act ;  and  in  those  in  whom  it  has  been 
deduced  into  act,  it  may,  through  the  influence  of  some  bodily  disease  with  which 
it  is  affected,  be  rendered  stupid  and  almost  inactive,  or  at  least  so  disordered  that 
the  actions  which  proceed  from  it  cannot  be  styled  rational.  Yet  still  it  remains  a 
principle  of  reason.  The  same  may  be  said  concerning  the  principle  of  grace.  It 
is  certainly  an  inactive  principle  in  those  who  are  regenerate  from  the  womb ;  and 
it  may  cease  to  exert  itself,  and  be  with  equal  reason  styled  an  inactive  principle  in 
believers,  when  they  fall  into  very  great  sins  to  which  it  offers  no  resistance.  This 
we  shall  take  occasion  to  apply  under  a  following  Head,  when  we  shall  consider 
some  objections  which  are  brought  against  this  doctrine  by  those  who  suppose  that 
believers,  when  sinning  presumptuously,  as  David,  Peter,  and  others,  are  said  to 
have  done,  fell  totally,  though  not  finally.  There  was  indeed  a  total  suspension  of 
the  activity  of  this  principle,  but  yet  the  principle  itself  was  not  wholly  lost.  But 
more  of  this  in  its  proper  place.  We  are  bound  to  conclude,  therefore,  that  because 
this  principle  abides  in  believers,  they  can  neither  totally  nor  finally  apostatize, — 
that  they  can  neither  fall  from  a  state  of  grace,  nor  fail  at  last  of  salvation. 

We  have  thus  endeavoured  to  explain  and  show  the  force  of  those  arguments 
which  are  contained  in  this  Answer,  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  persever- 
ance. There  are  several  others  which  might  have  been  insisted  on.  In  particular, 
the  doctrine  may  be  proved  from  the  end  and  design  of  Christ's  death ;  which  was, 
not  only  that  he  might  purchase  to  himself  a  peculiar  people,  but  that  he  might 
purchase  eternal  life  for  them.  We  cannot  think  that  this  invaluable  price  would 
have  been  given  for  the  procuring  of  that  which  should  not  be  applied  ;  for  in  this 
view  Christ  would  be  said  to  die  in  vain.     When  a  person  gives  a  price  for  any 

p  The  words  are  >u  ivimr»i  ap.xeTa.11t1, 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  177 

thing,  it  is  with  the  design  that  he,  or  they  for  whom  he  purchased  it,  should  he 
put  into  the  possession  of  it  ;  and  if  this  be  not  done,  the  price  which  was  given  is 
reckoned  lost,  and  the  person  who  gave  it  disappointed.  This  argument  may  be 
considered  as  having  still  more  weight,  if  we  observe  that  the  salvation  of  those 
whom  Christ  has  redeemed,  redounds  not  only  to  their  happiness,  but  to  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father,  and  of  Christ  our  great  Redeemer.  God  the  Father,  in  giving 
Christ  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sin,  designed  to  bring  more  glory  to  his  name  than 
by  all  his  other  works.  Accordingly,  our  Saviour  appeals  to  him  in  the  close  of 
his  life,  '  I  have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth,  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou 
gavest  me  to  do.'i  The  work  was  his  ;  there  was  a  revenue  of  glory  which  he  ex- 
pected by  it ;  and  this  glory  did  not  consist  only  in  his  receiving  a  full  satisfaction 
for  sin,  that  so  he  might  take  occasion  to  advance  his  grace  in  forgiving  it,  but  it 
consisted  also  in  his  people  being  enabled  to  '  bear  much  fruit.'1"  The  glory  of  God 
the  Father,  therefore,  is  advanced  by  the  application  of  redemption,  and  conse- 
quently by  bringing  his  redeemed  ones  to  perfection.  The  Son  is  also  glorified,  not 
merely  by  his  having  those  honours  which  his  human  nature  is  advanced  to  as  the 
consequence  of  his  finishing  the  work  of  redemption,  but  by  the  application  of  re- 
demption to  his  people.  Accordingly,  he  is  said  to  be  '  glorified  in  them,'s  that  is, 
his  mediatorial  glory  is  rendered  illustrious  by  all  the  grace  which  is  conferred 
upon  them.  Certainly,  therefore,  he  will  be  eminently  glorified,  when  they  are 
brought  to  be  with  him,  where  he  is,  to  behold  his  glory.  Now,  can  we  suppose 
that,  since  the  Father  and  the  Son  designed  to  have  so  great  a  glory  redound  to 
them  by  the  work  of  our  redemption,  they  will  sustain  any  loss  of  it  for  want  of  the 
application  of  it  to  those  for  whom  it  was  purchased  ?  If  God  designed,  as  the  con- 
sequence of  the  work  of  redemption,  that  the  saints  should  sing  that  new  song, 
4  Thou  art  worthy,  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood, 
out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation  ;'  and  if  God  the  Father, 
and  the  Son,  are  joined  together,  and  their  glory  celebrated  in  this  song,  by  the 
redeemed  ascribing  '  blessing,  honour,  glory,  and  power,  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever,'*  then  certainly  they  will  not  lose 
this  glory,  and  the  saints  shall  be  brought  into  that  state  where  they  shall  have 
occasion  thus  to  praise  and  adore  them.  If  it  be  objected  that  God  the  Father, 
and  the  Son,  will  be  glorified,  though  many  of  his  saints  should  apostatize,  and 
so  the  death  of  Christ  be  to  no  purpose  with  respect  to  them,  because  all  shall 
not  apostatize,  the  answer  is  plain  and  easy, — that  though  he  could  not  be 
said  to  lose  the  glory  he  designed  by  the  salvation  of  those  who  persevere,  yet  some 
branches  of  his  glory  would  be  lost  by  reason  of  the  apostasy  of  others  who  fall 
short  of  salvation  ;  and  it  is  a  dishonour  to  him  to  suppose  that  he  will  lose  the 
least  branch  of  it,  or  that  any  of  those  for  whom  Christ  died  should  be  for  ever 
lost.  We  might  add,  that  for  the  same  reason  that  we  suppose  one  whom  Christ 
has  redeemed  should  be  lost,  all  might  be  lost ;  and  so  he  would  lose  all  the  glory 
he  designed  to  have  in  the  work  of  redemption.  This  appears  from  the  fact  that 
all  are  liable  to  those  temptations  which,  if  complied  with,  have  a  tendency  to  ruin 
them.  All  are  supposed  to  be  renewed  and  sanctified  only  in  part ;  so  that  the 
work  of  grace  meets  with  those  obstructions  from  corrupt  nature  which  would  cer- 
tainly prove  too  hard  for  all  our  strength,  and  baflle  our  utmost  endeavours  to  per- 
severe, did  not  God  appear  in  our  behalf,  and  keep  us  by  his  power.  Now,  if  all 
need  strength  from  him  to  stand,  and  must  say  that  without  him  they  can  do  nothing, 
we  must  either  suppose  that  that  grace  is  given  to  all  saints  which  shall  enable 
them  to  persevere,  or  else  that  it  is  given  to  none.  If  it  be  given  to  none,  and  all 
are  left  to  themselves,  then  that  which  overthrows  the  faith  of  one,  would  over- 
throw the  faith  of  all;  and  we  might  conclude  that  whatever  God  the  Father  or 
the  Son  have  done,  in  order  to  the  redemption  and  salvation  of  the  elect,  might  be 
of  none  effect. 

I  might  produce  many  other  arguments  in  defence  of  the  saints'  perseverance ; 
but  shall  conclude  this  Head  with  two  or  three  scriptures,  whereby  the  truth  of 
that  doctrine  will  farther  appear.     Thus  our  Saviour  says  to  the  woman  of  Sama- 

q  John  xvii.  4.  r  Chap.  xv.  8.  s  Chap-  xvii.  10.  t  Rev.  v.  9.  compared  with  13. 

u.  a 


178  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

ria,  '  Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst ;  hut 
the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  ever- 
lasting life.'u  Here,  by  the  water  which  Christ  gives,  is  doubtless  understood  the 
gifts  and  graces  of  the  Spirit.  These  are  not  like  the  waters  of  a  brook,  which 
often  deceive  the  expectation  of  the  traveller;  but  they  are  '  a  well  of  water,'  inti- 
mating that  a  believer  shall  have  a  constant  supply  of  grace  and  peace,  till  he  is 
brought  to  the  rivers  of  pleasure  which  are  at  God's  right  hand,  and  is  made  par- 
taker of  eternal  life. — Again,  our  Saviour  says,  '  He  that  heareth  my  word  and 
believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life;'*  that  is,  it  is  as  surely  his 
as  if  he  were  in  the  actual  possession  of  it.  He  farther  intimates,  too,  that  those 
who  believe  in  him  are  not  only  justified  for  the  present,  but  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation.  Now,  this  certainly  implies  that  their  salvation  is  so  secure  that 
it  is  impossible  for  them  to  perish  eternally. — Another  scripture  which  plainly 
proves  this  doctrine,  is  2  Tim.  ii.  19 :  '  Nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God  stand- 
eth  sure,  having  this  seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.  And,  Let  every  one 
that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.'  In  these  words  the  apostle 
encourages  the  church  to  hope  for  perseverance  in  grace,  after  they  had  had  a  sad 
instance  of  two  persons  of  note,  namely,  Hymeneus  and  Philetus,  who  had  not  only 
'  erred  from  the  truth,'  but  '  overthrown  the  faith  of  some;'  and  he  cautions  all 
who  make  a  profession  of  religion,  as  they  would  be  kept  from  apostatizing,  to  de- 
part from  iniquity.  His  words  are  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Since  many  of  you  are  ready 
to  fear  that  your  faith  shall  be  overthrown,  as  well  as  that  of  others,  by  the  sophis- 
try or  cunning  arts  of  those  apostates  who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive,  you  may  be  as- 
sured that  the  state  of  those  is  safe  who  are  built  upon  the  foundation  which  God 
has  laid,  that  '  chief  corner-stone,  elect,  precious,'  namely,  Christ,  '  on  whom  he 
that  believeth  shall  not  be  confounded.'  "*  Or  the  meaning  is,  that  the  instability 
of  human  conduct  shall  not  render  it  a  matter  of  uncertainty,  whether  they  who 
are  ordained  to  eternal  life  shall  be  saved  or  not ;  for  their  being  saved  depends  on 
God's  purpose,  which  is  a  sure  foundation,  and  has  this  seal  annexed  to  it,  whereby 
our  faith  as  to  our  being  saved  may  be  confirmed,  that  they  whom  God  has  set 
apart  for  himself,  and  lays  a  special  claim  to  as  his  chosen  and  redeemed  ones, 
whom  he  has  foreknown  and  loved  with  an  everlasting  love,  shall  not  perish  eter- 
nally, because  the  purpose  of  God  cannot  be  frustrated.  But  inasmuch  as  there  i3 
no  special  revelation  given  to  particular  persons,  that  they  are  the  objects  of  this 
purpose  of  grace ;  all  who  name  or  profess  the  name  of  Christ  ought  to  use  the 
utmost  caution  that  they  be  not  ensnared ;  let  them  depart  from  all  iniquity,  and 
not  converse  with  those  who  endeavour  to  overthrow  their  faith.  Indeed,  all  who 
are  faithful  shall  be  kept  from  iniquity  by  God,  as  they  are  here  given  to  under- 
stand that  it  is  their  duty  to  endeavour  to  depart  from  it ;  and  consequently  they 
shall  be  kept  from  apostasy.  This  seems  to  be  the  sense  of  these  words  ;  and  it 
is  agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  faith,  as  well  as  a  plain  proof  of  the  doctrine  which 
we  are  maintaining. 

A  late  writer,2  by  'the  foundation  of  God,  which  standeth  sure,'  supposes  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection  to  be  intended,  which  Hymeneus  and  Philetus  denied, 
saying  that  it  'was  past  already.'  This  doctrine,  says  he,  which  is  a  fundamental 
article  of  faith,  '  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  who  are  his ;' 
that  is,  he  loveth  and  approveth  of  them.  But  though  it  is  true  that  the  resur- 
rection is  spoken  of  in  the  foregoing  verse,  and  we  do  not  deny  that  it  is  a  funda- 
mental article  of  faith ;  yet  it  does  not  seem  to  be  what  is  intended  by  the  word 
'  foundation '  in  this  text.  For  if  by  the  resurrection  we  understand  the  doctrine 
of  the  general  resurrection  of  the  dead,  I  cannot  see  where  the  force  of  the  apostle's 
argument  lies,  namely,  that  there  shall  be  a  general  resurrection,  because  the  Lord 
knoweth  who  are  his ;  for  the  whole  world  are  to  be  raised  from  the  dead.  But  if 
by  the  resurrection  we  are  to  understand  a  resurrection  to  eternal  life,  so  that  they 
who  are  known  or  beloved  of  God  shall  have  their  part  in  it,  and  if  the  apostle's 
reasoning  be,  that  they  who  believe  shall  be  raised  to  eternal  life  ;  this  interpreta- 

u  John  iv.  14.  x  Chap.  v.  24,  y  1  Pet.  ii.  6. 

z  See  Whitby's  Discourse,  &c.  pages  67,  68,  463. 


PERSEVERANCE   IN  GRACE.  179 

non,  so  far  from  militating  against  the  argument  we  are  maintaining,  is  agreeable 
to  the  sense  we  have  given  of  the  text,  and  makes  for  us  rather  than  against  us. 
As  to  what  is  farther  advanced  by  the  author  just  referred  to,  namely,  that  the  words 
1  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his,'  are  to  be  taken  for  that  regard  which  God 
had  to  his  apostles  and  ministers,  this  sense  of  the  text  seems  too  great  a  strain 
on  the  words,  and  is  so  much  different  from  the  scope  of  the  apostle,  as  well  as 
disagreeable  to  the  caution  given,  that  '  every  one  who  names  the  name  of  Christ 
should  depart  from  iniquity,'  that  no  one  who  reads  the  scriptures  without  preju- 
dice, can  easily  adopt  it. 

I  shall  mention  but  one  scripture  more  for  the  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  the  saints' 
perseverance  ;  and  that  is  1  John  ii.  19,  •  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were 
not  of  us :  for  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with 
us  ;  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made  manifest,  that  they  were  not  all 
of  us.'  For  understanding  this,  let  it  be  considered  that  the  apostle  is  speak- 
ing of  some  who  were  formerly  members  of  the  church,  who  afterwards  turned 
apostates  and  open  enemies  to  Christ  and  his  gospel.  It  is  plain  that  the  words 
'  they  went  out  from  us,'  and  '  they  were  not  of  us,'  must  be  taken  in  different  re- 
spects ;  for  it  would  imply  a  contradiction  to  say  that  a  person  departed  from  the 
faith  and  communion  of  the  church,  when  he  never  embraced  it  or  had  communion 
with  it.  But  if  the  two  phrases  be  differently  understood,  these  persons  left  the 
faith  and  communion  of  the  church  because  they  were  Christians  only  in  pretence, 
and  did  not  heartily  embrace  the  faith  on  which  the  church  was  built,  and  were 
not  really  made  partakers  of  that  grace  which  the  apostles  and  other  faithful 
members  of  the  church  had  received  from  God,  as  being  effectually  called  by  it. 
The  sense  is  thus  very  plain  and  easy :  there  were  some  false  professors,  who  made 
a  great  show  of  religion,  and  were  admitted  into  communion  with  the  church ;  and, 
it  may  be,  some  of  them  preached  the  gospel  and  were  more  esteemed  than  others. 
But  they  apostatized ;  for  they  had  not  the  truth  of  grace,  but  were  like  the  seed 
which  sprang  up  without  having  root  in  itself,  which  afterwards  withered.  If, 
however,  they  had  had  this  grace,  it  would  have  been  abiding ;  and  so  they  would, 
'without  doubt,'  says  the  apostle,  'have  continued  with  us;'  but  by  their  apostasy 
it  appears  that  they  were  not,  in  this  sense,  of  our  number,  that  is,  believers. 
They  who  understood  this  scripture,  not  of  persons  who  were  members  of  the 
church,  but  of  ministers  who  first  joined  themselves  with  the  apostles,  and  after- 
wards deserted  them  and  their  doctrine,  advance  nothing  which  tends  to  overthrow 
the  argument  we  are  maintaining.  For,  according  to  that  interpretation,  we  may 
understand  the  words  thus ;  they  pretended  to  be  true  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
doubtless,  to  be,  as  the  apostles  were,  men  of  piety  and  religion,  for  in  other  re- 
spects, they  were  of  them  visibly,  whilst  they  preached  the  same  doctrines  ;  but 
afterwards  by  departing  from  the  faith,  it  appeared  that,  though  they  were  min- 
isters, they  were  not  sincere  Christians,  for  if  they  had,  they  would  not  have 
apostatized. 

Examination  of  Objections  against  the  Doctrine  of  Perseverance. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  consider  the  objections  which  are  usually  brought  against 
the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance  in  grace. 

I.  It  is  objected  that  there  are  several  persons  mentioned  in  scripture,  who  ap- 
pear to  have  been  true  believers,  and  yet  apostatized, — some  totally,  as  David  and 
Peter, — others  not  only  totally  but  finally,  in  which  number  Solomon  is  included. 
Others,  also,  are  described  as  apostates,  such  as  Hymeneus  and  Alexander,  who 
are  said  '  concerning  faith,  to  have  made  shipwreck,'  and  who  are  hence  supposed 
to  have  had  the  grace  of  faith.  Judas  likewise  is  reckoned  to  have  been  a  true 
believer,  whom  all  allow  afterwards  to  have  proved  an  apostate. 

1.  As  to  the  case  of  David  and  Peter,  it  is  true,  that  their  fall  was  very  noto- 
rious, that  the  former  seems  to  have  continued  some  months  in  a  state  of  impeni- 
tency,  and  that  when  they  fell,  there  appeared  no  marks  of  grace  in  either  of  them. 
Peter's  sin,  indeed,  was  committed  through  surprise  and  fear ;  yet  it  had  such 
aggravating  circumstances  attending  it,  that  if  others,  whose  character  is  less  esta- 


ISO  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

blished  than  his  was,  had  committed  the  same  sin,  we  should  be  ready  to  conclude 
that  they  were  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy.  And  David's  sin  was  committed  with 
such  deliberation,  and  was  so  complicated  a  crime,  that  if  any  believer  ever  lost 
the  principle  of  grace,  we  should  have  been  inclined  to  suppose  that  he  did  so. 
Yet  what  gives  us  ground  to  conclude  that  this  principle  was  not  wholly  extin- 
guished either  in  Peter  or  in  him  at  the  time  that  they  fell,  and  therefore  that  they 
were  not  total  apostates,  is  what  we  formerly  observed,  that  the  principle  of  grace 
may  be  altogether  inactive  and  yet  abide  in  the  soul,  agreeably  to  the  sense  we 
gave  of  that  scripture,  '  His  seed  abideth  in  him.'  If  what  has  been  already  said 
concerning  the  possibility  of  the  principle  of  grace  remaining,  though  it  makes  no 
resistance  against  the  contrary  habits  of  sin,  be  of  any  force, a  then  these  instances, 
and  others  of  a  similar  nature  on  which  one  branch  of  the  objection  is  founded, 
will  not  be  sufficient  to  prove  the  possibility  of  the  total  apostasy  of  any  true 
believer. 

2.  As  to  the  case  of  Solomon,  that  he  once  was  a  true  believer,  is  allowed  on 
both  sides.  For  it  is  said  concerning  him,  soon  after  he  was  born,  that  'the  Lord 
loved  him  ;'b  on  which  account  he  gave  him  the  significant  name,  Jedidiah,  '  the 
beloved  of  the  Lord.'  It  is  certain,  also,  that,  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign,  his 
piety  was  no  less  remarkable  than  his  wisdom.  This  appears  from  his  great 
zeal,  expressed  in  building  the  temple  of  God,  and  establishing  its  worship  ;  and 
also  from  the  extraordinary  instance  of  devotion  with  which  he  dedicated  or  conse- 
crated this  house  to  God,c  and  the  prayer  put  up  to  him  on  that  occasion.  It  ap- 
pears also  from  God's  appearing  to  him  twice.  In  his  first  appearance,  he  conde- 
scended to  ask  him,  what  he  should  give  him  ;  and  upon  Solomon's  choosing  '  an 
understanding  heart'  to  judge  his  people,  he  was  pleased  with  him,  and  gave  him 
several  other  things  which  he  asked  not  for,  so  that  there  were  '  not  any  among  the 
kings  like  unto  him.'d  From  all  this  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  he  once  was  a 
believer.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must,  if  we  duly  weigh  the  force  of  the  ob- 
jection, set  the  latter  part  of  his  life  against  the  former  ;  and  then  we  find  him 
guilty  of  very  great  sins.  Not  only  did  he  multiply  wives  and  concubines,  beyond 
what  any  of  his  predecessors  had  done  ;  but  '  his  heart  was  turned  away  after  other 
gods,  and,'  as  is  expressly  said,  'was  not  perfect  with  the  Lord  his  God,  as  was 
the  heart  of  David  his  father. 'e  It  is  also  said  that  '  the  Lord  was  angry  with  Solo- 
mon, because  his  heart  was  turned  from  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  had  ap- 
peared to  him  twice.  'f  On  this  occasion,  he  determined  to  rend  part  of  the  king- 
dom from  his  son  ;S  which  came  to  pass  accordingly.  Now,  all  this  is  said  to  have 
been  done  '  when  he  was  old  ;'h  and  in  the  remaining  part  of  his  history,  we  read 
of  several  who  were  '  stirred  up  as  adversaries'  to  him,1  and  of  little  but  trouble  and 
uneasiness  that  he  met  with.  This  seemed  to  continue  to  his  death,  an  account  ol 
which  we  have  in  1  Kings  xi.  chapter  throughout ;  which  contains  the  history  of 
his  sin  and  troubles,  but  does  not  contain  the  least  intimation  of  his  repentance. 
For  this  reason  he  is  supposed,  in  the  objection,  to  have  apostatized  totally  and 
finally. 

The  main  strength  of  this  objection  lies  in  the  supposition  that  Solomon  did  not 
repent  of  his  idolatry  which  he  committed  in  his  old  age,  or,  as  is  supposed,  in  the 
latter  part  of  his  life, — a  supposition  which  is  based  on  the  alleged  silence  of 
scripture  as  to  this  matter,  especially  in  that  part  of  it  which  gives  an  account  of 
his  fall  and  death.  But  what  is  alleged  is  not  sufficient  to  support  the  weight  of 
the  objection,  and  to  oblige  us  to  regard  him  as  an  apostate  ;  for  there  is  nothing 
in  the  account  we  have  of  him  in  scripture  which  appears  to  preclude  the  idea  that 
he  might  have  sufficient  time  for  repentance,  between  his  fall  and  his  death.  It  is 
said,  indeed,  that  in  his  old  age  his  wives  turned  him  aside  ;  but  this  they  might 
do,  and  yet  he  not  die  an  apostate  ;  for  sometimes  that  part  of  life  which  is  called 
old  age  comprises  several  years.  Hence,  when  he  began  to  be  in  his  declining  age, 
he  might  sin,  and  afterwards  be  brought  to  repentance.  And  as  for  the  scripture 
speaking  first  of  his  fall,  and  then  of  his  death,  it  does  not  follow  that  the  one  oc- 

■  See  pages  175.  176.  b  2  Sam.  xii.  24,  25.  c  1  Kings  viii.  1,  et  seq. 

d  Chap.  iii.  5,  9,  10,  12,  13.  e  Chap.  xi.  4.  f  Ver.  9.         g  Ver.  13.  h  Ver.  4. 

i  Ver.  14,  23,  26. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  181 

curred  immediately  after  the  other  ;  since  the  history  of  the  blemishes  and  troubles 
of  his  life  is  but  short.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  several  things  which  may 
give  us  ground  to  conclude,  that  he  repented  after  his  fall.  In  particular,  we  have 
an  intimation  of  his  repentance  in  that  communication  of  God  respecting  him  in 
which  it  is  supposed  that  God  would  suffer  him  to  fall,  and  a  provisionary  encour- 
agement is  given  to  expect  that  he  should  be  recovered.  He  says,  '  I  will  chastise 
him  with  the  rod  of  men,  and  with  the  stripes  of  the  children  of  men  ;  but  my 
mercy  shall  not  depart  away  from  him,  as  I  took  it  from  Saul,  whom  I  put  away  be- 
fore thee.'k  The  same  thing  is  repeated  in  Psal.  lxxxix.  30 — 34,  in  which  his  fall  is 
supposed,  and  his  recovery  from  it  particularly  mentioned ;  as  though  God  had 
designed  that  this  should  be  a  supplement  to  his  history,  and  remove  the  doubts 
which  might  arise  with  relation  to  his  salvation.  There  are  also  some  things  in 
other  parts  of  scripture  which  plainly  refer  to  the  part  of  his  life  between  his  fall  and 
his  death,  which  give  sufficient  ground  to  conclude  that  he  was  a  true  penitent.  None 
can  deny  that  he  was  the  inspired  writer  of  Ecclesiastes  ;  inasmuch  as  it  is  said,  in 
the  title  or  preface  set  before  it,  that  they  are  '  the  words  of  the  preacher,  the  son 
of  David,  king  of  Jerusalem.'  Now,  if  we  duly  weigh  several  passages  in  that 
book,  we  shall  find  many  things  in  which  he  expresses  the  great  sense  he  had  of 
the  vanity  of  his  past  life.  He  says,  for  example,  '  I  gave  my  heart  to  know 
wisdom,  and  to  know  madness  and  folly.'1  Here,  by  'madness  and  folly,'  he 
doubtless  intends  what  was  so  in  a  moral  sense,  when  he  indulged  his  sinful  passions, 
and  what,  therefore,  respects  the  worst  part  of  his  life.  This  he  farther  insists  on 
when  he  says,  '  Whatsoever  mine  eyes  desired,  I  kept  not  from  them,  I  withheld 
not  my  heart  from  any  joy,  for  my  heart  rejoiced  in  all  my  labour, 'm  or  in  all  those 
things  which  afterwards  were  matter  of  grief  and  uneasiness  to  me.  Here  he  ob- 
serves how  he  did,  as  it  were,  take  pains  to  bring  on  himself  a  long  train  of  miser- 
ies which  troubled  him  afterwards.  And  then  he  plainly  expresses  his  repentance, 
when  he  says,  '  All  was  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit,'  and  there  was  'no  profit  un- 
der the  sun;'n  as  though  he  had  said,  '  I  turned  from  God  to  the  creature,  to  see 
what  happiness  I  could  find  in  it,  but  I  met  with  nothing  but  disappointment.'  He 
had  '  no  profit  in  those  things,  whereof  he  was  now  ashamed.'  It  is  probable,  that 
God  showed  him  the  vanity  of  his  pursuits,  by  his  chastening  him,  or  visiting  his 
transgressions  with  the  rod,  and  his  iniquities  with  stripes,  as  he  had  promised  to 
do,  and  so  brought  him  to  experience  '  vexation  of  spirit.'  This  phrase  is  a  plain 
intimation  of  that  godly  sorrow  which  proceeded  from  a  sense  of  sin,  which  made 
him,  beyond  measure,  uneasy  ;  and  this  vexation  or  uneasiness  was  so  great  that 
he  says,  '  I  hated  life,'  that  is,  I  hated  my  past  wicked  life,  and  abhorred  myself  for 
it,  '  because  the  work  that  is  wrought  under  the  sun,  is  grievous  unto  me,'  that  is, 
the  work  which  I  wrought  was  such  as  gave  me  grief  of  heart,  'for  all  is  vanity 
and  vexation  of  spirit,'0  that  is,  this  is  all  the  consequence  of  what  I  did.  It  can- 
not be  supposed  that  he  was  weary  of  his  life  for  the  same  reasons  that  many  others 
are,  who  are  deprived  of  the  blessings  of  common  providence,  and  reduced  to  that 
condition  which  makes  them  miserable  as  to  their  outward  circumstances  in  the 
world.  It  was  the  uneasiness  he  found  in  his  own  spirit,  the  secret  wounds  of  con- 
science and  bitterness  of  soul  arising  from  a  sense  of  sin,  which  made  him  thus  com- 
plain. Elsewhere,  too,  he  seems  to  be  sensible  of  his  sin,  in  heaping  up  vast  trea- 
sures. The  doing  of  this  he  calls  '  loving  silver ;'  and  he  adds,  what  seems  very 
applicable  to  his  own  case,  that  he  who  is  guilty  of  it,  '  shall  not  be  satisfied  with 
silver,  nor  he  that  loveth  abundance  with  increase  ;  this  is  also  vanity  ;'p  that  is, 
this  had  been  an  instance  of  his  former  vanity.  He  adds  farther,  '  The  sleep  of  a 
labouring  man  is  sweet,  whether  he  eat  little  or  much  ;  but  the  abundance  of  the 
rich  will  not  suffer  him  to  sleep.'  q  If  by  this  we  understand  that  the  increase  of 
riches  sometimes  gives  disturbance  to  and  stirs  up  the  corruptions  of  those  who 
possess  them,  and  if  the  passage  thus  understood  be  applied  to  himself,  it  is  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  sin.  Or,  if  we  understand  by  it  that  the  abundance  of  a  rich 
man  will  not  give  him  rest  at  night,  when  his  mind  is  made  uneasy  with  a  sense  of 

k  2  Sam.  vii.  14,  15.  1  Eccl.  i.  17.  m  Chap.  ii.  10.  n  Verse  11. 

o  Eccl.  ii.  17.  P  Chap.  v.  10.  q  Verse  12. 


182  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

the  guilt  of  sin,  and  if  it  be  applied  to  his  own  case  when  he  is  fallen,  it  intimates 
that  his  repentance  not  only  gave  him  uneasiness  by  day,  but  took  away  his  rest  by 
night.  It  seems  also  not  improbable,  that  what  gave  him  farther  occasion  to  see 
the  vanity  of  his  past  life,  was  the  sense  of  mortality  impressed  on  him  ;  for  he 
says,  *  It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourning  than  to  go  to  the  house  of  feast- 
ing ;  for  that  is  the  end  of  all  men,  and  the  living  will  lay  it  to  his  heart ;' r  that 
is,  he  will  or  ought  to  improve  the  sense  of  his  own  frailty,  which  we  may  conclude 
he  had  done  ;  and  therefore  he  adds,  '  Sorrow  is  better  than  laughter  ;  for  by  the 
sadness  of  the  countenance  the  heart  is  made  better. 's — It  may  be  objected  indeed, 
that  all  these  expressions,  and  many  others  of  a  similar  nature,  which  might  have 
been  referred  to,  which  are  expressive  of  great  repentance,  are  not  applicable  to 
himself.  Now,  though  I  cannot  but  think  that  the  contrary  seems  very  probable  ; 
yet  there  is  something  farther  added,  which  he  expressly  applies  to  himself,  and 
which  refers  to  his  unlawful  love  of  women :  '  I  find  more  bitter  than  death  the 
woman  whose  heart  is  snares  and  nets,  and  her  hands  as  bands.  Whoso  pleaseth 
God  shall  escape  from  her ;  but  the  sinner  shall  be  taken  by  her.  Behold,  this 
have  I  found,  saith  the  preacher.''  If  these  things  be  not  expressive  of  repentance, 
it  is  hard  to  say  what  are.  We  may  add  that,  as  he  expresses  a  grief  of  heart  for 
his  past  sins,  so  he  warns  others  that  they  may  not  be  guilty  of  that  which  he  him- 
self found  more  bitter  than  death.  Accordingly,  having  described  the  arts  used  by 
the  wicked  woman  to  betray  the  unthinking  passenger,  he  cautions  every  one  to 
take  heed  of  declining  to  her  ways  ;  inasmuch  as  the  consequence  will  be,  that  '  a 
dart  will  strike  through  his  liver,'  and  he  is  '  as  a  bird  that  hasteth  to  the  snare, 
and  knoweth  not  that  it  is  for  his  life.'u  He  also  adds,  '  She  hath  cast  down  many 
wounded  ;  yea,  many  strong  men  have  been  slain  by  her.  Her  house  is  the  way 
to  hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers  of  death. 'x  So  that  we  find  in  Solomon  two 
of  the  greatest  evidences  which  we  can  have  of  sincere  repentance  ;  namely,  a  great 
degree  of  sorrow  for  sin,  and  an  earnest  desire  that  others  would  avoid  it,  by  giving 
those  cautions  which  are  necessary  to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  snare  in  which 
he  had  been  entangled. — Moreover,  something  is  spoken  in  Solomon's  commenda- 
tion, after  his  death.  This  may  be  gathered  from  its  being  said  that,  during  the 
three  first  years  of  Rehoboam's  reign,  which  God  approved  of,  '  he  walked  in  the 
way  of  David  and  of  Solomon  ;**  where  we  may  observe  that  Solomon  is  joined  with 
his  father  David.  Hence,  as  there  were  abatements  to  be  made  for  the  blemishes 
in  David's  reign  ;  the  reign  of  Solomon  had  in  it  great  blemishes.  But  as  one  re- 
pented, so  did  the  other,  and  therefore  ought  not  to  be  reckoned  an  apostate.  We 
may  add,  that  he  was  a  penman  of  scripture  ;  and  it  does  not  appear  that  God  con- 
ferred this  honour  upon  any  who  apostatized  from  him.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
have  the  general  character  given  of  them  by  the  apostle  Peter,  that  they  were  all 
*  holy  men  of  God.'z  Thus,  then,  we  must  conclude  Solomon  to  have  been,  till 
we  have  greater  evidence  to  the  contrary  than  they  can  produce  who  say  he  was 
an  apostate. 

3.  There  are  others  mentioned  in  the  objection,  namely,  Hymeneus  and  Alex- 
ander, whose  apostasy  we  have  no  ground  to  doubt  of ;  but  we  cannot  allow  that 
they  fell  from  or  lost  the  saving  grace  of  faith.  It  is  one  thing  to  fall  from  the 
profession  of  faith,  and  another  thing  to  lose  the  grace  of  faith.  Hence,  the  only 
thing  to  be  proved  in  answer  to  this  branch  of  the  objection,  is,  that  these  persons, 
who  are  described  as  apostates,  never  had  the  truth  of  grace,  or  that  they  fell  only 
from  that  visible  profession  of  it,  whereby  they  were  reckoned  to  be,  what  in  reality 
they  were  not,  namely,  true  believers.  Now,  the  apostle  speaks  of  them  as  having 
1  departed  from  the  faith, '  namely,  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel ;  and  their  doing  this 
was  attended  with  blasphemy,  for  which  they  were  '  delivered  unto  Satan,'  which  is 
a  phrase  used  by  the  apostle  here  and  elsewhere,  for  persons  being  cut  off  from  the 
communion  of  the  church.  Hence,  he  advises  Timothy  to  '  hold  faith  and  a  good 
conscience,  which  some  having  put  away,  concerning  faith,  have  made  shipwreck,' 
as  these  had  done.     Now,  the  main  force  of  the  objection  seems  to  lie  in  this,  that 

r  Eccl.  vii.  2.  s  Verse  3.  t  Verses  26,  27.  u  Prov.  vii.  23.  compared  with  the 

foregoing  verses.  x  Verses  26,  27.  y  2  Chron.  xi.  17.  *  2  Pet.  i.  21. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  183 

they  who  have  made  shipwreck  of  faith  were  onco  true  believers  ;  and  that,  there- 
fore, such  may  apostatize,  and  so  fall  short  of  salvation.  But  by  '  faith '  here  is 
meant  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  which  are  often  styled  '  faith. '  Thus  it  is  said 
that  the  apostle  '  preached  the  faith  which  once  he  destroyed.'*  Elsewhere  also  it 
is  said,  'before  faith  came,'  that  is,  before  the  gospel-dispensation  began,  and  those 
doctrines  were  preached,  which,  under  that  dispensation,  were  to  be  published  to 
the  world,  'we  were  kept  under  the  law.'b  Again,  '  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  ?'c  that  is,  by  hearing  those  doctrines 
which  are  contained  in  the  gospel.  Hence,  what  the  apostle  charges  the  apostates 
with,  is  making  shipwreck  of  faith,  considered  objectively.  They  once,  indeed, 
held  the  truth,  but  it  was  in  unrighteousness ;  they  had  right  notions  of  the  gospel, 
which  they  afterwards  lost.  Now,  the  apostle  advises  Timothy  not  only  to  '  hold 
faith,'  that  is,  to  retain  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  as  one  who  had  right  senti- 
ments of  divine  truths,  but  to  hold  it  'with  a  good  conscience.'  For  I  take  the 
expression,  'hold  faith  and  a  good  conscience,'  to  contain  an  hendyadis ;  and  so  it 
is  the  same  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Be  not  content  with  a  mere  assent  to  the  truths  of 
the  gospel,  but  labour  after  a  conscience  void  of  offence  towards  God,  that  thou 
mayest  have  its  testimony  that  thy  knowledge  of  divine  truth  is  practical  and  ex- 
perimental, and  then  thou  art  out  of  danger  of  making  shipwreck  of  faith,  as  these 
have  done,  who  held  it  without  a  good  conscience.'  It  is  not  said  they  made  ship- 
wreck of  a  good  conscience  ;  for  that  they  never  had.  What  is  said  is,  '  Concerning 
faith,'  which  they  once  professed,  'they  made  shipwreck.' 

The  same  thing  may  be  said  concerning  Judas.  He  apostatized  from  the  faith 
which  he  once  made  a  very  great  profession  of,  being  not  only  one  of  Christ's  dis- 
ciples, but  sent  forth  with  the  rest  of  them  to  preach  the  gospel  and  work  miracles ; 
yet  it  is  evident  that  he  had  not  the  saving  grace  of  faith.  Our  Saviour,  who  knew 
the  hearts  of  all  men,  was  not  deceived  in  him,  though  others  were  ;  for  it  is  said, 
1  He  knew  from  the  beginning  who  they  were  that  believed  not,  and  who  should 
betray  him.'d  The  principal  force  of  the  objection,  however,  is  put  in  this  way: 
Judas  must  needs  have  been  a  believer,  because  he  was  given  to  Christ ;  and  our 
Saviour  says,  that  '  those  who  were  given  to  him  were  kept  by  him,  and  none  of 
them  was  lost  but  the  son  of  perdition. 'e  His  being  styled  '  the  son  of  perdition  ' 
argues  him  an  apostate,  and  his  having  been  '  given  to  Christ '  denotes  that  he  was 
once  a  true  believer  ;  so  that  he  fell  totally  and  finally.  In  answer  to  this,  some 
conclude  that  they  who  are  said  to  have  been  '  given  to  Christ,'  are  such  as  were 
appointed,  by  the  providence  of  God,  to  be  his  servants  in  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try. Now,  it  is  said  concerning  them,  that  they  were  given  to  Christ  to  be  employed 
by  him  in  this  service,  and  that  all  of  them  were  kept  faithful,  except  the  son  of 
perdition.  If  this  be  the  sense  of  their  being  given  to  him,  it  does  not  necessarily 
infer  their  being  made  partakers  of  special  grace.  It  is  one  thing  to  be  given  to 
Christ,  to  be  employed  in  some  peculiar  acts  of  service  in  which  his  glory  is  con- 
cerned ;  and  another  thing  to  be  given  to  him,  as  being  chosen  and  called  by  him 
to  partake  of  special  communion  with  him.  If  Judas  had  been  given  to  him  in 
the  latter  sense,  he  would  not  have  been  a  son  of  perdition,  but  would  have  been 
kept  by  him,  as  the  other  disciples  were  ;  but  as  he  was  given  to  Christ  only  that 
he  might  serve  the  design  of  his  providence  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  might 
be  lost,  or  appear  to  be  a  son  of  perdition,  and  yet  not  fall  from  the  truth  of  grace. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  by  being  'given  to  Christ,'  we  understand  a  being  given  to 
him  as  objects  of  his  care  and  special  love,  we  must  suppose  that  all  who  were  thus 
given  to  him  were  kept  by  him  ;  and  in  this  sense  Judas,  who  is  called  '  the  son  of 
perdition,'  and  was  not  kept  by  him,  was  not  given  to  him.  Accordingly,  the  par- 
ticle '  but'  is  not  exceptive,  but  adversative  ;  and  the  passage  is  as  if  our  Lord  had 
said, '  All  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost ;  but  the  son  of 
perdition  is  lost.'  I  have  not  preserved  him  ;  for  he  was  not  the  object  of  my  special 
care  and  love.  He  was  not  given  me  to  save ;  therefore  he  is  lost.  Now  it  is  cer- 
tain that  the  particle  '  but '  is  used  in  this  sense  in  many  other  scriptures,  particu- 
larly that  in  which  it  is  said,  '  There  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it,'  that  is,  the 

a  Gal.  i.  23,  b  Chap.  iii.  23.  c  Ver.  2.  d  John  vi.  64.  e  Chap,  xvii,  12. 


184  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

heavenly  Jerusalem,  '  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abo- 
mination, or  maketh  a  lie,  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life  ;* 
which  is  as  if  it  had  been  said,  '  Ungodly  men  shall  not  enter  in  ;  but  they  that 
are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  lite  shall.'*  Thus  much  concerning  the  objec- 
tion taken  from  particular  persons  who  are  supposed  to  have  fallen  from  grace. 

II.  The  next  objection  is  taken  from  what  the  apostle  Paul  says  concerning  the 
church  of  the  Jews,  whom  he  describes  as  apostatized  from  God.  It  is  evident  that 
they  are  to  this  day  given  up  to  judicial  blindness,  and  not  in  the  least  disposed  to 
repent  of  that  crime  for  which  they  were  cast  off.  Concerning  these,  he  says  that 
they  once  were  holy  :  '  If  the  first-fruit  be  holy,  the  lump  is  also  holy  ;  and  if  the 
root  be  holy,  so  are  the  branches  ;'h  and  afterwards  he  speaks  of  '  their  casting 
away,'  and  of  'some  of  the  branches  being  broken  off,  because  of  unbelief.'*  Now, 
say  the  objectors,  if  the  whole  church  apostatized,  we  must  conclude  that  at  least 
some  of  them  were  true  believers.  Hence,  true  believers  may  fall  from  the  grace 
of  God. 

Now,  that  the  church  of  the  Jews  apostatized,  and  were  cut  off  for  their  unbelief, 
is  sufficiently  evident.  But  we  must  distinguish  between  the  apostacy  of  a  profess- 
ing people  such  as  the  church  of  the  Jews  were,  who  first  rejected  God,  and  then 
were  cast  off  by  him,  and  the  apostacy  of  those  who  were  truly  religious  amongst 
them.  The  apostle  himself  gives  us  ground  for  this  distinction,  when  he  says, 
'  They  are  not  all  Israel  which  are  of  Israel ;  neither,  because  they  are  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  are  they  all  children. 'k  Elsewhere,  also,  he  distinguishes  between 
one  who  is  a  Jew,  as  being  partaker  of  the  external  privileges  of  the  covenant  which 
the  Jewish  church  was  under ;  and  a  person's  being  a  Jew,  as  partaking  of  the  sav- 
ing blessings  of  that  covenant.  He  says,  '  He  is  not  a  Jew  which  is  one  outwardly, 
neither  is  that  circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh  ;  but  he  is  a  Jew  which 
is  one  inwardly  ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the 
letter  ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men  but  of  God.'1  A  church  may  lose  its  external 
privileges,  and  cease  to  have  the  honourable  character  given  it  of  being  a  church, 
— the  greatest  part  of  them  may  be  blinded ;  when,  at  the  same  time,  'the  election,' 
that  is,  all  among  them  who  were  chosen  to  eternal  life,  'obtain  it.'  The  apostle 
observes  this,™  and,  in  doing  so,  intimates  that  some  who  were  members  of  the  Jew- 
ish church  were  faithful.  These  were  preserved  from  the  common  apostacy,  being 
converted  to  the  Christian  faith.  Their  privileges  as  members  of  a  church  were 
lost ;  but  they  still  retained  their  spiritual  and  inseparable  union  with  Christ,  which 
they  had  as  believers,  and  not  as  the  result  of  their  being  the  natural  seed  of  Abra- 
ham. They  were  made,  partakers  of  the  blessings  which  accompany  salvation ;  and 
therefore  were  not  separated  from  the  love  of  God  in  Christ ;  whilst  formal  profes- 
sors and  hypocrites,  who  were  Abraham's  natural  seed,  but  not  his  spiritual,  were 
cast  off  by  Christ. 

III.  It  is  farther  objected  that  there  are  some  who  have  the  character  of  righ- 
teous persons,  concerning  whom  it  is  supposed  that  they  may  fall  away  or  perish. 
The  objectors  particularly  refer  to  Ezekiel  xviii.  24,  '  When  the  righteous  turn- 
eth  away  from  his  righteousness,  and  committeth  iniquity,  and  doeth  according  to 
all  the  abominations  that  the  wicked  man  doeth,  shall  he  live  ?  All  his  righte- 
ousness that  he  hath  done  shall  not  be  mentioned :  in  his  trespass  that  he  hath  tres- 
passed, and  in  his  sin  that  he  hath  sinned,  in  them  shall  he  die.'  The  objectors 
refer  also  to  Hebrews  x.  38,  in  which  it  is  said,  '  The  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;  but 
if  any  man,'  or,  as  the  word  should  be  rendered,  '  if  he  draw  back,  my  soul  shall 
have  no  pleasure  in  him.'  They  hence  infer  that,  as  the  righteous  man  may  turn 
from  his  righteousness,  and  draw  back  to  perdition,  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  per- 
severance cannot  be  defended. 

1.  As  to  the  former  of  these  scriptures,  we  must  consider  the  sense  of  it  agree- 
ably to  the  context,  and  the  scope  and  design  of  the  prophet.  He  had  often  re- 
proved the  people  for  those  vile  abominations  which  they  were  guilty  of,  and  had 
denounced  the  threatenings  of  God,  which  should  have  their  accomplishment  in 

r  Rev.  xxi.  27.  g  See  several  other  scriptures  in  which  n  fttt  is  taken  adversatively, 

Matt.  xxiv.  36;  Gal.  i.  7;  Rev.  ix.  4.  h  Rom.  xi.  16.  i  Verses  15,  17,  19,  20. 

k  Rom.  ix.  6,  7.  1  Chap.  ii.  28,  29.  m  Chap.  xi.  7. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  185 

their  utter  ruin.  Particularly,  he  foretells  the  judgments  which  should  sweep 
away  many  of  them  before  the  captivity,  and  others  that  should  befall  them  in  it. 
This  is  the  subject  principally  insisted  on  by  the  prophets  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel. 
The  people  were,  in  consequence,  sometimes  represented  as  disliking  the  doctrine, 
desiring  that  'smooth  things'  might  be  prophesied  to  them,  and  that  'the  Holy  One 
of  Israel  might  cease  from  before  them.'n  At  other  times  they  are  represented  as 
complaining  of  the  hardship  of  the  dispensation,  intimating  that  it  was  unjust  and 
severe,  and,  at  the  same  time,  justifying  themselves,  as  though  they  had  done 
nothing  which  deserved  it,  and  as  though  it  was  to  befall  them  wholly  for  the  sins 
of  their  fathers.  Accordingly,  there  was  a  proverbial  expression  often  made  use 
of  by  them,  mentioned  in  the  second  verse  of  this  chapter,  '  The  fathers  have  eaten 
sour  grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge.'  But  by  this' they  did  not 
understand  that  we  expect  to  perish  eternally  for  our  fathers'  sins ;  in  which  sense 
it  must  be  taken  if  the  objection  in  question  has  any  force.  Now  God,  by  the 
prophet,  tells  them  that  they  had  no  reason  to  use  this  proverb,  and  so  puts  them 
upon  looking  into  their  past  conduct,  and  inquiring  whether  they  had  not  been 
guilty  of  the  same  sins  which  their  fathers  were  charged  with ;  and  he  assures  them, 
that  if  they  could  exculpate  themselves  from  these,  they  should  be  delivered,  and 
not  die,  that  is,  not  fall  by  those  judgments  which  either  should  go  before  or  follow 
the  captivity, — for  that,  as  we  have  observed  elsewhere,0  seems  to  be  the  sense  of 
'dying,'  according  to  the  prophetic  way  of  speaking.  For  understanding  this 
scripture,  then,  we  must  consider  that  the  prophet  addresses  himself  to  '  the  house 
of  Israel.'  These  are  represented  as  complaining  that  '  the  way  of  the  Lord  was 
not  equal,'?  or  that  God's  threatenings  or  judgments,  which  were  the  forerunners  of 
the  captivity,  were  such  as  they  had  not  deserved.  He  hence  tells  them  that  he 
would  deal  with  them  according  to  their  deserts.  '  When  the  righteous, 'i  that  is, 
one  whose  conversation  formerly  seemed  to  be  unblemished,  and  who  appeared  not 
guilty  of  such  enormous  crimes  as  were  committed  by  others — which  may  be  sup- 
posed, and  yet  the  person  not  be  in  a  state  of  grace,— when  such  an  one  '  turneth 
away  from  his  righteousness,  and  doth  according  to  all  the  abominations  that  the 
wicked  man  doth,'  that  is,  becomes  openly  vile  and  profligate,  'shall  he  live  ?'  can 
he  expect  any  thing  else  but  that  God  should  follow  him  with  exemplary  judg- 
ments, or  that  he  should  be  involved  in  the  common  destruction  ?  '  In  his  sin  that 
he  hath  sinned,  shall  he  die.'  On  the  other  hand,  'When  the  wicked  man  turneth 
away  from  his  wickedness;'1"  that  is,  when  they  who  have  been  guilty  of  these 
abominations  shall  reform  their  lives,  or  turn  from  their  idolatry,  murders,  adul- 
teries, oppressions,  and  other  vile  crimes  which  the  people  in  general  were  charged 
with  by  the  prophet,  and  which  are  assigned  as  the  reason  of  God's  sending  the 
dreadful  judgment  of  the  captivity ;  I  say,  if  there  be  such  an  instance  of  reforma- 
tion, '  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive ;'  that  is,  either  he  shall  be  delivered  from  the 
captivity,  or  shall  be  preserved  from  those  temporal  judgments  which  either  went 
before  or  followed  after  it.  This  reformation,  followed  by  deliverance  from  these 
judgments,  amounts  to  something  less  than  saving  grace,  and  a  right  to  eternal 
life,  which  is  inseparably  connected  with  it.  Hence,  if  nothing  else  than  what  has 
been  stated  be  intended  by  '  the  righteous '  and  'the  wicked  man  ;'  and  if  the  judg- 
ments threatened,  or  their  deliverance  from  them  in  case  of  reformation,  includes 
no  more  than  temporal  judgments  and  temporal  deliverance ;  it  is  evident,  that  the 
passage  does  not  in  the  least  suppose  that  any  true  believer  shall  apostatize  or  fall 
from  a  state  of  grace.  As  we  may  distinguish  between  eternal  death  and  temporal 
judgments  ;  so  we  must  distinguish  between  a  person's  abstaining  from  the  vilest 
abominations  as  a  means  to  escape  these  judgments,  and  his  exercising  those  graces 
which  accompany  salvation.  There  may  be  an  external  reformation  in  those  who 
have  no  special  grace,  if  nothing  farther  be  regarded  than  a  person's  moral  charac- 
ter, or  inoffensive  behaviour  in  the  eye  of  the  world.  If  we  consider  him  onlv  as 
abstaining  from  those  sins  which  are  universally  reckoned  disreputable  among  per- 
sons who  make  any  pretensions  to  religion,  and  if  in  this  respect  he  be  denominated 

n  Isa.  xxx.  10,  II.  o  See  Sect.  'Extent  of  the  Atonement,'  under  Quest,  xliv. 

p  Ezek.  xviii.  25.  q  Verse  24.  r  Verse  27. 

II.  2  A 


186  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

a  righteous  man ;  he  may  turn  away  from  his  righteousness  and  become  immoral 
andprofligate,  and  so  be  reckoned  among  the  number  of  apostates.  He  cannot  be 
said,  however,  to  apostatize  or  iall  from  the  grace  of  God ;  since  moral  virtue,  or 
the  exercise  of  righteousness  in  our  dealings  with  men,  is  as  much  inferior  to  sav- 
ing grace,  as  a  form  of  godliness  is  to  its  power. 

2.  As  to  the  other  scripture  mentioned  in  the  objection,  it  is  generally  urged 
against  us  as  an  unanswerable  argument,  in  the  express  words  of  it,  to  prove  the 
possibility  of  the  saints'  apostasy.  Our  translation  of  it  is  charged  with  a  wilful 
mistake,  to  serve  a  turn,  and  make  the  text  speak  what  it  never  intended;  since 
all,  it  is  alleged,  who  understand  the  original  must  allow  that  it  ought  to  be  ren- 
dered, '  If  he  draw  back,' which  supposes  that  the  just  man  may  apostatize,  or  draw 
back  unto  perdition.  But  though  the  words,  according  to  the  form  in  which  they 
are  laid  down,  contain  a  supposition,  it  does  not  infer  the  being  or  reality  of  the 
thing  supposed ; s  but  only  this,  that  if  such  a  thing  should  happen,  it  would  be 
attended  with  what  is  laid  down  as  a  consequence.  This  is  very  agreeable  to  our 
common  mode  of  speaking.  We  say,  for  example,  that  if  a  virtuous  person  should 
commit  a  capital  crime,  he  will  fall  under  the  lash  of  the  law  as  much  as  though 
he  had  made  no  pretensions  to  virtue.  Yet  it  does  not  follow,  that  such  an  one 
shall  do  it,  or  expose  himself  to  this  punishment.  On  the  other  hand,  if  a  king 
should  say  to  a  criminal,  as  Solomon  did  to  Adonijah,  '  If  he  will  show  himself 
a  worthy  man,  there  shall  not  an  hair  of  him  fall  to  the  earth, '  it  cannot  be  inferred 
that  he  will  behave  himself  so  that  his  life  shall  be  secured  to  him.  The  proposi- 
tion is  true,  as  there  is  a  just  connection  between  the  supposition  and  the  conse- 
quence ;  yet  this  does  not  argue  that  the  thing  supposed  shall  come  to  pass.  So 
it  is  with  the  scripture  under  our  present  consideration.  The  proposition  is  doubt- 
less true,  that  if  the  just  man  should  draw  back,  so  as  to  become  a  wicked  man ;  if 
he  should  lose  the  principle  of  grace  which  was  implanted  in  regeneration,  and 
abandon  himself  to  the  greatest  impieties  ;  he  would  as  certainly  perish  as  though 
he  had  never  experienced  the  grace  of  God.  But  it  must  not  be  inferred  from  this, 
that  God  will  suffer  such  an  one,  who  is  the  object  of  both  his  love  and  his  care, 
thus  to  fall  and  perish,  so  that  his  soul  should  have  no  pleasure  in  him. — Again, 
if  we  suppose  the  person  here  spoken  of,  whom  we  consider  as  a  true  believer,  to 
draw  back,  we  may  distinguish  between  backsliding  or  turning  aside  from  God  by 
the  commission  of  very  great  sins,  and  apostasy, — or  between  drawing  back,  by  be- 
ing guilty  of  great  crimes,  so  as  to  expose  himself  to  sore  judgments,  and  drawing 
back  to  perdition.  The  just  man,  in  this  text,  is  said,  indeed,  to  draw  back ;  but 
he  is  distinguished  from  one  who  draws  back  to  perdition.  Accordingly,  it  is  said 
in  the  following  verse,  '  We  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  to  perdition  ;  but  of 
them  that  believe,  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.'  Such  a  drawing  back  as  this,  though 
it  shall  not  end  in  perdition,  inasmuch  as  the  person  shall  be  recovered  and  brought 
to  repentance,  shall  yet  be  attended  with  very  great  marks  of  God's  displeasure 
against  believers  for  those  sins  which  they  have  committed.  Accordingly,  '  his 
soul  having  no  pleasure '  in  them,  denotes  that  he  would,  in  various  instances,  as 
a  display  of  his  holiness,  reveal  his  wrath  against  relapsing  believers,  who  shall 
nevertheless  be  recovered  and  saved  at  last.  If  these  things  be  duly  considered, 
the  objection  seems  to  have  no  weight,  even  though  it  should  be  allowed  that  the 
words  upon  which  it  is  principally  founded  are  not  rightly  translated. — I  cannot 
see  sufficient  reason,  however,  to  set  aside  our  translation ;  it  being  equally  just  to 
render  the  words,  '  If  any  man  draw  back.'*  For  as  the  supplying  of  the  words 
1  any  man,'  or  *  any  one,'  is  allowed  in  many  other  instances,  both  in  the  Old  and 
the  New  Testament ;  so  there  is  not  the  least  incongruity  in  their  being  supplied 
in  the  text  under  consideration.11      Now  if  they  be  supplied,  the  sense  which  we 

b  It  is  a  known  maxim  in  logic,  '  Suppositio  nihil  ponit  in  esse.'  t  E«v  ivrorrtiXtireu. 

u  It  is  certain,  that  the  particles  ni,  -wh.  and  others  of  similar  import,  are  often  left  out,  and 
that  the  defect  is  to  he  supplied  in  the  translation.  Thus  it  is  in  Job  xxxiii.  27.  where  the  Hebrew 
word,  which  might  have  been  rendered  '  and  he  shall  say,'  is  better  rendered  *  and  it  any  say,'  &c. 
In  Gen.  xlviii.  '2,  instead  of  ■  he  told  Jacob,'  it  is  better  rendered  *  one  told  Jacob,'  or  '  somebody 
told  him.'  In  Mark  ii.  1,  tk,  which  is  left  out  in  the  Greek  text,  is  supplied  in  the  translation,  in 
which  we  do  not  read  '  after  days,'  but '  after  some  days.'    See  Nold.  Concord.  Partic.  pages  41,  42, 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  187 

give  of  it,  will  appear  very  agreeable  to  the  context.  For  the  meaning  is,  •  The 
just  shall  live  by  faith  ;'  or,  as  in  one  of  the  foregoing  verses,  they  who  '  know  in 
themselves  that  they  have  in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  substance'  shall  live 
by  faith  ;  but  as  for  others  who  do  not  live  by  faith,  having  only  a  form  or  show  ot 
religion,  whose  manner  is  to  forsake  the  assembling  of  themselves  together,1  these 
are  inclined  to  '  draw  back.'  Let  them  know,  therefore,  that  '  if  any  one,'  or  who- 
soever, '  draws  back,'  it  will  be  at  their  peril ;  for  it  will  be  to  their  own  '  perdition/ 
Yet,  saith  the  apostle,  that  true  believers  may  not  be  discouraged  by  the  apostasy 
of  others,  let  them  take  notice  of  what  is  said  in  the  following  words,  '  We  are  not 
of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdition,  but  of  them  that  believe  to  the  saving  of 
the  soul.'  These  things  being  duly  considered,  it  will  be  sufficiently  evident  that 
this  text  does  not  militate  against  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance. 

IV.  There  is  an  objection  brought  against  the  doctrine  we  have  been  endeavour- 
ing to  maintain,  taken  from  what  the  apostle  says  in  Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  6,  '  It  is  impos- 
sible for  those  who  were  once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift, 
and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of 
God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them 
again  unto  repentance,  seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh, 
and  put  him  to  an  open  shame.'  The  force  of  this  objection  lies  in  two  things, 
namely,  that  the  persons  are  described  as  total  and  final  apostates,  and  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  account  we  have  of  their  former  condition,  they  appear  to  have  been 
true  believers.  This  is  thought,  by  some  who  defend  the  doctrine  of  the  saints' 
perseverance,  to  be  one  of  the  most  difficult  objections  which  we  generally  meet 
with  against  it.  Those  especially  who  cannot  see  how  it  is  possible  for  a  person  to 
make  such  advances  towards  true  godliness,  and  yet  be  no  other  than  an  hypocrito 
or  formal  professor,  are  obliged  to  take  a  method  to  set  aside  the  force  of  the  ob- 
jection which  I  cannot  agree  with.  They  allege  that  when  the  apostle  says  '  it  is 
impossible'  that  such  should  be  'renewed  again  to  repentance,'  the  word  'impossible' 
denotes  nothing  else  but  that  the  thing  is  exceedingly  difficult,  not  that  they  shall 
eventually  perish.  It  is  supposed  that  they  are  true  believers  ;  that  their  recov- 
ery, after  such  a  notorious  instance  of  backsliding  shall  be  attended  with  difficul- 
ties so  great  that  nothing  can  surmount  them  but  the  extraordinary  power  of  God ; 
and  that  though  he  will  recover  them,  yet  they  shall  feel  the  smart  of  their  back- 
sliding as  long  as  they  live, — that  they  shall  be  saved,  '  yet  so  as  by  fire.'y     But 

in  which  several  texts  of  scripture  are  produced  to  the  same  purpose,  and  among  the  rest,  this  in  Heb. 
x.  38,  which  we  are  at  present  considering  as  what  ought  to  be  rendered  '  if  any  one  draw  back. 
In  this  and  similar  instances  we  may  observe  that  the  verb  personal  has  an  impersonal  signification, 
or  that  which  is  properly  active  is  rendered  passively.  So  Eccl.  ix.  15,  rra  xym  is  not  rendered 
'  and  he  found  in  it,'  &c,  but  '  now  there  was  found  in  it.'  Many  other  instances  of  the  like  nature 
are  to  be  observed  in  the  Hebrew  text  in  the  Old  Testament ;  and  sometimes  this  mode  of  speaking 
is  imitated  by  the  Greek  text  in  the  New.  I  might  also  observe,  with  respect  to  the  scripture 
under  our  present  consideration,  that  the  learned  Grotius  observes  that  nt  ought  to  be  supplied, 
and  that  consequently  the  text  ought  to  be  rendered  as  it  is  in  our  translation,  '  if  any  man  draw 
back.'  This  he  observes  as  what  is  agreeable  to  the  grammatical  construction  of  the  words,  with- 
out any  rtgard  to  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  with  respect  to  which  he  is  otherwise  minded. 

x  Heb.  x.  25. 

y  To  give  countenance  to  this  sense  of  the  word  'impossible,'  they  refer  to  some  scriptures  in 
Ivhich  it  does  not  denote  an  absolute  impossibility  of  the  thing,  but  only  that  if  it  comes  to  pass  it 
will  he  with  much  difficulty.  Thus  it  is  said,  Acts  xx.  16,  that  the  apostle  Paul  'hasted,  if  it  were 
possible  for  him  to  be  at  Jerusalem  the  day  of  Pentecost;'  where  his  making  haste  argues  that  the 
thing  was  in  itself  not  impossible  but  difficult.  In  Rom.  xii.  18.  we  are  exhorted,  'if  it  be  possible, 
as  much  as  in  us  lieth,  to  live  peaceably  with  all  men.'  This  shows  that  it  is  hard  indeed  so  to  do, 
but  that  we  are  nevertheless  to  useour  utmost  endeavours  to  do  it;  which  does  not  argue  that  the  thing 
is  in  itself  altogether  impossible.  There  is  another  scripture  which  they  bring  to  justify  this  sense  of 
the  words,  namely,  Matt.  xix.  23 — 26,  in  which  our  Saviour's  design  is  to  show  the  difficulty  of  a 
rich  man's  entering  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  he  compares  to  a  'camel's  going  through 
the  eye  of  a  needle;'  by  which  very  few  suppose  that  the  beast  so  called  is  intended,  but  a  cable- 
rope,  which  is  sometimes  called  a  camel.  Thus  the  Syriac  and  Arabic  versions  translate  the  word. 
And  a  learned  writer  observes  that  the  Jews,  in  a  proverbial  way,  express  the  difficulty  of  a  thing  by 
that  of  a  cable-rope  passing  through  the  eye  of  a  needle.  See  Buxt.  Lex.  Talmud,  page  1719,  and 
Boehart  lliero.  Part.  1.  lib.  ii.  cap  3.  And  '  by  needle'  is  not  meant  that  which  is  used  in  work- 
ing, hut  an  iron  through  which  a  small  rope  may  be  easily  drawn,  though  it  was  very  difficult  to 
rorce  a  camel,  or  cable  rope,  through  it.  They  suppose,  therefore,  that  our  Saviour  is  not  speaking 
ol  a  ttimu  which  is  absolutely  impossible,  but  of  what  is  exceedingly  difficult;  and  that  this  may  be 


188  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

though  the  word  ■  impossible'  may  be  sometimes  taken  for  that  which  is  very  diffi- 
cult, I  cannot  but  conclude  that  the  apostle  is  here  speaking  of  that  which  is  im- 
possible with  respect  to  the  event,  and  therefore  that  he  is  giving  the  character  of 
apostates  who  shall  never  be  recovered.  This  appears,  not  only  from  the  heinous- 
ness  of  the  crime,  as  they  are  said  to  '  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh, 
and  put  him  to  an  open  shame  ;'  but  from  what  is  mentioned  in  the  following  verses, 
in  which  they  are  compared  to  'the  earth  that  bringeth  forth  thorns  and  briars, 
which  is  rejected,  and  nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned  ;'  and  from 
their  being  distinguished  from  those  who  shall  be  saved,  concerning  whom  the 
apostle  was  'persuaded  better  things,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation.'  I 
think,  therefore,  he  is  speaking  here  concerning  a  total  and  final  apostasy.  But 
that  this  may  not  appear  to  militate  against  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  I 
shall  endeavour  to  show  that,  notwithstanding  the  character  the  apostle  gives  of 
the  persons  he  speaks  of,  they  were  destitute  of  the  truth  of  grace  ;  so  that  no- 
thing is  said  concerning  them,  but  what  a  formal  professor  may  attain  to. 

They  are  described  as  '  once  enlightened  ;'  but  this  a  person  may  be,  and  yet  be 
destitute  of  saving  faith.  If  by  being  '  enlightened '  we  understand  their  having 
been  baptized,  a  sense  in  which  the  word  is  taken  by  some  critics,  and  in  which  it 
was  used  in  some  following  ages,  it  might  easily  be  alleged  that  a  person  might 
be  baptized  and  yet  not  be  a  true  believer.  But  as  I  question  whether,  in  the 
apostles'  age,z  baptism  was  expressed  by  illumination,  I  would  rather  understand 
by  it  their  having  been  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  or  their  having  yielded 
an  assent  to  the  doctrines  contained  in  it.  Now  this  a  person  may  do,  and  yet  be 
destitute  of  saving  faith  ;  which  is  seated  not  merely  in  the  understanding,  but  in 
the  will,  and  therefore  supposes  him  not  only  to  be  rightly  informed  with  respect 
to  those  things  which  are  the  object  of  faith,  but  to  be  internally  and  effectually 
called. — Again,  they  are  said  to  have  '  tasted  the  good  word  of  God.'  This  de- 
scription agrees  with  the  character  we  formerly  had  of  those  who  had  a  temporary 
faith, a  who  seemed  for  a  while  pleased  with  the  word,  and  whose  affections  were 
raised  in  hearing  it.  Thus,  Herod  is  said  to  have  '  heard  John  the  Baptist  gladly, 
and  to  have  done  many  things  ;'  and  certain  hearers  of  the  word  are  compared  by 
our  Saviour  to  the  seed  sown  in  stony  ground,  which  soon  sprang  up,  but  afterwards 
withered  away.  Now,  a  person  may  hear  the  word  in  this  way,  and  yet  not  have 
saving  faith ;  for  it  is  one  thing  to  approve  of  and  be  affected  with  the  word,  and  another 
thing  to  mix  it  with  that  faith  which  accompanies  salvation.  As  all  men  desire  to 
be  happy,  a  person  may  with  pleasure  entertain  those  doctrines  contained  in  the 
word  which,  relate  to  a  future  state,  of  blessedness,  and  at  the  same  time  be  far 
from  practising  the  duties  of  self-denial,  taking  up  the  cross  and  following  Christ, 
mortifying  indwelling  sin,  and  exercising  an  entire  dependence  upon  him  and  resig- 
nation to  him  in  all  things.  To  do  this  includes  much  more  than  what  is  expressed 
by  '  tasting  the  good  word  of  God.' — Further,  the  persons  are  described  as  having 
'  tasted  the  heavenly  gift,  and  been  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come.'  All  these  expressions,  I  humbly  conceive,  carry  in 
them  no  more  than  this,  that  they  had  been  enabled  to  work  miracles,  or  that  they 
had  a  faith  of  miracles,  which  has  been  already  described,1*  and  has  been  proved  to 
fall  very  short  of  saving  faith.0     The  characters  given  of  them,  therefore,  do  not 

inferred  from  his  reply  to  what  the  disciples  objected,  •  Who  then  can  be  saved  ?'  when  he  says, 
'  With  men  this  is  impossible,  but  with  God  all  things  are  possible.'  And  to  apply  this  to  the 
scripture  under  consideration,  they  suppose  that  the  apostle,  when  he  speaks  of  the  '  renewing'  of 
those  persons  "to  repentance,'  does  not  intend  that  which  is  absolutely  impossible,  but  that  it  cannot 
be  brought  about  but  by  the  extraordinary  power  of  God,  with  whom  all  things  are  possible. 

z  We  do  not  find  the  word  used  in  that  sense  till  the  second  century,  by  Justin  Martyr  [Vid. 
ejusd.  Di;d.  2.]  and  Clemens  Alexandrinus  [in  Paedag.  lib.  i.  cap.  6j.  Now,  we  are  not  altogether 
to  take  our  measures  in  explaining  the  sense  of  the  words  used  in  scripture  from  those  who  some- 
times mistiike  the  sense  of  the  doctrine  contained  in  it.  Yet,  even  if  we  take  the  word  in  this 
sense,  it  does  not  militate  against  our  argument,  since  a  person  may  be  baptized  who  is  not  in  a  ■ 
•tate  of  grace  and  salvation. 

a  See  Sect.   '  The  Various  Kinds  of  Faith,'  under  Quest,  lxxii,  lxxiii. 

b  See  Sect.  '  The  Various  Kinds  of  Faith,'  under  Quest,  lxxii,  lxxiii. 

c  There  seems  to  be  a  hendyadis  in  the  apostle's  node  of  speaking.  By  the  '  heavenly  gift'  we 
are  to  understand  extraordinary  gifts,  which  are  elsewhere  called  'the  Holy  Ghost,'  Acts  xix.  2, 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  189 

argue  that  they  were  true  believers ;  and  consequently  the' objection,  which  depends 
on  the  supposition  that  they  were,  is  of  no  force  to  prove  that  saints  may  totally  or 
finally  fall  from  grace.d 

V.  The  next  objection  'against  the  doctrine  we  have  been  maintaining  is  taken 
from  Heb.  x.  29,  '  Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought 
worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood 
of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  de- 
spite unto  the  Spirit  of  grace  ?'  The  crime  here  spoken  of  is  of  the  most  heinous 
nature,  and  the  greatest  punishment  is  said  to  be  inflicted  for  it.  Now,  say  the 
objectors,  inasmuch  as  these  are  described  as  having  been  '  sanctified  by  the  blood 
01  the  covenant,'  it  follows  that  they  were  true  believers,  and  consequently  true 
believers  may  apostatize  and  fall  short  of  salvation.  The  force  of  the  objection 
lies  principally  in  the  words,  '  The  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanc- 
tified.'    This  expression  is  taken  by  divines  in  two  different  senses. 

1.  Some  take  the  word  'he'  in  the  same  sense  as  it  is  taken  in  the  objection,  as 
referring  to  the  apostate  ;  and  then  the  difficulty  which  occurs  is,  how  such  a  one 
could  be  said  to  be  sanctified  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  and  yet  not  be  regene- 
rated, effectually  called,  or  a  true  believer.  To  solve  this,  they  suppose  that  by 
•  sanctification '  we  are  to  understand  only  a  relative  holiness,  which  those  have 
who  are  made  partakers  of  the  common  grace  of  the  gospel.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Is- 
rael was  holiness  unto  the  Lord,'e  or,  as  the  apostle  Peter  expresses  it,  '  an  holy 
nation. 'f  They  were  God's  people  by  an  external  covenant  relation,  and  by  an 
explicit  consent  to  be  governed  by  those  laws  which  he  gave  them  when  they  first 
became  a  church, s  and  publicly  avouched  him  to  be  their  God,  and  he  avouched 
them  to  be  his  peculiar  people,  which  was  done  upon  some  solemn  occasions.11  Yet 
many  of  them  were  destitute  of  the  special  grace  of  sanctification,  as  including  a 
thorough  and  universal  change  of  heart  and  life.  Moreover,  it  is  supposed  that 
this  privilege  of  being  God's  people  by  an  external  covenant  relation,  together  with 
all  those  common  gifts  and  graces  which  attend  it,  was  purchased  by  and  founded 
on  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  is  called  'the  blood  of  the  covenant,'  inasmuch  as  he 
was  '  given  for  a  covenant  of  the  people  ;H  and,  pursuant  to  this,  he  shed  his  blood 
to  procure  for  them  the  external  as  well  as  the  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant  of 
grace.  The  former  of  these,  the  persons  here  described  as  apostates  are  supposed 
to  have  been  partakers  of,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  To  them  pertaineth  the  adop- 
tion, and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service 
of  God,  and  the  promises. 'k  They  worshipped  him  in  all  his  ordinances,  as  those 
whom  the  prophet  speaks  of,  '  who  seek  him  daily,  and  delight  to  know  his  ways, 
as  a  nation  that  did  righteousness,  and  forsook  not  the  ordinance  of  their  God ; 
they  ask  of  him  the  ordinances  of  justice,  and  take  delight  in  approaching  to  God;' 
and  yet  these  things  were  not  done  by  faith.1  ,  In  this  respect  persons  may  be  sanc- 
tified, and  yet  afterwards  forfeit,  neglect,  despise,  and  forsake  these  ordinances,  and 
lose  the  external  privileges  of  the  covenant  of  grace  which  they  once  had,  and  so 
become  apostates.  This  is  the  most  common  method  used  to  solve  the  difficulty 
contained  in  the  objection.  But  I  would  rather  acquiesce  in  another  way  which 
may  be  taken  to  account  for  the  sense  of  those  words,  '  The  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  sanctified.' 

2.  The  word  '  he '  may  be  understood  as  referring,  not  to  the  apostate,  but  to 
our  Saviour,  who  is  spoken  of  immediately  before.  Thus  the  apostate  is  said  to 
'  trample  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  count  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith 
He,'  that  is,  Christ,  'was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing.'  That  this  sense  may  ap- 
pear just,  it  may  be  observed,  that  Christ  was,  in  two  respects,  sanctified  or  set 
apart  by  the"  Father,  to  perform  all  the  branches  of  his  mediatorial  office.     He  was 

because  they  were  from  the  Holy  Ghost  as  effects  of  his  power,  and  wrought  to  confirm  the  gospel- 
dispensation,  \\  hich  is  called  '  the  world  to  come,'  Heb.  ii.  5,  and  therefore  they  are  styled  '  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come.' 

d  [For  some  remarks  on  Heb.  vi.  4 — 6,  and  the  apostates  whom  it  describes,  see  Note  '  Is  any 
Sin  Unpardonable?'  appended  to  Sect.  '  For  Whom  Praver  is  not  to  be  made,'  under  Quest,  clxxxiv. 
—Ed.] 

e  Jer.  ii.  3.  f  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  g  Exod.  xxiv.  3.  h  Dmt.  xxvi.  17,  18. 

i  Isa.  xln.  6.  k  Rom.  ix.  4.  1  Isa.  lviii.  2. 


.90  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

so  set  apart  as  he  was  foreordained  or  appointed  by  him,  to  come  into  the  world  fr 
shed  his  blood  for  the  redemption  of  his  people.  Accordingly,  his  undertaking  u 
redeem  them,  is  called  his  sanctifying  or  devoting  himself  to  perform  this  work. 
•  For  their  sakes,'  says  he,  '  I  sanctify  myself,  that  they  also  might  be  sanctified 
through  the  truth. 'm  This  he  did  in  pursuance  of  the  eternal  transaction  between 
the  Father  and  him,  relating  to  their  redemption.  But  it  will  be  said,  that  this 
was  antecedent  to  his  dying  for  them ;  and  that  hence  he  could  not,  properly 
speaking,  be  said,  in  this  respect,  to  be  '  sanctified  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant.' 
We  add,  therefore,  that  he  was  also  sanctified  or  set  apart  by  the  Father,  to  apply 
the  work  of  redemption  after  he  had  purchased  it.  His  sanctification  was,  in  the 
most  proper  sense,  the  result  of  his  shedding  his  blood,  which  was  the  blood  of  the 
covenant.  Hence,  as  he  was  '  brought  again  from  the  dead,'  as  the  apostle  says, 
'through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,'11  all  the  blessings  which  he  in 
consequence  applies  to  his  people  are  the  result  of  his  being  sanctified  or  set  apart 
to  carry  on  and  perfect  the  work  of  our  salvation,  the  foundation  of  which  was  laid 
■vn  his  blood. 

Moreover,  that  they  who,  in  the  passage  under  consideration,  are  described  as 
apostates,  had  not  formerly  the  grace  of  faith,  is  evident  from  the  context,  which 
distinguishes  them  from  true  believers.  The  apostle  seems  to  speak  of  two  sorts 
of  persons.  He  speaks  first  of  some  who  had  cast  off  the  ordinances  of  God's  wor- 
ship, 'forsaking  the  assembling  of  themselves  together,'  and  these  are  distinguished 
from  those  whom  he  dehorts  from  this  sin,  who  had  the  grace  of  faith,  whereby 
they  were  enabled  to  '  draw  near  to  God  in  full  assurance  thereof,  having  their 
hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  their  bodies  washed  with  pure  water.' 
jjoncerning  these  he  says,  *  We  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdition,  but 
ef  them  that  believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.'0  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that 
others  are  intended  in  the  text  under  our  present  consideration,  who  were  not  true 
believers.  It  hence  does  not  appear  from  this  text  that  true  believers  may  totally 
or  finally  fall  from  a  state  of  grace. 

The  apostates  spoken  of  in  this  and  the  foregoing  objection,  were  probably  some 
among  the  Jews,  to  whom  the  gospel  was  preached,  who  embraced  the  Christian 
faith,  being  convinced  by  those  miracles  which  were  wrought  for  that  purpose,  but 
who  afterwards  revolted  from  it,  and  were  more  inveterately  set  against  Christ  and 
the  gospel  than  they  had  been  before  they  made  this  profession.  Accordingly,  as 
they  had  formerly  approved  of  the  crimes  of  those  who  crucified  Christ,  in  which 
respect  they  are  said  to  have  crucified  him  ;  now  they  do,  in  the  same  sense, 
crucify  him  afresh.  And  as  they  had  been  made  partakers  of  the  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  afterwards  they  openly  blasphemed  him,  and  did  so  with 
spite  and  malice.  These  texts,  therefore,  not  only  contain  a  sad  instance  of  the 
apostasy  of  some,  but  prove  that  they  were  irrecoverably  lost.  This  comes  as  near 
the  account  we  have  in  the  gospels  of  the  unpardonable  sin,  as  any  thing  mentioned 
in  scripture.  What  has  been  said,  however,  to  prove  that  they  never  were  true 
believers,  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  this  and  the  foregoing  objection. 

VI.  Another  objection  against  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance,  is  taken 
from  2  Peter  ii.  20 — 22,  '  For  if,  after  they  have  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the 
world,  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  they  are 
again  entangled  therein,  and  overcome  ;  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the 
beginning.'  They  are  also  said  in  the  following  verse,  to  'turn  from  the  holy  com- 
mandment delivered  unto  them;'  and  their  doing  so  is  compared  to  the  '  dog  turn- 
ing to  his  own  vomit  again ;  and  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the 
mire.' 

Now,  though  every  one  must  conclude  that  the  persons  whom  the  apostle  here 
speaks  of  plainly  appear  to  be  apostates  ;  yet  there  is  nothing  in  their  character 
which  argues  that  they  apostatized  or  fell  from  the  truth  of  grace  ;  and  it  is  only 
such  whom  we  are  at  present  speaking  of.  It  may  be  observed  that  the  apostle  is 
so  far  from  including  these  apostates  in  the  number  of  those  to  whom  he  writes 
this  and  the  foregoing  epistle,  whom  he  describes  as  '  elect,  according  to  the  fore- 

m  John  xvii.  19.  n   Heb.  xiii.  20.  u  ^nnp.  x.  39. 


PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE.  191 

knowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,*unto  obedience 
and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,'  and  as  having  been  'begotten  again 
unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  an  inheritance  reserved 
for  them  in  heaven,'  and  as  such  as  should  be  '  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through 
faith  unto  salvation,  'p  that  he  plainly  distinguishes  them  from  them.  For  in  the 
first  verse  of  the  chapter"  whence  the  objection  is  taken,  it  is  said,  '  There  shall  be 
false  teachers  among  you,  and  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious  ways.'  He  does 
not  say  many  who  are  now  of  your  number,  but  many  who  shall  be  joined  to  the 
church,  when  these  false  teachers  arise.  These  persons,  indeed,  are  represented 
as  making  a  great  show  of  religion,  by  which  they  gained  reputation  among  some 
professors  whom  they  seduced  by  means  of  it ;  and  therefore  it  is  said  that  '  they 
had  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world,  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,'  and  that  they  had  'known  the  way  of  righteousness.'  Such 
might  indeed  be  joined  to  the  church  afterwards ;  but  they  did  not  now  belong  to  it. 
And  what  is  said  concerning  them  amounts  to  no  more  than  an  external  visible  re- 
formation, together  with  their  having  attained  the  knowledge  of  Christ  and  divine 
things  ;  so  that  they  were  enlightened  in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  though  they 
made  it  appear,  by  the  methods  they  used  to  deceive  others,  that  they  had  not  ex- 
perienced the  grace  of  the  gospel  themselves,  and  therefore  they  fell  away  from 
their  profession,  and  turned  aside  from  the  faith  which  once  they  preached.  It  is 
one  thing  for  a  formal  professor,  who  makes  a  great  show  of  religion,  to  turn  aside 
from  his  profession,  to  all  excess  of  riot ;  and  another  thing  to  suppose  that  a  true 
believer  can  do  so,  and  that  to  such  a  degree  as  to  continue  in  apostasy.  This  the 
grace  of  God  will  keep  him  from.     [See  Note  0,  page  194.] 

VII.  Another  objection  against  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance,  is  taken 
from  the  parable  of  the  debtor  and  creditor,  in  Matt,  xviii.  26,  &c,  '  The  servant,' 
we  are  told,  '  fell  down  and  worshipped  him,  saying,  Lord,  have  patience  with  me, 
and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  Then  the  Lord  of  that  servant  was  moved  with  compas- 
sion and  loosed  him,  and  forgave  him  the  debt.'  But  afterwards,  upon  the  servant's 
treating  with  great  severity  one  of  his  fellow-servants  who  owed  him  a  very  incon- 
siderable sum,  his  lord  exacted  the  debt  of  him  which  he  had  before  forgiven  him, 
and  so  'delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,'  till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  to 
him.  '  So  likewise,'  says  our  Saviour,  '  shall  my  heavenly  Father  do  unto  you, 
if  ye,  from  your  hearts,  forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses.'  From 
this  it  is  inferred,  that  a  person  may  fall  from  a  justified  state,  or  that  God  may 
forgive  sin  at  one  time,  and  yet  be  provoked  to  alter  his  resolution  and  inflict  the 
punishment  which  is  due  to  it  at  another  ;  an  inference  which  is  altogether  incon- 
sistent with  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance  in  grace. 

Now,  we  must  observe  that  our  Saviour  does  not  design  in  his  parables  that  every 
word  or  circumstance  contained  in  them  should  be  applied  to  signify  what  it  seems 
to  import.  But  there  is  some  truth  in  general  intended  to  be  illustrated  by  the 
parables  ;  and  this  is  principally  to  be  regarded  in  them.  Thus  the  parable  of 
'the  judge  which  feared  not  God,  neither  regarded  man,'i  who  was  moved  by  a 
widow's  importunity  to  'avenge  her  of  her  adversary,'  and  after  a  while  resolved 
to  do  so  because  the  widow  'troubled  him,'  is  applied  to  'God's  avenging  his  own 
elect,  which  cry  day  and  night  unto  him.'  Now,  we  must  observe  that  it  is  only  in 
this  circumstance  that  the  parable  is  to  be  applied,  without  any  regard  had  to  the 
injustice  of  the  judge  ;  or  to  his  being  uneasy  by  reason  of  the  importunity  which 
the  widow  expressed  in  pleading  her  cause  with  him. — Again,  in  the  parable  of  '  the 
steward,'  we  read  that  he  was  accused  of  having  wasted  his  lord's  goods;1"  and 
apprehending  that  he  should  be  soon  turned  out  of  his  stewardship,  he  takes  an 
unjust  method  to  gain  the  favour  of  his  lord's  debtors,  by  remitting  a  part  of  what 
they  owed  him,  that  by  this  means  they  might  be  induced  to  show  kindness  to  him 
when  he  should  be  turned  out  of  his  service.  It  is  said,  indeed,  that  *  the  lord 
commended  the  unjust  steward,  because  he  had  done  wisely  ;'s  though  our  Saviour 
does  not  design,  in  the  account  he  gives  of  his  injustice,  to  give  the  least  counte- 
nance to  it  as  if  it  were  to  be  imitated  by  us.     Nor  by  his  lord's  commending 

p  1  Pet.  i.  2—5.  q  Luke  xviii.  2,  &c.  r  Chap.  xvi.  1,  &c.  s  Verse  8. 


192  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRACE. 

him  as  acting  wisely  for  himself,  does  he  intend  that  it  is  lawful  or  commendable 
for  wicked  men  to  pursue  similar  measures  to  promote  their  future  interest.  But 
the  only  thing  in  which  the  parable  is  applied,  is,  that  we  might  learn  from  it,  that 
*  the  children  of  this  world  are,  in  their  generation,  wiser  than  the  children  of  light ;' 
and  that  men  ought  to  endeavour,  without  the  least  appearance  of  injustice,  to  gain 
the  friendship  of  others,  by  using  what  they  have  in  the  ^orld  in  such  a  way  that 
they  may  be  induced,  out  of  gratitude  for  those  favours  which  they  conferred  upon 
them,  to  show  respect  to  them ;  but  principally,  that  in  performing  what  was  really 
their  duty,  they  might  have  ground  to  hope  that  they  shall  be  approved  of  God, 
and  received  into  everlasting  habitations. 

Now,  to  apply  this  rule  to  the  parable  whence  the  objection  is  taken,  we  must 
consider  that  the  design  of  it  is  not  to  signify  that  God  changes  his  mind,  as  men 
do,  by  forgiving  persons  at  one  time  and  afterwards  condemning  them ;  as  though 
he  did  not  know,  when  he  extended  this  kindness  to  them,  how  they  would  behave 
towards  others,  or  whether  they  would  improve  or  forfeit  this  privilege.  To  suppose 
this  would  be  contrary  to  the  divine  perfections.  But  the  only  design  of  the  par- 
able is  to  show,  that  if  they  who  now  conclude  that  God  has  forgiven  them,  do  not 
forgive  others,  they  will  find  themselves  mistaken  at  last ;  and  that,  though,  accord- 
ing to  the  tenor  of  the  divine  dispensations,  or  the  revealed  will  of  God,  which  is 
our  only  rule  of  judging  concerning  this  matter,  they  think  they  are  in  a  justi- 
fied state,  it  will  appear  that  the  debt  which  they  owed  was  not  cancelled,  but 
shall  be  exacted  of  them  to  the  utmost,  in  their  own  persons.  All,  therefore,  which 
can  be  proved  from  the  parable  is,  that  a  man  may  fall  from  or  lose  those  seeming 
grounds  which  he  had  to  conclude  that  his  sins  were  forgiven.  We  are  not  to  sup- 
pose that  our  Saviour  intends  that  God's  secret  purpose,  relating  to  the  forgiveness 
of  sin,  can  be  changed  ;  or  that  he  who  is  really  freed  from  condemnation  at  one 
time,  may  fall  under  it  at  another.  Hence,  what  is  said  in  this  parable,  does  not 
in  the  least  give  countenance  to  the  objection  founded  on  it,  or  overthrow  the  doc- 
trine we  are  maintaining. 

VIII.  Another  objection  is  taken  from  what  the  apostle  Paul  says  concerning 
himself,  in  1  Cor.  ix.  27,  '  I  keep  under  my  body  and  bring  it  into  subjection  ;  lest 
that  by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a  castaway.' 
It  is  certain,  say  the  objectors,  that  the  apostle  was  a  true  believer ;  yet  he  con-" 
eludes  that,  if  he  did  not  behave  himself  so  as  to  subdue  or  keep  under  his  corrupt 
passions,  but  should  commit  those  open,  scandalous  crimes  which  they  would  prompt 
him  to,  he  should  in  the  end  become  a  castaway,  that  is,  apostatize  from  God,  and 
be  rejected  by  him. 

But  though  the  apostle  had  as  good  ground  to  conclude  that  he  had  experienced 
the  grace  of  God  in  truth,  as  any  man,  and  was  often  favoured  with  a  full  assurance 
of  his  having  done  so  ;  yet  he  did  not  attain  this  assurance  by  immediate  revela- 
tion, in  the  same  way  as  he  received  those  doctrines  which  he  was  to  impart  to  the 
church  as  a  rule  of  faith  ;  for  then  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  have 
been  mistaken  as  to  this  matter.  If  this  be  supposed,  then  I  would  understand 
what  he  says  concerning  his  being  'a  castaway,'  as  denoting  what  would  be  the 
consequence  of  his  'not  keeping  under  his  body,'  but  not  as  implying  that  corrupt 
nature  should  so  far  prevail  that  he  should  fall  from  a  sanctified  state.  If  he  did 
not  attain  assurance  by  immediate  revelation,  he  had  it  in  the  same  way  as  others 
have,  by  making  use  of  those  marks  and  characters  which  are  given  of  the  truth  of 
grace.  Accordingly,  he  argues  that,  though  at  present  he  thought  himself  to  be  in 
a  sanctified  state,  from  the  same  evidences  that  others  conclude  themselves  to  be  so, 
yet  if  corrupt  nature  should  prevail  over  him,  which  it  would  do  if  he  did  not  keep 
his  body  in  subjection,  or  if  he  were  guilty  of  those  vile  abominations  which  unre- 
generate  persons  are  chargeable  with,  then  it  would  appear  that  this  assurance  was 
ill-grounded,  his  hope  of  salvation  delusive,  and  he  no  other  than  a  hypocrite  ;  and 
so,  notwithstanding  his  having  preached  to  others,  he  would  be  found,  in  the  end, 
among  those  who  were  false  professors,  and  accordingly  be  rejected  of  God.  We 
may  hence  observe,  that  it  is  one  thing  for  a  person  to  exercise  caution  and  use 
means  to  prevent  sin,  which,  if  he  should  commit  it,  would  prove  him  a  hypocrite ; 
and  another  thing  for  one  who  is  a  true  believer,  to  be  suffered  to  commit  those 
sins  by  which  he  would  apostatize  from  God,  and  so  miss  of  salvation. 


P^TtS^VrcmNC'E  IN  GRACE.  193 

IX.  What  we  have  just  stated  will  serve  to  answer  another  objection  which  is 
usually  brought  against  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining.  This  objection  is,  that 
the  doctrine  is  inconsistent  with  that  holy  fear  which  believers  ought  to  have  of  fall- 
ing, as  an  inducement  to  care  and  watchfulness  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty  ;  as 
it  is  said,  '  Happy  is  the  man  that  feareth  alway.'1  But  we  must  distinguish  be- 
tween that  fear  of  caution,  which  is  a  preservative  against  sin,  and  includes  a  watch- 
fulness over  our  actions,  that  we  may  not  dishonour  God ;  and  an  unbelieving  fear, 
that  though  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  are  enabled  to  exercise  that  diligence  and 
circumspection  which  becomes  Christians,  yet  we  have  no  foundation  whereon  to  set 
our  foot,  or  ground  to  hope  for  salvation.  Or,  it  is  one  thing  to  fear  lest  we  should, 
by  giving  way  to  sin,  dishonour  God,  grieve  his  Spirit,  wound  our  own  consciences, 
and  do  that  which  is  a  disgrace  to  the  gospel,  through  the  prevalency  of  corrupt 
nature,  whereby  we  shall  have  ground  to  conclude  that  we  thought  ourselves  some- 
thing when  we  were  nothing,  deceiving  our  own  souls  ;  and  another  thing  to  fear 
that  we  shall  perish  and  fall,  though  our  hearts  are  right  with  God,  and  we  have 
reason  to  expect  that  we  shall  be  kept  by  his  power,  through  faith,  unto  salvation. 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  doctrine  of  Perseverance. 

We  shall  conclude  this  Answer  with  a  few  inferences  from  what  has  been  said  to 
prove  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance. 

1.  Since  we  do  not  pretend  to  assert  that  all  who  make  a  profession  of  religion 
are  assured  that  they  shall  never  apostatize,  but  only  true  believers,  let  unbelievers 
take  no  encouragement  from  what  we  have  said  to  conclude  that  it  shall  be  well 
with  them  in  the  end.  Many  are  externally  called,  who  are  not  really  sanctified  ; 
they  presume  that  they  shall  be  saved,  but  without  ground,  inasmuch  as  they  con- 
tinue in  impenitency  and  unbelief.  Such  have  no  warrant  to  take  comfort  from 
the  doctrine  we  have  been  maintaining. 

2.  We  may,  from  what  has  been  said,  observe  the  difference  between  the  security 
of  a  believer's  state,  as  his  hope  is  fixed  on  the  stability  of  the  covenant  and  on  its 
promises  relating  to  his  salvation,  together  with  the  Spirit's  witness  with  ours  con- 
cerning our  own  sincerity  ;  and  that  which  we  generally  call  carnal  security,  where- 
by a  person  thinks  himself  safe,  or  that  all  things  shall  go  well  with  him,  though  he 
make  provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof.  This  is  an  unwarrantable 
security  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  or  it  is  a  licentiousness,  which  the  doctrine  of 
perseverance  does  not  in  the  least  give  countenance  to. 

3.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  apostacy  of  some  from  that  faith 
which  they  once  made  a  profession  of,  we  may  infer  that  it  is  only  the  grace  of  God 
experienced  in  truth,  which  will  preserve  us  from  turning  aside  from  the  faith  of 
the  gospel.  The  apostle  speaks  of  some  who,  by  embracing  those  doctrines  which 
were  subversive  of  the  gospel,  had  '  fallen  from  grace, 'u  that  is,  from  the  doctrines- 
of  grace  ;  concerning  whom  he  says,  '  Christ  profited  them  nothing,'  or  was  'become 
of  no  effect  to  them,  'x  that  is,  the  gospel,  which  contains  a  display  of  the  glory  of. 
Christ,  was  of  no  saving  advantage  to  them.  All  the  sad  instances  we  have  of 
many  who  are  tossed  to  and  fro  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  and  are  made  a  prey 
to  those  who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive,  proceed  from  their  being  destitute  of  the  grace 
of  God  ;  which  would  have  a  tendency  to  preserve  them  from  turning  aside  from 
the  faith  of.  the  gospel. 

4.  Let  us  be  exhorted  to  be  as  diligent  and  watchful  against  the  breakings  forth 
of  corruption,  and  endeavour  as  much  to  avoid  all  occasions  of  sin,  as  though  per- 
severance in  grace  were  to  be  ascribed  to  our  own  endeavours,  or  as  though  God 
had  given  us  no  ground  to  conclude  that  he  would  enable  us  to  persevere.  Yet, . 
let  us,  at  the  same  time,  depend  on  his  assistance,  without  which  this  blessing  can- 
not be  attained  ;  and  hope  in  his  mercy  and  faithfulness  ;  and  lay  hold  on  the  pro- 
mises which  he  has  given  us,  that  it  shall  go  well  with  us  in  the  end,  or  that  we 
shall  have  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 

5.  Let  us  endeavour  not  only  to  persevere,  but  to  grow  in  grace.     These  two  . 

t  Prov.  xxviii.  14.  u  Gal.  v.  4.  x  Chap.  v.  2  4. 

II.  .  x  2  B 


194  PERSEVERANCE  IN  GRA6E. 

blessings  are  joined  together ;  as  it  is  said,  '  The  righteous  shall  hold  on  his  way, 
and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger.'* 

6.  The  doctrine  of  perseverance  has  a  great  tendency  to  support  and  fortify  be- 
lievers under  the  most  adverse  dispensations  of  providence  to  which  at  any  time 
they  are  liable,  and  to  comfort  them  under  all  the  assaults  of  their  spiritual  ene- 
mies. For  though  these  may  be  suffered  to  discourage  or  give  them  interruption 
in  the  exercise  of  those  graces  which  they  have  experienced,  yet  grace  shall  not  be 
wholly  extinguished.  Sometimes,  also,  by  the  overruling  providence  of  God,  those 
things  which  in  themselves  have  a  tendency  to  weaken  their  faith,  shall  be  ordered 
as  a  means  to  increase  it ;  so  that  when  they  can  do  nothing  in  their  own  strength, 
they  may  be  enabled,  by  depending  on  Christ,  and  receiving  strength  from  him,  to 
prevail  against  all  the  opposition  they  meet  with,  and  at  last  come  off  '  more  than 
conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  them.'2 

y  Job  xvii.  9.  z  Rom.  viii.  37. 

[Note  O.  The  characters  described  in  2  Pet.  ii.  21,  22 The  proverb  which  the  apostle  quotes, 

is,  '  As  a  dog  returneth  to  his  vomit,  so  a  fool  returneth  to  his  folly,'  Pro  v.  xxvi.  11.  The  character 
whom  he  describes,  therefore,  is  a  fool, — one  who,  notwithstanding  his  knowledge,  or  rather  by 
misconceiving  and  perverting  it,  had  never  become  '  wise  unto  salvation.'  '  Swine '  and  '  dogs  '  are 
not  sheep — they  are  not  new  creatures — they  form  no  part  of  the  flock,  and  never  were  admitted  to 
the  fold  of  the  good  Shepherd ;  but,  according  to  the  uniform  imagery  of  scripture  language,  they 
are  enemies  of  purity,  lovers  of  corruption,  false  teachers,  perverters  of  truth,  depraved  and  wicked 
men.  '  Give  not  that  which  is  holy  to  the  dogs,'  says  our  blessed  Lord,  *  neither  cast  ye  your  pearls 
before  swine,  lest  they  trample  them  under  their  feet,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you.'  The  dogs  of 
whom  Peter  speaks  are  expressly  said  by  him  to  have  been  'false  teachers,'  verse  1.  Now  this 
very  class  of  persons  are  called  dogs  also  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  and  the  apostle  Paul.  '  His  watch- 
men are  blind  ;  they  are  all  ignorant ;  they  are  all  dumb  dogs,  they  cannot  bark ;  sleeping,  lying 
down,  loving  to  slumber ;  yea,  they  are  greedy  dogs  which  can  never  have  enough,  and  they  are 
shepherds  that  cannot  understand,'  Isa.  lvi.  10,  11.  'Beware  of  dogs,  beware  of  evil-workers,  be- 
ware of  the  concision,'  Phil.  iii.  2.  Moreover,  Peter  says,  respecting  those  whom  he  describes,  that 
'  they  have  forsaken  the  right  way,  and  are  gone  astray,  following  the  way  of  Balaam,  the  son  of 
Bosor,  who  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness,'  Verse  15.  Now,  as  they  '  escaped  the  pollutions 
of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,'  so  Balaam  'heard  the 
words  of  God,  and  knew  the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High,  and  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 
and,  falling  into  a  trance,  but  having  his  eyes  open,  said,  I  shall  see  him,  but  not  now  ;  I  shall  be- 
hoid  him,  but  not  nigh  ;  there  shall  come  a  Star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  Sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel, 
and  shall  smite  the  corners  of  Moab,  and  destroy  all  the  children  of  Sheth,'  Numb.  xxiv.  16,  17 ;  and, 
as  Balaam,  on  the  one  hand,  became  rebukeable  even  by  a  dumb  ass  for  the  madness  of  opposing  what 
he  knew,  so  the  persons  described  by  Peter  '  turned  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered  unto 
them.'  They  and  'the  mad  prophet'  were  the  same  class  of  persons,  and  possessed  a  common 
character.  Though  they,  for  a  time,  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world,  they  were  always  denied 
and  swayed  by  unsubdued  pollution  of  heart.  While  externally  '  washed,'  they  were  internally 
altogether  vile  ;  and  even  when  outwardly  clean,  they  were  but  washed  swine,  unrenewed  in  their 
nature,  filthy  in  their  inclinations,  prepared  to  roll  themselves  anew  in  the  mire,  governed  by  habits 
and  possessing  dispositions  altogether  alien  from  those  of  the  sheep  of  Christ's  pasture. — Ed.] 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

Qdestion  LXXX.  Can  true  believers  be  infallibly  assured  that  they  are  in  the  estate  of  grace,  and 
that  they  shall  persevere  therein  unto  salvation? 

Answer.  Such  as  truly  believe  in  Christ,  and  endeavour  to  walk  in  all  good  conscience  before 
him,  may,  without  extraordinary  revelation,  by  faith  grounded  upon  the  truth  of  God's  promises, 
and  by  the  Spirit  enabling  them  to  discern  in  themselves  those  graces  to  which  the  promises  of  life 
are  made,  and  bearing  witness  with  their  spirits  that  they  are  the  children  of  God,  be  infallibly  as- 
sured that  th'ey  are  in  the  estate  of  grace,  and  shall  persevere  therein  unto  salvation. 

We  have  considered  a  believer  as  made  partaker  of  those  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
which  accompany  salvation,  and  by  which  his  state  is  rendered  safe.  We  have 
considered  also  that  he  shall  not  draw  back  unto  perdition,  but  shall  attain  the  end 
of  his  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  But  it  is  necessary  for  the  establishing 
of  his  comfort  and  joy,  that  he  should  know  himself  to  be  interested  in  this  privilege. 
It  is  a  great  blessing  to  be  redeemed  by  Christ,  and  sanctified  by  the  Spirit ;  but 
it  is  a  superadded  privilege  to  know  that  we  are  so,  or  to  be  assured  that  we  are  in 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  195 

a  state  of  grace.  This  is  the  subject  insisted  on  in  the  present  Answer.  In  dis- 
cussing it  we  shall  observe  the  following  method.  First,  we  shall  say  something 
concerning  the  nature  of  assurance,  and  how  far  persons  may  be  said  to  be  infalli- 
bly assured  of  their  salvation.  Secondly,  we  shall  endeavour  to  prove  that  this 
blessing  is  attainable  in  this  life.  Thirdly,  we  shall  consider  the  character  of  those 
to  whom  it  belongs.    Lastly,  we  shall  consider  the  means  whereby  it  may  be  attained. 

The  Nature  and  Degrees  of  Assurance. 

We  shall  speak  first  concerning  the  nature  of  assurance,  and  how  far  persons 
may  be  said  to  be  infallibly  assured  of  their  salvation.  Assurance  is  opposed  to 
doubting,  which  is  inconsistent  with  it.  He  who  has  attained  this  privilege,  is  car- 
ried above  all  those  doubts  and  fears  respecting  the  truth  of  grace,  and  his  interest 
in  the  love  of  God,  which  others  are  exposed  to,  and  by  which  their  lives  are  ren- 
dered very  uncomfortable.  It  may  be  considered  also  as  containing  something 
more  than  our  being  enabled  to  hope  that  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace ;  for  though 
such  hope  affords  relief  against  despair,  yet  it  falls  short  of  assurance,  which  is 
sometimes  called  a  'full  assurance  of  hope.'a  And  it  certainly  contains  a  great 
deal  more  than  a  probability  or  a  conjectural  persuasion  relating  to  this  matter  ; 
which  is  the  only  thing  that  some  will  allow  to  be  attainable  by  believers,  especially 
they  who  deny  the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  perseverance,  and  lay  the  greatest  stress 
of  man's  salvation  on  his  own  free-will,  rather  than  the  efficacious  grace  of  God. 
All  that  they  will  own  as  to  this  matter  is,  that  persons  may  be  in  a  hopeful  way  to 
salvation,  and  that  it  is  probable  they  may  attain  it  at  last ;  but  that  they  cannot 
be  fully  assured  that  they  shall,  unless  they  were  assured  concerning  their  perse- 
verance. This,  however,  they  suppose,  no  one  can  be  ;  because,  as  they  think,  the 
carrying  on  of  the  work  of  grace,  as  well  as  the  beginning  of  it,  depends  on  the  free- 
will of  man,  and  because,  according  to  their  notion  of  liberty,  as  was  observed  under 
another  Answer,b  he  who  acts  freely  may  act  the  contrary.  They  hence  conclude 
that,  as  every  thing  which  is  done  in  the  carrying  on  of  the  work  of  grace  is  done 
freely  ;  no  one  can  be  assured  that  this  work  shall  not  miscarry  ;  so  that  none  can 
attain  assurance.  This  is  what  some  assert,  but  we  deny.  It  is  observed  in  this 
Answer,  not  only  that  believers  may  attain  assurance  that  they  '  are  in  a  state  of 
grace,  and  shall  persevere  therein  unto  salvation,'  but  that  they  may  be  '  infallibly 
assured'  of  this,  and  so  possess  the  highest  degree  of  assurance.  How  far  this  is 
attainable  by  believers,  may  be  the  subject  of  our  farther  inquiry. 

It  is  a  matter  of  dispute  among  some,  whether  assurance  admits  of  any  degrees  ; 
whether  a  person  can  be  said  to  be  more  or  less  assured  of  a  thing  ;  or  whether 
that  which  does  not  amount  to  the  highest  degree  of  certainty,  may  be  called  as- 
surance. This  is  denied  by  some,  for  this  reason,  that  assurance  is  the  highest 
and  strongest  assent  which  can  be  given  to  the  truth  of  any  proposition  ;  so  that 
the  least  defect  of  evidence  on  which  it  is  supposed  to  be  founded,  leaves  the  mind 
in  a  proportionable  degree  of  doubt  as  to  the  truth  of  it ;  in  which  case  there  may 
be  a  probability,  but  not  an  assurance.  If  this  method  of  explaining  the  meaning 
of  the  word  be  correct,  it  is  beyond  dispute  that  they  who  have  attained  assurance 
of  their  being  in  a  state  of  grace,  may  be  said  to  be  'infallibly  assured.'  Whether 
this  be  the  sense  of  that  expression  in  this  Answer,  I  will  not  pretend  to  determine  ; 
neither  shall  I  enter  any  farther  into  this  dispute,  which  amounts  to  little  more 
than  what  concerns  the  propriety  or  impropriety  of  the  sense  of  the  word  '  assurance.' 
All  that  I  shall  add  concerning  it,  is  that,  according  to  our  common  mode  of  speak- 
ing, it  is  reckoned  no  absurdity  for  a  person  to  say  he  is  sure  of  a  thing,  though  it 
be  possible  for  him  to  have  greater  evidence  of  the  truth  of  it,  and  consequently  a 
greater  degree  of  assurance.  Thus  the  assurance  which  arises  from  the  possession 
of  a  thing  cannot  but  be  greater  than  that  which  attends  the  mere  expectation  of 
it.  i  Hence,  whatever  be  the  sense  of  the  '  infallible  assurance'  which  is  here  spoken 
of,  we  cannot  suppose  that  there  is  any  degree  of  assurance  attainable  in  this  life, 
concerning  the  happiness  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  equal  to  that  which  those  have 

Heb.  vi.  1 1.  b  See  Sect.  '  The  Change  wrought  in  Effectual  Calling,'  under  Quest,  lxvii. 


196  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

who  are  actually  possessed  of  that  blessedness.    To  suppose  this  would  be  to  confound 
earth  and  heaven  together,  or  expectation  with  actual  fruition. 

As  to  our  assurance,  there  is  among  some  another  matter  of  dispute  which  I  am 
not  desirous  to  enter  into,  namely,  whether  it  is  possible  for  a  believer  to  be  as 
sure  that  he  shall  be  saved,  as  he  is  that  he  exists,  or  that  he  is  a  sinner  and  so 
stands  in  need  of  salvation  ;  or  whether  it  is  possible  for  a  person  to  be  as  sure  that 
he  shall  be  saved,  as  he  is  sure  of  that  truth  which  is  matter  of  pure  revelation, 
namelv,  that  he  that  believes  shall  be  saved  ;  or  whether  it  is  possible  for  a  person 
to  be  as  sure  that  he  has  the  truth  of  grace,  as  he  may  be  that  he  performs  any 
actions,  whether  natural  or  religious,  such  as  speaking,  praying,  reading,  hear- 
ing, «fec.  ;  or  whether  we  may  be  as  sure  that  we  have  a  principle  of  grace,  as 
we  are  that  we  put  forth  such  actions  as  seem  to  proceed  from  that  principle,  when 
engaged  in  the  performance  of  some  religious  duties.  If  any  are  disposed  to  defend 
the  possibility  of  our  attaining  assurance  in  so  great  a  degree  as  this,  thinking  it  to 
be  the  meaning  of  what  some  divines  have  asserted,  agreeably  to  what  is  contained 
in  this  Answer,  that  a  believer  may  be  '  infallibly  assured  of  his  salvation,'  I  will 
not  enter  the  lists  with  them ;  though  I  very  much  question  whether  it  will  not  be 
a  matter  of  too  great  difficulty  for  them  to  support  their  argument,  without  the 
least  appearance  of  exception  to  it. 

I  would  not,  however,  extenuate  or  deny  the  privileges  which  some  saints  have 
been  favoured  with,  who  have  been,  as  it  were,  in  the  suburbs  of  heaven,  and  had 
not  only  a  prelibation  but  a  kind  of  sensation  of  the  enjoyments  of  it,  and  expressed 
as  full  an  assurance  as  though  they  had  been  actually  in  heaven.  It  cannot  be 
denied  that  this,  in  various  instances,  has  amounted  as  near  as  possible  to  an  as- 
surance of  infallibility.  And  that  such  a  degree  of  assurance  has  been  attained 
by  some  believers,  both  in  former  and  later  ages,  will  be  proved  under  a  following 
Head.  Now,  this,  I  am  apt  to  think,  is  what  is  intended  in  this  Answer  by  the 
possibility  of  a  believer's  being  infallibly  assured  of  salvation.  But  let  it  be  con- 
sidered that  these  are  uncommon  instances,  in  which  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  his  im- 
mediate testimony,  has  favoured  persons  with  as  to  this  matter,  and  are  not  to  be 
reckoned  as  a  standard,  whereby  we  may  judge  of  that  assurance  which  God's  chil- 
dren desire  and  sometimes  enjoy,  which  falls  short  of  it.  When  God  is  pleased  to 
give  a  believer  such  a  degree  of  assurance  as  carries  him  above  all  his  doubts  and 
fears  with  respect  to  his  being  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  fills  him  with  those  conse- 
quent joys  which  are  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  ;  the  believer  possesses  that 
assurance  which  we  are  now  to  consider,  and  which,  in  this  Answer,  is  called  an 
infallible  assurance.  But  as  to  whether  it  is  more  or  less  properly  called  '  an  in- 
fallible assurance,'  we  have  nothing  farther  to  add. 

The  Attainableness  of  Assurance. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  prove  that  this  privilege  is  attainable  in  the  present  life. 

1.  We  observe,  then,  that  if  the  knowledge  of  other  things  which  are  of  less  im- 
portance be  attainable,  certainly  it  is  possible  for  us  to  attain  that  which  is  of  the 
greatest  importance.  This  argument  is  founded  on  the  goodness  of  God.  If  he 
has  given  us  sufficient  means  to  lead  us  into  the  knowledge  of  things  which  respect 
our  comfort  and  happiness  in  this  world;,  has  he  left  us  altogether  destitute  of 
those  means  whereby  we  may  conclude  that  it  shall  go  well  with  us  in  a  better  ? 
God  has  sometimes  been  pleased  to  favour  his  people  with  some  intimations  con- 
cerning the  blessings  of  common  providence,  which  they  might  expect  for  their 
encouragement,  under  the  trials  and  difficulties  which  they  were  to  meet  with  in 
the  world.  Our  Saviour  encourages  his  disciples  to  expect  that,  notwithstanding 
their  present  destitute  circumstances,  as  to  outward  things,  their  Father,  who 
'  knoweth  that  they  had  need  of  them,'  would  supply  their  wants ;  so  that  they  had 
no  reason  to  be  over-solicitous  in  '  taking  thought  what  they  should  eat  and  drink, 
and  wherewithal  they  should  be  clothed.'0  God,  that  he  may  encourage  the  faith 
of  his  people,  gives  them  assurance  that  '  no  temptation  shall  befall  them,  but  what 

c  Matt.  vi.  31,  32. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  197 

is  common  to  men,'  or  that  they  shall  not  he  pressed  down,  so  as  to  sink  and  de- 
spair of  help  from  him,  under  the  burdens  and  difficulties  which,  in  the  course  of 
his  providence,  he  lays  on  them.  Now,  if  he  is  pleased  to  give  such  intimations 
to  his  people,  with  respect  to  their  condition  in  this  world,  that  they  may  be 
assured  that  it  shall  go  well  with  them  as  to  many  things  which  concern  their 
outward  circumstances  ;  may  we  not  conclude  that  the  assurance  of  those  things 
which  concern  their  everlasting  salvation  may  be  attained  ?  Or,  if  the  promises 
which  respect  the  one  may  be  depended  on,  so  as  to  afford  relief  against  all 
doubts  and  fears  which  may  arise  from  our  present  circumstances  in  the  world ; 
may  we  not,  with  as  good  reason,  suppose  that  the  promises  which  respect  the 
other,  namely,  the  carrying  on  and  perfecting  of  the  work  of  grace,  afford  equal 
matter  of  encouragement  ?  May  we  not  hence  conclude,  that  the  one  is  as  much 
to  be  depended  on  as  the  other  ;  so  that,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  they  who  have  fled 
for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  them,  may  have  a  strong  consola- 
tion '  arising  thence  ?d 

It  will  be  objected  that  the  promises  which  respect  outward  blessings  are  not 
always  fulfilled  ;  so  that  we  cannot  be  assured  concerning  our  future  condition,  as 
to  outward  circumstances  in  the  world ;  though  godliness,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  hath 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,'  as  well  as  of  '  that  which  is  to  come.'  This,  say 
the  objectors,  appears  from  the  uncommon  instances  of  affliction  which  the  best 
men  often  meet  with,  and  which  others  are  exempted  from.  It  is  hence  inferred 
that  the  promises  which  respect  the  carrying  on  and  completing  of  the  work  of 
grace,  will  not  afford  that  assurance  of  salvation  which  we  suppo'se  a  believer  may 
attain  to  as  founded  on  them.  Now,  we  reply,  that  the  promises  of  outward  bless- 
ings are  always  fulfilled,  either  in  kind  or  in  value.  Sometimes  the  destitute  state 
of  believers,  as  to  the  good  things  of  this  life,  is  abundantly  compensated  with  those 
spiritual  blessings  which  are  bestowed  on  them  at  present,  or  are  reserved  for  them 
hereafter.  Hence,  if  their  condition  in  the  world  be  attended  with  little  else  but 
affliction,  they  have  no  reason  to  say  that  they  are  disappointed  ;  for  while  they 
are  denied  lesser  blessings,  they  have  greater  instead.  Their  assurance  of  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  promises  of  outward  blessings,  therefore,  must  be  understood 
with  this  limitation.  But  as  to  spiritual  blessings  which  God  has  promised  to 
his  people,  there  is  no  foundation  for  any  distinction  of  their  being  made  good 
in  kind  or  in  value.  If  the  promise  of  eternal  life  be  not  made  good  accord- 
ing to  the  letter  of  it,  it  cannot,  in  any  sense,  be  said  to  be  accomplished.  Hence, 
as  God  gives  his  people  these  promises,  as  a  foundation  of  hope,  we  may  conclude 
that  the  assurance  of  believers  relating  to  their  salvation,  is  as  much  to  be  de- 
pended on  as  the  assurance  they  have,  founded  on  the  promises  of  God,  concern- 
ing any  blessings  which  may  tend  to  support  them  in  their  present  condition  in 
the  world. 

2.  That  assurance  of  justification,  sanctification,  and  salvation,  may  be  attained 
in  this  life,  is  farther  evident  from  the  obligations  which  persons  are  under  to  pray 
for  these  privileges,  and  to  bless  God  for  the  experience  which  they  have  of  the 
one,  and  the  ground  which  they  have  to  expect  the  other.  That  it  is  our  duty  to 
pray  for  them  is  no  less  certain  than  that  we  stand  in  need  of  them.  This,  then, 
being  taken  for  granted,  it  may  be  inferred  that  there  is  some  way  by  which  we 
may  know  that  our  prayers  are  answered.  To  think  that  there  is  not  such  a  way 
would  be  a  very  discouraging  consideration.  Nor,  if  there  were  not  such  a  way, 
could  the  experience  of  answer  to  prayer  be  alleged  as  a  motive  to  the  performance 
of  the  duty ;  as  the  psalmist  says,  '  0  thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all 
flesh  come.'6  Nor  could  any  believer  have  the  least  reason  to  say  as  he  does  else- 
where, '  Verily  God  hath  heard  me  ;  he  hath  attended  to  the  voice  of  my  prayer.  'f 
The  apostle  also  says  that,  '  if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth 
us;'s  and,  in  the  following  words,  he  adds,  '  We  know  that  we  have  the  petitions 
that  we  desired  of  him.'  It  follows,  therefore,  that  we  may  know,  from  the  exer- 
cise of  faith  in  prayer  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  that  our  iniquities  are  forgiven. 
The  same  may  be  said  concerning  prayer  for  all  other  blessings  which  accompany 

d  Heb.  vi.  18.  e  Psal.  lxv.  2.  f  Psal.  bcvi.  19.  g  1  John  v.  14,  15. 


198  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

salvation  ;  so  that  it  is  possible  for  us  to  know  whether  God  has  granted  us  these 
blessings  or  not. 

It  may  be  objected,  that  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary  that  an  humble  suppliant 
should  have  any  intimations  given  him  that  his  petition  shall  be  granted ;  or  that 
it  would  be  a  very  unbecoming  thing  for  such  an  one  to  say,  that  he  will  not  ask 
for  a  favour,  if  he  be  not  sure  beforehand  that  it  will  be  bestowed.  We  answer, 
that  we  are  not  only  to  pray  for  saving  blessings,  but  to  praise  God  for  our  experi- 
ence of  them.  Thus  it  is  said,  *  Whoso  offereth  praise  glorifieth  me  ;'h  and  '  Praise 
is  comely  for  the  upright.'1  Now,  this  supposes  that  we  know  that  God  has  be- 
stowed upon  us  the  blessings  we  prayed  for.  If  the  psalmist  calls  upon  his  soul 
to  •  bless  the  Lord  for  forgiving  him  all  his  iniquities,' k  we  must  suppose  that  there 
was  some  method  by  which  he  attained  the  assurance  of  the  blessing  which  he 
praises  God  for. 

3.  Some  have  attained  the  privilege  of  assurance  ;  and  therefore  it  is  not  impos- 
sible for  others  to  attain  it.  That  some  have  been  assured  of  their  salvation,  is 
evident  from  the  account  we  have  in  several  scriptures.  Thus  the  apostle  tells  the 
church  he  writes  to,  '  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salva- 
tion;'1 and  he  says  concerning  himself,  '  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am 
persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him,  against 
that  day.'m 

It  is  objected  that  though  some  persons  of  old  experienced  this  privilege,  yet  it 
does  not  follow  that  we  have  any  ground  to  expect  it ;  since  they  attained  it  by  extra- 
ordinary revelation,  in  that  age  in  which  they  were  favoured  with  the  spirit  of  in- 
spiration, whereby  they  arrived  at  the  knowledge  of  things  future,  even  such  as  it 
was  impossible  for  them  otherwise  to  have  known.  At  least,  say  the  objectors, 
they  could  not,  without  these  extraordinary  intimations,  have  arrived  at  any  more 
than  a  probable  conjecture  concerning  this  matter.  Now,  continue  they,  that  by 
these  means  some  obtained  assurance,  is  not  denied,  while  to  pretend  to  more  than 
this,  is  to  suppose  that  we  have  it  by  extraordinary  inspiration,  which,  at  present, 
can  be  reckoned  no  other  than  enthusiasm.  We  answer,  that  though  God  does  not 
give  the  church,  at  present,  the  least  ground  to  expect  extraordinary  intimations 
concerning  their  interest  in  spiritual  and  saving  blessings,  as  he  formerly  did  ; 
yet  we  must  not  conclude  that  there  is  no  method  whereby  they  may  attain  the 
assurance  of  that  interest  in  a  common  and  ordinary  way,  by  the  internal  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit, — a  testimony,  as  will  farther  appear  under  a  following  Head, 
which  differs  very  much  from  enthusiasm,  since  it  is  attended  with  and  founded 
on  those  evidences  which  God  has  given  in  scripture,  of  their  being  in  a  state  of 
grace,  and  which  they,  in  a  way  of  self-examination,  are  enabled  to  apprehend  in 
themselves. 

That  this  may  appear,  let  it  be  considered  that  there  never  was  any  privilege 
conferred  upon  the  church  by  extraordinary  revelation,  while  that  dispensation 
was  continued  in  it,  but  the  same,  or  some  other  which  is  equivalent  to  it,  is  still 
conferred  in  an  ordinary  way,  provided  it  be  absolutely  necessary  for  the  advanc- 
ing of  the  glory  of  God,  and  their  edification  and  consolation  in  Christ.  If  this  were 
not  true,  the  church  could  hardly  subsist ;  much  less  would  the  present  dispensa- 
tion of  the  covenant  of  grace  excel  the  other  which  the  church  was  under  in  former 
ages,  as  to  those  spiritual  privdeges  which  they  have  ground  to  expect.  It  is,  I 
think,  allowed  by  all,  that  the  gospel- dispensation,  not  only  in  the  beginning  of  it, 
when  extraordinary  gifts  were  conferred,  but  in  its  continuance,  now  that  they 
have  ceased,  excels  that  which  went  before  it,  with  respect  to  the  spiritual  privileges 
which  are  conferred  in  it.  Now,  if  God  was  pleased  formerly  to  converse  with 
men  in  an  extraordinary  way,  and  thereby  to  give  them  an  intimation  of  things 
relating  to  their  salvation,  but  at  present  withholds  not  only  the  way  and  manner 
of  making  such  intimation  to  his  people,  but  the  blessings  conveyed  thereby ;  it 
wdl  follow  that  the  church  is  in  a  worse  state  than  it  was  before,  or  else  it  must  be 
supposed  that  these  privdeges  are  not  absolutely  necessary  to  enable  them  to  glorify 
God,  which  they  do  by  offering  praise  to  him,  and  to  their  attaining  that  peace  and 

h  Psal.  1.  23.        i  Psal.  xxxiii.  1.        k  Psal.  ciii.  2,  3.        11  Thess.  v.  9.        m  2  Tim.  i.  12. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  199 

joy  which  they  are  given  to  expect  in  a  way  of  believing.  If  the  church  were  desti- 
tute of  this  privilege,  it  would  be  in  a  very  unhappy  state,  and  retain  nothing  which 
could  compensate  the  loss  of  those  extraordinary  gifts  which  have  now  ceased. 
They  who  insist  on  the  objection,  and  charge  the  doctrine  of  assurance  with  savour- 
ing of  enthusiasm,  are  obliged,  by  their  own  method  of  reasoning,  to  apply  the  same 
objection  to  the  doctrine  of  internal,  special,  efficacious  grace,  which,  under  a 
foregoing  Answer,11  we  proved  to  be  the  work  of  the  Spirit ;  and  if  these  internal 
works  are  confined  to  the  extraordinary  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  then  the  church 
is  at  present  as  much  destitute  of  sanctification  as  it  is  of  assurance.  We  must 
hence  conclude,  that  the  one  no  more  savours  of  enthusiasm  than  the  other ;  or 
that  we  have  ground  to  hope  for  assurance  of  salvation,  though  not  in  an  extraordi- 
nary way,  as  much  as  the  saints  had  in  former  ages. 

Our  Saviour  has  promised  his  people  the  Spirit  to  perform  what  is  necessary  for 
carrying  on  the  work  of  grace  in  all  ages,  even  when  extraordinary  gifts  should 
cease.  Thus  he  says,  '  The  Comforter,  which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father 
will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your 
remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you.'°  Elsewhere,  also,  it  is  said,  'Ye 
have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and  ye  know  all  things. 'p  And  as  to  the 
privilege  of  assurance,  it  is  said,  *  We  have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world, 
but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the  things  that  are  freely 
given  to  us  of  God.'**  Besides,  there  are  many  other  promises  of  the  Spirit, 
which,  though  they  had  their  accomplishment,  as  to  what  respects  the  conferring 
of  extraordinary  gifts,  in  the  first  age  of  the  church,  yet  have  a  farther  accomplish- 
ment in  what  the  Spirit  was  to  bestow  on  the  church  in  following  ages,  though  in 
an  ordinary  way.  This  seems  very  evident  from  scripture,  inasmuch  as  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit  are  said  to  appear  in  the  exercise  of  those  graces  which  believers  have 
in  all  ages,  who  never  had  extraordinary  gifts.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  The  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness, 
temperance. 'r  Now,  if  these  graces  be  produced  by  the  Spirit,  as  they  are  called 
his  '  fruits,'  and  the  exercise  of  them  be  not  confined  to  any  particular  age  of  the 
church,  we  must  suppose  that  the  Spirit's  energy  extends  itself  to  all  ages. — Again, 
believers  are  said  to  be  '  led  by  the  Spirit  ;'s  and  their  being  so  is  assigned  as  an 
evidence  of  their  being  '  the  sons  of  God.'  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  said,  '  If  any 
man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.''  We  may  hence  conclude 
that  there  was,  in  the  apostle's  days,  an  effusion  of  the  Spirit  common  to  all  be- 
lievers, besides  that  which  was  conferred  in  an  extraordinary  way  on  those  who 
were  favoured  with  the  gift  of  inspiration  ;  otherwise,  having  the  Spirit  would  not 
have  been  considered  as  a  privilege  belonging  only  to  believers,  and  being  destitute 
of  it  an  evidence  of  a  person's  not  belonging  to  Christ.  As  to  the  extraordinary 
dispensation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  was  not  inseparably  connected  with  salvation. 
For  many  had  it  who  were  Christians  only  in  name,  and  had  nothing  more  than  a 
form  of  godliness ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  many  true  believers  brought  forth  those 
fruits  which  proceeded  from  the  Spirit  in  an  ordinary  way,  who  had  not  these 
extraordinary  gifts  conferred  on  them.  Moreover,  the  apostle  speaks  of  believers 
'through  the  Spirit  mortifying  the  deeds  of  the  body.'u  Now,  if  the  work  of  mor- 
tification be  incumbent  on  believers  in  all  ages,  then  the  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
enabling  to  this  work,  may  be  expected  in  all  ages.  To  apply  this  to  our  present 
argument, — the  Spirit's  bearing  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God,  which  is  the  foundation  of  that  assurance  which  we  are  pleading  for,  is,  toge- 
ther with  the  other  fruits  and  effects  of  the  Spirit  just  mentioned,  a  privilege  which 
believers,  as  such,  are  given  to  desire  and  hope  for,  and  which  they  stand  in  as  much 
need  of  as  those  who  had  this  or  other  privileges  conferred  on  them  in  an  extra- 
ordinary way  in  the  first  age  of  the  gospel  church. — We  might  add,  that  the  extra- 
ordinary gilts  of  the  Spirit  were  conferred  on  particular  persons,  and  not  on  whole 
churches  ;  while  assurance  is  considered  by  the  apostle  as  a  privilege  conferred  on 
the  church  to  which  he  writes,  that  is,  the  greatest  part  of  them,  whence  the  deno- 

n  See  Sect.  '  Effectual  Calling-  a  Divine  Work,'  under  Quest,  lxvii,  lxviii. 

o  John  xiv.  26.  p  1  John  ii.  20.  q  1  Cor.  ii.  12.  r  Gal.  v.  22,  23. 

*  Rom.  viii.  14.  t  Ver.  9.  u  Rom.  viii.  13. 


200  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

ruination  is  taken.  On  this  account,  the  apostle,  speaking  to  the  believing  Corinthians, 
says,  '  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a 
building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. *  Here  he 
does  not  mean  only  himself  and  other  ministers,  but  the  generality  of  believers  at 
that  time  who  are  described  as  walking  by  faith.  There  are  many  things  said 
concerning  them  in  the  foregoing  and  following  verses,  which  make  it  sufficiently 
evident  that  he  intends  more  than  himself  and  other  ministers,  when  he  speaks  of 
their  having  assurance  ;  since  many  had  it  who  were  not  made  partakers  of  extra- 
ordinary gifts.  We  must  not  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  church  has  at  present 
no  ground  to  expect  this  privilege  ;  or  that  they  are  liable  to  the  charge  of  enthu- 
siasm if  they  claim  it. 

But  that  the  objection  which  we  are  examining  may  farther  appear  not  to  be 
sufficient  to  overthrow  our  argument,  we  may  appeal  to  the  experience  of  many 
believers  in  the  present  age,  who  pretend  not  to  extraordinary  revelation.     Let  it 
be  considered,  then,  that  many,  in  later  ages,  since  extraordinary  revelation  has 
ceased,  have  attained  this  privilege,  and  consequently  it  is  now  attainable.     To  deny 
this  would  be  to  offend  against  the  generation  of  God's  people,  of  whom  many  have 
given  their  testimony  to  this  truth,  and  have  declared  what  a  comfortable  sense  they 
have  had  of  their  interest  in  Christ,  and  what  sensible  impressions  they  have  enjoyed  of 
his  love  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts,  whereby  they  have  had,  as  it  were,  a  preliba- 
tion  of  the  heavenly  blessedness.     This  assurance  has  been  attended  with  the  most 
powerful  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  enabling  them  to  exercise  those  graces 
which  correspond  with  these  comfortable  experiences,  whereby  they  have  been  car- 
ried through  and  enabled  to  surmount  the  greatest  difficulties  which  have  attended 
them  in  life.     Many,  too,  have  been  supported  and  comforted  therewith  at  the  ap- 
proach of  death  ;  so  that  the  sting  of  death  has  been  taken  away,  and  they  have 
expressed  themselves  with  a  kind  of  triumph  over  it,  in  the  apostle's  words,  '  0 
death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  V? — That  some  have  been 
favoured  with  this  invaluable  privilege,  is  undeniable.     The  account  we  have  in  the 
history  of  the  lives  and  deaths  of  many  who  have  been  burning  and  shining  lights 
in  their  generation,  puts  it  out  of  all  doubt.     And  if  this  were  not  sufficient,  we 
might  appeal  to  the  experience  of  many  now  living  ;  for  there  is  scarcely  any  age 
or  place  in  which  the  gospel  comes  with  power,  but  we  have  some  instances  of  the 
Spirit's  testimony  to  his  own  work,  whereby  it  comes,  with  much  assurance,  a  com- 
fortable sense  of  God's  love,  peace  of  conscience,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
are  the  first-fruits  and  earnest  of  eternal  life.     But  since  this  point  will  be  particu- 
larly insisted  on,  and  farther  proofs  given  of  it  under  a  following  Answer,2  we  may 
at  present  take  it  for  granted,  that  many  have  been  assured  of  their  being  in  a  state 
of  grace,  who  have  not  made  the  least  pretension  to  inspiration  ;  while  to  charge 
them  with  enthusiasm,  or  a  vain  ungrounded  delusion,  is  to  cast  a  reflection  on  the 
best  of  men,  as  well  as  on  one  of  the  highest  privileges  which  we  can  enjoy  in  this 
world. — I  am  sensible  that  it  will  be  objected  that,  though  some  have  indeed  ex- 
pressed such  a  degree  of  assurance,  yet  this  will  afford  conviction  only  to  those  who 
have  it,  who  are  the  best  judges  of  their  own  experience,  and  of  the  evidence  on 
which  their  assurance  is  founded,  but  is  not  a  sufficient  proof  to  us,  with  respect  to 
whom  it  is  only  a  matter  of  report.     It  may  also  be  said,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
it  is  possible  these  persons  might  be  mistaken  who  have  been  so  sure  of  their  own 
salvation.     It  is  very  unreasonable,  however,  to  suppose  that  all  have  been  mistaken 
or  deluded  who  have  declared  that  they  have  been  favoured  with  this  blessing. 
Charity  will  hardly  admit  of  such  a  supposition  ;  and  if  there  be  no  possibility  of 
attaining  this  assurance,  they  must  all  have  been  deceived  who  have  concluded 
that  they  had  it.     Moreover,  this  privilege  has  been  attained,  not  only  by  a  few 
persons,  and  these  the  more  credulous  part  of  mankind,  or  by  such  as  have  not 
been  able  to  assign  any  marks  or  evidences  tending  to  support  it ;  but  by  many 
believers  who,  at  the  same  time,  have  been  far  from  discovering  any  weakness  of 
judgment,  or  disposition  to  unwarrantable  credulity.     Yea,  they  have  enjoyed  it  at 
a  time  when  they  have  been  most  sensible  of  the  deceitfulness  of  their  own  hearts,  and 

x  2  Cor.  v.  1.  y  1  Cor.  xv.  55.  z  See  Quest,  lxxxiii. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  201 

could  not  but  own  that  there  was  a  peculiar  hand  of  God  in  it ;  and  the  same  per- 
sons, when  destitute  of  the  Spirit's  testimony,  have  acknowledged  themselves  to 
have  used  their  utmost  endeavours  to  attain  it,  but  in  vain.  It  is  alleged,  indeed, 
that  though  we  suppose  assurance  true  to  a  demonstration  to  those  who  have  it, 
as  being  matter  of  sensation  to  them,  it  is  only  matter  of  report  to  us  ;  and  that 
we  are  no  farther  bound  to  believe  it,  than  we  can  depend  on  the  credibility  of  their 
evidence  who  have  declared  that  they  have  experienced  it.  But  if  there  be  such  a 
thing  as  certainty  founded  on  report,  to  deny  which  would  be  the  greatest  degree 
of  scepticism,  and  if  the  truth  of  assurance  has  been  transmitted  to  us  by  a  great 
number  of  those  who  cannot  be  charged  with  any  thing  which  looks  like  a  disposi- 
tion to  deceive  either  themselves  or  others,  we  are  bound  to  believe,  from  their  own 
testimony,  that  there  is  such  an  assurance  to  be  attained  by  those  who  pretend  not 
to  receive  it  by  extraordinary  inspiration  from  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  Character  of  the  Persons  who  enjoy  Assurance. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  character  of  the  persons  to  whom  this  privilege 
belongs.  They  are  described,  in  this  Answer,  as  '  such  as  truly  believe  in  Christ, 
and  endeavour  to  walk  in  all  good  conscience  before  him.'  These  only  have  ground 
to  expect  this  privilege.  It  is  an  assurance  of  our  having  the  truth  of  grace  that 
we  are  considering ;  which  supposes  a  person  truly  to  believe  in  Christ.  Accord- 
ingly, it  is  distinguished  from  that  unwarrantable  presumption  whereby  many  per- 
suade themselves  that  they  shall  be  saved,  though  they  be  not  sanctified.  It  is  not 
'  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  '  we  are  speaking  of,  which  shall  '  perish  '  and  be  '  cut 
off;'  '  whose  trust  shall  be  as  the  spider's  web,'  which  shall  be  swept  away  with  the 
besom  of  destruction,  and  be  like  '  the  giving  up  of  the  ghost,'  which  shall  end  in 
everlasting  despair.a  What  we  are  speaking  of  is  a  well-grounded  hope,  such  as  is 
accompanied  with  and  supported  by  the  life  of  faith  ;  so  that  we  are  first  enabled 
to  act  grace,  and  then  to  discern  the  truth  of  it  in  our  own  souls,  and  accordingly 
reap  the  comfortable  fruits  and  effects  which  attend  this  assurance  ;  as  the  apostle 
prays  in  behalf  of  the  believing  Romans,  that  '  the  God  of  hope  would  fill  them  with 
all  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 'b  An  unbeliever,  therefore,  has  no  right  to  this  privi- 
lege. Indeed,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  it  is  preposterous  for  a  person  to  be 
assured  of  that  which  in  itself  has  no  reality  ;  as  the  apostle  says,  '  If  a  man  think 
himself  to  be  something  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  himself.'0  And  if  faith 
be  necessary  to  assurance,  it  follows,  as  is  farther  observed  in  this  Answer,  that 
they  who  have  attained  this  privilege  walk  in  all  good  conscience  before  God ;  where- 
by the  sincerity  of  their  faith  is  evinced.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  '  Our  re- 
joicing is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincer- 
ity, not  with  fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our  conversation 
in  the  world. 'd 

•  The  Means  of  attaining  Assurance. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  means  by  which  assurance  is  to  be  attained,  namely, 
not  by  extraordinary  revelation,  but  by  faith,  founded  on  the  promises  of  God.  As 
to  the  former,  we  have  already  considered  that  assurance  may  be  attained  without 
extraordinary  revelation  ;  as  it  has  been  experienced  by  some  in  the  present  dispen- 
sation of  the  gospel,  in  which  extraordinary  revelation  has  ceased.  Indeed,  it  may 
be  observed,  in  the  account  the  scripture  gives  of  this  privilege,  that  it  does  not 
appear  that,  when  extraordinary  revelation  was  granted  to  many  in  the  first  age  of 
the  gospel,  the  design  of  it  was  to  lead  men  into  the  knowledge  of  their  own  state, 
so  that  they  should  by  means  of  it  attain  assurance  of  their  interest  in  Christ  and 
right  to  eternal  life.  The  main  design  of  inspiration  was  to  qualify  ministers  in 
an  extraordinary  way  to  preach  the  gospel ;  as  the  necessity  of  affairs  seemed  then 
to  require  it.  It  was  necessary  also  for  the  imparting  of  some  doctrines  which 
could  not  otherwise  be  known.     Inasmuch,  too,  as  it  was  an  extraordinary  dispen- 

a  Job  viii.  13,  14,  and  chap.  xi.  20.  b  Bom.  xv.  13.  c  Gal.  vi.  3.  d  2  Cor.  i.  12. 

II.  2  C 


202  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

sation  of  divine  providence,  it  was  an  expedient  to  give  conviction  to  the  world  con- 
cerning  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  ;  since  God  herehy  was  pleased  to  con 
verse  in  an  immediate  way  with  men,  to  testify  the  great  regard  he  had  to  his 
church,  and  to  promote  the  great  ends  of  inspiration  in  propagating  that  religion 
which  was  then  to  be  setup  in  the  world.  But  we  do  not  find  that  by  extraordinary 
revelation  the  work  of  grace  was  ordinarily  wrought  or  carried  on;  nor  was  it  God's 
instituted  means  without  which  believers  could  not  attain  assurance,  for,  in  that  age 
of  extraordinary  inspiration,  they  arrived  at  that  privilege  in  the  same  way  in  which 
we  are  to  expect  to  attain  it.  It  is  true,  God  occasionally  intimated,  by  immediate 
revelation,  that  he  would  save  some  particular  persons,  and  that  their  '  names  were 
written  in  the  book  of  life  ;'e  but  these  were  special  and  extraordinary  instances  of 
divine  condescension  ;  and  it  is  not  designed  by  them  that  others  should  expect  to 
attain  the  privilege  of  assurance  in  the  same  way.  Hence,  it  will  be  hard  to  prove 
that  the  apostle  Paul,  and  others  whom  he  speaks  of,  who  were  assured  of  their  sal- 
vation, though  they  received  the  knowledge  of  other  things  by  inspiration,  were  led 
into  the  knowledge  of  their  own  state  in  such  a  way,  much  less  may  we  expect  to 
attain  assurance  by  extraordinary  revelation. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  ordinary  means  whereby  we  may  attain  assurance. 
This  means  is,  in  this  Answer,  said  to  be  faith,  grounded  on  the  truth  of  God's 
promises,  and  the  Spirit's  testimony,  whereby  we  are  enabled  to  discern  in  our- 
selves those  graces  which  accompany  salvation.  Accordingly,  in  order  to  our  arriv- 
ing at  a  comfortable  persuasion  that  we  shall  be  saved,  there  must  be  revealed  those 
promises  of  life  and  salvation  which  are  contained  in  the  gospel.  These  are  re- 
motely necessary  to  assurance  ;  for  without  a  promise  of  salvation  we  can  have  no 
hope  of  it.  Yet  though  these  promises  are  contained  in  the  gospel,  many  are  desti- 
tute of  assurance.  Again,  it  is  necessary,  in  order  to  our  attaining  assurance, 
that  there  should  be  some  marks  and  evidences  revealed  in  the  word  of  God  as  a 
rule  for  persons  to  try  themselves  by,  in  order  to  their  knowing  that  they  are  in  a 
state  of  grace.  Now,  we  may  say  concerning  this  rule,  as  well  as  concerning  the 
promises  of  salvation  revealed,  that,  though  it  is  necessary  to  assurance,  yet  it  is 
only  an  objective  means  for  our  attaining  it;  inasmuch  as  we  are  hereby  led  to  see 
what  graces  experienced,  or  duties  performed  by  us,  have  the  promise  of  salvation 
annexed  to  them.  Hence,  it  is  further  necessary  that  we  should  discern  in  our- 
selves those  marks  and  evidences  of  grace  to  which  the  promise  of  salvation  is  an- 
nexed ;  otherwise  we  have  no  right  to  lay  claim  to  it.  Accordingly,  it  is  our  duty 
to  look  into  ourselves,  and  observe  what  marks  of  grace  we  have,  whence  we  may, 
by  the  Spirit's  testimony  with  ours,  discern  ourselves  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace.  We 
shall,  then,  in  examining  this  subject,  consider  the  following  points  ; — that  in  order 
to  our  attaining  assurance,  we  must  exercise  the  duty  of  self-examination  ;  what 
we  may  truly  call  a  mark  or  evidence  of  grace,  whereby  we  may  discern  that  we 
are  in  a  state  of  salvation  ;  and  that  we  are  to  depend  on,  hope,  and  pray  for,  the 
testimony  of  the  Spirit  with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  and  that 
the  evidences  of  grace  are  found  in  us.  * 

I.  In  order  to  our  attaining  assurance,  it  is  necessary  that  we  exercise  the  duty 
of  self-examination,  which  is  God's  ordinance  for  this  end.  It  is  certainly  a  duty 
and  privilege  for  us  to  know  ourselves, — not  only  what  we  do,  but  what  we  are  ;  for 
without  knowing  this,  whatever  knowledge  we  may  have  of  other  things,  we  are 
chargeable  with  great  ignorance  in  a  matter  of  the  highest  importance  ;  nor  can 
we  be  sufficiently  humble  for  those  sins  we  commit,  or  thankful  for  the  mercies  we 
receive.  If  we  reckon  it  an  advantage  to  know  what  is  done  in  the  world,  and  are 
very  inquisitive  into  the  affairs  of  others,  it  is  much  more  necessary  and  reasonable 
for  us  to  endeavour  to  know  what  more  immediately  relates  to  ourselves  ;  or  if  we 
are  very  desirous  to  know  those  things  which  concern  our  natural  or  civil  affairs  in 
the  world,  whether  we  are  in  prosperous  or  adverse  circumstances  ;  ought  we  not 
much  more  to  inquire,  how  matters  stand  with  us  as  to  what  concerns  a  better 
world  ?— Again,  we  cannot  know  the  state  of  our  souls,  without  impartial  self-ex- 
amination.   This  is  evident  from  the  nature  of  the  thing.    As  inquiry  is  the  means 

e  Phil.  iv.  3. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  203 

for  our  attaining  knowledge  ;  so  looking  into  ourselves  is  a  means  of  attaining  self- 
acquaintance. — Further,  self-examination  is  a  duty  founded  on  a  divine  command, 
and  an  ordinance  appointed  for  our  attaining  the  knowledge  of  our  state.  Thus 
the  apostle  says,  '  Examine  yourselves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith  ;  prove  your 
own  selves. 'f  Now,  whatever  duty  God  has  commanded  us  to  engage  in,  as  ex- 
pecting any  spiritual  privilege  to  attend  it,  is  properly  an  ordinance  for  the  attain- 
ing of  that  privilege ;  and  its  being  so  is  an  argument  to  enforce  the  performance 
of  that  duty. 

Having  thus  proved  self-examination  to  be  a  Christian's  duty,  we  shall  now  con- 
sider how  it  ought  to  be  performed.  Here  let  it  be  observed  that,  as  it  is  God's 
ordinance,  we  are  to  have  a  due  regard  to  his  presence,  and  consider  him  as  an 
heart-searching  God,  and  depend  on  his  assistance,  without  which  it  cannot  be  per- 
formed to  any  great  advantage.  But  more  particularly,  we  are  to  engage  in  this 
duty  deliberately.  It  cannot  well  be  performed  while  we  are  in  a  hurry  of  business. 
As  every  thing  is  beautiful  in  its  season,  so  we  ought  to  redeem  time  and  to  retire 
from  the  world,  to  apply  ourselves  to  this  as  well  as  other  secret  duties.  We  have 
the  more  need  to  do  this,  that  a  rash  and  hasty  judgment  concerning  any  thing  is 
generally  faulty,  and  must  be  reckoned  an  evidence  of  weakness  in  him  who  passes 
it,  and  will  be  much  more  so  when  the  thing  to  be  determined  is  of  such  vast  hn- 

{>ortance. — Again,  the  duty  of  self-examination  ought  to  be  done  frequently  ;  not 
ike  those  things  which  are  to  be  performed  but  once  in  our  lives,  or  only  upon  some 
extraordinary  occasions,  but  often,  at  least  so  often  that  no  presumptuous  sin  may 
be  committed,  or  any  extraordinary  judgment  inflicted  on  us,  or  mercy  vouchsafed 
to  us,  without  a  due  observation  being  made  of  it,  in  order  to  our  improving  it 
aright  to  the  glory  of  God  and  our  own  edification.  We  cannot,  however,  exactly 
determine  what  relates  to  the  frequency  of  this  duty,  any  more  than  we  can  pre- 
scribe to  those  who  are  in  a  way  of  trade  and  business  in  the  world,  how  often  they 
are  to  cast  up  their  accounts,  and  set  their  books  in  order,  that  they  may  judge 
whether  they  go  forward  or  backward  in  the  world.  Yet,  as  the  neglect  of  these 
mercantile  duties  has  been  detrimental  to  many,  as  to  their  worldly  affairs  ;  so  the 
neglect  of  self-examination  has  been  often  found  an  hinderance  to  our  comfortable 
procedure  in  our  Christian  course.  So  far,  however,  as  we  may  advise  concern- 
ing the  frequency  of  this  duty,  it  would  redound  much  to  the  glory  of  God  and  our 
own  advantage  if,  at  the  close  of  every  day,  we  would  call  to  mind  the  experiences 
we  have  had,  and  observe  the  frame  of  spirit  with  which  we  have  engaged  in  all 
its  business.  This  the  psalmist  advises  when  he  says,  '  Commune  with  your  own 
heart  upon  your  bed,  and  be  still.'*  Moreover,  it  is  advisable  for  us  to  perform 
this  duty  whenever  we  engage  in  other  solemn  stated  religious  duties,  whether  pub- 
lic or  private,  that  we  may  know  what  matter  we  have  for  prayer  or  praise,  what  help 
we  want  from  God  against  the  prevalency  of  corruption  or  temptation,  what  answers 
of  prayer  we  have  received  from  him,  or  what  success  we  have  had  under  any  ordi- 
nance in  which  we  have  engaged,  as  well  as  what  the  present  frame  of  our  spirit  is 
when  drawing  nigh  to  God  in  any  holy  duty. 

The  duty  of  self-examination  ought  to  be  performed  with  great  diligence.  To 
arrive  at  a  knowledge  of  ourselves,  and  the  secret  working  of  our  hearts  and  affec- 
tions in  what  respects  things  divine  and  heavenly,  or  to  discern  the  truth  of  grace, 
so  as  not  to  mistake  that  for  a  saving  work  which  has  the  external  show  of  godli- 
ness without  the  power  of  it,  requires  great  diligence  and  industry.  Accordingly, 
the  psalmist,  in  speaking  concerning  the  performance  of  this  duty,  says,  '  I  com- 
mune with  mine  own  heart,  and  my  spirit  made  diligent  search.'1'  The  thing  to  be 
inquired  into  is  not  merely,  whether  we  are  sinners  in  general,  or  exposed  to  many 
miseries  in  this  life  in  consequence  of  being  so,  for  this  is  sufficiently  evident  by 
daily  experience.  But  we  are  to  endeavour  after  a  more  particular  knowledge  of 
ourselves  ;  and,  accordingly  are  to  inquire  whether  sin  hath  dominion  over  us  to 
sucli  a  degree  that  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  our  souls  are  enslaved  by  it,  and 
whether  we  commit  sin  in  such  a  way  as  denominates  us,  as  our  Saviour  expresses 
it,  'servants  of  sin,'1  or,  whether  sin  be  loathed  and  abhorred,  avoided  and  repented 

f  2  Cor.  xiii.  5.  g  Psal.  iv.  4.  b  Psal.  lxxvii.  6.  i  John  viii.  34. 


204  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

of.  As  to  our  state,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  we  have  ground  to  conclude  that 
we  are  justified,  and  in  consequence  delivered  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  con- 
demning sentence  of  the  law ;  or  whether  we  remain  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  and 
the  wrath  of  God  ahideth  on  us.  We  must  inquire  whether  the  work  of  grace  be 
really  begun,  so  that  we  are  effectually  called,  and  enabled  to  put  forth  spiritual 
actions  from  a  renewed  nature  ;  and  whether  this  work  is  going  forward  or  declin- 
ing, what  is  the  strength  or  weakness  of  our  faith.  We  are  to  inquire  also 
what  is  the  general  tenor  of  our  actions  ;  whether  the  ends  we  design  in  all  reli- 
gious duties  are  right  and  warrantable ;  whether  our  improvement  in  grace  bears 
any  proportion  to  the  means  we  are  favoured  with.  Moreover,  we  are  to  examine 
whether  we  perform  all  those  relative  duties  which  are  incumbent  on  us,  so  as  to 
glorify  God  in  our  conversation  with  men;  whether  we  endeavour  to*do  good  to 
them,  and  receive  good  from  them,  and  so  improve  our  talents  to  the  glory  of  God, 
from  whom  we  received  them.  These  and  similar  things  are  to  be  inquired  into ; 
and  our  examining  ourselves  respecting  them  will  be  more  immediately  subservient 
to  the  attaining  of  the  privilege  of  assurance. 

Self-examination  ought  to  be  performed  with  the  greatest  impartiality.  Con- 
science, which  is  to  act  the  part  of  a  judge  and  a  witness,  must  be  faithful  in  its 
dictates  and  determinations,  the  matter  in  question  being  one  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance. Hence,  in  passing  a  judgment  on  our  state,  we  must  proceed  according 
to  the  rules  of  strict  justice,  not  denying,  on  the  one  hand,  what  we  have  received 
from  God,  or  resolutely  concluding  against  ourselves  that  there  is  no  hope,  when 
there  are  many  things  which  afford  matter  of  peace  and  comfort  to  us  ;  nor,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  we  to  think  ourselves  something  when  we  are  nothing.  Some  are 
obliged  to  conclude,  as  the  result  of  this  inquiry  into  their  state,  that  they  are  un- 
regenerate  and  destitute  of  the  saving  grace  of  God.  This  sentence  those  are 
obliged  to  pass  on  themselves  who  are  grossly  ignorant,  not  sensible  of  the  plague  of 
their  own  hearts  ;  who  are  altogether  unacquainted  with  the  way  of  salvation  by 
Jesus  Cbrist,  or  the  method  prescribed  in  the  gospel  for  a  sinner's  justification  or 
freedom  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  in  a  fiducial  application  of  Christ's  righteousness, 
which  is  the  only  means  conducive  to  it ;  and  who  know  not  what  is  included  in 
evangelical  repentance,  how  sin  is  to  be  mortified,  and  what  it  is  to  depend  on 
Christ  in  the  execution  of  his  offices  of  prophet,  priest,  and  king.  At  least,  if  they 
have  not  such  a  degree  of  the  knowledge  of  these  things,  though  they  cannot  fully 
and  clearly  describe  them,  as  may  influence  their  practice,  and  excite  those  graces 
which  all  true  converts  are  enabled  to  exercise,  they  have  ground  to  conclude  that 
they  are  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy.  We  may  add,  that  a  person  must  conclude 
against  himself  that  he  is  destitute  of  the  grace  of  God,  if  he  allows  himself  in  the 
omission  of  known  duties,  or  the  commission  of  known  sins,  and  is  content  with  a 
form  of  godliness  without  the  power  of  it,  or  values  and  esteems  the  praise  of  men 
more  than  of  God.     Such  must  conclude  that  their  hearts  are  not  right  with  him. 

Again,  we  must  examine  ourselves  concerning  our  state,  with  a  resolution,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  make  a  right  improvement  of  that  judgment  which  we  are  bound 
to  pass  on  ourselves.  If  we  apprehend  that  we  are  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  we 
are  not  to  sink  into  despair  ;  but  we  are  to  wait  on  God  in  all  his  appointed  means 
and  ordinances,  in  order  to  our  obtaining  the  first  grace,  that,  by  the  powerful  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit,  there  may  be  such  a  true  change  wrought  in  us  that  we  may 
have  ground  to  hope  better  things  concerning  ourselves,  even  things  which  accom- 
pany salvation.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  find  that  we  have  experienced  the  grace 
of  God  in  truth,  we  must  be  disposed  to  give  him  all  the  glory,  to  exercise  a  con- 
tinued dependence  on  him  for  what  is  still  lacking  to  complete  the  work,  and,  as  we 
have  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  to  walk  in  him. — Finally,  this  duty  must  be 
performed  with  judgment.  We  are  to  compare  our  hearts  and  actions  with  the  rule 
which  is  prescribed  in  the  word  of  God,  whereby  we  may  know  whether  we  have 
those  marks  and  evidences  of  grace  whence  we  may  conclude  that  we  have  a  good 
foundation  to  build  on,  and  that  our  hope  is  such  as  shall  never  make  ashamed. 

II.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  what  we  may  truly  call  a  mark  or  evidence  of  grace, 
whereby  we  may  discern  that  we  are  in  a  state  of  salvation.  In  order  to  our  un- 
derstanding this,  we  must  consider  two  rules.     First,  every  thing  which  is  a  mark 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  205 

or  evidence  of  a  thing,  must  be  more  known  than  that  which  is  designed  to  be 
evinced  by  it.  The  sign  must  always  be  more  known  than  the  thing  signified  by 
it ;  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  means  of  our  knowing  that  which  we  are  at  present  in 
doubt  about ;  as  when  the  finger  is  placed  in  a  cross-road,  to  direct  the  traveller 
which  way  he  is  to  take.  Again,  a  mark  or  evidence  of  a  thing  must  contain 
some  essential  property  of  that  which  it  is  designed  to  evince.  Thus  the  inferring 
of  consequences  from  premises  is  an  essential  property  belonging  to  every  intelli- 
gent creature,  and  to  none  else.  It  is  hence  a  mark  or  evidence  of  an  intelligent 
creature.  So  to  design  the  best  end,  and  use  those  means  which  are  conducive  to 
it,  is  an  essential  property  of  a  wise  man,  and  consequently  a  mark  or  evidence  of 
wisdom.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  some  things  which  are  not  essential  pro- 
perties, but  accidental,  as  a  healthful  constitution  is  to  a  man,  or  a  particular  action 
which  has  some  appearance  but  not  all  the  necessary  ingredients  of  wisdom  and 
goodness  to  a  wise  or  good  man.  Now,  let  these  rules  be  applied  to  our  present 
purpose,  in  determining  what  we  may  call  marks  or  evidences  of  grace.  With  re- 
spect to  the  former  of  them,  namely,  that  a  mark  must  be  more  known  than  the 
thing  which  is  evinced  by  it,  we  may  conclude  that  eternal  election,  and  the  Spirit's 
implanting  a  principle  of  grace  in  regeneration,  cannot  be  said  to  be  marks  or  evi- 
dences of  sanctification,  since  these  are  less  known  than  the  thing  designed  to  be 
evinced.  As  to  the  other  rule,  namely,  that  a  mark  must  contain  an  essential 
property  of  that  which  it  evinces,  it  follows  from  it,  that  our  engaging  in  holy 
duties  without  the  exercise  of  grace,  or  our  extending  charity  to  the  poor  when  it 
does  not  proceed  from  faith  or  love  to  God,  &c.,  is  no  certain  evidence  of  the  truth 
of  grace  ;  for  a  person  may  perform  these  duties  and  yet  be  destitute  of  grace, 
while  that  which  is  essential  to  a  thing  is  inseparable  from  it. — I  could  not  but 
think  it  necessary  to  premise  these  general  observations  respecting  marks  of  grace  ; 
inasmuch  as  some  have  entertained  prejudices  against  all  marks  of  grace,  and 
seemed  to  assert  that  a  believer  is  not  to  judge  of  his  state  by  them.  Nothing  seems 
more  absurd  than  this  opinion.  If  they  who  adopt  it  have  nothing  to  say  in  its 
defence,  but  that  some  assign  those  things  to  be  marks  of  grace  which  are  not  so, 
and  thereby  lead  themselves  and  others  into  mistakes  about  them  ;  what  has  been 
premised  concerning  the  nature  of  a  mark  or  evidence,  may,  in  some  measure, 
guard  against  this  prejudice,  as  well  as  prepare  our  way  for  what  may  be  said  con- 
cerning them.  In  treating  this  subject,  we  shall  consider,  first,  those  things  which 
can  hardly  be  reckoned  marks  of  grace  ;  and,  secondly,  what  marks  we  may  judge 
of  ourselves  by. 

1.  As  to  what  are  not  to  be  reckoned  marks  of  grace,  we  are  not  to  conclude 
that  a  person  is  in  a  state  of  grace,  merely  because  he  has  a  strong  impression  on 
his  own  spirit  that  he  is  so.  Such  an  impression  is  accidental,  and  not  essential 
to  grace  ;  and  many  are  mistaken  with  respect  to  it.  It  is  not  to  be  doubted  that 
they  whom  our  Saviour  represents  as  saying,  *  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in 
thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy  name  done  many 
wonderful  works  ?'k  had  a  strong  persuasion  founded  on  this  evidence,  that  they  were 
in  a  state  of  grace,  till  they  found  themselves  mistaken,  when  he  commanded 
them  to  '  depart  from  him.'  Nothing  is  more  obvious  than  that  many  presume  that 
they  are  something  when  they  are  nothing.  Indeed,  a  persuasion  that  a  person  is 
in  a  state  of  grace,  merely  because  he  cannot  think  otherwise  of  himself,  the  thing 
being  impressed  on  his  spirit,  without  any  other  evidence,  lays  him  too  open  to  the 
charge  of  enthusiasm. 

Again,  an  external  profession  of  religion,  discovered  in  the  performance  of 
several  holy  duties,  is  no  certain  sign  of  the  truth  of  grace  ;  for  this  many  make 
who  are  not  effectually  called.  Of  such  Christ  speaks  when  he  says,  '  Many  are 
called,  but  few  are  chosen,'1  We  may  add,  that  persons  may  have  some  degree 
of  raised  affections  when  attending  on  the  ordinances,  some  sudden  flashes  of  joy 
when  they  hear  of  the  privileges  of  believers,  both  in  this  and  in  a  better  world  ; 
though  their  conversation  be  not  agreeable  to  their  confident  and  presumptuous 
expectation.    On  the  other  hand,  some  have  their  fears  very  much  awakened  under 

k  Matt.  vu.  22.  1  Chap.  xx.  16. 


206  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

the  ordinances,  as  the  subject  of  their  meditations  has  a  tendency  to  excite  such 
fears  ;  others  have  such  a  degree  of  sorrow  that  it  gives  vent  to  itself  in  a  flood  of 
tears,  as  Esau  is  said  to  have  '  sought  the  blessing  with  tears  ;'m  but  still  there  is 
something  else  wanting  to  evince  the  truth  of  grace.  I  do  not  deny  that  it  is  a 
great  blessing  to  have  raised  affections  in  holy  duties.  But  when  these  are  experi- 
enced only  in  particular  instances,  and  are  excited  principally  by  some  external 
motives  or  circumstances  attending  the  ordinance  the  persons  are  engaged  in ;  and 
when  the  impressions  made  on  them  wear  off  as  soon  as  the  ordinance  is  over  ;  we 
can  hardly  determine  them,  on  the  evidence  of  these  raised  affections,  to  be  in  a 
state  of  grace.  The  affections,  indeed,  are  warmed  in  holy  duties;  but  their  being 
so  is  like  iron  heated  in  the  fire,  which,  when  taken  out,  soon  grows  cold  again,  and 
not  like  that  natural  heat  which  remains  in  the  body  of  man,  which  is  an  abiding 
sign  of  life.  This  subject,  however,  is  to  be  treated  with  the  utmost  caution  ;  in- 
asmuch as  many  are  apt  to  conclude  that  they  have  no  grace,  because  they  have 
no  raised  affections  in  holy  duties,  as  truly  as  others  presume  that  they  have  grace 
merely  because  they  experience  such  affections.  Let  it  be  considered,  then,  that 
when  we  speak  of  raised  affections  not  being  a  certain  mark  of  grace,  we  consider 
the  persons  who  experience  them  as  being  destitute  of  other  evidences  which  con- 
tain some  essential  properties  of  grace.  The  affections  are  often  raised  by  insigni- 
ficant sounds,  or  by  the  tone  of  the  voice,  when  there  is  nothing  in  the  matter  de- 
livered which  is  adapted  to  excite  any  grace,  the  judgment  not  informed  thereby, 
nor  the  will  persuaded  to  embrace  Christ  as  offered  in  the  gospel.  There  may  be 
transports  of  joy  in  hearing  the  word,  when,  at  the  same  time,  corrupt  nature  re- 
tains its  opposition  to  the  spirituality  of  the  divine  truth.  A  person  may  conceive  the 
greatest  pleasure  in  an  ungrounded  hope  of  heaven,  as  a  state  of  freedom  from  the 
miseries  of  this  life,  when  he  has  no  favour  or  relish  of  that  holiness  which  is  its  glory, 
in  which  respect  his  conversation  is  not  in  heaven.  He  may  also  be  very  much  terrified 
with  the  wrath  of  God,  and  the  punishment  of  sin  in  hell ;  when,  at  the  same  time, 
he  has  not  a  due  sense  of  the  vile  and  odious  nature  of  sin,  or  an  abhorrence  of  it. 
Such  instances  of  raised  affections  we  intend  when  we  speak  of  them  as  no  marks 
or  evidences  of  the  truth  of  grace.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  when,  together  with 
raised  affections,  there  is  the  exercise  of  suitable  graces,  and  the  impression  of  the 
raised  affections  remains  after  their  fervency  is  abated  or  lost,  a  good  sign  is 
afforded  of  grace  ;  though,  when  they  are  not  accompanied  with  the  exercise  of  any 
grace,  they  afford  no  mark  or  evidence  of  the  truth  of  it.  Now,  that  we  may  not 
be  mistaken  as  to  this  matter,  we  ought  to  inquire,  not  only  what  it  is  that  has  a 
tendency  to  raise  the  affections,  but  whether  our  understandings  are  rightly  in- 
formed in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  our  wills  choose  and  embrace  what  is 
therein  revealed.  If  we  find  it  a  difficult  matter  for  our  affections  to  be  raised  in 
holy  duties,  we  ought  farther  to  inquire  whether  this  may  not  proceed  from  our 
natural  constitution.  And  if  the  passions  are  not  easily  moved  with  any  other 
things  in  the  common  affairs  of  life,  we  have  then  no  reason  to  conclude  that  our 
being  destitute  of  raised  affections  in  the  exercise  of  holy  duties  is  a  sign  that  we 
have  not  the  truth  of  grace,  especially  if  Christ  and  divine  things  are  the  objects 
of  our  settled  choice,  and  our  hearts  are  fixed,  trusting  in  him. 

Further,  the  performance  of  those  moral  duties  which  are  materially  good, 
is  no  certain  sign  of  the  truth  of  grace.  I  do  not  say  that  this  is  not  necessary  ; 
for  when  we  speak  of  a  mark  of  grace,  as  containing  what  is  essential  to  it, 
we  distinguish  between  that  which  is  a  necessary  prerequisite,  without  which 
no  one  can  have  grace,  and  that  which  is  an  essential  ingredient  in  it.  Where 
there  is  no  morality,  there  is  certainly  no  grace  ;  but  if  there  be  nothing  more 
than  morality,  there  is  wanting  an  essential  ingredient  by  which  this  matter 
must  be  determined.  A  person  may  abstain  from  gross  enormities,  such  as 
murder,  adultery,  theft,  reviling,  extortion,  covetousness,  &c,  and,  in  many 
respects,  perform  the  contrary  duties,  and  yet  be  destitute  of  faith  in  Christ. 
The  Pharisee,  whom  our  Saviour  mentions  in  the  gospel,  had  as  much  to  say 

on  this  subject  as  any  one  ;   yet  his  heart  was  not  right  with   God,  nor  was 

i 

m  Heb.  xii.  17. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  207 

his  boasting  approved  by  Christ.  There  are  multitudes  who  perform  many  re- 
ligious duties,  when  their  doing  so  comports  with  their  secular  interests, — they  ad- 
here to  Christ  in  a  time  of  prosperity,  but  in  a  time  of  adversity  they  fall  from 
him, — and  then,  that  which  seemed  to  be  most  excellent  in  them  is  lost,  and  they 
appear  to  be,  what  they  always  were,  destitute  of  the  truth  of  grace. 

2.  We  now  proceed  to  consider  what  are  those  marks  by  which  persons  may 
safely  conclude  themselves  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace.  In  order  to  our  determining 
this  matter,  we  must  consider  what  are  the  true  and  genuine  effects  of  faith,  as  men- 
tioned in  scripture.  There  are  other  graces  which  accompany  or  flow  from  it ;  as  when 
faith  is  said  to  'work  by  love,'n  or  to  enable  us  to  'overcome  the  world,'0 or  despise 
its  honours,  riches,  and  pleasures,  especially  when  standing  in  competition  with 
Christ,  or  drawing  our  hearts  aside  from  him.  This  effect  it  produced  in  Moses, 
when  he  '  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  chposing  rather  to 
suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  sea- 
son, esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  in  Egypt;'? 
and  in  others,  who  '  confessed  that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,' i 
who  '  desired  a  better  country,  that  is,  an  heavenly,'  whose  'conversation  was  in 
heaven. 'r  Moreover,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  faith  has  a  tendency  to  'purify  the 
heart, ' s  and  so  puts  us  upon  abhorring,  fleeing  from,  watching  and  striving  against, 
every  thing  which  tends  to  corrupt  and  defile  the  soul ;  and  whether  it  tends  to  ex- 
cite us  to  universal  obedience,  called  '  the  obedience  of  faith,'*  and  a  carefulness  to 
'  maintain  good  works, ' u  which  proceed  from  it  and  are  evidences  of  its  truth ;  as 
the  apostle  says,  '  Show  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show  thee  my 
faith  by  my  works, 'x  or  as  our  Saviour  says,  '  The  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit.' 
But  that  we  may  more  particularly  judge  of  the  truth  of  grace  by  its  marks  and 
evidences,  we  must  consider  its  beginning  and  progress,  or  with  what  frame  of  spirit 
we  first  embraced  and  closed  with  Christ,  and  what  our  conversation  has  been  since 
that  time. 

As  to  the  former  of  these,  our  judging  of  the  truth  of  grace  by  the  beginning  of  it, 
we  are  to  inquire  what  were  the  motives  and  inducements  which  inclined  us  to  accept 
Christ.  Did  we  first  see  ourselves  lost  and  undone,  as  sinful,  fallen  creatures  ;  and 
were  we  thence  determined  to  have  recourse  to  him  for  salvation,  as  the  only  refuge 
we  could  betake  ourselves  to  ?  Did  we  first  consider  ourselves  as  guilty  ;  did  this 
guilt  sit  very  uneasy  upon  us ;  and,  in  order  to  the  removal  of  it,  did  we  betake  our- 
selves to  Christ  for  forgiveness  ?  Did  we  first  consider  ourselves  as  weak  and  un- 
able to  do  what  is  good,  and  so  apply  ourselves  to  him  for  strength  against  indwell- 
ing sin,  and  victory  over  the  temptations  which  prevailed  against  us  ? — Moreover, 
we  ought  to  inquire  whether  it  was  only  a  slavish  fear  and  dread  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  the  punishment  of  sin  in  hell,  which  gave  the  first  turn  to  our  thoughts 
and  affections,  so  as  to  put  us  on  altering  our  course  of  life  ;  or,  whether,  besides 
this,  we  saw  the  evil  of  sin  arising  from  its  intrinsic  nature,  and  its  opposition  to 
the  holiness  of  God  ;  and  whether  our  so  seeing  it  was  attended  with  shame  and 
self-abhorrence,  with  a  perception  of  the  excellency  and  loveliness  of  Christ,  with  a 
feeling  that  he  was  '  precious'  to  us  'as  he  is  to  them  that  believe. '*  We  ought 
farther  to  inquire,  what  were  the  workings  of  our  spirits  when  we  first  closed  with 
Christ.  Did  we  close  with  him  with  judgment,  duly  weighing  what  he  demands  of 
us  in  a  way  of  duty,  as  well  as  what  we  are  encouraged  to  expect  from  him  ?  Were 
we  made  willing  to  accept  him  in  all  his  offices,  and  to  have  respect  to  all  his  com- 
mandments ?  Were  we  earnestly  desirous  to  have  communion  with  him  here,  as 
well  as  to  be  glorified  with  him  hereafter  ?  Were  we  content  to  submit  to  the  cross 
of  Christ,  to  bear  his  reproach,  and  to  count  this  preferable  to  all  the  glories  of  the 
world  ?  Were  we  willing  to  be  conformed  to  an  humbled  suffering  Jesus,  and  to  take 
our  lot  with  his  servants,  though  they  might  be  reckoned  the  refuse  and  offscouring 
of  all  things  ? — Again,  we  ought  to  inquire  whether  we  acted  thus  with  reliance  on 
his  assistance,  as  being  sensible  of  the  treachery  and  deceitfulness  of  our  own  hearts, 
and  of  our  utter  inability,  without  the  aids  of  his  grace,  to  do  what  is  good.     Did 

ti  Gal.  v.  6.  o  1  John  v.  4.  p  Heb.  xi.  24—26.  q  Verses  13,  16.  r  Phil.  iii.  20. 

s  Acts  xv.  9.        t  Rom.  xvi.  26.       u  Tit.  iii.  8.  x  Jame*  ii.  18.  y  I  Pet.  ii.  7. 


208  ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION. 

we,  accordingly,  give  up  ourselves  to  him  in  hope  of  obtaining  help  from  him,  iu 
order  to  the  right  discharge  of  every  duty  ?  Did  we  reckon  ourselves  nothing, 
and  Christ  all  in  all,  that  all  our  springs  are  in  him  ?  This  was  a  good  beginning 
of  the  work  of  grace  ;  and  will  prepare  the  way  for  this  grace  of  assurance  which 
we  are  now  considering. 

Some  will  object  against  what  has  been  said  concerning  our  inquiring  into,  or 
being  able  to  discern,  the  first  acts  of  faith,  or  that  frame  of  spirit  wherewith  we 
first  closed  with  Christ,  that  they  know  not  the  time  of  their  conversion,  if  ever 
they  were  converted.  They  cannot  remember  or  determine  what  was  the  particular 
ordinance  or  providence  which  gave  them  the  first  conviction  of  sin  and  of  their 
need  of  Christ,  and  induced  them  to  close  with  him.  Much  less  can  they  tell  what 
were  the  workings  of  their  hearts  at  such  a  time.  It  is  impossible  for  them  to  trace 
the  footsteps  of  providence,  so  as  to  point  out  the  way  and  manner  in  which  this 
work  was  begun  in  their  souls.  Objectors  will  infer,  therefore,  that  the  frame  of 
spirit  in  which  persons  first  closed  with  Christ,  which  so  few  are  able  to  discern,  is 
not  to  be  laid  down  as  a  mark  or  evidence  of  grace. — Now,  I  am  not  insensible  that 
the  case  described  is  that  of  the  greatest  number  of  believers.  There  are  very  few 
who,  like  the  apostle  Paul,  can  tell  the  time  and  place  of  their  conversion  and 
every  circumstance  leading  to  it ;  or  who  are  like  those  converts  who,  when  the 
gospel  was  first  preached  by  Peter,  '  were  pricked  in  their  heart,  and  said  unto 
Peter,  and  to  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?'* 
or  like  the  jailer,  who  broke  forth  into  an  affectionate  inquiry  very  similar  to  this, 
■  Sirs,  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?'a  though  the  ordinance  leading  to  it  was  of  a 
different  nature.  Sometimes  the  way  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  soul  at  first,  is 
so  discernible  that  it  cannot  but  be  observed  by  those  who  are  brought  into  a  state 
of  grace.  Others,  however,  know  nothing  of  this,  especially  they  who  have  not 
run  in  all  excess  of  riot,  and  been  stopped  in  their  course  on  a  sudden  by  the  grace 
of  God  ;  in  whom  the  change  made  in  conversion  was  real,  though  it  could  not, 
from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  be  so  plainly  discerned  in  all  its  circumstances.  Some 
have  been  regenerate  from  the  womb ;  and  others  have  had  a  great  degree  of  re- 
straining grace,  and  been  trained  up  in  the  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel 
from  their  very  childhood,  and  retain  the  impressions  of  a  religious  education. 
These  cannot  so  easily  discern  the  first  beginnings  of  the  work  of  grace  in  their 
souls.  Yet  they  may  and  ought  to  inquire,  whether  they  ever  found,  in  the  course 
of  their  lives,  such  a  frame  of  spirit  as  has  been  already  described,  which  believers 
have  when  the  work  of  grace  is  first  begun.  Nor  is  it  very  material  for  them  to 
be  able  to  discern  whether  these  were  the  first  actings  of  grace  or  not.  The  main 
thing  to  be  determined  is,  whether  they  have  ground  to  conclude  that  ever  they 
experienced  the  grace  of  God  in  truth.  In  this  case,  the  most  which  some  can  say 
concerning  themselves,  is,  as  the  blind  man  says  in  the  gospel,  when  the  Pharisees 
were  inquisitive  about  the  restoring  of  his  sight,  and  the  way  and  manner  in  which 
it  was  done,  '  Whereas  I  was  blind,  now  I  see.'b  The  true  convert  says,  '  Whereas 
I  was  once  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  I  am  now  alive,  and  enabled  to  put  forth 
living  and  spiritual  actions  to  the  glory  of  God.'  This  evidence  will  give  as  much 
ground  to  believers  to  conclude  that  they  are  in  a  state  of  grace,  as  though  they 
were  able  to  determine  when  they  were  first  brought  into  it. 

Again,  we  may  judge  of  the  truth  of  grace  by  the  method  in  which  it  has  been 
carried  on,  whether  we  are  able  to  determine  the  way  and  manner  in  which  it  was 
first  begun,  or  not.  Sanctification  is  a  progressive  work.  Hence,  in  order  to  our 
concluding  that  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace,  it  is  not  enough  for  us  to  set  our  faces 
heavenwards,  but  we  must  make  advances  towards  it,  and  be  found  in  the  daily  _ 
exercise  of  grace.  A  believer  must  not  only  set  out  in  the  right  way,  but  he  must 
hold  on  in  it.  He  must  live  by  faith,  if  he  would  conclude  that  the  work  of  faith 
is  begun  in  truth.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  call  upon  God,  or  implore  help  from  him 
when  under  some  distressing  providences,  and  afterwards  to  grow  remiss  in  or  lay 
aside  the  duty  of  prayer, — it  must  be  our  constant  work.  A  true  Christian  is  dis- 
tinguished from  an  hypocrite  in  its  being  said  concerning  the  latter,  '  Will  he  de- 

z  Acts  ii.  37.  a  Cbap.  xvi.  30.  b  John  ix.  25. 


ASSURANCE  OF  SALVATION.  209 

light  himself  in  the  Almighty?  will  he  always  call  upon  God?'c  denoting  that  a  true 
believer  will  do  so.  He  is  either  habitually  or  actually  inclined  to  it ;  and  that  in 
such  a  way  as  is  attended  with  the  daily  exercise  of  those  graces  which  are  the  fruits 
and  effects  of  faith,  whereby  we  may  conclude  that  he  is  in  a  state  of  grace. 

III.  Thus  far  we  have  considered  those  marks  or  evidences  of  grace  which,  in 
order  to  our  attaining  assurance,  we  must  be  able  to  discern  in  ourselves.  But  a 
believer  may  understand  what  are  the  marks  of  grace  contained  in  scripture,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  inquire  into  the  state  of  his  soul  to  know  whether  he  can  appre- 
hend in  himself  any  evidences  of  the  truth  of  grace,  and  yet  not  be  able  to  arrive 
at  a  satisfaction  as  to  this  matter,  s©  as  to  have  his  doubts  and  fears  removed.  Let 
it  be  considered,  therefore,  that  he  must  depend  on,  hope,  and  pray  for  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit  with  his  spirit,  that  he  is  a  child  of  God.  It  will  be  a  difficult 
matter  for  us  to  conclude  that  we  have  the  truth  of  grace,  till  the  Spirit  is  pleased 
to  shine  on  his  own  work.  But  when  he  does  this,  all  things  will  appear  clear  and 
bright  to  us;  though  formerly  we  might  have  walked  in  darkness,  and  had  *no  light. 

In  speaking  concerning  this  inward  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  necessary 
to  enable  a  believer  to  discern  in  himself  the  marks  of  grace,  on  his  doing  which 
his  assurance  of  salvation  is  founded,  let  it  be  premised  that,  as  it  is  a  branch  of 
the  Spirit's  divine  glory,  by  his  internal  influence,  to  deal  with  the  hearts  of  his 
people  ;  so  he  does  this  in  various  ways,  according  to  the  various  faculties  of  the 
soul,  which  are  the  subjects  of  his  influence.  In  particular,  when  by  his  power  he 
renews  the  will,  and  causes  it  to  act  those  graces  which  are  the  effects  of  his  divine 
power,  he  is  said  to  sanctify  a  believer.  But  when  he  deals  with  the  understand- 
ing and  conscience,  enabling  us  to  discern  the  truth  of  the  work  of  grace  that  we 
may  take  the  comfort  of  it,  he  is  described  in  scripture  as  a  witness  to  our  being  in 
a  state  of  grace,  or  as  witnessing  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  in  that  state ;  and  the 
consequence  is,  that  '  the  eyes  of  our  understanding  being  enlightened,  we  know 
what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling.'*1  Accordingly,  he  gives  us  to  discern  that  he  has 
called  us  by  his  grace ;  and  that,  as  the  result  of  his  having  done  so,  he  has  granted 
us  a  hope  of  eternal  life. 

This  testimony  of  the  Spirit  is  a  privilege  plainly  mentioned  in  scripture.  Nor 
must  we  suppose  that  none  had  it  but  those  who  had  extraordinary  revelation  ; 
since  it  is  so  necessary  to  a  believer's  attaining  peace  and  joy,  which  the  church  is 
certainly  not  less  possessed  of  in  the  present  dispensation  than  it  was  in  former 
ages.  That  the  Spirit  gives  his  testimony  to  the  work  of  grace  in  the  souls  of  be- 
lievers, though  extraordinary  revelation  has  ceased,  is  evident  from  what  is  matter 
of  daily  experience.  For  there  are  many  instances  of  those  who  have  used  their 
utmost  endeavours  in  examining  themselves  to  know  whether  they  had  any  marks 
of  grace,  who  have  not  been  able  to  discern  any,  though  they  have  been  thought  to 
be  sincere  believers  by  others,  till,  on  a  sudden,  light  has  broke  forth  out  of  dark- 
ness, and  their  evidences  for  eternal  life  cleared  up,  so  that  all  their  doubts  have 
been  removed.  This  attaining  of  assurance  they  could  not  but  attribute  to  a  divine 
hand ;  inasmuch  as  formerly  they  could  meditate  nothing  but  terror  to  themselves. 
In  this  case,  what  the  apostle  prays  for  with  respect  to  the  church,  '  that  the  God 
of  hope  would  fill  them  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  they  might  abound 
in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 'e  is  experienced  by  them.  On  this 
account  they  are  said  to  be  '  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise  'f  whereby 
their  hope  is  established,  and  whereby  that  is  now  confirmed  to  them  which  they 
were  betore  in  perplexity  about.  We  have  therefore  as  much  ground  to  conclude 
that  the  Spirit  is  the  author  of  assurance  in  believers,  as  we  have  that  he  is  the 
author  of  sanctification. 

But  that  this  doctrine  may  not  appear  liable  to  the  charge  of  enthusiasm,  let  it 
be  considered  that  the  Spirit  never  gives  his  testimony  to  the  truth  of  grace  in  any 
in  whom  he  has  not  first  wrought  it ;  for  to  do  this  would  be,  as  it  were,  a  setting 
his  seal  to  a  blank.  We  may  add,  that,  at  the  time  when  he  gives  his  testimony  to 
the  truth  of  grace  in  believers,  he  excites  the  lively  exercise  of  it,  whereby  they  are 
enabled  to  discern  that  it  is  true  and  genuine  ;  so  that  their  assurance,  though  it 

c  Job  xxtu.  10.  d  Epb.  i.  18.  e  Kom.  xv.  13.  f.Eph.  i.  13. 

II.  2d. 


210  DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE. 

is  not  without  some  internal  impressive  influences  which  they  are  favoured  with, 
yet  is  not  wholly  dependent  on  these.  Hence,  if  you  demand  a  reason  of  the  hope 
which  is  in  them,  though  they  ascribe  the  glory  of  that  hope  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  as 
enabling  them  to  discern  the  truth  of  grace,  yet  they  are  able  to  prove  their  own- 
selves,  after  having  examined  themselves  whether  they  are  in  the  faith,  by  discover- 
ing their  evidences  of  the  faith  of  God's  elect.  This  fact  argues  that  their  assur- 
ance is  no  delusion. 


DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE. 

Question  LXXXI.  Are  all  true  believers,  at  all  times,  assured  of  their  present  being  in  the  estate 
of  grace,  and  that  they  shall  be  saved  f 

Answer.  Assurance  of  grace  arid  salvation  not  being  of  the  essence  of  faith,  true  believers  may 
wait  long  before  they  obtain  it;  and  after  the  enjoyment  thereof,  may  have  it  weakened  and  inter- 
mitted through  manifold  distempers,  sins,  temptations,  and  desertions;  yet  are  they  never  left  with- 
out such  a  presence  and  support  of  the  Spirit  of  God  as  keeps  them  from  sinking  into  utter  despair. 

Having  considered  some  believers  as  favoured  with  assurance  of  their  being  in  a 
state  of  grace,  we  are,  in  this  Answer,  led  to  speak  of  others  who  are  destitute  of  it. 
Here  something  is  supposed,  namely,  that  assurance  of  grace  and  salvation  is  not 
of  the  essence  of  saving  faith.  Again,  some  things  are  inferred  from  this  supposi- 
tion ;  first,  that  true  believers  may  wait  long  before  they  obtain  assurance ;  secondly, 
that,  after  the  enjoyment  of  assurance,  it  may  be  weakened  and  intermitted  through 
bodily  distempers,  sins,  temptations,  and  divine  desertions  ;  yet,  thirdly,  that  they 
are  never  left  without  the  support  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  so  are  kept  from  sink- 
ing into  utter  despair. 

Assurance  not  of  the  Essence  of  Faith. 

As  to  the  thing  supposed  in  this  Answer,  namely,  that  assurance  of  grace  and  sal- 
vation is  not  of  the  essence  of  faith,  many  persons  who,  in  other  respects,  explain  the 
nature  of  faith  in  such  a  way  as  is  unexceptionable,  assert  that  assurance  is  of  the 
essence  of  it.  Now,  in  this  we  cannot  but  think  they  express  themselves  very  un- 
warily ;  at  least,  they  ought  to  have  more  clearly  discovered  what  they  mean  by 
faith,  and  what  by  assurance,  than  they  appear  to  do.  If  by  assurance  being  of  the 
essence  of  faith,  they  mean  that  no  one  has  saving  faith  but  he  who  has  an  assur- 
ance of  his  own  salvation  ;  they  not  only  assert  what  is  contrary  to  the  experience 
of  many  believers,  but  lay  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  weak  Christians,  who 
will  be  induced  to  conclude  that,  because  they  cannot  tell  whether  they  are  true 
believers  or  not,  they  are  destitute  of  saving  faith.  On  this  account,  it  is  necessary 
for  us  to  inquire  how  far  the  opinion  in  question  is  to  be  allowed,  and  in  what  re- 
spect denied. 

It  is  certain  that  there  are  many  excellent  divines  in  our  own  and  foreign  nations, 
who  have  defined  faith  by  assurance ;  which  they  have  supposed  so  essential  to  it,  that 
without  it  no  one  can  be  reckoned  a  believer.  It  may  be  they  were  inclined  thus 
to  express  themselves  in  consequence  of  the  sense  in  which  they  understood  several 
texts  of  scripture,  in  which  assurance  seems  to  be  considered  as  a  necessary  ingre 
dient  in  faith.  Thus  it  is  said,  t  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assur- 
ance of  faith. '»  Again,  the  apostle  speaks  of  assurance  as  a  privilege  which  belonged 
to  the  church  to  which  he  wrote,  •  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  taber- 
nacle were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens. 'h  Elsewhere,  also,  he  so  far  blames  their  not  knowing 
themselves,  or  their  being  destitute  of  this  assurance,  that  he  will  hardly  allow 
those  to  have  any  faith  who  were  without  it :  '  Know  ye  not  your  own  selves,  how 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates  ?'*     From  such  expressions  as 

R  Heb.  x.  22.  h  2  Cor.  v.  1.  i  Chap.  xiii.  5. 


DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE.  2ll 

those,  they  who  plead  for  assurance  being  of  the  essence  of  faith  are  ready  to  con- 
clude that  they  who  are  destitute  of  it  can  hardly  be  called  believers.  But  that 
this  matter  may  be  set  in  a  trtie  light,  we  must  distinguish  between  assurance  of 
the  object,  namely,  the  great  and  important  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  being  of  the 
essence  of  faith  ;  and  assurance  of  our  interest  in  Christ  being  so.  The  former  we 
will  not  deny ;  for  no  one  can  come  to  Christ  who  is  not  assured  that  he  will  receive 
him,  or  trust  in  him  till  he  is  fully  assured  that  he  is  able  to  save  him.  But  the 
latter  we  must  take  leave  to  deny  ;  for  if  no  one  is  a  believer  but  he  who  knows 
himself  to  be  so,  then  he  who  doubts  of  his  salvation  must  be  concluded  to  be  no 
believer.  This  is  certainly  a  very  discouraging  doctrine  to  weak  Christians  ;  and, 
according  to  it,  when  we  lose  the  comfortable  persuasion  we  once  had  of  our  interest 
in  Christ,  we  are  bound  to  question  all  our  former  experiences,  and  to  determine 
ourselves  to  be  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy.  But  to  do  this  would  be  in  effect  to  with- 
hold from  God  the  glory  of  that  powerful  work  which  was  formerly  wrought  in  us, 
which  we  then  thought  to  be  a  work  of  grace. — If,  indeed,  they  mean  by  assurance 
being  of  the  essence  of  faith,  that  an  assurance  of  our  interest  in  Christ  is  essential 
to  the  highest  or  most  comfortable  acts  of  faith,  meaning  by  this  doctrine  that  we 
ought  to  be  incited  to  press  after  assurance  if  we  have  not  attained  it,  and  that 
God  is  very  much  glorified  by  it,  and  a  foundation  laid  for  our  offering  praise  to 
him  for  the  experience  we  have  had  of  his  grace,  which  a  doubting  Christian  cannot 
be  said  to  do  ;  we  have  nothing  to  say  against  it.  Or  if  they  should  assert  that 
doubting  is  no  ingredient  in  faith,  nor  a  commendable  excellency  in  a  Christian  ; 
we  do  not  oppose  them.  All  we  are  contending  for  is,  that  there  may  be  a  direct 
act  of  faith,  or  a  faith  of  reliance,  in  those  who  are  destitute  of  assurance  that  they 
are  in  a  state  of  grace.  This  is  the  thing  supposed  in  this  Answer,  when  it  is  said 
that  assurance  is  not  of  the  essence  of  faith. 

That  this  may  be  better  understood,  and  we  be  led  into  the  sense  of  scriptures, 
such  as  those  just  mentioned  and  others  of  a  similar  kind,  which  describe  believers 
as  having  assurance,  let  it  be  considered  that  there  are  many  scriptures  in  which 
believers  are  said  to  have  such  an  assurance  as  respects  only  the  object  of  faith, 
namely,  the  person,  offices,  and  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  truth  and  promises  of  the 
gospel, — an  assurance  which  we  do  not  deny  to  be  of  the  essence  of  faith.  Thus 
the  apostle  prays  for  the  church,  '  That  their  hearts  might  be  comforted,  being  knit 
together  in  love,  and  unto  all  riches  of  the  full  assurance  of  understanding,  to  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  mystery  of  God,  and  of  the  Father,  and  of  Christ. 'k  Else- 
where he  says,  'Our  gospel  came  to  you  in  much  assurance.'1  And  he  exhorts 
persons  to  '  draw  near  to  God,  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith. 'm  Now, 
it  is  probable  that,  in  these  and  several  other  scriptures  of  similar  import,  he  means 
no  more  than  an  assurance  of  the  object  of  faith.  As  for  the  scripture  n  where  he 
seems  to  assert  that  all  who  are  destitute  of  this  privilege  are  '  reprobates, '  some 
understand  the  word  which  we  translate  '  reprobates,'  as  signifying  only  injudicious 
Christians  ;  and  if  this  be  its  meaning,  the  thing  which  it  denotes  is  not  inconsis- 
tent with  the  character  of  believers.  Others,  however,  with  an  equal  degree  of 
probability,  render  it  'disapproved;'0  and  so  the  meaning  is,  '  If  you  know  not 

k  Col.  ii.  2.  1  1  Tbess.  i.  5.  m  Heb.  x.  22.  n  2  Cor.  xiii.  5. 

o  Though  the  word  adexipoi  is  sometimes  used  to  signify  such  as  are  rejected  as  objects  of  God's 
hatred,  as  in  Heb.  vi.  8,  and  consequently  is  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  believers;  yet  in  other 
places  it  may  be  taken  according  to  its  grammatical  construction,  as  opposed  to  Soxipoi,  which  sig- 
nifies persons  approved,  2  Tim.  ii.  15;  and  so  it  signifies  a  person  whose  conduct  is  blameworthy, 
or  whose  actions  are  not  to  be  approved  of.  Now,  this  may  be  applied  to  some  who  are  not  alto- 
gether destitute  of  faith;  though  they  are  not  able  to  vindicate  themselves  in  all  respects  as  blame- 
less. That  the  apostle  uses  the  word  in  this  sense  here,  seems  probable  from  the  application  he 
makes  of  it  to  himself.  It  is  said,  verse  3,  '  Ye  seek  a  proof  of  Christ  speaking  in  me,'  $oxipr,» 
£»ruri;  and,  verse  6,  he  says,  '  I  trust  that  ye  shall  know  that  we  are  not  reprobates.'  So  we 
render  the  words  tXtrifr  h  iri  yvuinaSi.  in  fifiiis  ovx  trpt*  xloxifAoi ;  but  it  would  lie  more  agreeable 
to  what  is  said  in  verse  4,  if  we  should  render  them,  '  I  trust  that  ye  shall  know  that  we  are  not 
disapproved,  or  that  ye  shall  find  u  proof  of  Christ's  speaking  in  us.'  In  verse  7.  he  farther  says, 
'  I  pray  to  God,  not  that  we  should  appear  approved,'  ov%  hm  kpui  loxifon  Qavw/tvi,  that  is,  not  so 
much  that  ye  should  find  a  proof  of  Christ  speaking  in  us,  but  that  ye  should  do  that  which  is 
honest;  as  if  he  had  said,  'I  am  more  concerned  for  you  than  for  myself. '  Though  we  '  he  as 
reprobates,'  iifttii  Si  us  xioxi/tm  aiftiv,  that  is,  whether  you  think  we  have  a  proof  ot  Christ's  speak- 
ing in  us  or  not,  or  of  his  approving  us  in  the  course  of  our  ministry,  my  great  concern  is  that  you 


212  DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE. 

your  ownselves,  that  Christ  is  in  you,  you  are  greatly  to  be  blamed,  or  disapproved  ; 
especially  as  your  not  knowing  this  proceeds  from  your  neglect  of  the  duty  of  self- 
examination  ;  by  which  means  you  have  no  proof  of  Christ's  being  in  you,  who  are 
so  ready  to  demand  a  proof  of  his  speaking  in  his  ministers,  'p  It  does  not  appear 
from  this  text,  then,  that  every  one  who  endeavours  to  know  that  he  is  in  a  state  of 
o-race  by  diligent  self  examination,  but  cannot  conclude  that  he  is  so,  must  be  de- 
termined to  be  destitute  of  faith  ;  which  would  necessarily  follow  from  our  assert- 
in°-  that  assurance  of  our  interest  in  Christ  is  of  the  essence  of  saving  faith. — There 
are  other  scriptures  which  speak  of  assurance  as  a  distinguishing  character  of  Chris- 
tians in  general ;  which  are  usually  brought  to  prove  that  assurance  is  of  the  essence 
of  faith.  Thus,  '  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dis- 
solved, we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens. 'q  Again,  '  We  know  that  we  are  of  God.'r  There  are  also  several  places  in 
the  New  Testament  in  which  the  apostle  addresses  his  discourse  to  whole  churches,  as 
having  assurance  as  well  as  the  grace  of  faith.  Thus  the  apostle  Peter  speaks  of 
them  as  '  loving  Christ,  believing  in  him,  rejoicing  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory,  and  receiving  the  end  of  their  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  their  souls  ;'s  which 
could  hardly  be  said  of  them,  if  they  were  destitute  of  assurance  of  their  own  sal- 
vation. All,  however,  that  I  would  infer  from  these  and  similar  scriptures  is,  that 
it  seems  probable  that  assurance  was  a  privilege  more  commonly  experienced  in  that 
age  of  the  church  than  it  is  in  our  day.  There  may  be  two  reasons  assigned  for 
this.  First,  the  change  which  passed  upon  them  when  they  were  converted,  was 
so  apparent  that  it  was  hardly  possible  for  it  not  to  be  discerned.  They  turned 
from  dead  idols  and  the  practice  of  the  vilest  abominations,  to  serve  the  living  God ; 
which  two  extremes  are  so  opposite,  that  their  being  brought  from  the  one  to  the  other 
could  not  but  be  remarked  by  themselves,  and  consequently  more  visible  to  them, 
than  if  their  conversion  had  been  otherwise.  The  other  principal  reason  is,  that  the 
church  was  called  at  that  time  to  bear  a  public  testimony  to  the  gospel,  by  endur- 
ing persecutions  of  various  kinds ;  and  some  of  them  were  to  resist  even  unto  blood. 
Now,  that  God  might  prepare  them  for  these  sufferings,  and  that  he  might  encour- 
age others  to  embrace  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  which  was  then  in  its  infant-state,  he 
was  pleased  to  favour  them  with  this  great  privilege.  And  it  may  be  hereafter,  if 
God  should  call  the  church  to  endure  like  trials,  that  he  will  in  mercy  grant  them 
a  greater  degree  of  assurance  than  is  ordinarily  experienced.  Nevertheless,  it  may 
be  questioned  whether  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  assurance  as  if  it  were  a 
privilege  common  to  the  whole  church,  are  not  to  be  understood  as  applicable  to  the 
greater  part  of  them,  rather  than  to  every  individual  believer  among  them.  For 
though  the  apostle,  in  one  of  the  scriptures  before-mentioned,  considers  the  church 
at  Corinth  as  enjoying  this  privilege,  and  as  concluding  that  it  should  go  well  with 
them  in  another  world  when  this  earthly  tabernacle  was  dissolved ;  yet,  in  the  same 
epistle,  he  speaks  of  some  of  them  as  not  knowing  their  ownselves,  that  Jesus  Christ 
was  in  them.  The  apostle  John  also,  notwithstanding  his  saying  to  the  church,  '  We 
know  that  we  are  of  God,'4  which  argues  that  many  of  them  had  assurance,  plainly 
intimates  that  all  had  it  not ;  for  he  says,  '  These  things  have  I  written  unto  you 
that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal 
life.'u  Though,  too,  in  another  scripture,  just  mentioned,  the  apostle  Peter  speaks 
to  the  church  to  which  he  writes,  as  having  'joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory  ' 
consequent  upon  their  faith,  which  argues  that  they  had  assurance  ;  yet  he  exhorts 
others  of  them  to  '  give  diligence  to  make  their  calling  and  election  sure  ;'x  so  that 
these  are  supposed,  at  that  time,  not  to  have  had  it.  From  all  this  it  may  be  con- 
may  be  approved.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  the  apostle  uses  the  word  *iexi/*<u  as  signifying  dis- 
approved. Hence,  as  it  is  applied  to  those  he  speaks  of  in  verse  5,  the  meaning  is,  '  You  seek  to 
know  whether  we  are  approved  of  God  as  ministers;  therefore  I  would  advise  >ou  to  examine 
yourselves,  whether  you  be  in  the  faith,  and  to  prove  your  ownselves;  and  if  you  know  not  your- 
selves, you  are  in  this  respect  blameworthy,  or  to  be  disapproved;  especially  because  you  sei-m  to 
have  been  negligent  as  to  the  duty  of  self-examination.'  Whether  he  who  is  diligent  in  the  exer- 
cise of  this  duty,  and  yet  cannot  apprehend  that  he  is  in  a  state  of  grace,  be  iu  this  respect  to  be 
disapproved  or  not,  it  is  certain  that  he  who  is  a  stranger  to  himself,  because  of  the  neglect  of  the 
duty,  is  disapproved. 

P  j2  £°.r-  *'"•; ?•  q  2  Cor.  v.  1.  r  1  John  v.  19.  s  1  Pet.  i.  8,  9. 

t  1  John  v.  19.  u  Verse  13.  x  2  Pet.  i.  10. 


DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE.  213 

eluded,  that  assurance  of  grace  and  salvation  is  not  of  the  essence  of  saving  faith ; 
which  is  the  thing  supposed  in  this  Answer. 

Assurance  may  not  be  soon  attained. 

We  proceed  to  'consider  the  first  of  those  things  which  are  inferred  from  this  sup- 
position, namely,  that  a  believer  may  wait  long  before  he  attains  assurance.  This 
appears  from  daily  experience  and  observation.  The  sovereignty  of  God  discovers 
itself  in  it,  as  much  as  it  does  when  he  makes  the  ordinances  effectual  to  salvation 
in  giving  converting  grace  to  those  who  attend  upon  them.  Some  are  called  early 
to  be  made  partakers  of  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ ;  others  late.  The  same 
may  be  said  with  respect  to  God's  giving  assurance.  Some  are  favoured  with  this 
privilege  soon  after  or  when  first  they  believe  ;  others  are  like  those  whom  the  apos- 
tle speaks  of,  '  who,  through  fear  of  death,  are  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage. '* 
Many  have  often  inquired  into  the  state  of  their  souls,  and  been  unable  to  discern 
any  marks  or  evidences  of  grace  in  themselves,  whose  conversation  is  such  that 
others  cannot  but  conclude  them  to  be  true  believers.  Their  spirits  are  depressed ; 
doubts  and  fears  prevail,  and  tend  to  make  their  lives  very  uncomfortable  ;  they 
wait  and  pray  for  the  evidence  and  sense  of  God's  love  to  them,  but  cannot  imme- 
diately find  it.  This  state  of  feeling  the  psalmist  speaks  of,  either  in  his  own  per- 
son, or  as  representing  the  case  of  many  who  had  the  truth  of  grace  but  not  the 
•assurance  of  it,  when  he  says,  '  0  Lord  God  of  my  salvation,  I  have  cried  day  and 
night  before  thee ;  I  am  afflicted  and  ready  to  die  from  my  youth  up ;  while  I  suffer 
thy  terrors  I  am  distracted.'2  God  suffers  it  to  be  thus  with  his  people  for  wise 
ends.  Hereby  he  lets  them  know  that  assurance  of  his  love  is  a  special  gift  and 
work  of  the  Spirit ;  without  which  they  remain  destitute  of  it,  and  cannot  take 
comfort  from  either  former  or  present  experiences. 

Assurance  may  be  weakened  and  intermitted. 

We  observe  next,  that  they  who  once  enjoyed  assurance  may  have  it  weakened 
and  intermitted.  Whether  it  may  be  entirely  lost,  will  be  considered  under  a 
following  "Head,  when  we  speak  concerning  the  supports  which  believers  have,  and 
how  far  they  are  kept  by  these  from  sinking  into  utter  despair.  It  is  one  thing  to 
fall  from  the  truth  of  grace  ;  another  thing  to  lose  the  comfortable  sense  of  it. 
The  joy  of  faith  may  be  suspended,  when  the  acts  and  habits  of  faith  remain  firm 
and  unshaken.  As  the  brightest  morning  may  be  followed  with  clouds  and  tem- 
pests ;  so  our  clearest  discoveries  of  our  interest  in  the  love  of  God  may  be  fol- 
lowed with  the  withdrawment  of  the  light  of  his  countenance,  and  we  be  left  under 
many  discouraging  circumstances  concerning  our  state,  having  lost  the  assurance 
we  once  had.  If  it  be  inquired,  what  reason  may  be  assigned  for  this  ?  I  answer, 
that  it  must,  in  a  great  measure,  be  resolved  into  the  sovereignty  of  God,  who  will 
bring  his  people  to  heaven  which  way  he  pleases,  and  may  take  away  those  comforts 
which  had  their  first  rise  from  himself ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  none  must  say,  why 
dost  thou  thus  ?  We  may  observe  some  particular  reasons,  however,  which  the 
providence  of  God  points  out  to  us,  to  which  we  may  in  other  respects  ascribe  our 
want  of  assurance  ;  and  these  may  be  reduced  to  four  heads,  particularly  men- 
tioned in  this  Answer. 

1.  The  weakening  or  intermitting  of  assurance  is  sometimes  occasioned  by  mani- 
fold distempers,  or  bodily  diseases.  The  soul  and  body  are  so  closely  joined  to 
and  dependent  on  each  other,  that  the  one  can  hardly  suffer  without  the  other. 
Hence  it  is  that  bodily  distempers  affect  the  mind,  excite  and  give  disturbance  to 
the  passions,  a  circumstance  which  greatly  adds  to  the  uneasiness  which  follows 
these  distempers.  When  the  spirits  are  depressed,  and  we  are  under  the  preva- 
lence of  a  melancholy  disposition,  we  are  often  inclined  to  think  that  we  are  not  in 
a  state  of  grace  ;  and  though  we  were  formerly  disposed  to  comfort  others  in  simi- 
lar cases,  we  are  now  unable  to  take  the  least  encouragement  ourselves.  All  things 

y  Heb.  ii.  15.  z  Psal.  lxxxviii.  1.  compared  with  ver.  15. 


214  DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE. 

look  black  and  dismal ;  our  former  hope  is  reckoned  no  other  than  delusive  ;  and 
we  are  brought  to  'the  very  brink  of  despair.  It  may  be  observed,  too,  that  these 
sad  and  melancholy  apprehensions  concerning  our  state  increase  or  abate,  as  the 
distemper  which  gives  occasion  to  them  more  or  less  prevails.  Now,  that  we  may  be 
able  to  determine  whether  our  want  of  assurance  proceeds  from  some  natural  cause, 
or  bodily  distemper,  we  must  inquire  whether  we  formerly  endeavoured  to  walk  in 
all  good  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  hate  every  false  way,  and  make  religion 
the  great  business  of  life,  so  that  we  cannot  assign  any  reigning  sin  as  the  cause  of 
our  present  desponding  frame  ;  and  also  whether  we  have  been  diligent  in  per- 
forming the  duty  of  self-examination,  and  have  been  sensible  that  we  stood  in  need 
of  the  Spirit's  witness  with  ours,  in  order  to  our  arriving  at  a  comfortable  persua- 
sion that  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace.  If,  as  the  result  of  these  inquiries,  we  cannot 
see  any  cause  but  the  unavoidable  infirmities  to  which  we  are  daily  liable  leading 
to  this  dejection  of  spirit,  we  may  probably  conclude  that  it  arises  from  a  distemper 
of  body.  But  in  order  to  our  determining  this  matter,  we  must  farther  inquire 
whether  some  afflictive  providence  has  not  had  an  influence  upon  us,  to  bring  us 
into  a  melancholy  temper  ;  and  whether  our  depression  of  spirit  does  not  appear  in 
what  relates  to  our  secular,  as  well  as  our  spiritual  concerns.  If  this  be  the  case, 
though  it  be  very  afflictive,  it  is  not  attended  with  that  guilt  which  it  would  be, 
had  it  been  occasioned  by  some  presumptuous  sin.  In  this  case,  too,  there  are 
other  medicines  to  be  used  besides  those  which  are  of  a  spiritual  nature,  and  are 
contained  in  the  gospel,  but  what  these  are,  it  is  not  our  business  in  this  place  to 
determine. 

2.  There  are  many  sins  which  are  the  occasion  of  a  person's  being  destitute  of 
assurance.  As  all  the  troubles  of  life  are  brought  upon  us  by  sin  ;  so  are  all  our 
doubts  and  fears,  arising  from  the  want  of  a  comfortable  sense  of  or  interest  in  the 
love  of  God.  It  pleases  God  in  the  method  of  his  providence,  thus  to  deal  with 
his  people,  that  he  may  humble  them  for  presumptuous  sins  ;  more  especially  those 
which  are  committed  against  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  that  he  may  bring 
to  remembrance  their  sins  of  omission,  or  neglect  to  exercise  those  graces,  in  which 
the  life  of  faith  consists,  that  they  may  feel  the  effect  of  their  stupidity,  indiffer- 
ence, and  carnal  security,  or  their  engaging  in  religious  duties  in  their  own  strength, 
without  dependence  on  the  Spirit  and  grace  of  God,  or  a  due  sense  of  their  inability 
to  perform  any  duty  in  a  right  way.  Or  sometimes,  as  was  formerly  observed, 
they  want  assurance  because  they  do  not  practise  self-examination,  which  is  God's 
ordinance  for  the  attaining  of  this  privilege  ;  or  if  they  do  practise  it,  they  neglect 
to  give  that  glory  to  the  Holy  Spirit  which  is  due  to  him,  by  depending  on  his 
enlightening  influence  to  bring  them  to  a  comfortable  persuasion  of  their  interest 
in  Christ. 

3.  Assurance  is  often  weakened  and  intermitted  through  manifold  temptations. 
Satan  is  very  active  in  this  matter,  and  shows  his  enmity  against  the  interest  of 
Christ  in  the  souls  of  his  people,  as  much  as  lies  in  his  power.  Hence,  though  it 
is  impossible  for  him  to  ruin  the  soul,  by  rooting  out  the  grace  which  is  implanted 
in  it ;  yet  he  tries  to  disturb  its  peace,  and  weaken  its  assurance,  and,  if  not  pre- 
vented, to  hurry  it  into  despair.  In  this  case  the  general  design  of  his  temptations 
is  to  represent  God  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge,  a  consuming  fire,  to  present  to  our 
view  the  threatenings  by  which  his  wrath  is  revealed  against  sinners,  and  to  endea- 
vour to  set  aside  the  promises  of  the  gospel  from  which  alone  relief  may  be  had. 
Moreover,  he  puts  us  upon  considering  sin,  not  only  as  heinously  aggravated — and 
it  may  for  the  most  part  be  so  considered  with  justice — but  also  as  altogether  un- 
pardonable ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  pretends  to  insinuate  to  us  that  we  are  not 
elected,  or  that  Christ  did  not  die  for  us,  and  that,  therefore,  what  he  has  done  and 
suffered  will  not  redound  to  our  advantage.  Now,  there  is  apparently  the  hand  of 
Satan  in  this  matter;  inasmuch  as  he  attempts,  by  false  methods  of  reasoning,  to 
persuade  us  that  we  are  not  in  a  state  of  grace,  that  God  is  an  enemy  to  us,  and 
that  therefore  our  condition  is  desperate.  Here  he  uses  the  arts  of  the  old  serpent, 
that  he  may  deceive  us  by  drawing  conclusions  against  ourselves  from  false  pre- 
mises. He  induces  us  to  reason  that,  because  we  daily  experience  the  internal 
workings  of  corrupt  nature,  which  incline  us  to  many  sins,  both  of  omission  and  of 


DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE.  215 

commission,  there  is  no  room  for  us  to  expect  mercy  and  forgiveness  from  God. 
From  our  barrenness  also  and  unprofitableness  under  the  means  of  grace,  our  im- 
provements not  being  proportioned  to  the  obligations  we  have  been  laid  under,  or 
from  our  having  great  reason  to  charge  ourselves  with  many  declensions  and  back- 
slidings,  which  aiford  matter  for  deep  humiliation,  and  should  put  us  upon  sincere 
repentance,  he  endeavours  to  persuade  us  that  we  are  altogether  destitute  of  special 
grace.  Again,  whenever  we  are  unprepared  or  indisposed  for  the  right  performance 
of  holy  duties,  and  our  affections  are  not  suitably  raised  in  them,  but  grow  stupid, 
remiss,  and  careless,  he  puts  us  upon  concluding  that  it  is  a  vain  thing  for  us  to 
draw  nigh  to  God,  and  that  he  has  utterly  rejected  both  our  persons  and  our  ser- 
vices. Or  if  we  are  not  favoured  with  immediate  answers  to  prayer,  and  sensible 
communion  with  God  in  the  performance  of  that  duty,  he  tempts  us  to  infer  that 
we  shall  never  obtain  the  blessing  we  are  pressing  after,  and  that  we  may  as  well 
lay  aside  this  duty,  and  say,  '  Why  should  I  wait  on  the  Lord  any  longer  ?'  If  by 
this  method  he  cannot  discourage  us  from  engaging  in  holy  duties,  he  sometimes 
injects  blasphemous  thoughts  or  unbecoming  conceptions  of  the  divine  Majesty, 
which  fill  the  soul  with  the  greatest  grief  and  uneasiness,  that  in  consequence  of 
these  he  might  give  us  occasion  to  conclude  that  we  sin  in  persisting  in  holy  duties. 
By  all  these  temptations  he  endeavours  to  plunge  us  into  the  depths  of  despair. 

He  tempts  us  also  as  to  the  purpose  of  God  relating  to  the  event  of  things. 
When  we  are  led  to  determine  that  we  are  not  elected,  we  come  to  this  conclusion 
without  sufficient  ground.  In  presenting  the  question  to  us,  he  deceives  us  by 
pursuing  false  methods  of  reasoning,  and  puts  us  upon  presuming  to  enter  into  those 
secret  things  which  do  not  belong  to  us,  or  to  infer  that  God  has  rejected  us,  be- 
cause we  deserve  to  be  cast  off  by  him  for  our  sins,  instead  of  giving  diligence  to 
make  our  calling  and  election  sure.  It  is  one  thing  not  to  be  able  to  conclude 
that  we  are  elected  ;  and  another  thing  to  say  that  we  are  not  so.  The  former  is 
the  consequence  of  our  present  doubts  and  desponding  apprehensions  concerning 
our  state  ;  the  latter  is  plainly  a  temptation  of  Satan.  This  we  are  often  subject 
to,  when  we  have  lost  that  assurance  of  our  interest  in  Christ  which  we  once  enjoyed. 

4.  A  believer's  want  of  assurance  is,  for  the  most  part,  attended  with,  and  arises 
from,  divine  desertion.  Not  that  we  are  to  suppose  that  God  will  cast  off  his  peo- 
ple, whom  he  has  foreknown,  effectually  called,  and  preserved  hitherto,  so  as  to 
forsake  them  utterly  ;  for  to  suppose  this  is  inconsistent  with  his  everlasting  love, 
and  the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace  which  respect  their  salvation.  What 
we  understand  by  divine  desertion,  is  God's  withdrawing  his  comforting  presence, 
and  withholding  the  witness  of  his  Spirit  to  the  work  of  grace  in  the  soul ;  whence 
arise  those  doubts  and  fears  which  attend  the  want  of  assurance.  Thus  God  says 
to  his  people,  *  For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee  ;  but  with  great  mercies 
will  I  gather  thee.'a  In  this  respect  they  are  destitute  of  God's  comforting  pre- 
sence ;  though  at  the  same  time  they  may  be  favoured  with  his  supporting  presence, 
and  those  powerful  influences  which  are  necessary  to  maintain  the  work  of  grace, 
which  at  present  appears  to  be  very  weak  and  languishing. 

The  State  of  Believers  who  want  Assurance. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  last  thing  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  namely, 
that,  though  believers  are  thus  described,  they  are  not  left  without  such  a  presence 
and  support  of  the  Spirit  of  God  as  keeps  them  from  sinking  into  utter  despair. 
This  observation  ought  to  be  explained  and  considered  with  certain  limitations,  lest, 
while,  on  the  one  hand,  we  assert  that  which  affords  matter  of  encouragement  to 
believers  when  they  have  some  degree  of  hope,  we  should,  on  the  other  hand,  throw 
discouragements  in  the  way  of  others  who  will  be  apt  to  imagine,  when  they  are 
ready  to  sink  into  despair,  that  what  they  experience  is  wholly  inconsistent  with 
any  direct  act  of  faith.  I  dare  not  say  that  no  believer  was  ever  so  far  deserted  as 
to  be  left  for  a  while  to  despair  of  his  interest  in  Christ  ;  for  scripture  and  daily 
experience  give  us  instances  of  some,  whose  conversation  in  many  respects  discovei's 

a  Isa.  liv.  7. 


216  DESTITUTION  OF  ASSURANCE. 


them  to  have  had  the  truth  of  grace,  whom  God  has  heen  pleased,  for  wise  ends, 
to  leave  to  the  terror  of  their  own  thoughts,  and  who  have  remained  for  some  time 
in  the  depths  of  despair  ;  while  others  have  gone  out  of  the  world  under  a  cloud, 
concerning  whom  there  has  been  ground  of  hope  that  their  state  was  safe.  It  is  some- 
what difficult,  therefore,  to  determine  what  is  meant  in  this  Answer,  by  a  believer's 
being  kept  from  sinking  into  utter  despair.  If  the  meaning  is,  that  they  have  the 
supports  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  so  as  to  be  kept  from  relapsing  into  a  state  of  unre- 
generacy,  in  their  despairing  condition,  that  may  be  easily  accounted  for  ;  or,  if 
the  meaning  is,  that  believers  are  not  generally  given  up  to  the  greatest  degree  of 
despair,  especially  such  as  is  inconsistent  with  the  exercise  of  any  grace,  that  is 
not  to  be  denied.  I  would  rather  say,  however,  that,  though  a  believer  may  have 
despairing  apprehensions  concerning  his  state,  and  though  the  guilt  of  sin  may  lie 
upon  him  like  a  great  weight  so  as  to  depress  his  spirits  ;  yet  he  shall  not  sink  into 
endless  misery  ;  for  though  darkness  may  continue  for  a  night,  light  and  joy  shall 
come  in  the  morning.  Accordingly,  though  there  are  many  who  are  far  from  hav- 
ing assurance,  yet  they  are,  at  some  times,  favoured  with  a  small  glimmering  of 
hope,  which  keeps  them  from  utter  despair.  Again,  if  they  are  in  deep  despair,  yet 
they  are  not  so  far  left  as  not  to  desire  grace,  though  they  conclude  themselves  to 
be  destitute  of  it,  or  not  to  lament  the  loss  of  those  comforts  and  inability  to  exercise 
those  graces  which  once  they  thought  themselves  possessed  of.  Further,  a  believer, 
when  in  a  despairing  way,  is  notwithstanding  enabled,  by  a  direct  act  of  faith,  to 
give  himself  up  to  Christ,  though  he  cannot  see  his  interest  in  him,  and  to  long  for 
those  experiences  and  comforts  which  he  once  enjoyed  ;  and  when  he  is  at  the  worst, 
he  can  say  with  Job,  '  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him.'b  Moreover,  in 
this  case  a  person  has  generally  such  a  degree  of  the  presence  of  God  that  he  is 
enabled  to  justify  him  in  all  his  dealings  with  him,  and  lay  the  blame  of  all  the 
troubles  which  he  is  under  on  himself ;  and  this  is  attended  with  shame  and  confu- 
sion of  face,  self-abhorrence,  and  godly  sorrow.  Finally,  despairing  believers  have, 
notwithstanding,  such  a  presence  of  God  with  them  as  keeps  them  from  abandoning 
his  interest,  or  running  with  sinners  into  all  excess  of  riot,  which  would  give  occa- 
sion to  others  to  conclude  that  they  never  had  the  truth  of  grace. 

From  what  has  been  said  concerning  true  believers  being  destitute  of  assurance, 
and  yet  having  at  the  same  time  some  degree  of  the  presence  of  God,  we  may 
draw  several  inferences.  First,  this  is  not  inconsistent  with  what  was  said  concern- 
ing a  believer's  perseverance  in  grace.  Yet  it  must  be  considered  with  this 
limitation,  that  though  the  truth  of  grace  shall  not  be  lost,  the  comforts  and  evi- 
dences of  it  may  and  often  are. — Again,  this  should  put  us  upon  circumspect  walk- 
ing and  watchfulness  against  presumptuous  sins,  which,  as  was  formerly  observed, 
are  often  the  occasion  of  the  loss  oi  assurance  ;  and  also  on  the  exercise  of  a 
faith  of  reliance  on  Christ,  for  maintaining  the  acts  of  grace,  as  well  as  restoring 
its  comforts. — Further,  this  should  instruct  believers  what  to  do  when  destitute  of 
the  privilege  of  assurance.  We  have  observed  that  want  of  assurance  is  attended  with 
divine  desertion,  which  is  generally  occasioned  by  sins  committed.  Therefore  let  us 
say  with  Job,  '  Show  me  wherefore  thou  contendest  with  me.'c  "  Let  me  know  what 
are  those  secret  sins  by  which  I  have  provoked  thee  to  leave  me  destitute  of  thy 
comforting  presence ;  enable  me  to  be  affected  with,  and  humbled  for  them,  and  un- 
feignedly  to  repent  of  them,  and  to  exercise  that  faith  in  Christ  which  may  be  a 
means  of  my  recovering  that  hope  or  assurance  of  which  I  am  at  present  destitute." 
-—Again,  what  has  been  said  concerning  a  believer's  being  sometimes  destitute  of 
assurance,  should  put  us  upon  sympathizing  with  those  who  are  in  a  despairing  way, 
and  using  endeavours  to  administer  comfort  to  them,  rather  than  to  censure  them 
or  conclude  them  to  be  in  an  unregenerate  state  ;  as  Job's  friends  did  him,  because 
the  hand  of  God  had  touched  him,  and  he  was  destitute  of  his  comforting  presence. 
— Finally,  from  what  has  been  said  concerning  that  degree  of  the  presence  of  God 
which  believers  enjoy,  which  has  a  tendency  to  keep  them  from  utter  despair,  at 
least  from  sinking  into  perdition,  how  disconsolate  soever  their  case  may  be  at  pre- 
sent, we  may  be  induced  to  admire  the  goodness  and  faithfulness  of  God  in  his 

b  Job  xiii.  15.  c  Chap.  x.  2. 


COMMUNION   WITH  CHRIST  IN  GLORY.  217 

dealings  with  his  people,  who  will  not  lay  more  on  them  than  he  will  enable  them 
to  bear.  Though  they  are  comfortless  and  hopeless,  yet  they  shall  not  be  destroyed ; 
and,  in  the  end,  they  shall  be  satisfied  with  God's  loving-kindness  ;  and,  when  the 
clouds  are  all  dispersed,  they  shall  have  a  bright  and  glorious  day  in  his  immediate 
presence,  where  '  there  is  fulness  of  joy,'  and  at  his  '  right  hand,'  where  'there  are 
pleasures  for  evermore. 'd 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST  IN  GLORY. 

Question  LXXX1I.  What  is  the  communion  in  glory,  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church 
have  with  Christ  f 

Answer.  The  communion  in  glory,  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church  have  with  Christ, 
is,  in  this  life,  immediately  after  death  ;  and  at  last  perfected  at  the  resurrection  and  day  of  judgment. 

After  having  considered  believers,  or  the  members  of  the  invisible  church,  as  en- 
joying the  privilege  of  union  with  Christ,  and,  as  the  immediate  consequence  of  it, 
communion  with  him,  it  was  observed  that  this  communion  is  either  in  grace  or  in 
glory.  Their  communion  with  him  in  grace  consists  in  their  partaking  of  the  vir- 
tue of  his  mediation,  in  their  justification,  adoption,  and  sanctification.  These 
have  been  particularly  considered,  together  with  other  graces  and  comforts  which 
accompany  and  flow  from  them.  We  are  now  led  to  speak  concerning  the  com- 
munion which  believers  have  with  Christ  in  glory.  This  is  the  highest  privilege 
they  are  capable  of  receiving.  It  consists  in  his  giving  them  some  bright  dis- 
coveries of  the  glory  which  they  behold  and  enjoy  by  faith  in  this  life,  and  also  of 
that  which  shall  be  immediate,  and  in  some  respects  complete,  after  death.  And, 
at  the  resurrection  and  day  of  judgment,  it  shall  be  brought,  in  all  respects,  to  the 
utmost  degree  of  perfection  ;  when  their  joy,  as  well  as  their  happiness,  shall  be 
full,  and  continued  throughout  all  the  ages  of  eternity.  These  are  the  subjects 
insisted  on  in  several  following  Answers,  which  remain  to  be  considered  in  this  first 
part  of  the  Catechism. 


EARNESTS  OF  GLORY,  AND  APPREHENSIONS  OF  WRATH. 

Question  LXXXIII.  What  is  the  communion  in  glory,  with  Christ,  which  the  members  of  the 
invisible  church  enjoy  in  this  life  ? 

Answer.  The  members  of  the  invisible  church  have  communicated  to  them  in  this  life,  the 
first-fruits  of  glory  with  Christ,  as  they  are  members  of  him  their  head,  and  so,  in  him,  are  inter- 
ested in  that  glory  which  be  is  fully  possessed  of;  and  as  an  earnest  thereof,  enjoy  the  sense  of 
God's  love,  peace  of  conscience,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  hope  of  glory;  as,  on  the  contrary, 
the  sense  of  God's  revenging  wrath,  horror  of  conscience,  and  a  fearful  expectation  of  judgment, 
are  to  the  wicked  the  beginning  of  their  torments  which  they  shall  endure  after  death. 

There  are  two  sorts  of  persons  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  namely,  the  righteous  and 
the  wicked,,  and  the  different  condition  of  each  of  them  is  considered.  With  respect 
to  the  righteous,  who  are  here  styled  'the  members  of  the  invisible  church,'  there 
are  several  invaluable  privileges  which  they  are  made  partakers  of  in  this  life,  in 
which  they  are  said  to  have  a  degree  of  communion  in  glory  with  Christ.  In  par- 
ticular, they  have  this  communion  in  glory  with  Christ,  as  they  enjoy  the  first- 
fruits  or  earnest  of  that  glory  which  they  shall  have  with  him  hereafter  ;  as  they 
are  members  of  him,  their  head,  and  accordingly  may  be  said,  in  some  respects,  to 
be  interested  in  that  glory  which  he  is  fully  possessed  of;  and  as  they  have  a  com- 
fortable sense  of  his  love  to  them,  attended  with  peace  of  conscience,  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  an  hope  of  glory.  On  the  other  hand,  we  have  an  account  of  the 
dreadful  condition  of  impenitent  sinners,  when  God  sets  their  iniquities  in  order 

d  Psal.  xvi.  11. 
II.  2  E  _=,' 


218  EARNESTS  OF  GLORY, 

before  them.  This  is  represented  in  a  very  moving  way.  They  are  said  to  be 
tilled  with  '  a  sense  of  God's  revenging  wrath,  horror  of  conscience,  and  a  fearful 
expectation  of  judgment ;'  and  these  are  considered  as  the  beginning  of  those  tor- 
ments which  they  shall  endure  after  death. 

Earnests  of  Glory. 

There  are  several  invaluable  privileges  enjoyed  by  the  righteous  in  this  life, 
which  are  styled  the  first-fruits  or  earnest  of  glory.  Though  Christ  has  reserved 
the  fulness  of  glory  for  his  people  to  the  time  when  he  shall  bring  them  to  hea- 
ven ;  yet  there  are  some  small  degrees  of  glory,  which  they  enjoy  in  their  way  to 
it.  The  'crown  of  righteousness,'  as  the  apostle  speaks,  is  'laid  up  for  them, 
which  the  righteous  Judge  shall  give  them  at  that  day,'e  namely,  when  he  shall 
come  to  judgment.  Then  their  joy  shall  be  full ;  they  shall  be  satisfied  in  his 
likeness,  and  made  completely  blessed.  Yet  there  are  some  prelibations  or  fore- 
tastes which  they  have  of  glory,  for  their  support  and  encouragement  while  they 
are  in  this  imperfect  state.  We  are  not  to  suppose,  however,  that  the  present  en- 
joyments which  believers  experience  in  the  highest  degree,  do  fully  come  up  to  those 
which  are  reserved  for  them.  There  is  a  great  difference  as  to  the  degree.  As  a  child 
newly  born  has  something  in  common  with  what  he  shall  have  when  arrived  at  a  state 
of  manhood,  but,  in  several  degrees,  and  other  circumstances,  falls  short  of  it ;  or  as 
a  few  drops  are  of  the  same  nature  as  the  whole  collection  of  water  in  the  ocean, 
while  there  is  a  very  small  proportion  between  one  and  the  other,  so  the  brightest 
discovery  of  the  glory  of  God  which  we  are  capable  of  enjoying  in  this  world,  or 
the  most  comfortable  foretaste  which  believers  have  of  heaven,  falls  very  much 
short  of  that  which  they  shall  be  possessed  of  when  they  are  received  into  it. 
There  are  also  very  great  alloys,  and  many  things  which  tend  to  interrupt  and 
abate  their  happiness,  agreeably  to  the  imperfection  of  the  present  state.  What- 
ever grace  they  are  enabled  to  act,  though  in  an  uncommon  degree,  is  attended 
with  a  mixture  of  corruption  ;  and  as  their  graces  are  imperfect,  so  are  the  com- 
forts that  arise  from  them,  which  are  interwoven  with  many  things  very  afflictive. 
Hence,  they  are  not  what  they  shall  be  ;  but  are  travelling  through  this  wilder- 
ness to  a  better  country,  and  are  exposed  to  many  evils  in  their  way  thither. 

Again,  all  believers  do  not  enjoy  those  delights  and  pleasures  which  some  are 
favoured  with  in  their  way  to  heaven.  The  comforts  as  well  as  the  graces  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  are  bestowed  in  a  way  of  sovereignty,  to  some  more,  and  to  others 
less.  Some  have  reason  to  say  with  the  apostle,  '  Thanks  be  unto  God,  which 
always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ.'f  Others  are  filled  with  doubts  concern- 
ing their  interest  in  him,  and  go  mourning  after  him  all  the  day ;  and  if  they  have 
at  sometimes  a  small  glimpse  of  his  glory,  by  which  they  conclude  themselves  to  be, 
as  it  were,  in  the  suburbs  of  heaven,  they  soon  lose  it,  and  find  themselves  to  be 
in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death.  When  the  disciples  were  with  Christ  at  his 
transfiguration,  which  was  an  emblem  of  the  heavenly  blessedness,  and  when  his 
•  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light,'  they  had  occa- 
sion to  say,  '  It  is  good  for  us  to  be  here  ;'  yet  before  they  had  done  speaking,  or 
had  time  to  reflect  on  their  present  enjoyment,  they  were  deprived  of  it  by  '  the 
cloud  overshadowing  them.'s  So  the  believer  is  not  to  expect  uninterrupted  com- 
munion with  God,  or  perfect  fruition  of  him  here. 

What  we  are  at  present  to  consider,  however,  is  that  degree  of  communion  with 
God  which  some  enjoy,  which  is  here  called  the  first-fruits  and  earnest  of  glory. 
The  scripture  sets  it  forth  under  both  these  expressions.  Believers  are  said  to  re- 
ceive the  first-fruits  of  it,  or  as  the  apostle  styles  it,  'the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit, 'h 
that  is,  the  graces  and  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  These  are  the  first-fruits  of  that 
blessedness  which  they  are  said  to  wait  for,  which  is  called  'the  adoption,'  that  is, 
those  privileges  which  God's  children  shall  be  made  partakers  of,  or  '  the  glorious 
liberty '  which  they  shall  hereafter  enjoy.  The  name  '  first-fruits  '  is  used  in  allu- 
sion to  the  cluster  of  grapes  which  they  who  were  sent  to  spy  out  the  land  of  Canaan, 

c  2  Tim.  iv.  8.  f  2  Cor.  ii.  14.  g  Matt.  xvii.  2—5.  h  Rom.  viii.  23. 


AND  APPREHENSIONS  OF  WRATH.  219 

were  ordered  to  bring  to  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  that  hereby  they  might  be 
encouraged  in  their  expectation  of  the  great  plenty  which  was  to  be  enjoyed  when 
they  were  brought  into  it.  Or  it  has  reference  to  the  feast  of  in-gathering  before 
the  harvest,  when  the  Israelites  were  to  bring  the  sheaf  which  was  first  to  be  cut 
down,  and  '  wave  it  before  the  Lord,'1  with  thankfulness  and  joy,  in  expectation  of 
the  full  harvest,  which  would  be  the  reward  of  the  industry  and  labour  of  the  hus- 
bandman. Thus  believers  are  given  not  only  to  expect  the  glory  of  God,  but  to 
rejoice  in  hope  of  it. — Again,  communion  with  God  is  also  called  an  earnest  of  glory. 
Thus  believers  are  said  to  be  '  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the 
earnest  of  their  inheritance. 'k  Elsewhere  likewise  it  is  said,  '  God  hath  given  unto 
us  the  earnest  of  his  Spirit.'1  An  earnest  is  a  small  sum,  given  in  part  of  payment ; 
whereby  they  who  receive  it,  are  encouraged  to  expect  the  whole.  So  a  believer  may 
conclude  that  as  surely  as  he  now  enjoys  those  spiritual  privileges  which  accompany 
salvation,  he  shall  not  fail  of  that  glory  of  which  they  are  an  earnest.  In  this  re- 
spect God  is  pleased  to  give  his  people  a  wonderful  display  of  his  condescending 
love,  that  they  may  hereby  be  led  to  know  what  the  happiness  of  the  heavenly  state 
is,  in  a  greater  degree  than  can  be  learned  from  all  the  descriptions  which  are  given 
of  it  by  those  who  are  destitute  of  this  privilege.  Heaven  is  the  port  to  which  every 
believer  is  bound,  the  reward  of  all  those  labours  and  difficulties  which  he  sustains  in 
his  way  to  it ;  and  to  quicken  him  to  greater  diligence  in  pursuing  after  it,  it  is 
necessary  that  he  should  have  his  thoughts,  meditation,  and  conversation  there. 
The  reason  why  God  is  pleased  to  give  his  people  some  foretastes  of  it,  is  that  they 
may  love  and  long  for  Christ's  appearing,  when  they  shall  reap  the  full  harvest  of 
glory.  Now,  this  earnest,  prelibation,  or  first-fruits  of  the  heavenly  blessedness, 
which  believers  enjoy  in  this  life,  is  considered  in  this  Answer,  first,  as  it  is  included 
in  that  glory  which  Christ  is  possessed  of  as  their  Head  and  Mediator ;  and  secondly, 
as  they  have  those  graces  wrought  in  them,  and  comforts  flowing  thence,  which 
bear  some  small  resemblance  to  what  they  shall  hereafter  be  made  partakers  of. 

1.  Christ's  being  possessed  of  the  heavenly  blessedness,  as  the  Head  of  his  people, 
is  an  earnest  of  their  salvation.  For  understanding  this,  let  it  be  considered  that 
our  Lord  Jesus  sustained  this  character,  not  only  in  what  he  suffered  for  them  that 
he  might  redeem  them  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  in  the  glory  which  he  was 
afterwards  advanced  to.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  He  is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become 
the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept. ' m  Accordingly,  they  are  said  to  be  '  risen  with 
him,'n  as  regards  that  communion  which  they  have  with  him  in  his  resurrection. 
Again,  when  he  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  on  high,  his  people  are  said  'to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  him.'0 
Not  that  we  are  to  suppose  that  they  are  made  partakers  of  any  branch  of  his  medi- 
atorial glory,  or  are  joined  with  him  in  the  work  which  he  there  performs  as  their 
exalted  Head ;  but  we  are  to  understand,  that  his  being  considered  as  their  repre- 
sentative appearing  in  the  presence  of  God  for  them,  is  a  foundation  of  their  hope 
that  they  shall  be  brought  thither  at  last.  Hence,  when  he  was  about  to  depart 
out  of  this*world,  he  gave  an  intimation  to  his  people  whom  he  left  behind  him  that 
he  '  went  to  prepare  a  place  for  them;'?  and  assured  them  that,  '  because  he  lives, 
they  shall  live  also.'i 

2.  The  graces  and  comforts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  believers  are  made  par- 
takers of,  may  also  be  said  to  be  a  pledge  and  earnest  of  eternal  life.  Heaven  is  a 
state  in  which  that  grace  is  brought  to  perfection,  which  at  present  is  only  begun 
in  the  soul.  The  beginning  of  it,  however,  affords  ground  of  hope  that  it  shall  be 
completed.  As  a  curious  artist,  when  he  draws  the  first  lines  of  a  picture,  does 
not  design  to  leave  it  unfinished  ;  or  he  that  lays  the  foundation  of  a  building,  de- 
termines to  carry  it  on  gradually,  till  he  has  laid  the  top-stone  of  it ;  so  the  work 
of  grace,  when  begun  by  the  Spirit,  is  a  ground  of  hope  that  it  shall  not  be  left  un- 
finished. As  God  would  never  have  brought  his  people  out  of  Egypt  with  an  high 
hand  and  an  outstretched  arm,  and  divided  the  Red  sea  before  them,  if  he  had  not 
designed  to  bring  them  into  the  promised  land  ;  so  we  may  conclude  that,  when 

i  Lev.  xxiii.  10,  11.  compared  with  Diut.  xxvi.  10,  11.  k  Eph.  i.  13,  14.  1  2  Cor.  v.  5. 

iu  1  Cor.  xv.  20.  n  Col.  iii.  1.  o  Eph.  ii.  6.         p  John  xiv.  3.        -t      q  Verse  19. 


'220  EARNESTS  OF  GLORY, 

God  has  magnified  his  grace  in  delivering  his  people  from  the  dominion  of  darkness, 
and  translating  them  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son, — when  he  has  helped  tljem 
hitherto,  and  given  them  a  fair  and  beautiful  prospect  of  the  good  land  to  which 
they  are  going, — he  will  not  leave  his  work  imperfect,  nor  suffer  them  to  fall  and 
perish  in  the  way.  Christ  in  believers,  is  said  to  be  '  the  hope  of  glory  ;'r  and  the 
joy  which  they  have  in  believing,  is  said  to  be  not  only  '  unspeakable,'  but  ■  full  of 
glory  ;'8  that  is,  it  bears  a  small  resemblance  to  that  joy  which  they  shall  be  filled 
with  when  brought  to  glory,  and  therefore  may  well  be  styled  the  earnest  or  first- 
fruits  of  it. 

That  this  may  farther  appear,  let  it  be  considered  that  the  happiness  of  heaven 
consists  in  the  immediate  vision  and  fruition  of  God,  where  the  saints  behold  his 
face  in  light  and  glory,*  and  enjoy  all  those  comfortable  fruits  and  effects  arising 
thence,  which  tend  to  make  them  completely  happy.  Thus  it  is  said  that  '  they 
shall  see  him  as  he  is,'u  and  that  'they  shall  enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord.'x 
Believers,  it  is  true,  are  not  in  all  respects  said  to  be  partakers  of  this  blessedness 
here  ;  and  their  highest  enjoyments  bear  but  a  very  small  proportion  to  it.  Yet, 
when  we  speak  of  some  as  having  the  foretastes  of  it,  we  must  consider  that  there 
is  something  in  the  lively  exercise  of  faith  and  of  the  joy  which  arises  from  it, 
when  believers  have  attained  a  full  assurance  of  the  love  of  God,  and  have  those 
sensible  manifestations  of  his  comfortable  presence  with  them,  which  bears  some 
small  resemblance  to  a  life  of  glory.  That  which  in  some  respects  resembles  the 
beatific  vision,  is  a  sight  of  God's  reconciled  face,  and  of  their  interest  by  faith  in 
all  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  It  is  true,  the  views  which  they  have 
of  the  glory  of  God  here,  are  not  immediate,  but  at  a  distance  ;  and  therefore 
they  are  said  to  '  behold,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord.'?  We  see  things  at 
a  distance  through  a  perspective  glass,  which  enlarges  the  object,  and  brings  it,  as 
it  were,  near  to  the  eye,  though  in  reality  it  be  at  a  great  distance  from  it ;  and 
so  gives  us  a  clear  discerning  of  that  which  could  otherwise  hardly  be  discovered. 
So  faith  gives  us  clearer  views  of  this  glory  than  we  could  have  any  other  way. 
Hereby  we  are  said  'to  see  him  that  is  invisible.'2  Thus,  when  God  bade  Moses 
go  up  to  the  top  of  Pisgah,  and  strengthened  his  sight,  Moses  took  a  view  of  the 
whole  land  of  Canaan  ;  though,  without  this  strengthening  of  his  sight,  he  could 
have  beheld  only  a  small  part  of  it.  So  when  God  not  only  gives  an  eye  of  faith, 
but  strengthens  it  in  proportion  to  the  views  he  designs  it  shall  take  of  the  heavenly 
state  which  lies  at  so  great  a  distance,  the  soul  is  enabled  to  see  it,  and,  in  seeing 
it,  has  a  faint  emblem  of  the  beatific  vision. 

Moreover,  as  heaven  is  a  state  in  which  the  saints  have  the  perfect  fruition  of 
those  blessings  which  tend  to  make  them  completely  happy  ;  the  view  which  a  be- 
liever is  enabled  by  faith  to  take  of  his  interest  in  Christ,  and  of  the  glory  he  shall 
be  made  partaker  of  with  him,  is  sometimes  attended  with  such  an  ecstasy  of  joy 
and  triumph,  as  is  a  kind  of  anticipation  of  that  glory  which  he  is  not  yet  fully 
possessed  of.  Such  an  one  is  like  an  heir  who  wants  but  a  few  days  of  being  of  age  ; 
who  does  not  look  upon  his  estate  with  that  distant  view  which  he  formerly  did, 
but  with  the  satisfaction  and  pleasure  arising  from  his  being  ready  to  enter  into 
the  possession  of  it.  Or  he  is  like  one  who,  after  a  long  and  tedious  voyage,  is 
within  sight  of  his  harbour,  which  he  cannot  but  behold  with  a  pleasure  which  very 
much  resembles  that  which  he  shall  have  when  he  enters  into  it.  The  joy  of  which 
we  speak  is  more  than  a  mere  hope  of  heaven  ;  it  is  a  full  assurance,  attended 
with  a  kind  of  sensation  of  those  joys  which  are  inexpressible,  which  render  the 
believer  a  wonder  to  himself,  and  afford  the  most  convincing  proof  to  others  that 
there  is  something  real  and  substantial  in  the  heavenly  glory,  which  God  is  pleased 
to  favour  some  of  his  people  with  the  prelibations  of.  That  some  have  enjoyed 
such  manifestations  of  the  divine  love,  and  been  filled  with  such  raptures  of  joy, 
accompanying  their  assurance  of  salvation,"  is  evident  from  the  experience  which 
they  have  had  of  it  in  some  extraordinary  and  memorable  occurrences  in  life,  and, 
m  other  cases,  at  the  approach  of  death.    Of  this  there  are  multitudes  of  instances 

r  Col.  i.  27.  a  1  Pet.  i.  8.  t  See  Quest,  lxxxvi,  xc.  u  1  John  iii.  2. 

x  Matt.  xxv.  21.  y  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  z  Heb.  xi.  27. 


AND  APPREHENSIONS  OF  WRATH.  221 

transmitted  to  us  in  history.  I  shall  content  myself  with  a  brief  extract  of  some 
passages  which  we  meet  with  in  the  life  and  death  of  some  who  appear  to  have  had 
as  comfortable  a  foretaste  of  the  joys  of  heaven  as  it  is  possible  for  any  one  to  have 
in  this  world. 

The  first  I  shall  mention  is  the  eminently  learned  and  pious  Dr.  Rivet ;  who, 
in  his  last  sickness,  seemed  to  be  in  the  very  suburbs  of  heaven,  signifying  to 
all  about  him,  what  intimate  communion  he  had  with  God,  his  fore-views  of  the 
heavenly  state,  his  assurance  of  being  admitted  into  it,  and  how  earnestly  he  longed 
to  be  there.  In  the  very  close  of  his  life,  one  who  stood  by  him  could  not  forbear 
expressing  himself  to  this  effect :  "I  cannot  but  think  that  he  is  now  enjoying  the 
vision  of  God."  This  gave  him  occasion  to  signify,  as  well  as  he  was  able  to  express 
himself,  that  it  was  so.  The  account  of  this  and  of  much  more  to  the  same  pur- 
pose, is  not  only  mentioned  by  the  author  of  his  last  hours,  but  is  taken  notice  of 
m  a  public  funeral  oration,  occasioned  by  his  death. a 

A  very  worthy  writer,b  speaking  concerning  that  excellent  servant  of  Christ,  Mr. 
Rutherford,  recites  some  of  his  last  words,  which  are  very  remarkable  :  "  I  shall 
shine,  I  shall  see  him  as  he  is,  and  all  the  fair  company  with  him,  and  shall  have 
my  large  share.  It  is  no  easy  thing  to  be  a  Christian  ;  but  as  for  me,  I  have  got 
the  victory,  and  Christ  is  holding  forth  his  arms  to  embrace  me.  I  have  had  my 
fears  and  faintings,  as  another  sinful  man,  to  be  carried  through  creditably  ;  but 
as  sure  as  ever  he  spake  to  me  in  his  word,  his  Spirit  witnessed  to  my  heart, 
saying,  Fear  not.  He  had  accepted  my  suffering,  and  the  outgate  should  not 
be  matter  of  prayer,  but  of  praise."  A  little  before  his  death,  after  some  faint- 
ing, he  said,  "  Now,  I  feel,  I  believe,  I  enjoy,  I  rejoice,  I  feed  on  manna,  I  have 
angels'  food,  my  eyes  shall  see  my  Redeemer ;  I  know  that  he  shall  stand,  at 
the  latter  day,  on  the  earth,  and  I  shall  be  caught  up  in  the  clouds  to  meet  him 
in  the  air.  I  sleep  in  Christ ;  and  when  I  awake  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  his  like- 
ness ;  0  for  arms  to  embrace  him!"  To  one  who  was  speaking  concerning  his 
laboriousness  in  the  ministry,  he  cried  out,  "  I  disclaim  all.  The  port  I  would  be 
in  at,  is  redemption  and  forgiveness  of  sins  through  his  blood."  Thus,  full  of  the 
Spirit,  yea,  as  it  were,  overcome  with  sensible  enjoyment,  he  breathes  out  his  soul, 
his  last  words  being  these  :  "  Glory,  glory  dwelleth  in  Emmanuel's  land." 

I  may  add  the  account  given  of  that  great  man  Dr.  Goodwin,  in  some  memoirs  of 
his  life,  composed  out  of  his  own  papers  published  by  his  son  ;c  who  intimates  that 
he  rejoiced  in  the  thoughts  that  he  was  dying,  and  going  to  have  a  full  and  unin- 
terrupted communion  with  God.  "  I  am  going,"  said  he,  "  to  the  three  Persons 
with  whom  I  have  had  communion.  They  have  taken  me ;  I  did  not  take  them. 
I  shall  T)e  changed  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  All  my  lusts  and  corruptions  I 
shall  be  rid  of,  which  I  could  not  be  here  ;  those  croaking  toads  will  fall  off  in  a 
moment."  Referring  to  the  great  examples  of  faith  mentioned  in  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  Hebrews,  he  said,  "All  these  died  in  faith.  I  could  not  have  imagined 
I  should  ever  have  had  such  a  measure  of  faith  in  this  hour  ;  no,  I  could  never 
have  imagined  it.  My  bow  abides  in  strength.  Is  Christ  divided  ?  No,  I  have 
the  whole  of  his  righteousness  ;  I  am  found  in  him,  not  in  my  own  righteousness, 
which  is  of  the  law,  but  in  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.  Christ  cannot  love  me  better 
than  he  doth.     I  think  I  cannot  love  Christ  better  than  I  do.     I  am  swallowed  up 

a  Vid.  Dauberi  orat.  Funeb.  ad  front,  et  Hor.  Noviss.  ad  calc.  Tom.  3.  Riveti  operum  :  in  which 
he  is  represented  as  saying,  '•  Nolite  mei  causa  dolere,  ultima  haec  momenta  nihil  habent  funesti ; 
corpus  languet  quidem,  at  anima  robore  et  consolatione  plena  est,  nee  impe<lit  paries  iste  interger- 
inus,  nebula  ista  exigua,  quo  minus  lucem  Dei  videam.  Atque  exinde  magis  magisque  optavit  dis- 
solvi  et  cum  Cliristo  esse.  Sufficit  mi  Deus  exclamabat  subinde,  suffieit,  suscipe-  animam  meain  : 
Non  tamen  moram  impatienter  fero.  Expecto,  credo,  persevero,  dimoveri  nequeo,  Dei  Spiritus 
meo  spirit ui  testatur,  me  ex  filiis  suis  esse:  O  amorem  inefiabilem  !  id  quod  sentio,  omnem  expres- 
aionem  alte  transcendit.  Veni  Domine  Jesu,  veni,  etenim  deficio,  non  quidem  impatiens  Domine, 
sed  anima  mea  respicit  te  ut  terra  sicca.  Preces  et  votum,  ut  Deus  Paradisum  aperiret,  et  huic 
fideli  servo  suo  faciem  suam  ostenderet ;  his  verbis  supplevit ;  cum  animabus  justorum  sanctificatis  ; 
Amen,  Amen.  Exinde  lingua  proepedita  verbo  affirmare ;  mox  ad  vocem  adstantium,  ipsum  jam 
visione  Dei  f'rui,  annuere ;  paulo  post  sub  mediam  decimam  matutinam  placide  in  Domino  obdormiit." 

b  See  Fleming's  Fulfilling  of  the  Scripture,  in  fol.  Part  I.  page  187. 

c  See  Dr.  Goodwin's  works,  vol.  v.  in  bis  life,  page  19. 


222  EARNESTS  OF  GLORY, 

in  God."  Then  he  added,  "  Now  shall  I  ever  he  with  the  Lord."  With  this  as- 
surance of  faith  and  fulness  of  joy,  his  soul  left  this  world,  and  went  to  see  and 
enjoy  the  reality  of  that  blessed  state  of  glory. 

There  is  also  an  account,  in  the  life  and  death  of  Mr.  John  Janeway,  of  the 
great  assurance  and  joy  which  he  had  in  his  last  sickness,  in  which  he  expresses 
himself  to  this  purpose  :  "  I  am,  through  mercy,  quite  above  the  fears  of  death, 
and  am  going  unto  him  whom  I  love  above  life.  0  that  I  could  but  let  you  know 
what  I  now  feel !  O  that  I  could  show  you  what  I  see  1  0  that  1  could  express 
the  thousandth  part  of  that  sweetness  which  now  I  find  in  Christ !  you  would  all 
then  think  it  worth  the  while  to  make  it  your  business  to  be  religious.  0  my  dear 
friends,  you  little  think  what  a  Christ  is  worth  upon  a  death-bed  I  I  would  not, 
for  a  world,  nay,  for  millions  of  worlds,  be  now  without  a  Christ  and  a  pardon.  0 
the  glory,  the  unspeakable  glory,  that  I  behold  !  My  heart  is  full,  my  heart  is 
full ;  Christ  smiles  and  I  cannot  choose  but  smile.  Can  you  find  in  your  heart  to 
stop  me,  who  am  now  going  to  the  complete  and  eternal  enjoyment  of  Christ  ? 
Would  you  keep  me  from  my  crown  ?  The  arms  of  my  blessed  Saviour  are  open 
to  embrace  me  ;  the  angels  stand  ready  to  carry  my  soul  into  his  bosom.  0  did 
you  but  see  what  I  see,  you  would  all  cry  out  with  me,  How  long,  dear  Lord  I  come, 
Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly !  Or  why  are  his  chariot-wheels  so  long  a  coming  ?" 
Much  more  to  the  same  purpose  may  be  found  in  the  life  of  that  excellent  man, 
which  is  exceedingly  affecting. 

There  is  another  who  does  not  come  short  of  him  in  his  death-bed  triumphs.d  He 
says  concerning  himself,  "  Death  is  not  terrible  ;  it  is  unstinged  ;  the  curse  of  the 
fiery  law  is  done  away.  I  bless  his  name  I  have  found  him ;  I  am  taken  up  in  blessing 
him ;  I  am  dying  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  ;  I  long  to  be  in  the  promised  land  ;  I  wait 
for  thy  salvation.  How  long  I  Come  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  take  me  by  the  hand  ;  I  wait 
for  thy  salvation,  as  the  watchman  watcheth  for  the  morning ;  I  am  weary  with  de- 
lays ;  I  faint  for  thy  salvation.  Why  are  his  chariot-wheels  so  long  a  coming  ?  What 
means  he  to  stay  so  long  ?  I  am  like  to  faint  with  delays.''  Afterwards  he  said, 
"  0  Sirs,  I  could  not  believe  that  I  could  have  borne,  and  borne  cheerfully,  this 
rod  so  long.  This  is  a  miracle,  pain  without  pain.  And  this  is  not  a  fancy  of  man 
disordered  in  his  brain,  but  of  one  lying  in  full  composure.  0  blessed  be  God  that 
ever  I  was  born.  0  if  I  were  where  he  is  I  And  yet,  for  all  this,  God's  withdraw- 
ing from  me  would  make  me  weak  as  water.  All  this  I  enjoy,  though  it  be  mir- 
acle upon  miracle,  would  not  make  me  stand  without  new  supply  from  God.  The 
thing  I  rejoice  in  is,  that  God  is  altogether  full,  and  that  in  the  Mediator  Christ 
Jesus,  there  is  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  and  it  will  never  run  out.  I  am 
wonderfully  helped  beyond  the  power  of  nature.  Though  my  body  be  sufficiently 
teazed,  yet  my  spirit  is  untouched."  Much  more  to  this  purpose  we  have  in  the 
account  of  the  latter  part  of  his  life.  But  I  shall  close  with  one  thing  which  is 
very  remarkable.  When  he  was  apprehensive  that  he  was  very  near  his  death  he 
said,  "  When  I  fall  so  low  that  I  am  not  able  to  speak,  I'll  show  you  a  sign  of  tri- 
umph, when  I  am  near  glory,  if  I  be  able."  This  accordingly  he  did,  by  lifting 
up  his  hands,  and  clapping  them  together,  when  he  was  speechless,  and  in  the 
agonies  of  death. 

Many  more  instances  might  have  been  given  to  illustrate  our  argument.  But 
from  those  which  have  been  given  it  will  evidently  appear  that  God  is  pleased  some- 
times to  deal  familiarly  with  men,  by  giving  them  extraordinary  manifestations  of 
his  presence,  before  he  brings  them  into  the  immediate  enjoyment  of  himself  in 
heaven, — manifestations  which  may  be  well  called  an  earnest  or  prelibation  of  it.e 
The  instances  which  we  have  narrated  may  serve  also  as  a  farther  illustration  of 

d  See  the  Memoirs  of  the  Life  of  Mr.  Halyburton,  cap.  6. 

e  See  this  argument  improved  by  Mr.  Fleming,  in  his  Fulfilling  of  the  Scripture,  edit,  infol.  page 
ovl,  et  seq.  He  there  takes  several  remarkable  passages  out  of  Melchior  Adam's  Lives,  and  gives 
several  instances  of  that  extraordinary  communion  which  some  have  had  with  God,  both  in  life  and 
death;  whose  conversation  was  well  known  in  Scotland;  so  that  he  mentions  it  as  what  is  a 
matter  undeniably  true.  He  also  relates  other  things  concerning  the  assurance  and  joy  which  some 
nave  had  ;  which  has  afforded  them  the  sweetest  comforts  in  prisons  and  dunpeons  and  given 
them  a  foretaste  of  heaven    when  they  have  been  called  to  suffer  death  for  Christ's  suke. 


AND  APPREHENSIONS  OF  WRATH.  223 

an  argument  formerly  insisted  onf  to  prove  that  assurance  of  God's  love  is  at- 
tainable in  this  life.  This  assurance,  as  it  may  be  observed,  is  accompanied  with 
the  lively  acts  of  faith,  by  which  it  appears  to  be  well  grounded  ;  so  that,  as  tho 
apostle  says,  '  The  G  od  of  hope '  is  pleased  to  '  fill  them  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,'  whereby  they  '  abound  in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'s 
In  this  respect  it  may  be  said,  to  use  the  prophet's  words,  that  '  they  joy  before 
thee,  according  to  the  joy  in  harvest,  and  as  men  rejoice  when  they  divide  the 
spoil. 'h  The  joy  they  experience  is  like  the  appearing  of  the  morning-star,  which 
ushers  in  a  bright  and  glorious  day,  and  gives  a  full  discovery  to  themselves  and 
others,  that  there  is  much  of  heaven  enjoyed  in  the  way  to  it,  by  those  whom  God 
delights  to  honoua.  Thus  concerning  the  communion  in  glory,  which  the  members 
of  the  invisible  church  sometimes  enjoy  in  this  life. 

Apprehensions  of  Wrath. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  miserable  condition  of  the  wicked  in  this  life,  when 
God  is  provoked,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge,  to  fill  them  with  a  sense  of  his  wrath. 
From  this  arise  horror  of  conscience  and  a  fearful  expectation  of  judgment ;  which, 
as  is  observed  in  the  latter  part  of  this  Answer,  are  the  beginning  of  those  torments 
which  they  shall  endure  after  death.  We  have  many  instances  in  scripture  of  the 
punishment  of  sin  in  this  world,  in  those  whom  God  is  said  'to  reprove,'  and  before 
whose  eyes  he  sets  their  iniquities  in  order.'  This  fills  them  with  horror  of  con- 
science, ■  and  leaves  them  in  utter  despair.  They  once  thought  themselves  in  a 
prosperous  condition,  and  it  was  said  concerning  them,  '  Their  eyes  stand  out  with 
fatness,  they  have  more  than  heart  could  wish  ;n  but  their  end  was  terrible,  for 
they  were  '  set  in  slippery  places, '  being  •  cast  down  into  destruction,  brought  into 
desolation  as  in  a  moment,  and  utterly  consumed  with  terrors.'™ 

We  have  a  sad  instance  of  this  in  Cain,  after  he  had  slain  his  brother,  and  had 
fallen  under  the  curse. of  God,  whereby  he  was  sentenced  to  be  a  fugitive  and  vaga- 
bond in  the  earth.  He  separated  himself  indeed  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  place  in  which  he  was  worshipped ;  but  he  could  not  flee  from  the  terrors 
of  his  own  thoughts,  or  get  any  relief  under  the  uneasiness  of  a  guilty  conscience. 
He  hence  feared  that  he  should  be  slain  by  the  hand  of  every  one  who  met  him, 
and  complained,  '  My  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear.'n  Some  understand 
the  words  of  Lamech  in  the  same  sense  when  he  says,  '  I  have  slain  a  man  to  my 
wounding,  and  a  young  man  to  my  hurt.  If  Cain  shall  be  avenged  seven-fold, 
truly  Lamech  seventy  and  seven-fold. '  °  The  wrath  of  God  was  also  denounced 
against  Pashur  ;  as  it  is  said,  '  The  Lord  hath  not  called  thy  name  Pashur,  but 
Magor-missabib ;  for  thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  make  thee  a  terror  to  thyself,  and 
to  all  thy  friends. 'p  Judas,  likewise,  after  he  had  betrayed  our  Saviour,  was  filled 
with  the  terrors  of  an  accusing  conscience,  which  forced  him  to  confess,  not  as  a 
believing  penitent,  but  as  a  despairing  criminal,  '  I  have  sinned  in  that  I  have  be- 
trayed the  innocent  blood;'  after  which  it  is  said,  'He  departed,  and  went  and 
hanged  himself. 'i  Nothing  is  more  terrible  than  this  remorse  of  conscience,  which 
renders  sinners  inexpressibly  miserable.  It  is  a  punishment  inflicted  on  those  who 
sin  wilfully,  presumptuously,  and  obstinately  against  the  checks  of  conscience,  the 
rebukes  of  providence,  and  various  warnings  to  the  contrary,  who  treasure  up  to 
themselves  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath.  They  are  '  contentious,  and  do  not 
obey  the  truth,'  that  is,  they  are  so  far  from  obeying  it,  that  they  persecute  and 
oppose  it ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  they  '  obey  unrighteousness.'  To  these  belong, 
as  the  apostle  says,  'indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish.'1"  Not  only 
does  this  punishment  wait  for  them  as  '  laid  up  in  store,  and  sealed  up  among  God's 
treasures,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth  ;'s  but  they  are  made  to  taste  the  bitter- 
ness of  that  cup  which  shall  afterwards  be  poured  forth  without  mixture.  In  this 
world  'their  eyes  shall  see  their  destruction,'  and  afterwards  'they  shall  drink  of 

See  Sect.  '  The  Attainableness  of  Assurance,'  under  Quest,  lxxx.  g  Rom.  xv.  13. 

h  Isa.  ix.  3.  i  Psal.  1.  21.  k  See  vol.  i.  page  355.  1  Psal.  lxxiii.  7. 

m  Psal.  lxxiii.  18,  19.  n  Gen.  iv.  13.  o  Gen.  iv.  23,  24.  p  Jer.  xx.  3,  4. 

q  Matt,  xxvii.  4,  5.  r  Rom.  ii.  5,  8,  9.  a  Deut.  xxxii.  34,  35. 


224  EARNESTS  OF  GLORY, 

the  wrath  of  the  Almighty.'*  This  is  a  most  affecting  subject.  How  awful  a  thing 
is  it  to  see  a  person  surrounded  with  miseries,  and,  at  the  same  time,  shut  up  in 
darkness,  and  left  destitute  of  hope !  With  what  horror  and  anguish  was  the  soul 
of  Saul  filled,  when  he  uttered  that  doleful  complaint,  *  I  am  sore  distressed  ;  for 
the  Philistines  make  war  against  me,  and  God  is  departed  from  me!?u  Much 
more  dreadful  is  it  for  a  person  to  apprehend  himself  to  have  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  living  God,  who  is  a  consuming  fire  ;  and  to  have  nothing  left  but  the  fear- 
ful expectation  of  future  judgment,  and  an  abyss  of  woes  which  will  ensue.  These 
are  the  evils  which  some  endure  in  this  life  ;  and  they  are  no  less  terrible  to  them, 
than  the  comfortable  foretastes  of  the  love  of  God  are  joyful  to  the  saints. 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Different  Prospects  of  the  Righteous  and  the  Wicked. 

From  this  different  view  of  the  end  of  the  wicked,  and  that  of  the  righteous, 
many  useful  instructions  may  be  learned. 

1.  When  we  consider  the  wicked  as  distressed  with  the  afflicting  sense  of  what 
they  feel,  and  with  the  dread  of  that  wrath  which  they  would  fain  flee  from  but  can- 
not, we  may  infer  that  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  whatever  advantages  may  attend 
it  as  to  the  outward  blessings  of  common  providence,  is  a  very  sad  and  deplorable 
condition,  far  from  being  the  object  of  choice  to  those  who  duly  consider  its  con- 
sequences. The  present  amusements  which  arise  from  the  enjoyment  of  sensual 
pleasures,  whence  the  sinner  concludes  himself  to  be  happy,  afford  the  most  miser- 
able instance  of  self-deceit,  and  will  appear  to  do  so,  if  we  consider  the  end  of  them, 
or  that  '  the  triumphing  of  the  wicked  is  short,  and  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite  but  for 
a  moment,'1  and  that  then  nothing  shall  remain  but  what  shall  wound  his  spirit, 
and  make  his  misery  intolerable. 

Again,  when  we  meet  with  instances  of  persons  sunk  in  the  depths  of  despair,  and 
tormenting  themselves  with  the  fore-views  of  hell  and  destruction,  let  their  case  be 
a  warning  to  others  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  I  would  not  be  peremptory 
in  passing  a  judgment  on  the  state  of  those  who  apprehend  themselves  to  be  irre- 
trievably lost,  and  feel  those  terrors  in  their  consciences  which  no  tongue  can  ex- 
press. A  person  can  hardly  read  the  account  of  the  despair  of  poor  Spira,  soon 
after  the  Reformation,  and  how  much  his  sentiments  concerning  himself  resembled 
the  punishment  of  sin  in  hell,  without  trembling.  He  was,  indeed,  a  sad  instance 
of  the  wrath  of  God  breaking  in  upon  conscience  ;  and  is  set  up  as  a  monument  to 
warn  others  to  take  heed  of  apostasy.  In  his  case,  and  in  others  of  a  similar  kind, 
we  have  a  convincing  proof  of  the  reality  of  a  future  state  of  misery,  or  that  the 
punishment  of  sin  in  hell  is  not  an  ungrounded  fancy.  It  is  not  for  us,  however, 
to  enter  into  those  secrets  which  belong  not  to  us,  or  to  reckon  him  among  the 
damned  in  another  world,  because  he  reckoned  himself  among  them  in  this.  As 
to  any  others  whom  we  may  see  in  similar  circumstances,  we  are  not  so  much  to 
pass  a  judgment  concerning  their  future  state,  as  to  infer  the  desperate  estate  of 
sinners  when  left  of  God,  and  to  bless  him  that  this  is  not  our  case.  On  the  other 
hand,  let  not  unregenerate  sinners  think  that  they  are  safe,  merely  because  their 
consciences  are  quiet,  or  rather  stupid  ;  for  the  false  peace  which  they  have  is  no 
better  than  '  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,'  which  '  shall  perish '  and  be  '  cut  off.'  And 
his  'trust  shall  be  as  a  spider's  web,'  if  he  continue  in  his  present  condition. 

2.  From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  happiness  of  the  righteous,  in  the 
enjoyment  they  have  of  the  first-fruits  of  the  heavenly  glory,  we  may  attain  farther 
conviction  that  there  is  a  state  of  complete  blessedness  reserved  for  the  saints  in 
another  world.  For,  besides  the  proofs  of  this  which  we  have  from  scripture,  we 
have  others  founded  in  experience,  so  far  as  it  is  possible  for  any  to  attain  the  joys 
of  heaven  before  they  go  thither.  Though  the  instances  of  this  we  have  mentioned 
are  uncommon,  yet  our  inference  from  them  is  just, — and  may  afford  matter  of  con- 
viction to  those  who  are  wholly  taken  up  with  earthly  things,  and  have  no  taste 
of  nor  delight  in  things  spiritual, — that  religion  has  its  own  rewards,  and  that  a  be- 
liever is  the  only  happy  man  in  the  world. 

t  Job  xxi.  20.  u  1  Sam.  xxviii.  15.  x  Job  xx.  5. 


AND  APPREHENSIONS  OF  WRATH.  225 

Again,  the  happy  experience  on  the  part  of  many  of  the  earnests  of  glory,  may 
serve  as  an  encouraging  motive  to  induce  Christians  to  hold  on  their  way.  What- 
ever difficulties  or  distressing  providences  they  may  meet  with  in  this  life,  if  they 
have  the  earnest  and  foretastes  of  heaven  at  any  time,  these  will  make  their  afflictions 
6eem  light,  inasmuch  as  they  work  for  them  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory.  If  they  are  rather  waiting  and  hoping  for  them,  than  actually 
enjoying  them,  let  them  adore  and  depend  on  the  sovereignty  of  God,  who  dis- 
penses these  comforts  when  he  pleases.  If  they  are  destitute  of  the  joy  of  faith, 
let  them  endeavour  to  be  found  in  the  lively  exercise  of  the  direct  acts  of  it,  trust- 
ing in  Christ,  though  they  have  not  such  sensible  communion  with  him  as  others 
have  ;  and  let  them  bless  God  that,  though  they  have  not  those  foretastes  of  the 
heavenly  glory  which  accompany  a  full  assurance  of  it,  they  have  a  quiet,  composed 
frame  of  spirit,  and  are  not  given  up  to  desponding  thoughts,  or  unbelieving  fears, 
and  have  ground  to  conclude  that,  though  their  state  is  not  so  comfortable  as  that 
of  others,  yet  it  is  not  less  safe,  and  shall  at  last  bring  them  to  the  fruition  of  that 
felicity  which  others  have  the  first-fruits  of. 

Finally,  let  those  who  are  at  any  time  favoured  with  the  privilege  of  assurance, 
and  the  joy  which  arises  from  it,  walk  very  humbly  with  God,  sensible  that  this 
frame  of  spirit  is  not  owing  to  themselves,  but  to  the  quickening  and  sealing  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  if,  by  neglecting  to  depend  on  him  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  it,  we  provoke  him  to  leave  us  to  ourselves,  we  shall  soon  lose  it,  and 
be  left  in  darkness.  As  without  him  we  can  do  nothing,  so  without  his  continued 
presence  we  can  enjoy  none  of  those  privileges  which  tend  to  make  our  lives 
comfortable,  and  give  us  an  anticipation  of  future  glory. 


DEATH. 

Question  LXXXIV.  Shall  all  men  die  t 

Answer.  Death  being  threatened  as  the  wages  of  sin,  it  is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die  ; 
for  that  all  have  sinned. 

Question  LXXXV.  Death  being  the  wages  of  sin,  why  are  not  the  righteous  delivered  from  death, 
seeing  all  their  sins  are  forgiven  in  Christ  t 

Answer.  The  righteous  shall  be  delivered  from  death  itself  at  the  last  day,  and  even  in  death 
*re  delivered  from  the  sting  and  curse  of  it ;  so  that,  although  they  die,  yet  it  is  out  of  God's  love, 
to  free  them  perfectly  from  sin  and  misery,  and  to  make  them  capable  of  farther  communion  with 
Ohrist  in  glory,  which  they  then  enter  upon. 

In  these  Answers  we  have,  first,  an  account  of  the  unalterable  purpose  of  God,  or 
his  appointment  that  all  men  once  must  die,  and  death  is  considered  also  as  the  wages 
of  sin  ;  next,  it  is  supposed  that  death  has  a  sting  and  curse  attending  it  with  respect 
to  some  ;  and  thirdly,  it  is  stated  to  be  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  righteous,  that 
though  they  shall  not  be  delivered  from  death,  yet  death  shall  redound  to  their  ad- 
vantage. The  reasons  of  this  privilege  are  stated  to  be,  first,  that  the  sting  and 
curse  of  death  is  taken  from  them ;  and  secondly,  that,  in  three  respects,  their  dying 
is  the  result  of  God's  love  to  them, — as  they  are  thereby  freed  from  sin  and  misery, 
— as  they  are  made  capable  of  farther  communion  with  Christ  in  glory,  beyond 
what  they  can  have  in  this  world, — and  as  they  shall  immediately  enter  upon  that 
glorious  and  blessed  state  when  they  die. 

The  Certainty  0/  Death. 

God  has  determined,  by  an  unalterable  purpose  and  decree,  that  all  men  must 
die.  Whatever  different  sentiments  persons  may  have  about  other  things,  this 
remains  an  uncontested  truth.  We  have  as  much  reason  to  conclude  that  we  shall 
leave  the  world,  as  at  present  we  have  that  we  live  in  it.  '  I  know,'  says  Job, 
4  that  thou  wilt  bring  me  to  death,  and  to  the  house  appointed  for  all  living.  'J    On 

y  Job  xxx.  23. 
11.  2f 


DEATH. 

this  account  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  am  a  stranger  with  thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all 
my  fathers  were.'2  Even  if  scripture  had  been  wholly  silent  about  the  frailty  of 
man,  daily  experience  would  have  afforded  a  sufficient  proof  of  it.  We  have  much 
said  concerning  man's  mortality  in  the  writings  of  the  heathen  ;  but  they  are  at  a  loss 
to  determine  the  origin  or  cause  of  it.  They  hence  consider  it  as  the  unavoidable 
consequence  of  the  frame  of  nature  arising  from  its  contexture ;  that  which  is 
formed  out  of  the  dust  must  be  resolved  into  its  first  principle,  or  that  which  is 
composed  of  flesh  and  blood  cannot  but  be  liable  to  corruption.  But  we  have  this 
matter  set  in  a  true  light  in  scripture,  which  considers  death  as  the  consequence 
of  man's  apostasy  at  first  from  God.  Before  this  he  was  immortal,  and  would  have 
always  remained  so,  had  he  not  violated  the  covenant  in  which  the  continuance  of 
his  immortality  was  secured  to  him.  The  care  of  providence  would  have  prevented 
a  dissolution,  either  from  the  decays  of  nature,  or  from  any  external  means  leading 
to  it.  Hence,  some  of  the  Socinian  writers  have  been  very  bold  in  contradicting 
the  express  account  we  have  in  scripture  of  the  origin  of  death,  when  they  assert 
that  death  was  at  first  the  consequence  of  nature.*  But  for  this  reason  man  would 
have  been  liable  to  it  though  he  had  not  sinned  ;  whereas  the  apostle  says,  '  By 
one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin,  and  so  death  passed  upon  all 
men,  for  that  all  have  sinned. 'b  We  have  a  particular  account  of  this  in  the  sentence 
God  passed  on  our  first  parents  immediately  after  their  fall ;  when,  having  de- 
nounced a  curse  upon  the  ground  for  their  sake,  he  says,  t  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto 
dust  shalt  thou  return.'0  It  may  be  observed,  also,  that  as  death  is  unavoidable, 
pursuant  to  the  decree  of  God ;  so  the  constitution  of  our  nature,  as  well  as  the  ex- 
ternal dispensations  of  providence,  lead  to  it.  The  sentence  no  sooner  took  place 
than  the  temperament  of  human  bodies  was  altered.d  The  jarring  principles  of  nature, 
on  the  due  temperament  of  which  life  and  health  depend,  could  not  but  have  a 
tendency  by  degrees  to  destroy  the  bodily  frame.  If  there  be  too  great  a  conflu- 
ence of  humours,  or  a  defect  of  them  ;  if  heat  or  cold  immoderately  prevail ;  if  the 
circulation  of  the  blood  and  juices  be  too  swift  or  slow,  or  the  motion  of  the  animal 
spirits  too  violent,  or  in  the  least  impeded  ;  diseases  of  different  kinds  will  neces- 
sarily ensue.  Or  if  the  food  on  which  we  live,  or  the  air  which  we  breathe,  be  not 
agreeable  to  the  constitution  of  our  nature,  or  any  external  violence  be  offered  to 
it,  the  frame  of  nature  will  be  weakened,  and  dissolution  brought  on.  David, 
speaking  concerning  Saul,  includes  the  various  means  by  which  men  die,  in  three 
general  Heads,  '.The  Lord  shall  smite  him  ;  or  his  day  shall  come  to  die  ;  or  he 
shall  descend  into  battle  and  perish.'  'The  Lord  shall  smite  him,'e  denotes  a  per- 
son's dying  by  a  sudden  stroke  of  providence,  in  which  there  is  the  more  immediate 
hand  of  God  ;  and  his  '  falling  in  battle,'  denotes  a  violent  death  by  the  hands  of 
men.  In  both  these  respects,  men  die  before  that  time  which  they  might  have 
lived  to,  according  to  the  course  of  nature  ;  and  '  his  day  coming  to  die,'  means  a 
person's  dying  what  we  call  a  natural  death.  When  the  dissolution  of  the  frame 
of  nature  is  gradual,  or  when  nature  is  so  spent  and  wasted  that  it  can  no  longer 
subsist  by  all  the  skill  of  physicians  or  the  virtue  of  medicine,  then  the  soul  leaves 
its  habitation,  being  no  longer  able  to  perform  any  of  the  functions  of  life. 

We  might  here  consider  those  diseases  which  are  the  forerunners  of  death. 
These  are  sometimes  more  acute  ;  and  by  means  of  them,  as  one  elegantly  ex- 
presses it,  nature  feels  the  cruel  victory  before  it  yields  to  the  enemy.  As  a  ship 
which  is  tossed  by  a  mighty  tempest,  and  by  the  concussion  of  the  winds  and  waves 
loses  its  rudder  and  masts,  takes  water  in  at  every  part,  and  gradually  sinks  into  the 
ocean  ;  so  in  the  shipwreck  of  nature,  the  body  is  so  shaken  and  weakened  by  the 
violence  of  disease,  that  the  senses,  the  animal  and  vital  operations,  decline,  and 
at  last  are  extinguished  in  death/  This  secerned  so  formidable  to  good  Hezekiah, 
that  he  uttered  this  mournful  complaint,  '  Mine  age  is  departed,  and  removed 
from  me  as  a  shepherd's  tent ;  I  have  cut  off  like  a  weaver  my  life  ;  he  will  cut  me 
off  with  pining  sickness  :  from  day  even  to  night  wilt  thou  make  an  end  of  me.     I 

z  Psal.  xxxix.  12.  a  Sequela  naturae.  b  Rom.  v.  12.  c  Gen.  iii.  19. 

d  Betore  this  there  was  what  some  call  'temperamentum  ad  pondus,'  which  was  lost  by  sin;  and 
a  broken  constitution,  leading  to  mortality,  ensued. 

e  1  Sam.  xxvi.  10.  f  See  Dr.  Bates  on  Death,  chap.  ii. 


DEATH.  227 

reckoned  till  morning,  that  as  a  lion,  so  will  he  hreak  all  my  bones:  from  day  even 
to  night  wilt  thou  make  an  end  of  me.'8 

We  might  also  consider  the  empire  of  death  as  universal.  The  wise  man  says, 
'One  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  generation  cometh  ;'h  and  then  they 
pass  away  also,  like  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  the  sea.  Death  spares  none  ;  the 
strongest  constitution  can  no  more  withstand  its  stroke  than  the  weakest ;  no  age  01 
man  is  exempted  from  it.  This  is  beautifully  described  by  Job  :  '  One  dieth  in  his 
full  strength,  being  wholly  at  ease  and  quiet.  His  breasts  are  full  of  milk,  and  his 
bones  are  moistened  with  marrow.  And  another  dieth  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul ; 
and  never  eateth  with  pleasure.  They  shall  lie  down  alike  in  the  dust,  and  the 
worms  shall  cover  them.'1 

We  might  also  consider  the  body  after  death,  as  a  prey  for  worms,  the  seat  of 
corruption  ;  and  lodged  in  the  grave,  the  house  appointed  for  all  living.  Then  an 
end  is  put  to  all  the  actions,  as  well  as  enjoyments  of  this  life  ;  and,  as  the  psalmist 
says,  '  In  that  very  day'  all  '  their  thoughts  perish. 'k  Whatever  they  have  been 
projecting,  whatever  schemes  they  have  laid,  either  for  themselves  or  others,  are 
all  broken.  So  the  historian  observes  concerning  the  Roman  emperor,  that  when 
he  had  formed  great  designs  for  the  advantage  of  the  empire,1  death  broke  all  his 
measures,  and  prevented  the  execution  of  them. 

We  might  also  consider  death  as  putting  an  end  to  our  present  enjoyments,  re- 
moving us  from  the  society  of  our  dearest  friends  to  a  dismal  and  frightful  solitude. 
This  was  one  of  the  consequences  of  it  which  was  very  afflictive  to  Hezekiah,  when 
he  said,  '  I  shall  behold  man  no  more  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  world. 'm  It  also 
strips  us  of  all  our  possessions,  and  all  the  honours  we  have  been  advanced  to  in 
this  world.  The  psalmist  says,  •  When  he  dieth  he  shall  carry  nothing  away,  his 
glory  shall  not  descend  after  him.'n 

We  might  also  consider  the  time  of  life  and  death,  as  being  in  God's  hand.  As 
we  were  brought  into  the  world  by  the  sovereignty  of  his  providence  ;  so  we  are 
called  out  of  it  at  his  pleasure.  *  Our  times  are  in  his  hand.'0  Hence,  as  nothing 
is  more  certain  than  death,  nothing  is  more  uncertain  to  us  than  the  time  when. 
This  God  has  concealed  from  us  for  wise  ends.  Did  we  know  that  we  should  soon 
die,  it  would  discourage  us  from  attempting  any  thing  great  in  life  ;  and  did  we 
know  that  the  lease  of  life  was  long,  and  that  we  should  certainly  arrive  at  old  age, 
we  might  take  occasion  to  delay  all  concern  about  our  soul's  welfare,  presuming 
that  it  should  be  time  enough  to  think  of  the  affairs  of  religion  and  another  world, 
when  we  should  apprehend  ourselves  to  be  near  death.  Hence,  God,  by  concealing 
from  us  the  time  of  our  departure  from  this  world,  has  made  it  our  wisdom,  as  well 
as  our  duty,  to  be  waiting  all  the  days  of  our  appointed  time,  till  our  change  come. 

From  what  has  been  said  under  this  Head,  we  may  learn  the  vanity  of  man  as 
mortal.  If,  indeed,  we  look  on  believers  as  enjoying  that  happiness  which  lies  be- 
yond the  grave,  there  is  a  very  different  view  of  things ;  but  as  to  what  respects  this 
world,  we  have  reason  to  say  as  the  psalmist  does,  '  Verily,  every  man  at  his  best 
state  is  altogether  vanity. 'p  We  may  see  the  vanity  of  all  those  honours  and  car- 
nal pleasures  which  many  pursue  with  so  much  eagerness,  as  though  they  had  no- 
thing else  to  mind,  nothing  to  make  provision  for  but  the  flesh  ;  which  they  do  at 
the  expense  of  that  which  is  in  itself  most  excellent  and  desirable. — We  may  infer, 
also,  that  the  certainty  of  death  affords  an  undeniable  and  universal  motive  to  hu- 
mility. Death  knows  no  distinction  of  persons,  regards  the  rich  no  more  than  tho 
poor,  puts  no  mark  of  distinction  between  the  remains  of  a  prince  and  those  of  a 
peasant,  and  not  only  takes  away  every  thing  which  men  value  themselves  upon, 
out  levels  the  highest  part  of  mankind  with  common  dust.  They  who  boast  of  their 
extraction,  descent,  and  kindred,  are  obliged  with  Job  to  '  say  to  corruption,  Thou 
art  my  father  ;  to  the  worm,  Thou  art  my  mother  and  my  sister. 'i  Shall  we  be 
proud  of  our  habitations,  '  who  dwell  in  houses  of  clay,  whose  foundation  is  in  the 
dust  ?'r     Are  any  proud  of  their  youth  and  beauty  ?     These  are  at  best  but  like  a 

g  Isa.  xxxviii.  12,  13.  h  Eceles.  i.  4.  i  Job  xxi.  23—26.  k  Psal.  cxlvi.  4. 

1  Vid.  Seuton.  in  Vit.  Jul.  Caes.  Talia  agentem  atque  meditantem  mors  praevenit. 
m  lsa.  xxxviii.  11.  n  Psal.  xlix.  17.  o  Psal.  xxxi.  15.  p  Psal.  xxxix.  5. 

q  Jobxvii.  14.  r  Chap.  iv.  19. 


228  DEATH. 

flower  which  does  not  abide  long  in  its  bloom,  and,  when  cut  down,  withers.  The 
finest  features  are  not  only  spoiled  by  death,  but  rendered  unpleasant  and  ghastly 
to  behold ;  and  accordingly  are  removed  out  of  sight,  and  laid  in  the  grave. — Again, 
from  the  consideration  of  man's  liability  to  death,  and  those  diseases  which  lead  to 
it  as  the  wages  of  sin,  we  may  infer  that  sin  is  a  bitter  and  formidable  evil.  The 
cause  is  to  be  judged  of  by  its  effects.  As  death,  accompanied  with  all  those 
diseases  which  are  the  forerunners  of  it,  is  the  greatest  natural  evil  to  which  we 
are  liable  ;  so  sin,  whence  it  took  its  rise,  must  be  the  greatest  moral  evil.  We 
should  never  reflect  on  the  one,  without  lying  low  before  God  under  a  sense  of  the 
other.  The  psalmist,  when  meditating  on  his  own  mortality,  traces  it  to  its  spring, 
and  ascribes  it  to  those  '  rebukes '  with  which  «  God  corrects  men  for  their  iniqui- 
ties,' so  that  they  die,  and  their  'beauty  consumes  away  like  a  moth.'8  Elsewhere, 
also,  when  he  compares  the  life  of  man  to  'the  grass  which  in  the  morning  flourish- 
eth,  and  groweth  up,  and  in  the  evening  is  cut  down  and  withereth,'  he  immediately 
adds,  '  Thou  hast  set  our  iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  thy 
countenance.'1  When  Hezekiah  had  an  intimation  of  his  recovery,  after  he  had 
the  sentence  of  death  within  himself,  he  speaks  of  his  deliverance  from  'the  pit  of 
corruption  'u  as  accompanied  with  God's  'casting  all  his  sins  behind  his  back.'  And 
since  we  cannot  be  delivered  from  these  sad  effects  of  sin  till  the  frame  of  nature  is 
dissolved  and  afterwards  rebuilt,  our  liability  to  death  should  put  us  upon  using 
proper  methods  by  which  we  may  be  freed  from  the  guilt  and  dominion  of  sin ;  and 
accordingly  should  have  a  tendency  in  us  to  promote  a  life  of  holiness. — Finally, 
from  the  uncertainty  of  life,  let  us  be  induced  to  improve  our  present  time,  and 
endeavour  so  to  live  that,  when  God  calls  us  hence,  we  may  be  ready.  We  ought 
to  pray  with  the  psalmist,  '  So  teach  us  to  number  our  days,  that  we  may  apply  our 
hearts  unto  wisdom  ;'x  that,  by  this  means,  that  which  deprives  us  of  all  earthly  en- 
joyments, may  give  us  an  admission  into  a  better  world,  and  be  the  gate  to  eternal 
life. 

The  Sting  and  Curse  of  Death. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  that  death,  with  respect  to  some,  has  a  sting  and 
curse  annexed  to  it.  The  apostle  expressly  says,  '  The  sting  of  death  is  sin.'*  As 
sin  brought  death  into  the  world ;  so  it  is  the  guilt  of  it  lying  on  the  consciences  of 
men,  which  is  the  principal  thing  that  makes  them  afraid  to  leave  the  world.  Not 
that  death  is  in  itself  an  evil  which  nature  cannot  think  of  without  some  reluctance. 
The  apostle  Paul,  when  he  expressed  his  assurance  of  happiness  in  another  world, 
which  he  '  groaned '  after,  and  '  earnestly  -  longed  to  be  possessed  of;  yet  had  it  been 
put  to  his  choice,  would  have  wished  that  he  could  have  been  '  clothed  upon  with  his 
house  which  is  from  heaven  ;'z  that  is,  had  it  been  the  will  of  God  that  he  might 
have  been  brought  to  heaven  without  going  the  way  of  all  the  earth,  he  would  have 
felt  this  more  agreeable  to  nature.  But  when  the  two  evils  of  death  meet  together, 
namely,  that  which  is  abhorrent  to  nature,  and  the  sting  which  makes  it  much  more 
formidable,  they  constitute  an  evil  beyond  measure  distressing.  In  this  Answer 
the  sting  and  curse  of  death  are  put  together,  as  implying  the  same  thing.  It  is 
that  whereby  a  person  apprehends  himself  liable  to  the  condemning  sentence  of  the 
law,  separated  from  God,  and  excluded  from  his  favour  ;  so  that  death  appears  to 
him  to  be  the  beginning  of  sorrows.  This  view  of  death  is  what  tends  to  embitter 
it,  and  fills  him  with  dread  and  horror  at  the  thoughts  of  it. 

Death  an  Advantage  to  Believers. 

We  now  proceed  to  show  that  it  is  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  righteous,  that 
though  they  shall  not  be  delivered  from  death,  yet  it  shall  redound  to  their  advan- 
tage. That  they  shall  not  be  exempted  from  death,  is  evident ;  because  the  decree 
of  God  relating  to  it  extends  to  all  men.     We  read,  indeed,  of  two  who  escaped  the 

■  Psal.  xxxix.  1 1.  t  Psal.  xc.  6,  8.  u  Isa.  xxxviii.  17.  x  Psal.  xc.  12. 

y  1  Cor.  xv.  25.  z2  Cor.  v.  2. 


DEATH.  229 

grave,  namely,  Enoch,  who  was  translated  that  he  should  not  see  death,  and  Elijah, 
who  was  carried  to  heaven  in  a  fiery  chariot.  But  these  were  extraordinary  instances, 
not  designed  as  precedents  hy  which  we  may  judge  of  the  common  lot  of  believers. 
The  saints  who  shall  be  found  alive  at  Christ's  second  coming,  shall  undergo  a 
change,3  which,  though  equivalent  to  death,  cannot  properly  be  styled  a  dying. 
The  apostle  opposes  it  to  death,  when  he  says,  '  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall 
all  be  changed  ;'b  and  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  future  dispensation  of  providence,  which 
does  not  immediately  concern  us  in  the  present  age.  We  must  not  conclude,  there- 
fore, that  believers  are  delivered  from  the  stroke  of  death.  Nevertheless,  death  is 
ordered  for  their  good.  The  apostle  says,  with  a  particular  application  to  himself, 
'  For  me  to  die  is  gain  ;'c  and  when  he  speaks  of  the  many  blessings  which  believers 
have  in  possession  or  in  reversion,  he  says,  '  Death  is  yours,'  as  if  he  had  said,  '  It 
shall  redound  to  your  advantage.' 

1.  The  sting  of  death  is  taken  away  from  them.  This  is  the  result  of  their  being 
in  a  justified  state.  For  as  a  person's  being  liable  to  the  condemning  sentence  of 
the  law  is  the  principal  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to  make  him  uneasy,  and  may 
be  truly  called  the  sting  which  wounds  the  conscience  ;  so  a  sense  of  his  interest  in 
forgiveness  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  tends  to  give  peace  to  it.  A  person  who 
has  this  sense  of  interest  in  forgiveness  can  say,  '  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  my 
charge  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth  ;'  or,  '  Though  I  have  contracted  guilt,  which 
renders  me  unworthy  of  his  favour,  yet  I  am  persuaded  that  this  guilt  is  removed ; 
so  that  iniquity  shall  not  be  my  ruin,  and  even  death  itself  shall  bring  me  to  the 
possession  of  those  blessings  which  were  purchased  for  me  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  which  I  have  been  enabled  to  apply  to  myself  by  faith.  With  this  confidence 
he  can  say  with  the  apostle,  '  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory  ?'d 

2.  Their  dying  is  an  instance  of  God's  love  to  them.  As  those  whom  Christ  is 
said  to  have  4  loved  in  the  world,  he  loved  unto  the  end '  of  his  life  ;  so  he  loves 
them  to  the  end  of  theirs.6  And  as  nothing  has  hitherto  separated  them  from  this 
love,  nothing  shall  be  able  to  do  it.  There  are  three  particulars  in  which  the  love 
of  God  to  dying  believers  discovers  itself. 

First,  they  are  freed  from  sin  and  misery.  This  they  never  will  nor  can  be 
till  death.  As  for  sin,  there  are  the  remains  of  it  in  the  best  of  men,  which  give 
them  great  disturbance,  and  occasion  for  the  daily  conflict  which  there  is  between 
the  flesh  and  the  spirit.  But  at  death  the  conflict  will  be  at  an  end,  and  the  vic- 
tory which  they  shall  attain  over  it  complete.  There  shall  be  no  law  in  the  mem- 
bers warring  against  the  law  of  the  mind  ;  no  propensity  or  inclination  to  what  is 
evil ;  nor  any  guilt  or  defilement  contracted  ;  which  would  be  inconsistent  with  a 
state  of  perfect  holiness.  Moreover,  as  the  state  to  which  they  are  introduced  is 
one  of  perfect  happiness,  there  is  an  entire  freedom  from  all  those  miseries  which 
sin  brought  into  this  lower  world.  These  are  either  internal  or  external,  personal 
or  relative ;  none  of  which  shall  occur  to  allay,  or  give  any  disturbance  to,  the  saints' 
blessedness  after  death.  But  more  of  this  will  be  considered  under  a  following  An- 
swer ;  in  which  we  shall  be  led  to  speak  of  the  happiness  of  the  righteous  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  both  in  soul  and  body.f 

Again,  the  death  of  a  believer  appears  to  be  an  instance  of  divine  love,  as  it  is 
the  means  of  his  being  made  capable  of  farther  communion  with  Christ  in  glory. 
Persons  must  be  made  meet  for  heaven  before  they  are  admitted  to  it.  Our  pre- 
sent season  and  day  of  grace,  indeed,  is  a  time  in  which  God  is  training  his  people 
up  for  glory  ;  and  there  is  a  habitual  preparation  for  it,  when  the  work  of  grace  is 
begun.  This  is  what  the  apostle  intends,  when  he  speaks  of  some  who,  when 
they  were  translated  into  Christ's  kingdom,  were  '  made  meet  to  be  partakers  of 
the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  'e  This,  however,  falls  very  short  of  that 
actual  meetness  which  the  saints  must  have  when  they  are  brought  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  heavenly  blessedness.  Then,  as  will  be  observed  in  the  next  Answer, 
they  shall  be  made  perfect  in  holiness ;  for  were  it  otherwise,  there  could  be  no  per- 

a  See  more  of  this  in  Quest.  Ixxxvii.  b  1  Cor.  xv.  51.  c  Phil.  i.  21. 

d  1  Cor.  xv.  55.  e  John  xiii.  1.  f  See  Quest,  xc.  g  Col  i.  12. 


230  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

feet  happiness.  Besides,  the  soul  must  be  more  enlarged  than  it  can  be  here,  that 
it  may  be  enabled  to  receive  the  immediate  discoveries  of  the  divine  glory,  and  to 
converse  with  the  heavenly  inhabitants.  The  frame  of  nature  must  be  changed  ; 
which  is  what  the  apostle  intends  when  he  says,  '  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit 
the  kino-dom  of  God,  neither  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption.'h  Accordingly 
he  adds,  '  This  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on 
immortalitv.'1  Here  he  intimates  that  frail,  mortal,  and  corruptible  man,  is  not 
able  to  bear  that  glory  which  is  reserved  for  a  state  of  immortality.  The  soul, 
therefore,  must  be  so  changed  as  to  be  rendered  receptive  of  that  glory  ;  and,  in 
order  to  its  being  so,  all  its  powers  and  faculties  must  be  greatly  enlarged  ;  other- 
wise it  could  no  more  receive  the  immediate  rays  of  the  divine  glory,  than  the  weak 
and  distempered  eye  can  look  steadily  on  the  sun  shining  in  its  meridian  brightness. 
In  this  world  our  ideas  of  divine  things  are  very  imperfect,  by  reason  of  the  narrow- 
ness of  our  capacities,  and  God  condescends  to  reveal  himself  to  us  in  proportion  to 
this  ;  but  when  the  saints  shall  see  him  as  he  is,  or  have  a  perfect  and  immediate 
vision  and  fruition  of  his  glory,  they  shall  be  made  receptive  of  it.  This  is  done  at 
death ;  and  then  they  are  rendered  capable  of  farther  communion  with  Christ  in  glory. 
Finally,  at  death  believers  immediately  enter  upon,  and  are  admitted  into,  the 
possession  of  this  glory.  At  the  same  time  that  the  soul  is  enlarged  and  fitted  for 
the  work  and  enjoyment  of  heaven,  it  is  received  into  it ;  where  it  shall  have  an 
uninterrupted  communion  with  Christ  in  glory.  This  is  the  subject  insisted  on  in 
the  following  Answer. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE. 


Question  LXXXVI.  What  is  (he  communion  in  glory  with  Christ,  which  the  members  of  the  in- 
visible church  enjoy  immediately  after  death  ? 

Answer.  The  communion  in  glory  with  Christ,  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church  enjoy 
immediately  after  death,  is,  in  that  their  souls  are  then  made  perfect  in  holiness,  aud  received  into 
the  highest  heavens,  where  they  behold  the  face  of  God  in  light  and  glory,  waiting  for  the  full  re- 
demption of  their  bodies,  which,  even  in  death,  continue  united  to  Christ,  and  rest  in  their  graves 
as  in  their  beds,  till  at  the  last  day  they  be  again  united  to  their  souls :  Whereas  the  souls  of  the 
wicked  are  at  death  cast  into  hell,  where  they  remain  in  torments  and  utter  darkness,  and  their 
bodies  kept  in  their  graves,  as  in  their  prisons,  till  the  resurrection  and  judgment  of  the  great  day. 

Having  considered  the  soul  as  separated  from  the  body  by  death,  the  next  thing 
which  will  be  inquired  into,  is  what  becomes  of  it,  and  how  it  is  disposed  of,  in  its 
separate  state.  Here  we  find  that  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked.  The  former  have  communion  with  Christ  in  glory  ;  the  latter  are 
in  a  state  of  banishment  and  separation  from  him,  being  cast  into  hell,  and  there 
remaining  in  torments  and  utter  darkness.  Both  these  subjects  are  particularly 
insisted  on  in  this  Answer.  In  considering  them,  we  shall  observe  the  following 
method ; — First,  we  shall  notice  that  there  is  something  supposed,  namely,  that 
the  soul  of  man  is  immortal,  otherwise  it  could  not  be  capable  of  happiness  or  misery. 
Secondly,  we  shall  consider  the  happiness  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church 
enjoy,— called  'communion  with  Christ  in  glory.'  Lastly,  we  shall  consider  the 
misery  which  the  souls  of  the  wicked  endure  at  death  ;  which  is  stated  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  Answer. 

The  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

Here  we  shall  speak  concerning  the  thing  supposed  in  this  Answer,  namely,  that 
the  soul  of  man  is  immortal.  This  is  a  subject  of  so  much  importance,  that  we 
must  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  it,  before  we  can  conclude  that  there  is  a  state  of 
happiness  or  misery  in  another  world.  But  before  we  proceed  to  the  proof  of  it,  it 
is  necessary  for  us  to  explain  what  we  are  to  understand  by  it.     We  read  in  scrip- 

h   1  Ccr.  xv.  50.  i  Verse  53. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  231 

ture  of  the  death  of  the  soul,  in  a  spiritual  sense ;  as  separated  by  sin  from  God, 
the  fountain  of  life  and  blessedness  ;  and  as  being  destitute  of  a  principle  of  grace, 
and  in  consequence,  as  utterly  indisposed  to  perform  any  actions  which  are  spirit- 
ually good,  as  a  dead  man  is  unable  to  perform  the  functions  of  life.  In  this  sense 
we  are  to  understand  the  apostle's  words,  '  She  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is  dead  while 
she  liveth. 'k  In  regard  to  it,  unregenerate  persons  are  said  to  be  '  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins  ;' l  and  a  condemned  state,  which  is  the  consequence  of  it,  is  a 
state  of  death.  Now  that  which  is  opposed  to  this  is  called  in  scripture  a  spiritual 
life,  or  immortality.  This,  however,  is  not  the  sense  in  which  we  are  to  consider  the 
life  of  the  soul  in  our  present  argument. — Again,  immortality  may  be  considered 
as  an  attribute  peculiar  to  God.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  He  only  hath  immortality.'™ 
The  meaning  of  this  is,  that  his  life,  which  includes  his  Being  and  all  his  perfec- 
tions, is  necessary  and  independent.  But  in  this  respect  no  creature  is  immortal ; 
their  life  is  maintained  by  the  will  and  providence  of  God,  which  gave  being  to  it 
at  first. — When  we  speak  of  creatures  being  immortal,  we  must  either  consider  them 
as  not  having  in  the  constitution  of  their  nature  any  thing  which  tends  to  a  dissolu- 
tion, which  cannot  be  effected  by  any  second  cause  ;  or  we  must  consider  their 
eternal  existence  as  resulting  from  the  will  of  God,  who  could,  had  he  pleased,  have 
annihilated  them.  It  is  in  both  these  senses  that  we  are  to  consider  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul. 

That  it  is  in  its  own  nature  immortal,  has  been  allowed  by  many  of  the  hea- 
thens, who  have  had  just  conceptions  of  the  spirituality  of  its  nature,  and  paid  any 
due  regards  to  the  providence  of  God,  and  those  marks  of  distinction  which  he  puts 
between  good  and  bad  men,,  as  the  consequence  of  their  behaviour  in  this  life. 
That  the  soul  survives  the  body,  has  been  reckoned  by  some  of  the  heathens  an 
opinion  which  has  almost  universally  obtained  in  the  world. n  Thus  Plato  intro- 
duces Socrates0  as  discoursing  largely  on  this  subject,  immediately  before  his 
death  ;  and  in  others  of  his  writings,  he  not  only  asserts  this  doctrine,  but  gives  as 
good  proofs  of  it  as  any  one  destitute  of  scripture-light  could  do.  One  of  his  fol- 
lowers, in  the  account  he  gives  of  the  doctrine  as  taught  by  him,  recommends  and 
insists  on  argument  which  he  brings  to  prove  it,  which  is  not  without  its  weight, 
namely,  that  the  soul  acts  from  a  principle  seated  in  its  own  nature,  and  not  by  the 
influence  of  some  external  cause,  as  things  material  do.p  Strabo  also  speaks  of  the 
ancient  Brahmins  among  the  Indians,  as  entertaining  some  notions  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  and  of  the  judgment  passed  upon  it  in  its  separate  state  ;  agree- 
ably to  what  Plato  advances  on  that  subject.0-  Some,  indeed,  have  thought  that 
this  notion  took  its  rise  from  Thales,  the  Milesian,  who  lived  between  two  and  three 
hundred  years  before  Plato,  and  about  six  hundred  years  before  the  Christian  era. 
They  ascribe  the  notion  to  him  from  an  occasional  passage  mentioned  by  Diogenes 
Laertius  in  his  life,  which  he  brings  in  only  as  matter  of  report,1"  and  which  is 
hardly  sufficient  to  justify  the  supposition.  Cicero8  supposes  it  was  first  propagated 
by  Pherecydes,  who  was  contemporary  with  him  ;  though  Diogenes  Laertius  makes 
no  mention  of  such  a  fact.  It  may  be  inferred,  however,  from  many  things  in 
Homer,  the  oldest  writer  in  the  Greek  tongue,  who  lived  above  three  hundred  years 
before  Thales,  that  the  world  had  in  his  time  entertained  some  confused  ideas  of 
the  immortality  of  the  soul.  For  we  often  find  him  bringing  in  the  souls  of  his 
deceased  heroes,  appearing  to  their  surviving  friends  in  a  form  and  speaking  with 
a  voice  like  that  which  they  had  when  living  ;  and  he  not  only  supposes,  but  plainly 

k  1  Tim.  v.  6.  1  Eph.  ii.  1.  m  1  Tim.  vi.  16. 

n  Vi<l.  Senec.  Epist.  i  17.  Cum  rie  animarum  immortalitate  loquimur,  non  leve  momentum  apud 
DOB  habet  consensus  hominum,  aut  timentium  inferos,  aut  eolentiuni.  Utor  hac  pt  rsuasione  publica. 
Et  Cic.  Tusc.  Quest,  lib.  i.  Permanere  animos  arhitramur  consensu  nationum  omnium;  qua  in  sede 
maneant,  quulesque  sint  ratione  (iisceiuluin  est. 

o   In  Pi.ae.l. 

p  Vi»'.  Alcin.  de  Doct  Plat.  r;ip.  xxv.  AvrexivtiTov  It  iptiffi  t»v  vJ-i^hv;  oti  rvftQurov  i%ti  ri)»  £&»»»,  an 
vn^youcat  xa.6    avrr,f. 

q  Vii!  iStran.  Geog.  lib.  xv  Ua^a-rXixovri  St  xai  (tviovs.  urri(>  xai  ^XaTav  *iqi  ti  atfUageius  ^vx*l(, 
xai  ruv  xaf  ahov  x-gitnav.  km  akXa  rmauTCC,  <rioi  ftty  tu>  B^cc^/navav  raura  Xiyti. 

r  Vi».  Dioj;.  I.aert.  in  Vit.  Thai. 

s  Vid.  Cic.  Tusc.  Quaust.  lib.  i. 


232  THE  FUTURE    STATE. 

intimates,  that  their  souls  existed  in  a  separate  state.*  In  other  places,  also,  he 
represents  some  suffering  punishment  for  their  crimes  committed  on  earth  ;u  which 
plainly  argues,  whatever  fabulous  account  we  have  of  the  nature  of  the  punishment, 
or  the  person  suffering  it,  that  it  was  an  opinion  generally  received  at  that  time, 
that  the  soul  existed  in  a  separate  state.  Indeed,  this  may  be  inferred  from  the 
doctrine  of  demons,  or  the  superstitious  worship  which  the  heathens  paid  to  the 
souls  of  those  heroes  who  formerly  lived  on  earth,  who,  as  they  thought,  had  done 
some  things  which  rendered  them  the  peculiar  favourites  of  God,  and  the  objects  of 
worship  by  men,  and  whose  souls,  as  they  believed,  existed  with  God  in  great  hon- 
our and  favour  in  a  separate  state.1 

But  passing  this  by,  it  may  be  farther  observed  that  whatever  notions  some  of 
the  heathens  had  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul  in  general,  they  were  very  much 
at  a  loss,  many  of  them,  in  determining  the  place,  or  many  things  relating  to  the 
state,  in  which  they  were.  Hence,  many  asserted,  with  Pythagoras,  the  doctrine 
of  the  transmigration  of  souls,  or  of  their  passing  from  one  body  to  another,  and 
being  condemned  to  reside  in  vile  and  dishonourable  bodies,  as  a  punishment  for 
sins  committed  in  former  bodies.  This  doctrine,  though  it  perverts,  yet  does  not 
overthrow,  that  of  the  soul's  immortality.  Others  of  the  heathen  seemed  to  doubt 
whether,  after  four  or  five  courses  of  transmigration  of  souls  from  one  body  to  an- 
other, they  might  not  at  last  shrivel  into  nothing.  It  must  also  be  acknowledged 
that  there  was  a  considerable  party  among  them  who  adhered  to  the  sentiments  of 
Epicurus,  who  denied  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  supposing  it  to  be  material. 
The  Sadducees  likewise  are  represented,  in  scripture,  as  imbibing  that  notion  ; 
they  are  said  to  have  'denied  both  angels  and  spirits. 'y  In  this  respect  they 
adopted  Epicurus'  philosophy,  as  to  his  denying  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  or  its 
existence  in  a  future  state. z 

We  may  observe,  however,  that  notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  concern- 
ing this  doctrine,  by  the  better  and  wiser  part  of  the  heathen  in  their  writings, 
their  notions  seem  to  have  been  very  defective.     If  we  trace  them  farther  than 

t  Vid.  Horn.  Iliad  23.  lin.  65,  et  seq. 

Uu.fr    ctvru  fiiyJo;  te  xai  ofifiecru  x-aX    nxvia, 

Kcci  Qtvnv'  xai  Tota,  vrioi  xict  "V"sra  1'*° 

2t»  i'  ceo'  v-Kio  xaficcXr,;,  xai  fi.it  *(>cf  ftvDo*  ttittlr. 

Here,  after  he  had  killed  Hector,  he  addresses  himself  to  his  friend  Patroclus,  signifying  that  he 
had  done  this  to  revenge  his  death  ;  on  which,  the  poet  brings  in  Patroclus  as  appearing  to  him. 

u  Vid.  Odys.  lib.  xi.  lin.  575,  et  seq.  in  which  he  speaks  of  the  punishment  of  Tityus  and  Tan- 
talus. In  this,  as  well  as  many  other  things,  he  is  imitated  by  Virgil.  See  jEneid.  lib.  vi.  lin.  595, 
et  seq. 

x  See  this  argument  managed  with  a  great  deal  of  learning  and  judgment  by  Mede,  in  his  '  Apos- 
tasy of  the  Latter  Times.'  He  proves,  from  many  of  their  own  writers,  that  the  gods  whom  the 
heathens  worshipped,  were  the  souls  of  men  deified  or  canonized  after  death,  chap.  iv.  and  Voss. 
de  orig.  &c  idol.  lib.  i.  cap.  xi,  xii,  xiii,  who  refers  to  Lact.  lib.  i.  de  fals.  Relig.  cap.  v.  whose 
words  are  these  ;  Quos  imperiti,  et  insipientes,  tanquam  D.  o»  et  nuncupant,  et  auorant,  nemo  est 
tarn  inconsideratus,  qui  non  intelligat  fuisse  mortales.  Quomodo  ergo,  inquiet  aliquis,  Dii  crediti 
sunt?  Nimirum  quia  reges  maxiini,  ac  potentissimi  fuerunt,  ob  merit  a  virtutum  suarum,  aut 
munerum,  aut  artium  repertarum,  cum  chari  fuissent  iis,  quibus  imperitaverant,  in  memoriam  sunt 
conseerati.  Quod  si  quis  dubitet,  res  eorum  gestas,  et  facta,  consideret:  quae  uni versa  turn  poetae, 
turn  historici  veteres,  prodiderunt.  Et  August,  de  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  viii.  cap.  v.  Ipsi  etiam  majorum 
gentium  Dii,  quos  Cicero  in  Tusculanis,  tacitis  nominibus  videtur  attingere,  Jupiter,  Juno,  Satur- 
nus,  Vulcanus,  Vesta,  et,  alii  plurimi,  quos  Varro  conatur  ad  mundi  partes,  sive  elementa  trans- 
fer n>,  homines  fuisse  produntur.  Et  Cic.  lib.  i.  de  nat.  Deor.  Quid,  qui  aut  fortes,  aut  claros,  aut 
pollutes  viros  tradunt  post  mortem  ad  Deos  pervenisse;  eosque  ipsos  quos,  nos  colere,  precari, 
venerarique  soleamus? 

y  Acts  xxiii.  8. 

z  Some  have  wondered  how  the  Sadducees  could  deny  angels,  and  yet  receive  the  five  books  of 
Moses,  in  which  there  is  so  frequent  mention  of  the  appearance  of  angels;  and  it  might  as  well  be 
wondered  how  they  could  make  any  pretensions  to  religion  while  they  denied  the  immortality  of 
the  soul.  But  as  to  both  points,  it  may  be  said  concerning  them,  that  they  were  the  most  irreli- 
gious part  of  the  Jewish  nation.  To  make  them  consistent  with  themselves  is  past  the  skill  of 
any  who  treat  on  this  subject.  Some  suppose  that  they  understand  all  those  scriptures  which 
speak  concerning  the  appearance  of  angels,  as  importing  nothing  else  but  a  bodily  shape,  appearing 
for  a  time,  and  conversing  with  those  to  whom  it  was  sent,  moved  and  actuated  by  the  divine 
power,  and  then  disappearing  and  vanishing  into  nothing. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  233 

what  concerns  the  mere  separate  existence  of  the  soul,  or  if  they  attempt  to  speak 
any  thing  concerning  its  happiness  in  a  future  state,  they  then  discover  that  they 
know  but  little  of  the  matter.  Many  of  them,  also,  though  they  cannot  deny  the 
soul's  immortality,  seem  to  hesitate  about  it.  We  may  therefore  say  with  the 
apostle,  that  'life  and  immortality  are  brought  to  light  through  the  gospel  ;'a  that 
is,  if  we  would  be  sure  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  know  its  state  and  enjoy- 
ments in  another  world,  we  must  look  farther  than  the  light  of  nature  for  it ;  and 
in  seeking  for  arguments  in  scripture,  we  shall  find  great  satisfaction  concerning 
this  matter,  which  we  cannot  do  from  the  writers  before-mentioned.  That  some  of 
the  heathen  were  in  doubt  about  this  important  truth,  is  very  evident  from  their 
writings.  Plato  himself,b  notwithstanding  the  many  things  which  he  represents 
Socrates  as  saying  concerning  a  state  of  immortality  after  death,  yet  when  endea 
vouring  to  convince  his  friend  Cebes  about  that  matter,  and  apprehending  that  he 
had  so  far  prevailed  in  the  argument  as  to  have  forced  his  antagonist  to  allow  that 
the  soul  survives  the  body,  though  he  held  that  it  transmigrated  into  other  bodies, 
seems  to  concede  this  point  to  him,  and  adds,  that  it  is  uncertain  whether  the  soul, 
having  worn  out  many  bodies,  may  not  at  last  perish  with  one  that  it  is  united  to  ; c 
and  he  farther  says  to  him,  "  I  must  now  die,  and  you  shall  live ;  but  which  of  us 
is  in  the  better  state,  God  only  knows.  "d  As  for  Aristotle,  though,  in  many  places 
of  his  writings,  he  seems  to  maintain  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  yet  in  others,  it 
appears  that  he  is  in  doubt  about  it,  and  seems  to  assert  that  neither  good  nor  evil 
happens  to  any  man  after  his  death.6  The  Stoics,  also,  who  did  not  altogether 
deny  this  doctrine  ;  yet  supposed  that,  in  process  of  time,  the  soul  would  be  dis- 
solved. '*  Even  Cicero  himself,  notwithstanding  all  he  says  in  apparent  harmony 
with  this  doctrine,  yet  sometimes  speaks  with  great  hesitation  about  it.s  And  not- 
withstanding what  Seneca  says  concerning  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  as  has  been 
before  observed,  yet  he  speaks  doubtfully  of  it.h  We  must,  therefore,  have  re- 
course to  scripture,  and  to  those  consequences  which  are  deduced  from  it,  as  well 
as  those  things  which  may  be  inferred  from  the  nature  of  the  soul,  to  prove  that  it 
is  immortal. 

1.  For  the  proof  of  this  doctrine,  let  it  be  considered  that  the  soul  is  immaterial. 
This  appears  from  its  being  capable  of  thought,  whereby  it  is  conversant  about  and 
takes  in  ideas  of  things  divine  and  spiritual,  which  no  creature  below  man  can  do. 
It  has  a  power  of  inferring  consequences  from  premises,  and  accordingly  is  the  sub- 
ject of  moral  government,  capable  of  conversing  with  God  here,  and  of  expecting 
rewards  or  punishments  from  him  hereafter.  All  this  cannot  be  produced  by  matter 
and  motion.  As  for  matter,  it  is  in  itself  altogether  inactive  ;  and  when  motion 
is  impressed  upon  it,  the  only  change  made  is  in  the  situation  and  contexture  of 
its  parts, — a  change  which  cannot  give  it  life,  sensation,  or  preception,  much  less 

a  2  Tim.  i.  10.  b    In  Pbaed. 

C  His  words  are  these:  KtCtif  Jf  ft»i  d»\i  rturt  fit>  tfioi  ^vy^ai(tiy,  w«X«££an»T!£«v  yt  avai  "Vu^in 
ruftaroc  aXXa  toSi  aSnXet  iravri,  ftti  ToXXk  in  tuftaTK  xai  xcXXaxis  xarar^i^ara  h  ^"X*1  T0  '-«^-"""a<«», 
tafia.  KxtaXiieovaa,  vwv  aurn  wrtXXvtirxf  xai  ri  tcvro  t»vts  Bavmrcs,  ^v^ns  aXtigei'  iffu  atjfia.  y  mi  avrtX- 
Xvpivov  ovhit  iravtreu. 

(1   'Orort^oi  S«  hfiuv  i£%ovrai  ixt  afiuvc*  t^myfia,  «S»X»>  icxtTt  irXtii  1  rtf  hm. 

e  VkI.  Ejusd.  mural,  lib.  lii.  cap.  ix. 

i  Vi<i.  Diog.  Laert.  in  Vit.  Zen.  Tw»  -4<ux*i»  pira  S«y«T«  tm/uiut,  Qtagrtit  it  turn;  on  which  occa- 
sion Cicero  gays  that,  though  they  assert  that  they  shall  continue  a  great  while  in  being,  yet  they 
deny  that  they  shall  exist  lor  ever.  Vid.  Ejusd.  in  Tusc.  Quaest.  lib.  i.  Stoici  usuraui  nobis  largi- 
untur,  tauquam  cornicibus;  diu  mansuros  anitnos  aiunt  ;  semper,  negant. 

g  Et  ibid.  Ea  quae  vis,  ut  potero,  explicabo,  nee  tamen  quasi  Pythius  Apollo  certa  ut  sint,  et  fixa 
quae  dixero,  sed  ut  homunculus  unus  e  multis,  probabilia  conjectura  sequeus;  ultra  enim  quo  pro- 
grediar  quain  ut  verisimilia  videam,  non  habeo ;  which  Lactantius  observes,  speaking  ot  him  as  in 
doubt  about  it.  Vid.  Lactant.  de  Vit.  Beat.  lib.  vii.  §.  8.  And  elsesvhere  he  says,  in  lib.  de  Ami- 
citia  :  Sm  autem  ilia  veriora,  ut  idem  interims  sit  animorum,  et  corporum,  nee  ullus  sensus  maneat : 
Ut  nihil  boni  est  in  morte,  sic  certe  nihil  est  mali.  Et  in  lib.  de  Senect:  Quod  si  in  hoc  erro,  quod 
aniinos  bominum  immortales  esse  credam,  libenter  erro:  Nee  mihi  hunc  errorem,  quo  delector,  duin 
vivo,  extorqueri  volo.  Sin  mortuus,  ut  quidam  minuti  philosophi  censent,  nihil  sentiam ;  non 
vereor,  ne  hunc  errorem  meum  philosophi  minuti  irrideant;  Quod  si  non  sumus  immortales  futuri, 
tamen  extingui  hominem  suo  tempore,  optabile  est. 

h  Epist.  102.  Credebam  opinionibus  magnorum  virorum  rem  gratissimam  promittentium,  magia 
quain  probantium. 

ii.  2  a 


234  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

a  power  of  judging  and  willing,  or  of  being  conversant  about  tilings  spiritual  and 
immaterial.  Nor  was  this  power  of  thinking  or  reasoning  derived  from  the  body 
to  which  the  soul  is  united.  That  which  has  not  in  itself  these  superior  endow- 
ments, cannot  communicate  them  to  another.  The  body's  union  with  the  soul 
cannot  impart  them  to  it ;  for  whatever  sensation  the  body  has,  which  is  below. the 
power  of  reasoning,  is  derived  from  the  soul.  This  appears  from  its  being  wholly 
destitute  of  sensation,  when  the  union  between  the  soul  and  it  is  broken.  Hence, 
as  these  superior  powers  or  excellences  of  the  soul  are  produced  by  another  cause, 
we  must  conclude  that  they  are  immediately  from  God.  This  evidently  appears 
from  scripture.  The  body  of  Adam  was  first  formed  ;  and  then  it  is  said,  '  God 
breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,'1  that  is,  he  put  into  it  that  soul  which 
was  the  spring  and  fountain  of  all  living  actions  ;  and  then  it  follows,  '  Man  became 
a  living  soul.'  Moreover,  it  is  considered  as  a  peculiar  display  of  the  glory  of  God, 
that  '  he  formeth  the  spirit  of  man  within  him.'k  It  follows,  then,  that  the  disso- 
lution of  the  body  makes  no  alteration  in  the  powers  and  faculties  of  the  soul ;  or 
that  the  soul,  when  dissolution  takes  place,  is  not  rendered  subject  to  death.  For, 
as  it  did  not  derive  these  powers  from  the  body,  as  was  before  observed  ;  so  it  can- 
not be  said  to  lose  them  in  the  ruin  of  the  body.  Thus  our  Saviour  speaks  of  the 
soul  as  not  being  affected  with  those  injuries  which  tend  to  the  body's  destruction, 
when  he  says,  *  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul.'1 

2.  We  have  in  scripture  a  particular  account  of  the  soul  when  separated  from 
the  body,  as  disposed  of  in  a  different  way  from  it.  It  does  not  go  down  to  the 
earth,  as  the  body  does,  whence  it  was,  but  '  returns  to  God  who  gave  it.'m  Its 
return  to  God  supposes  that  it  is  accountable  to  him  for  its  actions  performed  in  the 
body,  or  for  the  way  and  manner  in  which  its  faculties  were  exerted.  Accordingly, 
when  separate  from  it,  it  is  represented  as  returning  to  God  to  give  an  account  of 
its  behaviour  in  the  body,  and  to  reap  the  fruits  and  effects  of  it.  And  as  it  is 
said  to  return  to  God  ;  so  believers  breathe  forth  their  souls,  and  resign  them  by 
faith,  into  the  hand  of  God.  Thus  our  Saviour  said,  ■  Father,  into  thy  hands  I 
commend  my  spirit  ;'n  and  Stephen  said,  '  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.'0 

3.  The  soul's  immortality  may  be  proved  from  the  vast  extent  of  its  capacities, 
and  the  small  improvement  men  make  of  them  in  this  world,  especially  the.  greatest 
part  of  mankind.  What  a  multitude  are  there  who  never  had  the  faculties  of  the 
soul  deduced  into  act,  in  whom  the  powers  of  reasoning  were  altogether  useless, 
while  in  this  world, — I  mean  those  whose  souls  are  separated  from  their  bodies  as 
soon  as  they  are  born !  Others  die  in  their  childhood,  before  reason  comes  to  ma- 
turity. And  how  great  a  part  of  the  world  live  to  old  age,  whose  souls  have  not 
been  employed  in  any  thing  great  or  excellent,  in  proportion  to  their  capacities! 
Now,  were  these  made  in  vain  ?  Or  did  God  design,  when  he  brought  them  into 
the  world,  or  continued  them  either  a  longer  or  a  shorter  time  in  it,  that  they 
should  never  be  employed  in  any  thing  worthy  of  these  noble  faculties  ?  We  must 
conclude,  therefore,  that  there  is  another  state,  in  which  the  soul  shall  act  more 
agreeably  to  those  capacities  with  which  it  is  endowed. 

4.  This  may  be  farther  proved,  not  only  from  the  natural  desires  which  there  are 
in  all  men  of  immortality,  but  more  especially  from  those  desires  which  the  saints 
have  of  enjoying  some  things  in  God,  which  cannot  be  attained  in  this  life.  The 
natural  desire  o't  immortality  is  what  belongs  to  all.  With  what  reluctance,  aris- 
ing from  a  natural  aversion  to  a  dissolution,  do  the  soul  and  body  part,  unless  there 
be  a  well-grounded  hope  of  a  life  of  blessedness  to  follow  !  Moreover,  there  is  not 
only  a  desire  but  an  expectation  of  the  soul's  living  for  ever,  when  separated  from 
the  body,  in  a  state  of  happiness, — an  expectation  which  believers  are  made  par- 
takers of  as  a  peculiar  blessing  from  God.  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  he 
who  gave  such  desire  and  expectation  of  immortality  will  satisfy  them  ;  so  that  as 
men  have  a  thirst  after  happiness,  which  is  the  effect  of  a  supernatural  power,  they 
shall  not  be  disappointed  or  destitute  of  it ;  which  they  would  be  if  the  soul  does 
not  survive  the  body. 

i  Gen.  ii.  17.  k  Zecb.  xii.  1.  1  Matt.  x.  28. 

m  Eccl.  xii.  7-  n  Luke  xxiii.  46.  o  Acts  vii.  59 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  235 

5.  The  immortality  of  the  soul  may  be  proved  from  the  justice  of  God,  as  the 
governor  of  the  world.  This  divine  perfection  renders  it  necessary,  that  rewards 
and  punishments  should  be  distributed  according  to  men's  behaviour  in  this  life. 
We  formerly  observed,  from  the  consideration  of  the  spirit's  returning  to  him, 
that  man  is  supposed  to  be  accountable  to  God  ;  and  the  same  thing  follows, 
from  what  was  said  under  another  Head,  concerning  the  soul's  being  the  subject 
of  moral  government.  But  this  argument  will  be  farther  improved  under  a 
following  Answer,  when  we  consider  our  Saviour's  coming  to  judge  the  world.? 
All  the  use  we  shall  at  present  make  of  it  is,  that  the  soul,  being  thus  account- 
able to  God,  has  reason  to  expect  some  peculiar  marks  of  favour  beyond  what  it 
receives  in  this  world,  or  to  fear,  as  the  consequence  of  crimes  committed,  some 
punishment  from  the  hand  of  the  supreme  Judge  of  all.  Accordingly,  it  is  said, 
1  God  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds  ;'i  and  '  Every  one  shall  re- 
ceive according  to  what  he  hath  done  in  the  body,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad.'r 
Now,  that  which  makes  for  our  present  argument  is,  that  the  best  men  in  the  world 
do  not  at  present  receive  such  peculiar  marks  of  divine  favour,  as  to  their  outward 
condition,  as  some  of  the  vilest  men  often  do.  This  the  prophet  Jeremiah  takes 
notice  of,  when  he  says,  '  Righteous  art  thou,  0  Lord,  when  I  plead  with  thee  ; 
yet  let  me  talk  with  thee  of  thy  judgments  :  Wherefore  doth  the  way  of  the  wicked 
prosper?  Wherefore  are  all  they  happy  that  deal  very  treacherously?'8  The 
psalmist,  also,  when  observing  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked,  says,  '  They  are  not  in 
trouble  like  other  men ;  neither  are  they  plagued  like  other  men,'*  that  is,  not  ex- 
posed to  such  rebukes  of  providence,  as  to  outward  things,  as  good  men  are.  What 
some  allege  to  solve  this  difficulty  is,  that  virtue  has  its  own  reward  ;  and  that 
therefore  the  good  man  cannot  but  be  happy,  whatever  troubles  he  meets  with  in 
this  life,  since  he  has  something  within  himself  which  makes  him  so.  This  con- 
sideration, however,  cannot  give  the  least  satisfaction  to  those  who  are  destitute 
of  the  inward  comfort  referred  to,  that  the  divine  distributions  are  just  and  equal. 
Besides,  the  principal  ingredient  in  that  internal  happiness  which  arises  from  the 
exercise  of  religion  and  virtue,  consists  in  the  divine  approbation,  and  in  the  interest 
which  those  who  possess  it  have  in  that  love  which  shall  discover  itself  more  fully 
when  the  soul,  being  separate  from  the  body,  shall  enjoy  the  happiness  resulting 
from  it  in  another  world.  The  consideration  in  question,  therefore,  so  far  from 
militating  against  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  affords  a  considerable  argu- 
ment to  support  it.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  may  be  objected  that  sin  brings  its 
own  punishment  along  with  it,  in  that  uneasiness  which  the  wicked  find  in  their 
own  breasts ;  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  '  They  are  like  the  troubled  sea  when  it 
cannot  rest ;  whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt.'u  This  consideration,  however, 
so  far  from  being  an  objection,  proves  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  For  the  fear 
which  the  wicked  experience,  arises  from  a  sense  of  guilt,  whereby  persons  are 
liable  to  punishment  in  another  world,  who  are  not  in  the  least  concerned  about 
the  punishment  of  sin  in  this,  and  are  ready  to  conclude  themselves  out  of  the 
reach  of  human  judicature.  What  they  are  afraid  of  is  God's  righteous  judgments 
in  another  world,  which  they  cannot,  by  any  means,  free  themselves  from  the 
dread  of.  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  this  is  as  natural  to  man,  considered 
as  sinful,  as  the  hope  of  future  blessedness  is  to  one  who  is  righteous  ;  and  both 
these  are  the  result  of  a  divine  impress-ion  stamped  on  the  souls  of  men,  and  afford 
an  evident  proof  of  their  immortality. 

The  objections  against  the  doctrine  of  the  soul's  immortality,  are  generally  such 
as  involve  the  lowest  and  most  abject  thoughts  of  human  nature,  in  those  who  may 
truly  be  said  to  despise  their  own  souls.  When  they  pretend,  as  was  formerly  ob- 
served, that  they  are  immaterial,  they  set  the  soul  on  a  level  with  the  body  ;  for 
matter,  how  much  soever  it  be  refined,  has,  when  resolved  into  the  particles  of 
which  it  consists,  no  excellency  above  other  material  beings.  As  to  the  objections 
which  are  brought  against  this  doctrine  from  scripture,  by  which  the  frailty  of  the 
present  life  is  set  forth,  they  do  not  in  the  least  tend  to  overthrow  the  immortality 

p  See  Quest,  lxxxviii,  lxxxix.  q  Rom.  ii.  6.  r  2  Cor.  v.  10. 

b  Jer.  xii.  1.  .  t  Psal.  lxxiii.  5.  u  Isa.  lvii.  20. 


236  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

of  the  soul.  Thus,  when  it  is  said,  •  That  which  befalleth  the  sons  of  men,  beTall- 
eth  beasts,  even  one  thing  befalleth  them.  As  the  one  dieth,  so  dieth  the  other ; 
yea,  they  have  all  one  breath  ;  so  that  a  man  hath  no  pre-eminence  above  a  beast. 
All  go  unto  one  place  ;  all  are  of  the  dust,  and  all  turn  to  dust  again,  '*  it  is  plain 
that  Solomon  speaks  of  the  inferior  part  of  man,  in  which  he  has  no  pre-eminence 
above  the  beasts,  as  his  body  is  resolved  into  dust,  as  well  as  the  bodies  of  the 
brute  creatures.  Besides,  the  following  words  sufficiently  confute  the  objection, 
*  The  spirit  of  a  man  goeth  upward ;'  for  here  he  asserts,  not  only  the  superior 
excellency,  but  the  immortality,  of  the  soul. — Again,  it  is  said,  '  The  living  know 
that  they  must  die,  but  the  dead  know  not  any  thing ;  neither  have  they  any  more 
a  reward  ;  for  the  memory  of  them  is  forgotten. '7  Now,  the  objection,  as  founded 
on  these  words,  is  sufficiently  answered  by  only  reading  the  following  words.  Their 
memory  is  forgotten,  and  they  are  said  to  have  no  farther  reward  in  this  world, 
or,  as  it  is  expressed,  '  they  have  no  more  any  portion  for  ever,  in  any  thing  that 
is  done  under  the  sun  ;'  but  this  does  not  in  the  least  intimate  that  they  have  no 
portion  in  what  respects  the  things  of  another  world.  Indeed,  their  labour  being 
unrewarded  here,  affords  us  an  incontestable  argument,  that  they  shall  have  it 
hereafter,  when  the  soul  leaves  this  world. — Further,  there  are  other  scriptures 
which  seem  to  speak  as  if  death  put  an  end  to  all  those  actions  of  religion 
which  were  performed  by  good  men  in  this  life.  Thus,  '  When  I  go  down  to  the 
pit,  shall  the  dust  praise  thee,  shall  it  declare  thy  truth  ?'z  '  The  dead  praise 
not  the  Lord  ;  neither  any  that  go  down  into  silence.'*  '  The  grave  cannot  praise 
thee  ;  death  cannot  celebrate  thee  ;  they  that  go  down  into  the  pit  cannot  hope  for 
thy  truth.  'b  But  these  and  similar  expressions  mean  only  that  the  praises  of  God 
cannot  be  celebrated  by  those  who  are  in  the  state  of  the  dead  in  such  a  way  as 
when  they  lived  in  this  world  ;  that  they  cannot  praise  him  in  the  assemblies  of 
his  saints,  from  which  they  are  separated,  they  being  no  longer  considered  as  mem- 
bers of  the  militant  church  ;  and  that  they  are  not  apprized  of,  or  affected  with,  the 
things  done  in  this  lower  world,  in  which  respect  they  are  said  to  know  nothing. 
But  this  does  not  in  the  least  militate  against  their  praising  God  with  the  church 
triumphant,  and  having  those  privileges  conferred  upon  them  which  are  adapted  to 
a  state  of  immortality  and  eternal  life. — Finally,  others  object  that  the  immortality 
of  the  soul  respects  only  the  righteous  ;  because  the  apostle  says,  '  The  world  pass- 
eth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever.'0 
But  the  sense  which  the  objectors  give  of  these  words  contradicts  all  those  scrip- 
tures which  speak  of  the  punishment  of  sin  in  another  world  ;  for  if  none  are  said 
to  '  abide  for  ever '  but  the  righteous,  or  they  who  do  the  will  of  God,  the  wicked 
must  necessarily  go  unpunished.  Hence,  we  must  understand  the  word  '  abiding ' 
in  the  same  sense  as  the  psalmist  does,  when  he  says,  '  The  ungodly  shall  not 
stand  in  the  judgment,  nor  sinners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous  ;'d  which 
does  not  signify  their  not  existing  in  a  future  state,  but  their  not  being  admitted 
into  the  congregation  of  the  righteous,  or  made  happy  with  them  in  that  state. 

The  Immediate  Happiness  of  the  Righteous  after  Death. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  happiness  which  the  members  of  the  invisible  church 
enjoy,  called  'communion  with  Christ  in  glory,'  as  it  includes  perfect  holiness. 
Thus  we  read  of  '  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect. 'e  This  perfection  consists 
in  the  rooting  out  of  all  those  remains  of  corruption,  and  those  habitual  inclina- 
tions to  sin,  which  they  were  never  wholly  freed  from  in  this  world.  The  most 
that  can  be  said  concerning  a  believer  at  present,  is  that  he  has  a  principle  of  spirit- 
ual life  and  grace,  which  inclines  him  to  oppose,  and  stand  his  ground  against,  the 
assaults  of  sin  which  dwelleth  in  him,  whereby  it  is  mortified,  but  not  wholly  de- 
stroyed. The  work  of  sanctification  is  daily  growing  up  to  perfection,  though  it 
does  not  fully  attain  it.  But  when  the  soul  leaves  this  world,  it  arrives  at  perfec- 
tion in  a  moment ;  so  that  the  power  which  man  had  at  first  to  yield  sinless  obe- 

x  Eccl  iii.  19,  20.  y  Chap.  ix.  5.  z  Psal.  xxx.  9.  a  Psal.  ex  v.  17- 

b  I«a.  xxxviii.  18.  c  1  John  ii.  17.  d  Psal.  i.  5.  e  Heb.  xii.  23. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  237 

dience,  and  which  was  lost  by  the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  is  regained  with  great 
advantage.  For  this  perfection  of  holiness  denotes  not  only  a  sinless  state,  but 
the  soul's  being  confirmed  in  that  state.  Accordingly,  the  soul  is  said  to  be  re- 
ceived into  the  highest  heaven,  the  place  into  which  no  unclean  thing  can  enter, 
where  there  is  spotless  purity,  as  well  as  everlasting  happiness  ;  and  here  the 
righteous  are  described  as  beholding  the  face  of  God  in  light  and  glory.  These 
things  need  not  be  particularly  insisted  on  in  this  place,  since  the  same  privileges 
are  said,  in  a  following  Answer,  to  belong  to  believers  after  the  day  of  judgment, 
both  in  their  souls  and  bodies,  when  they  shall  be  received  into  heaven,  and  be 
made  perfectly  holy  and  happy,  and  be  blessed  with  the  immediate  vision  of  God.f 
At  present,  therefore,  we  shall  notice  on  this  subject  only  the  following  particu- 
lars : — First,  The  soul  is  made  partaker  of  this  blessedness  immediately  on  its 
separation  from  the  body.  Secondly,  It  is  farther  described  as  waiting  for  the  full 
redemption  of  the  body,  which  is  still  supposed  to  continue  under  the  dominion  of 
death,  though  united  to  Christ,  and  consequently  under  his  special  protection.  On 
this  account  believers  are  said,  when  they  die,  to  rest  in  their  graves,  as  in  their 
beds,  till  their  bodies  are  again  united  to  their  souls  at  the  last  day. 

I.  We  shall  consider  that  the  soul,  as  is  observed  in  this  Answer,  is  made  par- 
taker of  this  blessedness  immediately  after  its  separation  from  the  body.  This 
doctrine  seems  to  militate  against  three  absurd  opinions  which  have  been  advanced 
relating  to  the  state  of  separate  souls.  The  first  is  that  of  the  Papists,  who  main- 
tain that  the  soul  is  not  made  perfect  in  holiness  at  death,  but  enters  into  a  middle 
state,  which  they  call  purgatory,  in  which  it  is  to  endure  exquisite  torments,  de- 
signed partly  as  a  punishment  inflicted  for  those  sins  committed  in  this  life  which 
have  not  been  expiated  by  satisfaction  made  by  them,  and  partly  to  free  them  from 
the  sin  which  they  brought  with  them  into  that  state.  Another  opinion  which 
seems  to  be  opposed  in  this  answer,  is  what  was  maintained  by  some  of  the  ancient 
Fathers,  namely,  that  the  souls  of  believers  do  immediately  enter,  not  into  the 
highest  heaven  before  they  are  reunited  to  their  bodies,  but  into  paradise,  not  to 
suffer,  as  the  Papists  pretend  they  do  in  purgatory,  but  to  enjoy  pleasures  which 
are  reserved  for  them  in  a  place  not  much  inferior  to  heaven.  The  third  opinion 
which  is  subversive  of  the  doctrine  contained  in  Answer,  is,  that  the  soul,  at  its 
separation  from  the  body,  sleeps  till  the  resurrection,  and  that,  therefore,  in  the 
intermediate  space  of  time  in  which  it  is  separate,  it  is  no  more  capable  of  happi- 
ness or  misery  than  the  body  which  lies  in  the  grave.  The  absurdity  of  these 
opinions  we  shall  take  occasion  farther  to  consider. 

1.  We  notice  first  the  opinion  of  the  Papists  concerning  a  middle  state,  into  which 
they  suppose  souls  enter  at  death,  in  order  to  their  being  cleansed  from  the  remains 
of  sin,  and  so  made  meet  for  heaven.  This  doctrine,  how  ludicrous  and  ungrounded 
soever  it  may  appear  to  be,  they  are  so  fond  of,  that  it  will  be  as  hard  a  matter  to 
convince  them  of  the  absurdity  of  it,  as  it  was  of  old  to  convince  the  worshippers  of 
Diana  at  Ephesus  of  their  stupid  idolatry  ;  and  the  reason  is,  that  it  tends  to  pro- 
mote their  secular  interest.  They  first  endeavoured  to  persuade  the  poor  deluded 
people,  that  they  must  suffer  very  great  torments  after  death,  unless  they  be  re- 
lieved by  the  prayers  of  their  surviving  friends  ;  and  then  they  endeavoured  to  in- 
duce survivors  to  show  this  favour  to  them,  as  well  as  to  merit  for  themselves  some 
abatement  of  these  torments,  or  a  speedy  release  from  them.  They  tell  them  that 
it  is  their  duty  and  interest  to  leave  their  estates,  by  their  last  will  and  testament, 
to  pious  uses,  such  as  building  of  churches,  endowing  of  monasteries,  &c. ;  and  by 
their  success  in  such  appeals,  they  have  got  a  great  part  of  the  estates  of  the  people 
into  their  own  hands.  To  carry  on  this  cheat,  they  give  particular  instances,  in 
some  of  their  writings,  of  souls  being  released  from  this  dreadful  place  by  their 
prayers.  The  account  they  give  of  this  middle  state  between  heaven  and  hell,  is 
not  only  that  souls  are  not  admitted  into  the  immediate  presence  of  God,  but  that 
they  are  exposed  to  grievous  torments  by  fire,  little  short  of  those  which  are  en- 
dured in  hell,  and  that  if  they  are  not  helped  by  the  prayers  of  the  church,  they 
are  in  danger  of  being  sent  directly  to  hell  whence  there  is  no  release.     They  add 

f  See  Quest,  xc. 


238  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

that  the  punishment  in  this  middle  state,  is  longer  or  shorter,  in  proportion  to  the 
crimes  committed  in  this  world,  for  which  satisfaction  has  not  been  made  by  pen- 
ances endured,  or  money  given  to  compensate  for  them.  Some,  indeed,  are  allowed 
by  them  to  pass  immediately  into  heaven,  without  being  detained  here,  namely, 
those  who  have  performed  works  of  supererogation,  or  who,  by  entering  into  a  vow 
of  poverty,  have  parted  with  their  estates,  while  living  in  the  world,  for  the  use  of 
the  church  ;  for  in  this  case  no  end  could  be  answered,  by  telling  them  this 
fable  of  purgatory.  Others  are  told  that  they  may  escape  it  by  entering  into  a 
vow  of  chastity  and  canonical  obedience.  This  belongs  more  especially  to  the 
priests,  when  entering  into  holy  orders  ;  who  thus  take  care  to  make  provision  for 
themselves,  that  so  the  deluded  people  may  have  a  greater  regard  to  their  prayers, 
since  they  will  find  none  in  purgatory  to  perform  that  service  for  them.  This  is 
so  vile  and  absurd  an  opinion,  that  it  cannot  but  expose  the  church  of  Rome  to  the 
scorn  and  contempt  of  all  who  are  not  given  up  to  strong  delusions. 

But  though  it  sufficiently  appears,  that  secular  interest  is  the  main  foundation 
of  the  doctrine  ;  yet  there  are  some  arguments,  which  they  take  from  scripture  to 
support  it.  These  alone  require  our  notice.  One  scripture  to  which  they  refer 
is  in  Isa.  iv.  4,  where  the  prophet  speaks  concerning  the  Lord's  '  purging  the 
blood  of  Jerusalem  from  the  midst  thereof,  by  the  spirit  of  judgment,  and  by 
the  spirit  of  burning.'  The  event  here  spoken  of  they  suppose  should  have  its 
accomplishment  when  the  soul  left  the  body,   and  should  be  detained  in  pur- 

fatory.  This  interpretation,  however,  is  very  remote  from  the  design  of  the 
loly  Ghost  in  the  passage.  The  words  contain  only  a  metaphorical  description  of 
some  judgments  which  God  would  inflict  on  the  people  of  Jerusalem  in  this  life, 
as  a  punishment  for  their  iniquities,  and  as  a  means  to  reclaim  them  from  them. 
In  the  same  way,  we  often  read  in  the  prophets  of  God's  •  refining '  his  people  '  in 
the  furnace  of  affliction,  's  And  it  is  said,  '  The  Lord's  fire  is  in  Zion,  and  his  fur- 
nace in  Jerusalem  ;'h  denoting  the  sore  judgments  they  should  undergo  in  this 
world,  as  a  punishment  for  their  idolatry. 

Another  scripture,  which  is  miserably  perverted,  to  support  the  doctrine  of  pur- 
gatory, is  Zech.  ix.  11,  '  By  the  blood  of  thy  covenant  have  I  sent  forth  thy  pri- 
soners out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no  water.'  This  passage,  they  suppose,  is  to  be 
understood  of  some  state  after  this  life  ;  because  the  place  of  which  it  speaks  is 
called  'the  pit,'  and  is  described  as  a  place  of  misery,  inasmuch  as  there  is  no 
water,  that  is,  no  refreshing  comforts.  They  add,  that  the  prophet  does  not  speak 
of  hell;  because  some  persons  are  described  as  'sent  forth,'  or  released  from  it;  so 
that  it  must  needs  be  understood  of  this  middle  state  between  heaven  and  hell.  But 
this  is  far  from  being  the  sense  of  the  text.  It  contains  a  prediction  of  the  Jews 
being  delivered  from  the  Babylonish  captivity  ;  and  Babylon,  in  a  metaphorical 
way  of  speaking,  is  called  'the  pit  wherein  is  no  water,'  to  denote  the  great  dis- 
tress that  the  people  were  to  be  brought  under  there.  Thus  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
speaking  of  their  deliverance  from  the  captivity,  says,  '  The  captive  exile  hasten- 
eth,  that  he  may  be  loosed,  and  that  he  should  not  die  in  the  pit.'1  Or  the  pas- 
sage denotes  some  future  deliverance,  which  the  church  was  to  expect  after  great 
calamities  undergone  by  them.  This  is  said  to  be  '  by  the  blood  of  the  covenant,' 
because  all  the  happiness  which  the  church  shall  enjoy  in  this  world,  as  well  as  in 
the  other,  is  founded  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  pursuant  to  the  covenant  of  grace. 
Even  if  the  text  must  necessarily  be  understood  of  a  deliverance  from  evil  after 
death,  it  may  be  considered  as  a  prediction  of  our  being  delivered  from  eternal 
destruction,  by  the  blood  of  Jesus. 

Another  scripture  which  they  bring  to  support  the  fabulous  doctrine  of  purga- 
tory, is  1  Cor.  iii.  13 — 15,  ' Every  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest;  for  the  day 
shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by  fire  ;  and  the  fire  shall  try  every 
man's  work,  of  what  sort  it  is.  If  any  man's  work  abide  which  he  hath  built  there- 
upon, he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any  man's  work  shall  be  burnt,  he  shall  suffer 
loss ;  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved ;  yet  so  as  by  fire.'  The  reason  why  this  scrip- 
ture is  forced  into  the  cause  which  they  maintain  is,  that  it  speaks  of  persons  being 

g  Isa.  xlviii.  10.  h  Chap.  xxxi.  9.  i  Chap.  li.  14 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  239 

'  saved  so  as  by  fire.'  This  they  suppose  to  refer  to  what  should  follow  after  the 
particular  judgment  of  every  one  at  death,  when  a  scrutiny  shall  be  made  concern- 
ing their  works,  or  their  behaviour  in  this  world,  and  when  they  who  are  found  faulty 
may  be  saved  after  they  have  endured  those  sufferings  which  are  there  allotted  for 
them.  But  there  is  nothing  in  the  text  which  gives  the  least  countenance  to  this 
notion.  The  apostle  seems  to  be  speaking  concerning  those  ministers  who  preach 
false  doctrines,  that  is,  propagate  errors  not  directly  subversive  of  the  fundamen- 
tal articles  of  faith,  but  such  as  tend  to  embarrass  the  consciences  of  men,  and,  in 
many  respects,  lead  them  out  of  the  way  ;  or  of  others,  who  have  been  perverted  by 
them,  and  have  embraced  pernicious  errors,  which,  in  their  consequences,  are  sub- 
versive of  the  faith,  but  yet  do  not  hold  those  consequences.  These  may  be  saved ; 
but  their  salvation  shall  be  attended  with  some  difficulty,  arising  from  the  mistaken 
notions  which  they  have  imbibed.  Some  compare  their  case  to  that  of  a  person 
whose  house  is  in  flames,  and  who  saves  his  life  with  difficulty,  being  scorched  by 
the  fire.  God  will,  in  his  own  time,  take  some  method  to  discover  what  notions 
we  have  received  in  religion  ;  and  he  is  said  to  do  this  by  fire.  Whether  the  pas- 
sage, as  a  learned  writer  observes,  is  to  be  understood  of  the  clear  gospel-dispensa- 
tion,15 or  whether  it  respects  some  trying  dispensation  of  providence,  accompanied 
with  a  greater  measure  of  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit,  which  shall  lead  men  into  the 
knowledge  of  their  mistakes,  and  set  them  in  the  right  way,  I  will  not  determine. 
But  whether  the  one  or  the  other  of  these  senses  of  the  text  seems  most  agreeable 
to  the  mind  of  the  apostle,  it  is  sufficiently  evident  that  no  countenance  is  given, 
either  in  this  or  any  other  scripture,  to  the  absurd  doctrine  of  the  Papists. 

Another  scripture  which  they  bring  for  the  proof  of  this  doctrine  is  1  Pet.  iii. 
19,  in  which  it  is  said  that  our  Saviour  '  went  and  preached  unto  the  spirits  in 
prison.'  The  sense  they  give  of  this  text,  compared  with  the  foregoing  verse,  is 
that  our  Saviour,  after  his  death,  visited  those  repositories  where  the  Old  Testa- 
ment saints  were  lodged,  and  preached  the  gospel  to  them  ;  that  they  embraced  it, 
and  in  consequence  were  admitted  into  heaven  ;  and  that,  in  like  manner,  he  went 
down  to  the  subterraneous  prison  of  purgatory,  and  preached  to  its  inmates  also. 
But  whether  his  preaching  to  them  was  attended  with  the  same  success  or  not, 
they  pretend  not  to  determine.  Only  the  supposed  fact  of  his  preaching,  they 
allege  as  a  proof  that  there  is  such  a  place.  To  give  countenance  to  their  inter- 
pretation, they  say  that  by  '  the  prison'  here  spoken  of,  the  prison  of  hell  cannot 
be  intended  ;  inasmuch  as  there  is  no  hope  of  salvation  there,  and  consequently  no 
preaching  of  the  gospel.  Nor,  they  add,  can  it  be  meant  of  his  preaching  to  any 
in  this  world  ;  for  they  suppose  that  he  went  after  he  left  the  world  and  '  preached 
to  spirits,'  that  is,  to  persons  whose  souls  were  separate  from  their  bodies.  Hence, 
he  went,  as  they  argue,  and  preached  to  those  that  are  in  purgatory.  But  in  giving 
this  sense  of  the  text,  they  are  obliged  to  take  no  notice  of  what  follows,  which,  if 
duly  considered,  would  plainly  overthrow  it.  The  meaning  of  the  passage  is,  that 
our  Saviour  preached  by  his  Spirit  to  the  old  world  in  the  ministry  of  Noah,  while 
the  latter  was  preparing  the  ark  ;  and  that  they,  being  disobedient,  were  not  only 
destroyed  by  the  flood,  but  shut  up  in  the*  prison  of  hell.  On  this  account,  it  is 
said  that  he  preached  to  those  that  are  now  in  prison.  This  scripture,  therefore, 
makes  nothing  for  the  doctrine  which  we  are  opposing.  [See  Note  P,  page  245.] 
Nor  does  any  other  which  is  or  can  be  brought ;  so  that  all  the  arguments  pretended 
to  be  taken  from  scripture  are  a  manifest  perversion  of  it. 

There  is,  however,  one  method  of  reasoning  made  use  of  by  them  which  I  cannot 
pass  over,  inasmuch  as  they  apprehend  that  it  contains  a  dilemma  which  is  unan- 
swerable ;  namely,  that  there  is  some  place  in  which  persons  are  perfectly  freed 
from  sin,  which  must  be  either  this  world,  or  heaven,  or  some  middle  state  between 
them.  It  is  allowed  by  all,  they  say,  that  there  is  no  perfect  freedom  from  sin  in 
this  world ;  and  to  suppose  that  persons  are  perfectly  freed  from  sin  after  they  come 
to  heaven,  is  to  conclude  that  heaven  is  a  state  of  probation,  in  which  the  gospel 
must  be  preached,  and  persons  who  attend  upon  it  be  inclined  to  embrace  it.    This, 

k  See  Dr.  Edward's  Exercir.,  Part  II.,  on  1  Cor.  iii.  15,  who,  to  give  countenance  to  this  opinion, 
produces  two  scriptures,  namely,  Mark  xiv.  54,  and  Luke  xxii.  56,  where  the  word  9<»t  is  put  for 
fire ;  whence  he  supposes  that  9 <*(  and  wvg  are  used  promiscuously. 


240  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

they  add,  is  not  agreeable  to  a  state  of  perfection ;  and  is  also  contrary  to  scripture, 
which  speaks  of  no  unclean  thing  entering  heaven.  It  hence  follows,  they  say,  that 
the  state  in  which  men  are  fitted  for  heaven,  must  be  that  which  they  plead  for, 
namely,  a  middle  state,  in  which  they  are  first  purged,  and  then  received  into  hea- 
ven —Now,  it  is  true  that  believers  are  not  perfectly  freed  from  sin  in  this  world, 
nor  do  they  enter  into  heaven  with  either  the  guilt  or  the  pollution  of  their  sins 
upon  them  ;  but  they  are  made  perfect  in  an  instant,  in  passing  out  of  this  world 
into  heaven.  The  same  stroke  which  separates  the  soul  from  the  body,  takes  away 
the  remains  of  corruption,  and  fits  the  soul  for  the  heavenly  state.  It  passes  out 
of  this  world  perfect,  though  it  was  imperfect  while  in  it ;  in  like  manner  as  the 
body,  in  being  raised  out  of  the  grave,  is  rendered  incorruptible.  We  have  hence 
no  occasion  to  invent  a  middle  state,  into  which  the  saints  are  brought ;  and  it 
follows,  as  it  is  expressed  in  this  Answer,  that  the  souls  of  believers,  immediately 
after  death,  are  made  perfect  in  holiness.     [See  Note  Q,  page  246.] 

2.  There  is  another  opinion  opposed  to  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining, 
embraced  by  some  of  the  Jews,  and  several  of  the  Fathers,  in  which  they  are 
followed  by  some  modern  writers  ;  namely,  that  the  souls  of  believers  at  death 
enter  into  paradise,  where  they  continue  till  they  are  reunited  to  their  bodies,  and, 
after  the  day  of  judgment,  are  received  into  the  highest  heaven.  Accordingly,  they 
understand  our  Saviour's  words  to  the  penitent  thief  on  the  cross,  ■  To-day  thou 
shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise,'  in  a  literal  sense,  as  mentioning  paradise  in  contra- 
distinction to  heaven.  They  assert,  also,  that  the  soul  of  our  Saviour,  when  sepa- 
rated from  his  body,  went  immediately  into  paradise,  and  did  not  go  into  heaven 
until  after  his  resurrection.  They  suppose  paradise  to  import  the  same  thing  as 
*  Abraham's  bosom '  does  in  the  parable.  Indeed,  the  Greek  word1  which  we  trans- 
late '  bosom,'  in  the  metaphorical  sense  of  it,  signifies  a  port  or  haven,  which  is, 
as  it  were,  a  bosom  for  shipping. 

This  paradise  is  described  as  very  distinct  from  the  popish  purgatory  ;  for  it  is 
not  a  place  of  suffering,  but  of  delight  and  pleasure.  Tertullian,  who  adopted  this 
notion,™  describes  it  as  a  place  of  divine  pleasure,  designed  for  the  reception  of  the 
spirits  of  holy  men,  being  separate  either  from  this  world,  or  other  places  near  it, 
by  an  enclosure  of  fire,  designed  to  keep  the  wicked  out.  It  is  what  they  suppose 
the  apostle  Paul  speaks  of  when  he  says  that  he  was  '  caught  up  into  paradise  ;'n 
and  they  conclude  that  the  vision  or  rapture  which  he  mentions,  includes  what  he 
experienced  at  two  several  times,  because  he  speaks,0  not  of  a  single  vision,  but  of 
'  visions  and  revelations.'  Accordingly,  they  suppose  that  he  had  first  of  all  a 
vision  of  the  glory  of  heaven,  and  that  then  he  had  another  of  paradise.  Thus  a 
late  writer  understands  the  text.p  I  cannot  think,  however,  that  the  interpretation 
is  well-founded.  The  apostle's  words  are,  as  it  were,  a  preface  to  introduce  the  ac- 
count which  he  gives  of  himself.  He  says,  '  I  will  come  to  visions  and  revelations ;' 
that  is,  I  will  now  tell  you  how  God  sometimes  favours  his  people  with  extraordi- 
nary visions  and  revelations.  Then  he  proceeds  to  give  an  instance  in  himself,  that 
he  was  'caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,'  or  into  paradise.  For  I  cannot  suppose 
that  he  speaks  of  two  visions,  or  distinguishes  paradise  from  heaven.  I  am  hence 
obliged  not  to  pay  that  deference  to  the  sentiments  of  the  Fathers  mentioned  by 
Whitby,  which  he  does ;  but  must  conclude  the  notion  to  be  altogether  ungrounded, 
though  it  is  supported  by  the  credit  of  Irenaeus,  Tertullian,  Epiphanius,  Methodius, 
as  well  as  of  several  Jewish  writers,  such  as  Philo  and  some  others.* 

3.  We  shall  now  consider  another  doctrine,  maintained  by  some,  which  is  incon- 
sistent with  what  is  said  in  this  Answer  concerning  the  souls  of  believers  being  made 
perfect  in  holiness,  and  entering  immediately  into  heaven  when  separated  from  their 
bodies.  That  opinion  is,  that  at  death  the  soul,  as  well  as  the  body,  sleeps  till  the 
resurrection,  when  the  one  shall  be  raised,  and  the  other  awakened  out  of  its  sleep. 
Those  who  maintain  this  opinion  suppose,  not  that  the  soul  ceases  to  exist,  but  that 

1  K)>.^j,     Sinus,  a  bosom,  coast,  or  haven. 

m  Vnl.  Tertull.  Apologet.  cap.  xlvii.  Et  si  pa<-adisum  nominemus,  locum  divinse  amaenitatis  *e- 
cipieudis  sanctorum  spiritibus  destinatum,  materia  quadam  ignese  illius  Zonae  segregatum. 
n  2  Cor.  xii.  4.  o  Verse  1.  p  See  Whitby  in  loc 

q  See  also  bis  notes  on  Luke  xxiii.  43. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  241 

it  enters  into  and  continues  in  a  state  of  inactivity,  without  any  power  to  exercise  the 
faculty  of  thinking,  and,  in  consequence,  whilst  remaining  in  this  state,  must  be  incapa- 
ble of  either  happiness  or  misery.  They  assert,  not  that  there  shall  be  no  rewards  and 
punishments  in  a  future  state,  but  that  there  will  be  a  deferring  of  these  till  the  last  day. 
This  doctrine  was  generally  maintained  by  the  Socinians,  as  may  be  seen  in 
several  of  their  writings  referred  to  by  a  learned  author  who  opposes  them.r  The 
arguments  by  which  it  is  usually  supported,  are  taken  partly  from  the  possibility 
of  the  soul's  being  destitute  of  thought,  and  partly  from  those  scriptm*es  which 
compare  death  to  a  sleep  ;  by  which  they  understand  a  cessation  of  action,  not  only 
in  the  body,  but  likewise  in  the  soul.  In  defence  of  the  notion  that  it  is  possible 
for  the  soul  to  be  without  the  exercise  of  thought,  they  argue  that  the  soul  of  a  new- 
born infant,  or  at  least  of  an  infant  before  it  is  born,  has  no  ideas ;  and  that  though 
there  is  a  power  of  reasoning  which  is  essential  to  the  soul,  yet  this  is  not  deduced 
into  act,  so  as  to  produce  thought  or  actual  reasoning,  whence  moral  good  or  evil 
would  proceed,  and  a  sense  of  happiness  or  misery  arise  from  it.  This  notion  is 
carried  somewhat  farther  by  a  late  celebrated  writer.8  He  himself,  indeed,  takes  no 
notice  of  the  tendency  of  his  assertion  to  support  the  opinion  concerning  the  soul's 
sleeping  at  death ;  yet  others  make  a  handle  of  it,  to  defend  that  opinion  with  a  greater 
show  of  reason  than  what  was  formerly  discovered  in  maintaining  this  argument. 
He  asserts  that  the  souls  of  those  who  are  adult  do  not  always  think  ;  that  particu- 
larly when  a  person  is  in  a  sound  sleep  he  has  no  thought,  how  much  soever  there 
may  be  the  exercise  of  thought,  though  confused  and  irregular,  in  those  who,  be- 
tween sleeping  and  waking,  not  only  dream  a  thousand  things  which  they  never 
thought  of  before,  but  also  remember  their  dreams  when  they  awake.  That  a  per- 
son in  a  sound  sleep  has  no  dreams,  and  consequently  is  destitute  of  thought,  he 
attempts  to  prove.  He  remarks  that  when  any  one  is  suddenly  waked  out  of  a 
sound  sleep,  he  can  give  no  account  of  what  he  had  been  thinking  of ;  and  he  sup- 
poses it  impossible  for  a  person  who  was  thinking,  to  forget  the  next  moment  what 
his  thoughts  were  conversant  about.  This  is  the  principal  argument  by  which  he 
supports  this  notion ;  and  he  has  so  far  the  advantage,  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to 
prove  the  contrary  from  any  thing  which  we  know  or  experience  concerning  our- 
selves. The  argument,  however,  will  not  appear  very  convincing,  when  we  consider 
that  there  are  innumerable  thoughts  which  we  have  when  awake,  which  we  can 
hardly  give  an  account  of  the  next  minute.  Besides,  if  the  thoughts  are  very 
active  in  those  who  dream, — who  are  as  much  asleep  as  others  who  do  not  dream, 
though  their  sleep  may  not  be  so  refreshing,  I  cannot  see  how  the  consequence  can 
be  inferred,  that  sleep  is  inconsistent  with  thought.  Moreover,  a  person  who  is  de- 
lirious or  distracted,  undoubtedly  thinks,  though  his  thoughts  are  disordered ;  but 
when  the  delirium  or  distraction  is  over,  he  can  no  more  remember  what  he  thought 
of  than  a  person  who  is  waked  out  of  the  soundest  sleep.  The  argument  in  ques- 
tion, therefore,  tends  rather  to  amuse,  or  embarrass  the  cause  they  maintain,  than 
to  give  sufficient  conviction.  Now,  from  this  method  of  reasoning  it  is  inferred  that,, 
when  the  soul  is  separate  from  the  body,  it  is  altogether  destitute  of  the  exercise  of 
thought,  which  is  what  they  mean  by  the  soul's  sleeping.  To  give  farther  counte- 
nance to  this  matter,  they  produce  several  scriptures  in  which  death  is  compared  to  a 
sleep.     Thus,  when  God  speaks  of  the  death  of  Moses,  he  says,    '  Behold,  thou 

r  Vid.  Hoornbeek  Socin.  Confut.  torn.  iii.  lib.  v.  cap.  i.  who  quotes  some  passages  out  of  several 
Socinian  writers.  Of  these  I  shall  mention  what  is  said  by  only  two  of  them,  with  whom  several 
others  of  their  brethren  agree.  Vid.  Socin.  in  Epist.  v.  ad  Volkel.  Tantum  id  n  ihi  videtur  statui 
posse,  post  hanc  vitam,  animam.  sive  animum  hominis  ncn  ita  per  se  subsistere  ut  praemia  ulla 
paenasve  sentiat ;  vel  etiam  ista  sentiemii  sit  capax,  quae  mea  finna  opinio  facile  potest  colligi  ex 
inultis  quae  a  me  dicuntur,  etc.  Et  Smalc.  in  Exam.  Error,  page  33.  Animam  vel  spiritum  hominis 
post  mortem  aliquid  sentire,  vel  aliqua  re  perfrui,  nee  ratio  permittit  nee  scriptura  testatur:  Ut 
enim  corpus  sine  anima,  sic  etiam  anima  sine  corpore,  nullus  operationes  exercere-potest ;  et  per- 
inde  sit  ac  si  anima  illorum  nulla  esset,  etiamsi  suo  modo  sit,  quia  scilicet  nullius  rti  sensum  habeat, 
aut  per  se  voluptate  aliqua  Irui  possit.  And  elsewhere  the  same  author  is  so  hardy  as  to  term  the 
contrary  doctrine  no  other  than  a  fable,  in  lib.  de  Dei  Filio,  cap.  vi.  page  43.  Quod  vero  de  vita 
aniinarum  disserit,  hoc  instnr  fabulae  est,  etc.  Spiritum  hominis  ad  Deum  redire  testatur  sacra 
scriptura,  at  eum  vivere  vita,  ut  ait  Smiglecius,  spirituum,  et  vel  aliquid  intelligere,  vel  voluptate 
frui,  hoc  extra,  et  contra  scripturam  dicitur. 

s  See  Locke's  Essay  concern  ng  Human  Understanding,  lib.  ii.  cap.  i.  §  ix.  to  the  xixth. 

II.  2  11 


242  the  FUTrm:  state. 

shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers.''  Joo  also  speaks  of  sleeping  in  the  dust  ;m  and  concern- 
ing the  resurrection  after  death,  he  says,  '  Man  lieth  down  and  riseth  not ;  till  the 
heavens  be  no  more,  they  shall  not  awake  nor  be  raised  out  of  their  sloop.'*  David 
prays,  •  Lighten  mine  eyes,  lest  I  sleep  the  sleep  of  death.'?  And  our  Saviour, 
speaking  concerning  Lazarus,  when  dead,  says,  '  Our  friend  Lazarus  sleepeth ;  but 
I  go  that  I  may  awake  him  out  of  sleep;'2  which  he  afterwards  explains,  when  he 
says,  *  Lazarus  is  dead.'a  There  are  several  other  scriptures  to  the  same  purpose, 
which  they  bring  to  prove  that  the  soul  sleeps  in  death,  taking  the  word  '  sleep '  in 
its  literal  sense. 

Now,  in  reply  to  their  arguments,  we  reply  that  as  to  the  possibility  of  the  soul 
being  rendered  incapable  of  thinking,  when  separate  from  the  body  ;  it  is  no  just 
way  of  reasoning  to  infer  from  the  possibility  of  a  thing,  the  actual  being  of  it 
Hence,  if  it  could  be  proved  to  a  demonstration,  as  the  author  above-mentioned 
supposes  he  has  done,  though  I  think  without  sufficient  ground,  that  sleep  deprives 
a  person  of  thought;  it  will  not  follow  that  the  soul,  when  separate  from  the  body, 
ceases  to  think.     When  the  powers  and  faculties  of  the  soul  are  deduced  into  act, 
experience  tells  us  that  they  are  greatly  improved  and  strengthened.    The  exercise 
of  them,  therefore,  cannot  be  so  easily  impeded  as  is  pretended  ;  especially  when 
we  consider  that  the  soul  does  not  derive  its  activity  from  the  body,  which  contri- 
butes very  little  to  its  ideas  of  things  immaterial,  which  are  not  the  objects  of  sense. 
And  how  much  soever  bodily  diseases  may  weaken  or  interrupt  the  soul  in  its  act- 
ings, we  do  not  find  that  they  so  far  destroy  those  powers,  but  that,  when  the  dis- 
temper ceases,  the  former  actings  return,  like  the  spring  of  a  watch  which  may  be 
stopped  by  something  that  hinders  the  motion  of  the  wheels,  and  which,  when  this 
is  removed,  continues  to  give  motion  to  them  as  it  had  done  before.     The  body,  at 
most,  can  be  considered  but  as  a  clog  and  impediment  to  the  activity  of  the  soul ; 
and  we  may  hence  infer  that,  in  a  state  of  separation,  the  soul  is  so  far  from  being 
impeded  in  its  actings,  that  it  becomes  more  active  than  before. — But  what  I  would 
principally  insist  on  as  sufficient  to  overthrow  the  doctrine  we  are  opposing,  is  the 
account  which  we  have  in  many  scriptures,  and  several  just  consequences  which 
may  be  deduced  from  them,  by  which  it  will  appear  that  nothing  which  has  been 
said  concerning  the  possibility  of  the  soul's  being  inactive,  when  separate  from  the 
body,  can  enervate  the  force  of  the  argument  to  support  the  contrary  doctrine.    It 
is  true,  the  scripture  often  represents  death  as  a  sleep,  as  in  the  places  formerly 
mentioned.     Death  is  also  sometimes  described  as  a  state  of  rest,  which  is  of  the 
same  import  with  sleep  ;  but  this  is  explained  as  a  state  of  peace,  holiness,  and 
happiness,  and  not  a  cessation  from  action.     Thus  it  is  said,  '  He  shall  enter  into 
peace,  they  shall  rest  in  their  beds,  each  one  walking  in  his  uprightness. ' b     This 
is  plainly  meant  of  the  death  of  the  righteous,  as  appears  from  the  preceding  verse, 
where  it  is  said,  '  The  righteous  perisheth,  and  no  man  layeth  it  to  heart.'     Now, 
these  are  said  to  '  enter  into  peace  ;'  which  supposes  that  they  are  capable  of  the 
enjoyment  of  those  blessings  which  the  soul  shall  then  be  possessed  of.     They  are 
also  said  to  'walk  in  their  uprightness  ;'  which  signifies  their  being  active  in  what 
respects  the  glory  of  God,  which  is  very  inconsistent  with  the  soul's  sleeping,  when 
separate  from  the  body.     Rest  and  sleep  are  metaphorical  expressions,  when  ap- 
plied to  this  doctrine.    Now  nothing  is  more  common  than  for  such  figurative  ways 
of  speaking  to  be  used  in  the  sacred  writings  ;  so  that  it  is  very  absurd  for  us  to 
understand  the  words  in  a  literal  sense  in  the  instance  before  us. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  consider  the  proofs  we  have  from  scripture  of  the  soul's 
being  in  a  state  of  activity  when  separate  from  the  body.  The  first  scripture  which 
may  be  brought  to  prove  this,  is  2  Cor.  xii.  2 — 4,  where  the  apostle  says  con- 
cerning himself  that  he  was  '  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,'  and  knew  not  whe- 
ther he  was,  at  the  same  time,  '  in,  or  out  of  the  body.'  If  he  was  in  the  body,  his 
senses  were  locked  up,  and  he  must  be  supposed  to  have  been  in  a  trance  ;  which 
militates  against  the  supposition  that  the  soul's  power  of  acting  may  be  impeded 
either  by  sleep  or  some  bodily  disease,  in  which  there  is  not  the  exercise  of  the 

t  Deut.  xxxi.  16.  u  Job  vii.  31.  x  Chap.  xiv.  12.  y  Psal.  xiii.  3. 

z  John  xi.  11.  a  Verse  14.  b  Isa.  lvii.  2. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  243 

senses.  Or  if,  on  the  other  hand,  he  was  '  out  of  tjie  body,'  his  •  hearing  unspeak- 
able words'  plainly  proves  our  argument, — that  the  soul  is  capable  of  action,  and 
consequently  of  enjoying  the  heavenly  glory,  when  separate  from  the  body.  More- 
over, this  is  evident  from  our  Saviour's  words  to  the  penitent  thief  on  the  cross, 
'  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise.'0  To  be  'in 
paradise'  is  certainly  to  be  in  heaven  in  a  state  of  complete  blessedness,  where  the 
soul  delights  itself  in  the  enjoyment  of  God,  which  is  altogether  inconsistent  with 
a  state  of  insensibility.  Were  it  otherwise,  it  ought  rather  to  have  been  said,  thou 
shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise  after  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  than  to-day.  The 
method  which  some  take  to  evade  the  force  of  this  argument,  who  say  that '  to-day' 
refers,  not  to  the  time  of  his  being  admitted  into  heaven,  but  to  the  time  when 
Christ  spake  these  words,  is  so  low  and  trifling,  that  it  does  not  deserve  an  answer. 
— There  is  another  scripture  which  fully  proves  our  doctrine,  namely,  '  I  am  in  a 
strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far 
better.'*1  Here  the  apostle  takes  it  for  granted  that,  as  soon  as  he  departed  out  of 
this  world,  he  should  be  with  Christ.  This  denotes  that  he  should  be  in  his  imme- 
diate presence,  beholding  his  glory  ;  and  is  inconsistent  with  the  supposition  that 
the  soul  sleeps  at  death.  Besides,  he  says,  •  This  is  far  better  ;'  and  he  could  not 
have  said  so,  if  the  notion  we  are  opposing  were  true.  For  it  is  much  better  for  a 
saint  to  be  serving  Christ's  interest  in  this  world,  and  made  so  eminently  useful  in 
promoting  his  glory  as  the  apostle  was,  than  to  be  in  a  state  of  inactivity,  in  which 
the  soul  is  not  capable  of  doing  any  thing  for  him,  or  of  enjoying  any  thing  from 
him.  Indeed,  there  is  no  comparison  between  the  two  states ;  so  that  when  he  said 
he  was  '  in  a  strait'  which  he  should  choose,  the  matter,  had  it  been  referred  to 
him,  might  easily  have  been  determined  in  favour  of  his  continuing  in  this  world  ; 
for  here  he  was  useful, — while,  in  a  state  of  inactivity,  he  would  not  only  be  useless, 
but  incapable  of  enjoying  those  privileges  which  he  was  made  partaker  of  here. — 
Further,  we  have  another  argument  taken  from  2  Cor.  v.  8,  '  We  are  confident,  I 
say,  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with  the 
Lord.'  Here  presence  with  the  Lord  is  inferred  from  absence  from  the  body, 
without  any  intimation  of  waiting  till  the  soul  is  united  again  to  the  body,  before 
being  admitted  into  Christ's  presence. — Again,  our  doctrine  appears  from  the 
words  of  Solomon,  in  Eccles.  iv.  2,  '  I  praised  the  dead,  which  are  already  dead, 
more  than  the  living  which  are  yet  alive. '  By  these  words  we  are  to  understand 
that  the  state  of  believers,  when  they  die,  is  much  more  happy  than  it  can  be  in 
this  life.  Now  this  supposes  that  they  are  capable  of  happiness,  and  consequently 
that  the  soul,  when  separated  from  the  body,  is  not  in  a  state  of  insensibility, 
which  is  altogether  inconsistent  with  happiness.  We  may  add  what  our  Saviour 
says  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus :  '  The  beggar  died,  and  was 
carried  by  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom.  The  rich  man  also  died  and  was  buried, 
and  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments. 'e  In  this  parable  we  have  an 
account  of  the  different  state  of  the  souls  of  the  righteous  and  of  the  wicked  at 
death,  and  not  merely  what  shall  follow  after  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  For 
when  the  rich  man  is  represented  as  being  in  torments,  he  says,  in  a  following  part 
of  the  parable,  '  I  have  five  brethren  ;'  and  he  would  have  had  '  Lazarus  sent  to 
testify  to  them,  lest  they  should  also  come  into  that  place  of  torment ;'  and  he 
is  told,  '  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  let  them  hear  them.'f  Now  all  this 
plainly  intimates  that  the  parable  refers  to  the  state  of  separate  souls  before  the 
resurrection,  whilst  others  enjoyed  the  means  of  grace ;  and  consequently  it  proves 
that  the  soul,  when  separate  from  the  body,  is  capable  of  happiness  or  misery,  and, 
what  is  more,  is  fixed  in  the  one  or  the  other  of  them. 

An  objection  is  founded  on  those  scriptures  which  speak  of  the  happiness  or  misery 
of  men,  as  deferred  to  the  end  of  the  world.  It  is  intimated  in  the  parable  of  the 
tares,  that  '  the  angels  shall  come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from  the  just ;  t  and 
the  former  are  said  to  be  'cast  into  a  furnace  of  fire  ;'h  and  the  latter,  namely,  the 
righteous,  are  said  to  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.'1 

c  Luke  xxiii.  43.  d  Phil.  i.  23.  e  Luke  xvi.  22,  23.  f  Verses  28,  29. 

g  Matt.  xiii.  9.  h  Verses  49,  50.  i  Verse  43. 


244  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

Moreover,  our  Saviour  speaks  0/  his  people  as  '  blessed,  and  recompensed  at  the 
resurrection  of  the  just.'k  The  apostle  Paul  also  expresses  his  hope  of  'a  crown  of 
righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  should  give  him  at  that  day,'1 
that  is,  the  day  of  his  coming  to  judgment.  Several  other  scriptures  likewise  speak 
of  what  is  consequent  to  the  resurrection. — Now,  we  observe,  in  reply,  that  these 
scriptures  respect,  not  the  beginning,  but  the  consummation  of  the  happiness  of  the 
saints,  or  their  complete  blessedness  in  soul  and  body.  This,  however,  is  not  in- 
consistent with  the  happiness  which  separate  souls  enjoy  before  the  resurrection. 
Nor  is  the  misery  which  is  consequent  upon  the  resurrection  inconsistent  with  that 
which  sinners  endure  belore  it,  when  their  souls  are  separate  from  their  bodies. 
Thus  concerning  the  happiness  of  the  souls  of  believers  at  death. 

II.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  is  farther  observed  in  this  Answer,  concern- 
ing the  soul's  waiting  for  the  full  redemption  of  the  body.  The  justified  soul,  though 
it  continues  under  the  dominion  of  death,  is  notwithstanding  united  to  Christ ;  and 
accordingly  believers  are  said  to  rest  in  their  graves  as  in  their  beds,  till  the  re- 
surrection. 

1.  The  souls  of  believers  are  described  as  '  waiting  for  the  full  redemption  of  their 
bodies.'  This  is  the  same  expression  which  the  apostle  uses,  Rom.  viii.  23;  where 
'  redemption'  denotes  a  full  discharge  from  the  state  of  confinement  in  the  grave,  in 
which  the  body  was  rendered  incapable  of  answering  the  end  for  which  it  was  re- 
deemed by  Christ,  while  the  soul  was,  at  the  same  time,  destitute  of  that  happiness 
which  its  reunion  therewith  shall  convey  to  it.  The  soul's  enjoyments  were  all 
spiritual,  and,  in  their  kind,  perfect ;  yet  it  was  naked,  or,  as  the  apostle  expresses 
it,  '  unclothed  ;'  it  wanted  that  which  was  designed  to  be  a  constituent  part  of  the 
human  nature,  and  without  which  it  was  indisposed  for  those  actions  and  enjoy- 
ments which  arise  from  its  union  with  the  body.  This  reunion  with  the  body  it  is 
said  to  wait  for,  as  a  desire  of  reunion  therewith  is  natural  to  it ;  yet  it  waits 
without  impatience,  or  any  diminution  of  its  intellectual  happiness. 

2.  As  to  the  bodies  of  believers,  they  are  said  to  continue  united  to  Christ.  This 
is  the  result  of  their  being  redeemed  by  him,  and  of  his  condescending  to  dwell  in 
them  by  his  Spirit.  His  love  extends  itself  to  their  lower  part,  as  well  as  to  their 
souls.  '  Nothing,'  as  the  apostle  says,  '  shall  separate'  a  believer  '  from  his  love  ;' 
no  '  not  death  itself. 'm  On  this  account  they  are  said  to  'sleep  in  Jesus, 'n  or 
to  'die  in  the  Lord.'0  They  are  indeed  buried  in  the  grave,  and  seem  to  lie  ne- 
glected like  common  dust ;  yet  it  is  said,  '  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  his  saints. 'p  Christ  reckons  every  particle  of  their  dust  among  'his 
jewels  ;'i  and  is  no  more  ashamed  to  own  them  as  his  peculiar  care,  than  he  was 
when  they  were  in  their  most  flourishing  state  in  this  world.  For  this  reason  they 
are  also  said  to  '  rest  in  their  graves  as  in  their  beds.'  This  is  a  scripture-expres- 
sion, as  the  psalmist  says,  '  My  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope;'r  and  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
'  He  shall  enter  into  peace,  they  shall  rest  in  their  beds.'8  The  body,  indeed,  re- 
mains under  the  external  part  of  the  curse  due  to  man  for  sin  ;  yet,  as  will  be 
abundantly  demonstrated  when  death  shall  be  completely  swallowed  up  in  victory, 
it  is  freed  from  that  which  is  the  most  bitter  ingredient  of  it.  In  this  the  bodies 
of  believers  have  the  advantage  of  all  others.  The  frame  of  nature  indeed  is  dis- 
solved ;  there  is  no  visible  mark  of  distinction  from  the  wicked  put  upon  them  in 
the  grave  ;  yet  there  is  a  vast  difference  in  God's  account.  This  a  writer  elegantly 
compares  to  the  removing  of  the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness.  When  the  Israelites 
changed  their  stations,  all  the  parts  of  the  tabernacle  were  carefully  taken  down 
and  delivered  to  the  Levites'  charge,  in  order  to  its  being  raised  again  with  honour. 
On  the  contrary,  the  house  incurably  infected  with  the  leprosy,  was  plucked  down 
with  violence,  and  thrown  into  an  unclean  place  with  execration.  The  bodies  of 
the  saints  are  committed  to  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  as  the  repository  Christ  has 
appointed  for  them  ;  whence  he  will  call  them  forth  at  last,  when  their  souls  shall 
be  again  united  to  them  in  the  glorious  morning  of  the  resurrection. 

k  Luke  xiv.  14.  1  2  Tim.  iv.  &  m  Rom.  viii.  38,  39. 

n   1  Tbess.  iv.  14.  o  Rev.  xiv.  13.  p  Psal.  cxvi.  15. 

q  Mai.  iii.  17.  r  Psal.  xvi.  9.  s  Isa.  lvii.  2. 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  245 


The  Misery  of  the  Wicked  at  Death. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  misery  which  the  souls  of  the  wicked  endure  at  death. 
This  is  stated  in  the  latter  part  of  this  Answer.  We  have  here  a  different  scene 
opened,  the  final  state  of  the  wicked  described  in  words  adapted  to  strike  dread  and 
terror  into  those  who  have  at  present  no  sense  of  their  future  misery.  Their  souls 
are  considered  as  cast  into  or  shut  up  in  hell,  their  bodies  imprisoned  in  the  grave, 
and  both  the  objects  of  divine  wrath.  We  shall  have  occasion,  under  a  following  An- 
swer,* farther  to  speak  concerning  the  punishment  which  shall  be  inflicted  on  sinners, 
whose  torments  shall  be  inexpressible,  both  in  body  and  in  soul,  after  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. At  present,  therefore,  we  shall  consider  only  the  misery  which  the  souls  of 
the  wicked  shall  undergo  before  they  are  united  to  their  bodies.  The  soul  which 
carries  out  of  the  world  with  it  the  power  of  reflecting  on  itself  as  happy  or  miserable, 
immediately  sees  itself  separate  from  the  comfortable  presence  of  God,  the  fountain 
of  blessedness.  What  tends  to  enhance  its  misery  beyond  what  it  is  capable  of 
in  this  life,  will  be  the  enlargement  of  its  faculties.  Its  apprehension  shall  be  more 
clear,  and  its  sensation  of  the  wrath  of  God  more  pungent,  when  it  is  not  oppressed 
with  the  drowsiness  and  stupidity  which  characterized  it  in  the  present  life.  Nor 
will  it  be  possible  for  it  to  delude  itself  with  those  vain  hopes  which  it  once  con- 
ceived of  escaping  that  misery  which  it  is  now  plunged  into  ;  when  all  the  waves 
and  billows  of  the  Almighty  shall  overwhelm  and  swallow  it  up.  The  soul  is,  in  a 
peculiar  manner,  the  subject  of  misery,  as  it  is  made  uneasy  by  its  own  thoughts  ; 
which  are  compared  to  the  worm  that  dieth  not.  While  the  sinner  looks  back- 
wards, and  calls  to  mind  the  actions  of  his  past  life,  and  all  his  sins  are  charged 
upon  him,  his  soul  is  filled  with  such  a  sense  of  guilt  and  confusion  as  is  inexpres- 
sibly tormenting  ;  and  when  he  looks  forwards,  there  is  nothing  but  what  adminis- 
ters despair,  which  increases  his  misery  to  the  highest  degree.  These  torments 
the  soul  endures  before  it  is  reunited  to  the  body,  and  thereby  rendered  receptive 
of  others,  which  we  generally  call  the  punishment  of  sense. 

The  place  of  punishment  is  the  same  that  is  allotted  for  soul  and  body,  namely, 
hell.  This  is  called  outer  darkness  ;  which  is  an  expression  used  to  signify  the 
greatest  degree  of  misery.  As  for  their  bodies,  they  dread  the  thoughts  of  being 
united  to  them  again  ;  inasmuch  as  the  reunion  will  bring  with  it  new  accessions 
of  torment.  They  are  considered  as  liable  to  a  double  dishonour  ;  not  only  that 
which  arises  from  their  being  in  a  state  of  corruption  in  common  with  all  mankind, 
but  in  their  being  detained  in  the  grave,  as  prisoners  to  the  justice  of  God,  whence 
they  shall  not  be  released  as  persons  acquitted  or  discharged,  but  remanded  from 
that  prison  to  another,  from  which  there  is  no  deliverance.  But  more  of  this  under 
a  following  Answer. 

t  Quest,  lxxxix. 
[Note  P.  Christ's  Preaching  to  the  Spirits  in  Prison, —  Our  Lord  went  at  death,  not  to  do  any 
work  in  a  middle  state,  but  to  be  with  his  Father  and  reveal  himself  in  paradise  to  the  saved.  On 
the  eve  of  his  death,  he  said  to  his  disciples,  '  I  go  to  my  Father ;'  on  the  cross,  he  said  to  the  peni- 
tent thief,  '  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise  ;'  and  at  the  moment  of  expiring,  he  said  to 
the  Father,  '  Into  thy  hands  I  commit  my  spirit.'  Nor  did  he  go  in  person  to  '  the  spirits  in  prison ' 
of  whom  the  apostle  Peter  speaks ;  but  he  went  and  preached  to  them  by  the  Spirit, — the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  spoke  in  all  the  prophets  and  holy  men  of  old,  and  testified  of  Christ.  Just  as  he  went 
to  '  the  spirits '  in  question,  so  he  went  to  the  Ephesians  who,  in  the  days  of  the  apostolic  ministry, 
were  converted  to  the  Christian  faith.  '  Having  slain  the  enmity  by  the  cross,'  says  the  apostle 
Paul,  addressing  the  Ephesian  believers,  •  he  came  and  preached  peace  to  you  who  were  afar  off,' 
Eph.  ii.  17-  As,  by  the  ministry  of  Paul,  but  not  in  his  own  person,  he  'came  and  preached'  to 
the  Ephesians ;  so,  by  the  ministry  of  Noah,  but  not  in  his  own  person,  '  he  went  and  preached  to 
the  spirits  in  prison.'  Noah  was  'a  preacher  of  righteousness,'  (2  Pet.  ii.  5.)  or  of  the  way  of 
mercy  ;  and  he  just  as  really  as  Paul  *  prayed  men  in  Christ's  stead,  as  though  God  did  beseech 
them  by  him,  to  be  reconciled  to  God.'  The  time,  therefore,  at  which  Christ  preached  to  'the 
spirits  in  prison,'  was  '  the  days  of  ^oah,'  when  the  ark  was  a-preparing.  '  The  spirits,'  too,  were 
not  only  disobedient  but  objects  of  long-suffering  :  they  were  persons  who  were  disobedient  ■  when 
once  the  long-suffering  of  God  waited  in  the  days  of  Noah  :'  they  were  not  condemned  men  enduring 
the  miseries  of  final  wrath,  but  disobedient  hearers  of  divine  warnings  which  told  them  of  wrath  to 
come,  and  favoured  objects  of  the  divine  long-suffering  which  '  waited'  for  their  repentance.  Nor 
is  it  strange  that  they  are  called  '  spirits,' — '  souls '  or  '  spirits '  being  a  current  designation  of  living 


246  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

men,  in  even  the  historical  parts  of  scripture.  See  Gen.  xii.  5;  xlvi.  15,  18,  22,  25,  26,  27 
Exod.  i.  5;  xii.  4;  Josh.  x.  28,  30,  32;  xi.  11,  and  many  other  texts.  The  'prison,'  then,  ii\ 
which  they  were  confined,  was  simply  the  doomed  world,  converted  into  a  vast  dungeon  from  which 
the  impenitent  could  not  escape,  and  walled  round  by  denunciations  of  the  divine  anger  which 
should  certainly  be  executed.  They  were  persons  'in  keeping,'  or  '  under  guard,'  i»  0i»x<**»>.  Ac- 
cordingly, they  were  not,  as  the  Romish  gloss  on  the  passage  represents,  delivered  from  '  the  guard ' 
which  was  over  them,  or  '  the  prison'  in  which  they  were  shut  up;  for  only  'a  few,  that  is,  eight 
souls,'  Noah  and  his  family,  who  held  a  common  position  with  them,  'were  saved.'  Even  these, 
also,  were  saved,  not  by  fire,  but  '  by  water,' — not  by  the  action  of  purgatorial  flame,  but  by  being 
borne  aloft  in  the  ark  on  the  surface  of  the  flood, — '  the  like  figure  whereunto,'  adds  the  apostle, 
'  even  baptism  doth  also  now  save  us — not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  toward  God — by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ.'  To  crown  all,  the  persons 
described  were  guilty  of  what  Romanists  call  '  mortal  sin,'  or  rather  of  all  mortal  sins  combined  ; 
hikI,  therefore,  could  not,  according  to  the  church  of  Rome's  own  doctrine,  have  been  allowed  ad- 
mission to  her  supposed  purgatory.     Scarcely,  then,  can  there  be  a  more  reckless  perversion  of  the 

<wnse  of  a  passage,  than  that  which  Romanists  practise  on  this  text  in  Peter Ed.] 

[Note  Q.  Arguments  against  Puryatory As  Dr.  Ridgeley  has  merely  repelled  the  arguments 

advanced  by  Romanists  in  favour  of  their  doctrine  of  purgatory,  an  outline  of  arguments  on  the  op- 
posite side,  affording  direct  evidence  that  the  doctrine  is  unscriptural,  may  not  be  unsuitable. 

The  doctrine  of  purgatory,  then,  is  inconsistent  with  the  sufficiency  of  Christ's  sacrifice.  Our 
Lord  is  able  to  '  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them.'  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  God's  Son,  cleanseth  from  all  sin.'  '  If, 
when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  re- 
conciled, we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life.'  '  There  is  now,  therefore,  no  condemnation  to  them  which 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Men,  if  justified  by  his  blood  at  all,  are  'justified  from  all  things  from  which 
they  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.'  They  have  a  remedy  applied  to  them  which  is 
divinely  efficacious  to  remove  all  their  maladies ;  they  have  had  a  price  paid  for  them  which  is 
divinely  precious  to  '  redeem  them  from  all  evil ;'  and  they  cannot  need,  and  consequently  will  not 
receive,  such  poor  though  painful  supplementary  aid  as  the  action,  for  a  season,  of  purgatorial  fire. 
The  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  also  with  the  nature  and  the  means  of  moral  purification. 
Romanists  are  not  agreed  as  to  what  their  pretended  purgatorial  fire  is  ;  though  the  majority  believe 
it  to  be  literal  fire,  while  the  remainder  suppose  it  to  be  something  capable  of  inflicting  agonizing 
pain.  But  who  can  conceive  of  mind  being  operated  on,  as  if  in  a  chemical  way,  by  physical  agency 
■ — of  an  intellect  being  burned,  a  memory  excoriated,  a  soul  fused  or  refined  by  literal  flame  ?  Or, 
if  the  fire  be  only  figurative,  who,  with  the  Bible  before  him,  can  imagine  the  soul's  moral  purifi- 
cation to  be  effected  by  its  subjection  to  pain  and  anguish  ?  Moral  nuans  are  those  alone  which, 
by  divine  appointment,  and  in  suitableness  to  man's  intellectual  nature,  are  employed  to  remove  his 
pollution  and  make  him  holy.  He  is  'sanctified  by  the  truth.'  His  'heart  is  purified  by  faith.' 
A  believer  is  '  elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit,  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.'  His  'soul  is  purified  in 
obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit.'  He  is  '  sanctified  and  cleansed  with  the  washing  of  water 
by  the  word,  Christ  having  given  himself  for  him,  that  he  might  present  him  to  himself  not  having 
spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing,  but  that  he  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish.'  While,  there- 
fore, the  sacrifice  of  Christ  is  all-sufficient  to  take  away  all  guilt,  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
through  the  instrumentality  of  the  truth,  is  all-sufficient  to  remove  all  corruption ;  so  that,  on  the 
one  hand,  purgiitorial  fire  is  not  needed  and  cannot  exist  to  make  atonement,  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  not  needed  and  cannot  exist  to  effect  moral  purification. 

The  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  likewise  with  the  condition  and  character  of  believers 
in  Christ.  Persons  interested  in  Christ,  as  Romanists  represent  the  candidates  for  their  supposed 
purgatory  to  be,  are  '  one  spirit  with  the  Lord.'  Their  Redeemer  and  public  Head  says  to  them, 
'  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also.'  They  are  'dead,  and  their  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.' 
They  never  come  into  condemnation.  '  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect? 
It  is  God  that  justifieth,  who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died;  yea,  rather 
who  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession 
for  them.'  They  are  beyond  the  reach  of  what  is  penal.  '  Having  been  justified  by  faith, 
they  have  peace  with  God  through  Jesus  Christ  their  Lord,  by  whom  also  they  have  access  into 
this  grace  wherein  they  stand,  and  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.'  They  are  partakers  of 
life — eternal  life — life  together  with  Christ.  They  have  received  a  right,  «!««/*■/«,  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,  '  the  Spirit  itself  bearing  witness  with  their  spirit  that  they  are  the  children  of  God  ;  and  if 
children,  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ.'  '  According  to  God's  abundant 
mercy,  they  have  been  begotten  again  unto  a  living  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from 
the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in 
heaven  for  them ;  and  they  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be 
revealed  in  the  last  time.'  How  utterly  irreconcilable  with  these  views  of  the  condition  and  hopes 
and  relationships  of  Christians,  and  with  other  views  equally  glorious  in  the  divine  word,  is  the 
notion  of  their  liability  to  be  subjected  to  the  penal  and  purgatorial  fires  of  the  Romish  middle 
state  !  Look  especially  at  their  union  with  Christ,— their  being  one  with  him,  married  to  him, 
quickened  and  raised  with  him;  (Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  6 ;  1  Cor.  vi.  17;  Eph.  ii.  5,6;  Rom.  v.  19; 
Matt,  xxv  40,  45;  Isa.  lxiii.  9;  John  xvii.  21,  22  ;)  and  at  their  present  enjoyment  of  their  salva- 
tion,— their  being  saved,  and  saved  now; — (Luke  vii.  50;  xviii.  42  ;  1  Cor.  i.  18;  Tit  iii.  5; 
Lukexix.  9;  Isa.  xii.  2;  Heb.  v.  9 ;  Isa  xlv.  17 ;)  and  can  their  condition  and  the  doctrine  or 
purgatory  be  for  one  moment  viewed  as  compatible  ? 

Again,  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  or  of  a  middle  or  third  state,  is  inconsistent  with  the  uniform 
distribution  of  all  moral  matters  into  the  two  classes  of  good  anu  evil.     There  are  two  ways  in 


THE  FUTURE  STATE.  -247 

which  men  walk, — the  way  that  leads  to  life,  and  the  way  that  leads  to  destruction ;  two  gates 
through  which  they  all  pass, — the  strait  gate  which  many  seek  to  enter  but  are  not  able,  and  the 
broad  gate,  through  which  the  multitude  press  ;  two  kingdoms  maintained  in  the  world, — the  king- 
dom of  God  and  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  or  the  kingdom  of  light  and  the  kingdom  of  darkness  ;  two 
masters  whom  men  serve,  or  to  whom  they  yield  subjection  and  obedience, — God  and  mammon,  the 
living  God  and  the  demon  of  idolatry,  holiness  and  sin  ;  two  families  into  which  the  human  race 
are  divided, — the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  the  wicked  one  ;  two  classes  into  which  the 
divine  law  distributes  all  who  are  under  it, — those  who  are  alive  to  God,  and  those  who  are  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,  the  saved  and  the  lost,  the  justified  and  the  condemned,  the  righteous  and 
ihe  wicked.  Now,  correspondingly  to  this  uniform  twofold  classification,  there  are,  and  can  be, 
only  two  ends, — '  life  and  death,'  salvation  and  destruction,  heaven  and  hell. 

Further,  the  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  with  the  purposes  and  designs  of  Deity  in  call- 
ing men  to  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel.  He  'chose  them  in  Christ,  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  that  they  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love ;  having  predestinated  them 
unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will.' 
They,  hence,  '  have  obtained  ' — in  the  present  life,  or  simply  as  believers  on  the  Son  of  God — '  an 
inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will,  that  they  should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory.'  They  were  predestinated — 
not  to  come  into  a  state  of  imperfect  salvation  which  should  require  to  be  completed  by  some  new 
and  lengthened  process  in  another  world — but  to  be  '  conformed  to  the  image  of  God's  Son.'  '  More- 
over,' adds  the  apostle,  '  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called  ;  and  whom  he  called,  them 
he  also  justified  ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.'  They  are  'saved  by  grace,  through 
faith,  and  that  not  of  themselves — it  is  the  gift  of  God  ;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast ; 
for  they  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  or- 
dained that  they  should  walk  in  them.'  All  the  designs  of  the  divine  purposes  concerning  them, 
therefore,  secure  their  being  renovated,  justified,  sanctified,  made  heirs  of  glory,  and  set  up  to  the 
praise  of  the  divine  grace,  in  the  present  world.  'My  sheep  hear  my  voice,'  said  Christ,  'and  I 
know  them,  and  they  follow  me  ;  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.'  How,  then,  can  any  of  them — alive  to  God,  pos- 
sessors of  eternal  life,  held  fast  in  the  Redeemer's  hand,  predestinated,  redeemed,  and  called  to  the 
heirship  of  heaven  and  practical  conformity  to  the  image  of  God's  Son — be  in  a  condition  of  fitness 
or  liability  to  pass  at  death  into  a  middle  or  purgatorial  state  ? 

The  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  also  with  what  the  scriptures  declare  shall  be  the  state 
of  things  at  the  resurrection  and  the  final  judgment.  Both  by  the  granting  of  indulgences  for  many 
thousands  of  years,  and  by  other  practices  and  assumptions  current  in  the  church  of  Rome,  the  doc- 
trine of  purgatory  is  identified  with  a  supposed  continuation  of  the  imprisonment  of  many  persons 
in  the  middle  state  long  after  the  end  of  the  world.  But  there  will  be  a  resurrection,  not  of  three- 
classes  of  men,  but  of  only  two.  There  will  be  '  a  resurrection  unto  life,'  and  '  a  resurrection  unto 
condemnation,' — '  a  resurrection  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust.'  Those  who  '  sleep  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.' 
'  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  ;  and  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations ;  and  he  shall  separate 
them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats  ;  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep 
on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand, 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world.  Then  shall  he  say  also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal.'  Not  an  individual  will  be  found  connected  with  the 
supposed  purgatory  in  the  resurrection  ;  and  not  an  individual  will  be  left  apart  from  the  two  great 
classes  of  men  to  inhabit  it  after  the  final  judgment.  But  if  the  Romish  doctrine  respecting  it  be 
untrue  in  reference  to  these  great  epochs,  it  must  be  equally  untrue  respecting  it  in  reference  to  any 
preceding  period. 

The  Romish  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  likewise  with  the  hope  and  the  desire  which 
Christians  are  warranted  to  cherish  in  anticipating  death.  '  We  know,'  says  the  apostle,  speaking 
of  himself  in  common  with  all  true  Christians,  '  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were 
dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  For 
in  this  we  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven  ;  if  so 
be  that  being  clothed,  we  shall  not  be  found  naked.  For  we  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan, 
being  burdened  :  not  for  that  we  would  be  unclothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that  mortality  might  be 
swallowed  up  of  life.  Now  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  self-same  thing  is  God,  who  also  hath 
given  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit.  Therefore  we  are  always  confident,  knowing  that,  whilst 
we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord :  for  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight :  we 
are  confident,  I  say,  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with  the 
Lord,'  2  Cor.  v.  1 — 8.  How  utterly  incompatible  are  these  breathings  and  desires  and  confident 
expectations  of  believers,  with  the  notion  that  all  of  them  may,  and  that  some  of  them  must,  pass 
at  death  into  a  state  of  severe  suffering  !  They  are  confident  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from 
the  body  and  present  with  the  Lord  ;  so  that,  no  sooner  do  they  leave  '  this  tabernacle,'  than  they 
participate  in  the  holiness  and  the  joys  of  heaven.  Their  Lord  has  gone  '  to  prepare  a  place  for 
them,  and  he  will  come  again  and  receive  them  to  himself,  that  where  he  is,  there  they  may  be  also.' 
His  prayer  on  their  behalf,  even  when  he  was  on  earth,  and  a  prayer  which  he  continues  to  make, 
and  which,  belonging  to  his  intercessory  function  as  '  the  High-priest  of  their  profession,'  invariably 
prevails,  is,  '  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that 
they  may  behold  the  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me  ;  for  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  ot 
the  world.'     They,  accordingly,  have  '  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  them; 


24^  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 

which  hope  they  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and  stedfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that 
within  the  vail,  whither  the  forerunner  is  for  them  entered,  even  Jesus,  made  an  High-priest  for  ever, 
after  the  order  of  Melchizedek.'  They  can,  therefore,  have  no  reason  to  fear,  no  ground  to  anticipate, 
even  the  risk  of  their  being  shut  up,  for  a  season  after  death,  in  the  flames  of  a  purgatorial  state. 

Again,  the  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  with  the  representations  of  scripture  as  to  the 
state,  immediately  after  death,  of  Christians  in  particular,  and  of  mankind  in  general.  Respecting 
Christians  such  statements  as  these  occur :  '  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me, 
Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth  :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
they  may  rest  from  their  labours ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them.'  '  But  now  they  desire  a  better 
country,  that  is,  an  heavenly  :  wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God ;  for  he  hath 
prepared  for  them  a  city.'  '  For  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.  For  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt 
two,  having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ ;  which  is  far  better.'  '  For  none  of  us  liveth 
to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  himself.  For  whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  whether 
we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord  :  whether  we  live  therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's.  For  to  this 
end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose,  and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living,' 
Rev.  xiv.-l3;  Heb.  xi.  16;  Phil.  i.  21,  23,  Rom.  xiv.  7 — 9.  All  these  texts,  and  some  others, 
either  declare  or  assume  that  for  Christians  to  die,  is  to  be  with  Christ,  to  rest  from  their  labours, 
to  cease  from  suffering,  to  enter  into  heaven.  As  to  mankind,  in  general,  they  are  represented  as 
passing  at  death  either  into  one  of  two  separate  and  enduring  states,  or  into  a  condition  of  unalter- 
ably fixed  character  and  destiny,  where  no  change  of  prospects  or  position  can  be  undergone  :  '  And 
it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom :  the 
rich  man  also  died,  and  was  buried  ;  and  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and  seeth 
Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom.'  '  Return,  O  Lord,  deliver  my  soul :  O  save  me  for 
thy  mercies'  sake.  For  in  death  there  is  no  remembrance  of  thee  :  in  the  grave  who  shall  give 
thee  thanks  ?'  '  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might ;  for  there  is  no  work, 
nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom,  in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest.'  '  He  that  is  unjust,  let 
him  be  unjust  still :  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still :  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him 
be  righteous  still :  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still.'  '  He  that  belie veth  on  the  Son  hath 
everlasting  life  :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  him,'  Lute  xvi.  22,  23 ;  Psal.  vi.  4,  5;  Eccl.  ix.  10;  Rev.  xxii.  11 ;  John  iii.  36.  How  entirely 
irreconcilable  are  all  these  statements  with  the  notion  of  probation  and  purgation,  and  change  of 
character  and  state  in  a  future  world  ! 

Finally,  the  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  inconsistent  with  revealed  facte  respecting  the  state  of  de- 
parted souls  John  saw  in  vision  an  innumerable  company  of  deceased  believers  who  were  all 
'  arrayed  in  white  robes,  and  stood  before  the  throne,  and  served  God  day  and  night  in  his  temple,' 
Having  '  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ;'  and  '  they  sung  a 
new  song,  saying,  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof;  for  thou 
wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  peo- 
ple, and  nation,  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests,'  Rev.  vii.  13 — 17  ;  v.  9.  John 
was  visited  also  by  a  glorified  spirit  whom  he  mistook  for  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  and  who  said 
to  him,  '  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the  prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep  the 
sayings  of  this  book  :  worship  God,'  Rev.  xxii.  9.  When  Christ  was  transfigured  on  the  mount,  be- 
fore his  disciples,  '  there  talked  with  him,'  we  are  told,  '  two  men,  Moses  and  Elias,  who  appeared 
in  glory,  anil  spake  of  his  decease  which  he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem,'  Luke  ix.  30.  If 
Lazarus  and  the  rich  man,  in  the  parable,  be  viewed  as  representing  the  two  great  classes  of  man- 
kind, they  exhibit  the  whole  of  our  race  as  passing  at  death  either  into  paradise  or  into  a  place  oi 
endless  torments  ;  and  even  if  viewed  merely  as  individuals,  they  are  instances,  on  the  one  hand,  of 
a  departed  believer  being  in  a  state  of  bliss,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  a  departed  unbeliever  being 
in  a  state  of  incurable  woe,  Luke  xvi.  19 — 26.  '  Enoch,'  we  are  told, '  was  translated  that  he  should 
not  see  death,  and  was  not  found,  because  God  had  translated  him  ;  for,  before  his  translation,  he  had 
this  testimony,  that  he  pleased  God,'  Heb.  xi.  5.  These  are  all  the  instances  I  remember  in  which 
the  divine  word  reveals  facts  respecting  the  condition  of  any  deceased  men  ;  and,  excepting  the  case 
of  the  rich  man,  who  is  stated  to  have  lifted  up  his  eyes  m  hell,  they  all  represent  them in  con- 
nexion with  their  having  believed  on  Christ  and  served  God  on  earth  —  as  being  in  a  glorified  or 
heavenly  state.  Where,  then,  can  there  be  the  shadow  of  evidence,  or  even  of  apology,  for  the 
notion  of  purgatory  ? — Ed.] 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


Question  LXXXVII.  What  are  we  to  believe  concerning  the  resurrection  f 
Answer.  We  are  to  believe  that  at  the  last  day  there  shall  be  a  general  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  unjust;  when  they  that  are  then  found  alive  shall  in  a  moment  be  changed; 
and  the  self-same  bodies  of  the  dead  which  were  laid  in  the  grave,  being  then  again  united  to  their 
souls  for  ever,  shall  be  raised  up  by  the  power  of  Christ ;  the  bodies  of  the  just,  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  by  virtue  of  bis  resurrection,  as  their  head,  shall  be  raised  in  power,  spiritual,  incorruptible, 
and  made  like  to  his  glorious  body,  and  the  bodies  of  the  wicked  shall  be  raised  up  in  dishonour  by 
him  as  an  offended  Judge. 

In  discussing  the  foregoing  Answers,  we  have  considered  the  soul  and  body  as 
separated  by  death,  the  body  turned  to  corruption,  and  the  soul  immediately  en- 


THE  RESURRECTION.  249 

tering  into  a  state  of  happiness  or  misery.  We  are  now  led  to  insist  on  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection,  when  these  two  constituent  parts  of  man  shall  be  reunited. 
First,  we  shall  endeavour  to  explain  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  Secondly,  we  shall  prove  that  there  is  nothing  in  this  doctrine 
contrary  to  reason  ;  at  least,  if  we  consider  it  as  a  supernatural  and  divine  work. 
Thirdly,  we  shall  observe  that  this  doctrine  could  not  be  known  by  the  light  of 
nature,  and  that  we  believe  it  as  founded  in  divine  revelation.  Fourthly,  we  shall 
state  what  arguments  are  contained  in  scripture  for  the  proof  of  it ;  some  of  which 
might  be  taken  from  the  Old  Testament,  and  others  from  the  New,  in  which  it  is 
more  clearly  revealed.  Fifthly,  we  shall  answer  some  of  the  most  material  objec- 
tions brought  against  it.  Sixthly,  we  shall  consider  the  resurrection  as  universal, 
as  it  is  here  styled  a  general  resurrection  of  the  dead  from  the  beginning  of  time 
to  Christ's  second  coming ;  yet  with  this  exception,  that  they  who  are  found  alive 
shall  be  changed.  Lastly,  we  shall  consider  the  condition  in  which  the  body  shall 
be  raised ;  on  the  one  hand,  those  circumstances  of  honour  and  glory  which  respect 
more  especially  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  those  circum- 
stances of  dishonour  inflicted  by  Christ,  as  an  offended  Judge,  which  shall  charac- 
terize the  resurrection  of  the  wi.;ked. 

The  Mvaning  of  the  Resurrection. 

We  shall  first  consider  what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  We  sometimes  find  the  word  taken  in  scripture  in  a  metaphorical  sense, 
for  God's  doing  those  things  for  his  church  which  could  not  be  brought  about  any 
otherwise  than  by  his  extraordinary  and  supernatural  power.  Sometimes  the  work 
of  regeneration  is  set  forth  by  this  figurative  way  of  speaking  ;  they  who  are  '  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,'  are  said  to  be  quickened;  and  our  Saviour  says,  'The  hour 
is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and 
they  that  hear  shall  live.'u  But  we  are  at  present  to  understand  the  word  '  resur- 
rection '  in  a  proper  sense,  as  denoting  that  change  which  shall  pass  upon  the  body 
when  it  shall  be  delivered  from  the  state  of  corruption  into  which  it  was  brought  at 
death,  and  shall  be  reunited  to  the  soul.  This  is  distinguished  in  a  following  verse 
from  the  metaphorical  sense  of  the  word :  our  Lord  says,  '  All  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth  ;  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  re- 
surrection of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damna- 
tion.'" This  includes  not  merely  the  repairing  but  the  rebuilding  of  the  frame  of 
nature,  which  was  not  only  decayed  but  dissolved  in  death  ;  or  the  gathering  toge- 
ther of  those  particles  of  matter  of  which  the  body  was  before  constituted,  it  having 
been  turned  not  only  into  corruption  but  into  common  dust.  A  new  body,  as  to  its 
form  and  qualities,  is  thus  erected  out  of  its  old  materials  ;  otherwise  it  could  not 
be  called  a  resurrection.  It  is  said,  indeed,  that  the  body  shall  not  in  all  respects 
be  the  same  that  it  was  when  separated  from  the  soul.  The  apostle  compares  it  to 
4 a  grain  of  wheat'  sown  in  the  ground,  which,  when  it  springs  up,  is  not  altogether 
the  same  as  it  was  before  ;  for  '  God  giveth  it  a  body,  as  it  hath  pleased  him,  and 
to  every  seed  his  own  body.'?  But  though  very  different  as  to  its  qualities,  it  is 
the  same  in  substance,  as  it  consists  of  the  same  materials.  This  will  be  farther 
considered  when  we  speak  concerning  the  condition  of  the  body  when  raised  from 
the  dead,  as  raised  with  a  design  that  it  should  be  reunited  to  the  soul,  as  immediate- 
ly afterwards  reunited  to  it,  and  as  placed  in  a  union  with  it  which  shall  be  indis- 
soluble and  eternal. 

The  Resurrection  not  Contrary  to  Reason. 

We  shall  now  consider  that  there  is  nothing  contrary  to  reason,  or  impossible 
from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  which  might  have  a  tendency  to  overthrow  this  doc- 
trine ;  especially  if  we  consider  the  resurrection  as  a  supernatural  and  divine  work, 
brought  about  by  the  almighty  power  of  God.     If  we  look  no  farther  than  the 

u  John  v.  25.  x  Ver.  28.  y  I  Cor  xv.  37,  38. 

H.  2  I 


250  THE  RESURRECTION. 

power  of  natural  causes,  we  may  conclude  it  to  be  impossible  for  a  creature  to 
effect  the  resurrection,  as  much  as  it  was  at  first  to  produce  the  body  of  man  out 
of  the  dust  of  the  ground.  But  it  is  not  impossible  with  God.  He  who  gave  life 
and  being  to  all  things,  and,  by  his  sovereign  will,  puts  a  period  to  that  life  which 
had  been  for  some  time  continued  by  his  power  and  providence,  can  give  a  new  life 
to  the  body  ;  especially  if  there  be  nothing  in  this  work  which  renders  it  unmeet 
for  it  to  be  performed  by  him.  Now,  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  nature  of  the 
thing  which  renders  a  resurrection  impossible,  appears  from  the  fact  that  death, 
though  it  is  a  dissolution  of  the  frame  of  nature,  does  not  annihilate  the  body.  If 
the  body,  indeed,  were  annihilated  at  death,  then  it  would  be  impossible,  or  con- 
trary to  the  nature  of  things,  that  there  should  be  a  resurrection  of  it.  The  bring- 
ing of  it  aga:n  into  a  state  of  existence  would,  in  that  case,  be  a  new  creation  ;  which, 
though  it  would  not  be  too  great  a  work  for  omnipotence,  could  not  be  stvled  a  re- 
surrection, or  a  restoring  of  the  same  body  to  life  which  was  separated  from  the  soul 
to  which  it  was  once  united.  But  when  we  suppose  that  the  matter  of  which  the 
body  consisted  is  still  in  being,  and  nothing  is  necessary  to  the  raising  of  it  from  tho 
dead  but  the  re-collecting  of  the  various  particles  of  it,  and  forming  these  again  into 
a  body  fitted  to  receive  the  soul,  the  work  is  not  in  its  own  nature  impossible  ;  nor 
does  it  infer  a  contradiction,  so  as  to  imply  that  it  cannot  be  brought  about  by 
divine  power. 

That  this  may  more  fully  appear,  let  it  be  considered  that  nothing  which  God 
has  brought  into  being  can  be  annihilated  but  by  an  act  of  his  will ;  for  nothing 
can  defeat  or  disannul  his  providence,  which  upholdeth  all  things  that  were  brought 
into  being  by  the  word  of  his  power.  It  is  certain,  also,  that  God  has  given  us  no 
ground  to  conclude  that  any  part  of  his  material  creation  has  been  or  shall  be 
turned  into  nothing.  It  hence  follows  that  the  particles  of  all  the  bodies  of  men 
who  once  lived  in  this  world,  though  turned  to  corruption  or  dust,  are  as  much  in 
being  as  ever  they  were,  though  not  in  the  same  form. — Again,  it  is  certain  that 
God,  who  made  and  upholdeth  all  things,  has  a  perfect  knowledge  of  that  which  is 
the  object  of  his  power,  since  his  understanding  is  infinite.  Hence  he  knows  where 
the  scattered  dust  or  the  smallest  particles  of  matter  which  once  constituted  the 
bodies  of  men  are  reserved.  And  when  we  speak  of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
we  mean  the  gathering  of  these  particles  together,  and  the  disposing  of  them  in 
such  a  way  that  new  bodies  shall  be  framed  out  of  them.  Though,  therefore,  this 
could  not  be  done  by  any  but  God,  it  is  not  impossible,  from  the  nature  of  the 
thing,  for  him  to  do  it.  That  he  will  do  it  will  be  considered,  when  we  come  more 
directly  to  the  proof  of  this  doctrine. 

The  Resurrection  a  Doctrine  purely  of  Revelation. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  as  a  matter  of  pure  reve- 
lation, such  as  we  could  not  have  known  by  the  light  of  nature,  without  the  assist- 
ance of  scripture-light.  Something,  indeed,  might  be  known  by  reason  concerning 
the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  its  being,  not  only  capable  of  happiness  or  misery 
in  a  future  state,  but  dealt  with  there  according  to  its  behaviour  in  this  world.  But 
when  we  inquire  into  the  part  which  the  body  shall  bear  in  that  state,  whether  it 
shall  be  raised  and  reunited  to  the  soul,  to  be  for  ever  a  partner  with  it  in  what 
respects  its  state  in  another  world,  or  whether  it  shall  remain  for  ever  in  a  state  of 
corruption,  we  can  obtain  no  information  by  the  light  of  nature. 

There  are,  indeed,  many  things  found  in  the  writings  of  the  heathen  which  dis- 
cover them  to  have  had  some  notion  of  what  bears  a  resemblance  to  a  resurrection ; 
as  when  they  speak  concerning  the  transmigration  of  souls,  or  their  living  in  other 
bodies,  when  separated  from  those  which  they  formerly  were  united  to.  Others  of 
them  speak  concerning  the  general  conflagration,  and  the  restoration  of  all  things, 
immediately  after,  to  their  iormer  state  ;  as  well  as  give  some  hints  which  are  con- 
tained in  their  writings,  concerning  particular  persons  who  have  been  raised  from 
the  dead,  at  least,  pretended  to  have  been  so.  What  we  find  of  this  nature  very 
much  resembles  the  fabulous  account  we  have  in  the  popish  legends  of  miracles, 
said  to  have  been  wrought,  though  without  proof.    Thus  we  are  told  of  one  Aristeas, 


THE  RESURRECTION.      '  25 

the  Proconnesian,  who  had  a  power  of  expiring  and  returning  to  life  at  pleasure, 
and  relating  what  he  had  seen  in  a  separate  state.z  The  same  is  reported  of  one 
Hermotimus  of  Clazomena.a  But  the  most  famous  story  of  this  kind,  is  what  is 
related  bj  Plato,b  and  transcribed  from  him  by  Eusebius,0  concerning  one  Er,  th<j 
son  of  Armenius  ;  who,  after  he  was  slain  in  battle,  and  had  continued  ten  daye 
among  other  dead  bodies,  was  brought  home  to  his  house,  and  two  days  after, 
being  laid  on  his  funeral  pile,  came  to  life  again.  This  Plato,  while  he  is  relating 
it,  calls  little  better  than  a  fable.d  It  was  also  treated  by  others  with  ridicule  ;  how 
much  soever  it  was  believed  by  some  who  regarded  reports  of  it  more  than  solid 
evidence  of  its  truth.  I  might  mention  others,  also,  who  are  said,  by  heathen 
writers,  to  have  been  translated  into  heaven  in  their  bodies  and  souls.e  What  they 
relate  concerning  these  may  have  originated  from  what  they  had  received  by  tra- 
dition, concerning  the  translation  of  Enoch  and  Elijah  ;  and  might  have  been  in- 
vented with  the  view  of  giving  their  religion  as  great  reputation  as  that  of  the 
Jews.  But  notwithstanding  these  particular  instances  related  by  them,  of  some 
translated  or  others  raised  from  the  dead,  there  were  very  few  of  them  who  be- 
lieved the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  while  some  treated  it  with  as  much  con- 
tempt as  we  do  the  account  they  give  of  particular  persons  raised  from  the  dead.f 
Accordingly,  when  the  apostle  Paul  encountered  the  Epicureans  and  Stoics  at 
Athens,  'preaching  to  them  Jesus  and  the  resurrection,'  they  called  him  ' babbler, 's 
and  insinuated  that  he  seemed  to  be  'a  setter  forth  of  strange  gods. '  (Ecumenius 
and  Chrysostom  think  that  they  supposed  he  reckoned  '  the  resurrection  '  among 
the  gods,h  as  well  as  Jesus,  whose  divinity  he  doubtless  maintained.  But  whether 
they  were  so  stupid  as  thus  to  wrest  his  words,  is  not  material.  It  is  no  wonder 
to  find  the  Epicureans  treating  this  doctrine  with  ridicule  ;  for  they,  denying  the 
immortality  of  the  soul,  could  not  entertain  the  least  idea  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
body  in  any  sense.  The  Stoics,  however,  though  they  did  not  own  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection,  yet  could  not  think  it  so  strange  a  doctrine  as  some  others  might 
do ;  for  they  held  that  the  soul,  after  death,  continued  at  least  as  long  as  the  body ; 
and  they  knew  very  well  that  many  of  the  philosophers  strenuously  maintained  the 
transmigration  of  souls.  Indeed,  the  doctrine  of  transmigration  was  held  by 
many  of  them,  as  well  as  by  the  Platonists  and  Pythagoreans.  Hence,  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection,  though  it  differed  from  it,  could  not  seem  so  strange 

z  This  is  reported  in  a  very  fabulous  manner,  and  is  reckoned  no  other  than  an  idle  tale  by  Pliny, 
who  mentions  it  among  other  stories  of  the  like  nature.  Vid.  Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  vii.  cap  Hi. 
Auimani  Aristaei  etiam  visain  evolentein  ex  ore,  in  Proconneso,  corvi  effigie,  magna  quae  sequitur 
fabulositate.     This  is  also  mentioned  as  a  fable  by  Origen.     Vid.  Orig.  in  lib.  iii.  Contr.  Cels. 

a  Vid.  Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  cap.  hi.  Reperimus  inter  exempla  Hermotimi  Clazomenii  animam  relicto 
corpore,  errare  solitam,  vagamque  &  longinquo  multa  aununciare,  quae  nisi  a  praesenti  nosci  non 
possent.  But  by  the  following  words  he  speaks  of  him  as  not  dead,  but  in  a  kind  of  deliquium ;  cor- 
pore interim  semianimi.  Yet  it  was  given  out  by  many,  that  he  died  and  rose  again  verj  often. 
This  Lucian  himself  laughs  at  as  a  foolish  tale.     Vid.  Lucian.  Enc.  Muse. 

b  Vid.  Plat,  de  Repub.  lib.  x. 

c  Vid.  Euseb.  Praeparat.  Evang.  lib.  xi.  cap.  xxxv.  It  is  also  mentioned  by  Plutarch,  Symp. 
lib.  ix.  cap.  v. 

d  Macrobius  speaking  concerning  it,  in  Somn.  Scip.  lib.  i.  cap.  i.  represents  Cicero  as  being  under 
a  great  concern,  that  this  story  of  Er  was  ridiculed  by  many  who  did  not  stick  to  say,  Visum  fuisse 
Erein,  vitam  effundere,  animamque  recipere,  quam  revera  non  amisserat.  See  more  to  this  purpose 
in  Huet.  Demonst.  Evang.  Prop.  ix.  cap.  cxlii. 

e  See  a  late  learned  writer,  Hody,  on  the  resurrection  of  the  same  body  ;  who  refers  to  several 
places  in  heathen  writers,  of  whom  some  believed  it,  and  others  exposed  it  as  fabulous,  pages  13 — 16. 

f  Thus  Pliny,  who  a  little  before  related  several  stories  of  persons  raised  from  the  dead,  and  yet 
calls  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  'puerile  deliiamentum.'  Vid.  Ejusd.  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  vii.  cap. 
lv.  and  elsewhere  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  in  its  own  nature  impossible;  and  therefore  concludes 
)l  to  be  one  of  those  things  which  God  cannot  do.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  vii.  Ne  Deum  quidem  posse  omnia, 
nee  mort  iles  aetemitate  donare,  aut  revocare  defunctos.  Minutius  Felix,  also,  Vid.  Ejusd.  Octav. 
cap.  xi..  brings  in  a  heathen,  who  was  his  friend,  railing  at  it,  wirtiout  any  decency,  as  though  it 
v.  as  no  better  than  an  obi  wives'  (able;  and  the  principal  argument  he  produces,  is,  that  he  supposes 
■t  impossible  for  a  body  that,  was  burnt  to  ashes  to  spring  up  into  life  again.  Celsus,  likewise, 
Fp  'Hking  concerning  the  impossibility  of  God's  doing  any  thing  contrary  to  nature,  reckons  this 
among  those  things.  Vid.  Orig.  Contr.  Cels.  lib.  v.  page  240,  and  Bays,  the  hope  of  it  is  more 
worthy  of  worms  than  men  ;  and  he  styles  it  an  abominable,  as  well  as  an  impossible  thing,  which 
God  neither  can,  nor  will  do. 

g  Acts  xvii.  18.  h  'Avx<rram. 


252  THE  RESURRECTION. 

and  unheard  of  a  notion,  that  they  should  reckon  it  among  the  gods.  It  plainly 
appears,  however,  that,  whatever  confused  ideas  the  heathen  might  have  entertained 
by  tradition  concerning  it,  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  could  not  be  learned  by 
the  light  of  nature.  It  follows,  then,  that  we  must  look  for  a  satisfactory  account 
of  it  from  scripture.  Accordingly,  when  the  Sadducees  put  a  stupid  question  to 
our  Saviour  concerning  the  woman  that  had  seven  husbands,  who  successively  died, 
and  requested  to  know  whose  *  wife  she  should  be  in  the  resurrection, '  plainly  de- 
signing to  express  their  opposition  to  this  doctrine,  rather  than  a  desire  of  infor- 
mation as  to  the  question  proposed ;  our  Saviour,  in  his  reply  to  them,  refers 
them  to  'the  scriptures,'1  as  the  fountain  whence  a  clear  and  satisfactory  know- 
ledge of  the  doctrine  is  to  be  derived,  as  well  as  from  '  the  power  of  God.'  This 
divine  perfection  argues  the  possibility  of  the  resurrection  ;  the  justice  and  good- 
ness of  God,  its  expediency.  But  the  scriptures,  which  contain  a  revelation  of 
his  will,  rspresent  it  as  certain. 

Proofs  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Resurrection. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  some  arguments  contained  in  or  deduced  from  scrip- 
ture for  the  proof  of  the  doctrine. 

1.  We  shall  first  adduce  those  proofs  which  we  have  in  the  Old  Testament. 
These  I  choose  first  to  insist  on,  because  I  am  sensible  there  are  many  who  think 
that  the  church  knew  nothing  of  it,  till  it  was  revealed  by  our  Saviour  in  the  New 
Testament.  This  notion  very  much  detracts  from  the  importance  of  the  doctrine, 
as  well  as  renders  the  state  of  those  who  lived  before  Christ's  incarnation  very  un- 
comfortable ;  since  the  saints,  according  to  this  opinion,  must  have  had  no  hope  of 
a  glorious  resurrection  to  eternal  life.  The  notion  is  defended  by  many  who  extend 
the  darkness  of  the  dispensation  farther  than  what  is  convenient.  Among  others, 
it  is  generally  maintained  by  the  Socinians,  probably  with  this  design,  that  as,  ac- 
cording to  them,  our  Saviour  had  little  else  in  view,  in  coming  into  the  world,  but 
to  lead  men  into  the  knowledge  of  some  things  which  they  were  ignorant  of  before, 
this  might  be  reckoned  one  of  those  doctrines  which  he  came  to  communicate. 
Thus  Volkelius  denies  that  there  were  any  promises  of  eternal  life  made  to  the  church 
under  the  Old  Testament ;  and  concludes  that  there  was  no  one  who  had  the  least 
surmise  that  any  such  doctrine  was  contained  in  those  scriptures  which  we  com- 
monly bring  thence  to  prove  it.k  To  give  countenance  to  this  opinion,  several 
quotations  are  often  taken  from  Jewish  writers  since  our  Saviour's  time,  who  either 
speak  doubtfully  of  this  matter,  or  give  occasion  to  think  that  they  did  not  under- 
stand those  scriptures  which  establish  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  in  the  Old 
Testament,  as  having  any  reference  to  it. 

It  may  hence  not  be  amiss  for  us  to  inquire,  What  were  the  sentiments  of  some 
of  the  Jews  respecting  this  doctrine?  Every  one  knows  that  there  was  one  sect 
amongst  them,  namely,  the  Sadducees,  who  distinguished  themselves  from  others 
by  denying  it.  Josephus  gives  the  largest  account  of  any  one,  concerning  another 
sect,  namely,  the  Essenes,  who  affected  to  lead  a  recluse  life  in  their  respective 
colleges,  and  were  governed  by  laws  peculiar  to  themselves.  Among  other  things 
which  he  relates  concerning  their  conduct  and  sentiments,  he  says  that  it  was  an 
opinion  established  among  them,  that  the  bodies  of  men  were  corruptible,  and  the 
matter  of  which  they  were  compounded  not  perpetual,  though  the  soul  remained 
for  ever.  Then  he  represents  them  as  speaking,  according  to  the  Pythagorean  and 
Platonic  way,  concerning  the  body  being  the  prison  of  the  soul,  and  its  remaining 
when  released  from  it,  and  of  the  soul  dwelling  in  a  pleasant  place,  and  enjoying 
many  things  which  tend  to  make  it  happy,1  &c.     His  account  of  them,  however,  is 

i  Matt.  xxii.  29. 

k  Vid.  Volkel.  de  Vera  Relig.  lib.  iii.  cap.  xi.  Apparet  promissionem  vitae  sempiternae  in  prisco 
illo  faedere  factum  minime  fuisse.  And  in  a  following  part  of  this  chapter,  wherein  he  professedly 
treats  on  this  subject,  he  adds;  Quae  apertis  lucul  ntissimisque  verbis  ut  in  nova  scriptura  fieri 
videamus,  hoc  Dei  beneficium  nobis  polliceantur.  Ex  quorum  munere,  hoc  quo  de  agimus,  nequa- 
quam  esse  hinc  patet,  quod  antequam  Chri6tus  illud  explicaret,  nemo  unquam  extitit,  qui  vel  suspi- 
cari  auderet,  tale  quid  illo  comprehendi. 

1  Vid.  Joseph,  de  Bell.  Jud  lib.  ii.  cap.  vii.  Ka/  yag  tgpwTeu  iruo  avrms  »Si  h  2«£«  <f iu.*<ra.  pit  mm 
«•*  eu/tara,  xai  rnf  i>A»i>  ou  uavi/tov  avroif,  &c. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  253 

short,  and  the  expression  on  which  rests  the  whole  stress  of  the  supposition,  of  their 
having  denied  the  doctrine  of.  the  resurrection,  is  a  little  ambiguous,  namely,  that  the 
bodies  of  men  are  corruptible,  and  their  matter  not  perpetual ;  for  this  may  be  un- 
derstood as  agreeing  with  the  common  faith  concerning  man's  mortality,  and  the 
body's  turning  to  corruption,  and  not  remaining  in  the  same  state  in  which  it  was. 
His  account,  therefore,  seems  to  leave  it  doubtful,  whether  they  asserted  or  denied 
the  resurrection.  It  is  also  supposed  that  Philo  denied  this  doctrine,  from  several 
passages  observed  in  his  writings,  which  a  late  learned  writer  takes  notice  of.m 
Philo's,  however,  was  only  the  opinion  of  a  single  person,  who,  according  to  his 
general  character,  seemed  to  be  halting  between  two  opinions,  namely,  the  doctrine 
of  Moses,  and  the  philosophy  of  Plato.  I  take  his  sentiments  about  this  matter  to 
be  nothing  else  but  an  affectation  of  thinking  or  speaking  agreeably  to  the  Platonic 
philosophy ;  which  had  probably  given  such  a  tincture  to  his  notions,  that  he  might 
deny  the  resurrection.  And  if  the  Essenes,  before-mentioned,  should  be  allowed 
to  have  denied  it,  they  received  it  from  their  attachment  to  the  same,  or  at  least 
the  Pythagorean,  philosophy.  But  we  cannot  hence  conclude  that  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  was  denied  by  the  main  body  of  the  Jews,  or  the  greater  part  of 
them,  or  by  any  excepting  those  who  were  led  out  of  the  way  by  the  writings  of 
the  philosophers.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  Paul  warns  the  church  to  '  beware  of 
philosophy  and  vain  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudiments  of  the 
world,  and  not  after  Christ,'11  as  foreseeing  that  some  of  them  in  after-ages  would, 
in  many  respects,  corrupt  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  by  accommodating  them  to  or 
explaining  them  by  what  they  found  in  the  writings  of  the  heathen  philosophers,  as 
Origen,  Justin  Martyr,  and  some  others  did  ;  and  he  seems  to  take  the  hint  from 
what  had  been  observed  relating  to  the  corruption  of  the  Jewish  faith,  by  those  who 
were  attached  to  the  philosophers.  Thus  concerning  the  opinion  of  those  Jews, 
who  are  supposed  to  have  denied  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  several  Rabbinical  writers,  who  sufficiently  inti- 
mate their  belief  of  this  doctrine  ;  though,  it  is  true,  some  of  them  infer  it  from 
such  premises  as  discover  great  weakness  in  their  method  of  reasoning.  The  learned 
Bishop  Pearson  observes  that  they  produce  several  places  out  of  Moses'  writings, 
which,  when  the  resurrection  is  believed,  may,  in  some  sort,  serve  to  illustrate  it, 
but  can,  in  no  degree,  be  thought  to  reveal  so  great  a  mystery.0  Dr.  Lightfoot 
produces  other  proofs,  which  they  bring  for  this  doctrine,  as  little  to  the  purpose  ;* 
of  which  all  the  use  that  can  be  made  is,  that  we  may  observe  from  them  that  they 
believe  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining  to  be  contained  in  scripture.  Whether  or 
not  they  were  able  to  defend  it  by  showing  the  force  of  those  arguments  on  which 
it  is  founded,  is  not  much  to  our  present  purpose  ;  my  design  in  referring  to  their 
writings  being  to  prove  that  this  doctrine  was  embraced  by  the  Jews,  in  the  ages 
before,  as  well  as  in  those  after,  our  Saviour's  time.  It  is  true,  the  Talmud  and 
other  writings  which  are  generally  quoted  for  the  proof  of  it,  are  of  later  date  ;  and 

m  See  Dr.  Hody  on  the  Resurrection,  &c,  pages  56 — 59.  n  Col.  ii.  8. 

o  See  Bishop  Pearson  on  the  Creed,  Artie.  11,  who  observes,  from  their  writings,  that  because, 
in  the  formation  of  man,  mentioned  in  Gen.  ii.  7,  Moses  uses  the  word  *ttl»*i,  and  in  the  formation 
of  beasts,  verse  19,  the  word  IIPI,  the  former  having  two  jods,  the  latter  but  one,  the  beasts  are 
made  but  once,  but  man  twice,  that  is,  once  in  his  generation,  and  the  second  time  in  his  resurrection. 
And  they  strangely  apprehend  a  proof  of  the  resurrection  to  be  contained  in  the  malediction,  Gen. 
iii.  19,  '  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return ;'  as  if  it  had  been  said,  '  Thou  art  now 
dust  while  thou  livest;  and,  after  death,  thou  shalt  return  unto  this  dust,  that  is,  thou  shalt  live 
again,  as  thou  dost  now.'  And  those  words  in  Exod  xv.  1,  '  Then  sang  Moses  and  the  children  of 
Israel,'  they  render  '  he  shall  sing,'  namely,  after  the  resurrection,  in  the  life  to  come,  and  thence 
infer  this  doctrine.  These  arguments  could  afford  but  very  small  satisfaction  to  the  Sadducees, 
while  they  omitted  to  insist  on  other  pregnant  proofs. 

p  See  vol.  ii.  Heb.  and  Talmud.  Exercitat.  on  John  iv.  25,  wherein  he  says,  that  they  pretend 
to  prove  it  from  Deut.  xxxi.  16,  where  God  says  to  Moses,  •  Thou  shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers,  and 
rise  again  ;'  which  is  an  addition  to,  as  well  as  a  perversion  of,  the  text,  which  says,  ■  The  people 
shall  rise  up  and  go  a  whoring,'  &c.  And,  page  541  and  787»  he  represents  them  as  proving  it  from 
Josh.  viii.  30,  where  it  is  said  that  'Joshua  built  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,'  which  they  translate,  *he 
shall  build  an  altar,'  supposing  this  to  be  after  the  resurrection.  And,  Psal.  lxxxiv.  4,  'Blessed 
are  they  that  dwell  in  thy  house,  they  will  be  still  praising  thee,'  they  suppose  is  meant  of  their 
praising  God  after  the  resurrection.  See  many  other  absurd  methods  of  reasoning  to  the  same 
purpose,  referred  to  by  him  in  the  same  place. 


254  THE  RESURRECTION. 

the  most  ancient  of  the  Chaldee  paraphrases  now  extant,   is  supposed  to  have 
been  written  about  that  time,  or  at  least  but  little  before  it.     Nor  are  there  any 
uninspired  writings  relating  to  the  Jewish  affairs,  more  ancient,  except  those  which 
we  generally  call  Apocryphal  ;  which  most  suppose  to  have  been  written  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  before  the  Christian  era.     Now,  it  is  very  evident  that 
about  that  time  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  was  believed  by  the  Jewish  church  ; 
for  the  author  of  the  book  of  Maccabees,  in  the  history  of  the  martyrdom  of  the 
seven  brethren  in  the  reign  of  Antiochus,'*  represents  some  of  them  in  the  agonies 
of  death,  as  expressing  firm  belief  of  a  resurrection  to  eternal  life,  their  mother,  in 
the  meanwhile,   encouraging  them  from  the  same  consideration.      These,    it  is 
more  than  probable,  the  apostle  includes  in  the  number  of  those  noble  Old  Tes- 
tament worthies  who  were  '  tortured,  not  accepting  deliverance  that  they  might  ob- 
tain a  better  resurrection  ;  'r  which  is  an  undeniable  evidence  that  the  church  at 
that  time  believed  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.     All  that  I  shall  add  under 
this  Head  is,  that  how  weak  soever  the  reasoning  of  some  Jewish  writers  concerning 
this  subject  has  been,  there  are  others  who  give  substantial  proofs  from  the  Old 
Testament ;  a  circumstance  which  argues  not  only  that  they  believed  it,  but  that 
their  belief  proceeded  from  a  just  conviction  of  its  truth.     They  give  the  same  sense 
of  some  of  those  scriptures  which  are  generally  produced  in  proof  of  it  which  we  do.8 
The  first  scripture  which  we  shall  take  notice  of  is  what  contains  the  vision  con- 
cerning  '  the  valley  which  was  full  of  bones,'  which  were  '  very  dry.?t    God  says  to 
the  prophet,  '  Son  of  man,  Can  these  bones  live  ?'  and  the  prophet  replies,  '  0  Lord 
God,  thou  knowest.'     Afterwards  we  read  of  God's  '  laying  sinews,  and  bringing  up 
flesh  upon  them,  covering  them  with  skin,  and  putting  breath  into  them,'  and  their 
being  immediately  after  restored  to  life.     I  am  sensible  that  they  who  are  on  the 
other  side  of  the  question,  pretend  that  this  passage  is  no  proof  of  a  resurrection  ; 
because  the  design  of  the  vision  was  to  illustrate  and  make  way  for  the  prediction 
mentioned  in  the  following  verses,  concerning  the  deliverance  of  God's  people  from 
the  Babylonish  captivity.     But  what  has  weight  with  me  is,  that  God  would  never 
have  made  use  of  a  similitude  to  lead  them  into  this  doctrine,  taken  from  a  thing 
which  they  had  no  manner  of  idea  of.     If,  however,  we  suppose  that  they  believed 
that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  agreeably  to  the  literal  sense  of  the 
words  made  use  of  to  illustrate  the  deliverance  from  Babylon,  then  the  argument 
is  plain  and  easy,  and  is  as  if  it  had  been  said,  '  As  certainly  as  you  have  ground  to 
believe  that  the  dead  shall  be  raised  at  the  last  day, — an  event  which,  though  it 
could  not  be  brought  about  by  any  natural  means,  yet  shall  be  effected  by  the  power 
of  God  ;  so  your  deliverance,  how  unlikely  soever  it  may  appear  to  those  who  look 
no  farther  than  second  causes,  shall  come  to  pass  by  God's  extraordinary  power  and 
providence,  and  will  be  as  life  from  the  dead."    But  it  is  farther  objected  that,  when 
the  prophet  was  asked  by  God  whether  'these  dry  bones  could  live,'  he  seemed  to 
be  in  doubt  about  it ;  so  that  he  had  no  idea  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.     We 
reply,  that  his  doubt  respected  an  event  which  should  immediately  follow.     He 
knew  that  God  could  put  liie  into  these  bones  ;  but  whether  he  would  do  it  now  or 
not,  he  could  not  tell.     His  doubt,  therefore,  does  not  imply  any  disbelief  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection  at  the  last  day.    Indeed,  this  scripture,  how  little  soever 
it  may  seem  to  some  to  make  for  the  doctrine  we  are  maintaining,  is  alleged  by 
others  as  an  undeniable  proof  of  it.     Tertullian  expressly  says,  that  the  vision  re- 

q  2  Maccab.  vii.  9,  1 1,  14,  23,  29.  r  Heb.  xi.  35. 

s  Thus  Josephus  Jaccbiades,  referred  to  by  Witsius  in  Symb.  Exercit.  xxvi.  §  41,  in  explaining 
the  famous  text  in  Daniel  xii.  2,  says,  Et  tunc  fiet  miraculum  resurrectionis  mortuorum :  Nam 
multi  dormientium  in  terra  pulverulenta  expergiscentur,  hi  ad  vitam  seternam,  qui  sunt  sancti;  illi 
vero  ad  opprobria  et  detestationem  seternam  ;  qui  sunt  impii.  Quorum  resurrectionis  causa  est, 
ut  impii  lateantur  palam,  suam  fidem  esse  falsam,  et  eosqui  ipsis  fidem  habuerint,  prosecutos  f'uisse 
vanitatem  atque  evanuisse,  ipsique  agnoscunt  suos  majores  lalsitatem  possedisse.  And  Menasseh 
Ben  Israel,  de  Resurr.  Mort.  lib.  ii.  cap.  viii.  proves  it  from  the  same  scripture.  More  to  the  same 
purpose  may  be  seen  in  Dr.  Hody  on  the  Resurrection,  page  72.  et  seq.,  who  quotes  several  of  the 
Talmudical  writers,  as  signifying  their  belief  of  this  doctrine;  and  especially  Pocock  in  Maimon. 
Port.  Mos.  cap.  vi.  who  produces  a  multitude  of  quotations  to  the  same  purpose;  in  which  some 
assert  this  doctrine  without  proof,  others  establish  it  by  more  solid  arguments,  and  some  mix  a 
great  many  nbsurd  notions  with  it,  which  we  shall  at  present  pass  over. 

t  Ezek.  xxxvii.  1.  et  seq. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  255 

corded  in  it  would  have  been  a  very  insignificant  one  if  this  doctrine  were  not  true.u 
Jerome  speaks  to  the  same  purpose,  supposing  that  God  would  never  illustrate  any 
truth  which  the  Jews  were  in  doubt  of,  by  a  similitude  taken  from  an  incredible  fic- 
tion." And  Menasseh  Ben  Israel,  a  learned  Jew,  supposes  this  text  to  be  an  express 
and  infallible  proof  of  the  resurrection ;  and  his  viewing  it  in  this  light  plainly  argues 
that  he  thought  the  Jews,  in  former  ages,  were  convinced  of  this  doctrine  by  itJ 

But  supposing  this  scripture  not  to  be  reckoned  sufficient  to  evince  the  truth 
of  the  doctrine,  there  is  another  which  has  more  weight,  '  I  know  that  my  Kedeemer 
liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth.  And  though, 
after  my  skin,  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  ;  whom  I 
shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another,  though  my 
reins  be  consumed  within  me.'z  Job,  as  is  generally  supposed,  lived  in  Moses' 
time  ;  so  that,  if  it  can  be  made  to  appear  that  he  professed  his  faith  in  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection,  we  may  conclude  that  the  church  was  acquainted  with  it  in  the 
early  ages.  Now,  nothing  seems  more  evident,  from  the  plain  sense  of  the  words, 
than  that  he  here  professes  his  faith  in  the  doctrine,  and  encourages  himself  from 
the  hope  of  future  blessedness,  both  in  soul  and  body,  at  Christ's  second  coming  in 
the  last  day.  It  is  with  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  that  they  who  deny  this  doctrine, 
are  obliged  to  account  for  the  sense  of  this  text,  so  as  to  evade  the  force  of  the 
argument  taken  from  it.  They  suppose  that  Job  intends  nothing  but  a  firm  persua- 
sion that  he  should  be  recovered  from  the  state  of  misery  in  which  he  then  was,  which 
affected  not  only  his  mind,  but  his  body,  as  it  was  '  smitten  with  sore  boils,  from 
the  sole  of  his  foot  unto  his  crown,'8  his  flesh  being  'clothed  with  worms,'  and  his 
'skin  broken  and  become  loathsome. 'b  They  accordingly  understand  him  to  say, 
*  I  shall  be  redeemed  from  this  affliction,  and  brought  into  a  happy  state  before  I 
die.'  They  thus  suppose  that  the  words  are  to  be  taken  in  a  metaphorical  sense, 
and  hence  do  not  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  But  this  will  appear  to 
be  a  very  great  perversion  of  the  sense  of  this  text,  if  we  consider  in  how  solemn  a 
manner  he  introduces  the  passage  :  '  Oh  that  my  words, '  says  he,  '  were  now  writ- 
ten !  Oh  that  they  were  printed  in  a  book!  that  they  were  graven  with  an  iron  pen 
and  lead,  in  the  rock  for  ever ! '  This  language  seems  to  import  that  he  had  some- 
thing to  communicate,  which  was  of  far  greater  moment  than  the  account  of  his 
deliverance  from  the  afflictions  he  was  under  in  this  world.  It  hence  seems  more 
agreeable  to  understand  the  words  as  denoting  the  great  and  important  truth,  in 
which  all  believers  are  concerned,  relating  to  Christ's  second  coming,  and  the 
happiness  which  his  saints  shall  then  enjoy  in  soul  and  body.  This  deserves  to  be 
written  with  a  pen  of  iron,  that  it  may  be  transmitted  to  all  generations.  Again, 
it  is  evident  that  he  is  here  speaking  of  something  which  should  be  done,  not  while 
he  lived,  but  in  the  end  of  time  ;  for  he  considers  his  '  Redeemer '  as  '  standing  in  the 
latter  day  upon  the  earth.'  The  person  whom  he  here  speaks  of  as  his  Redeemer, 
is  doubtless  our  Saviour,  who  is  frequently  described,  both  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  under  that  character.  If  at  any  time  God  the  Father  is  called  the 
Redeemer  of  his  people,  it  may  be  observed  that  he  is  never  said,  in  redeeming 
them,  to  make  himself  visible  to  their  bodily  eyes,  or  to  stand  upon  earth, — much 
less  to  do  this  in  the  latter  or  last  day,  in  which  Christ  is  said  to  come  again  in  a 
visible  manner,  to  raise  the  dead  and  judge  the  world.  Now,  this  Job  intends 
when  he  says,  '  In  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God,  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine 
eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another.'  Moreover,  it  is  also  evident  that  he  intends 
something  which  should  befall  him  after  his  death,  and  not  merely  a  deliverance 
from  his  present  misery  in  this  world  ;  for  he  speaks  of  his  '  skin '  or  body  as  de- 
voured by  '  worms,'  and  of  '  his  reins  as  consumed  within  him,' — language  which  can 

u  Vid.  Tertull.  de  Resurrect.  Cam.  cap.  xxx.  Non  posset  de  ossibus  figura  componi,  si  non  id 
ipsum,  et  ossibus  eventurum  esset. 

x  Vid.  Hieron.  in  Ezek.  xxxvii.  Nunquam  poneretur  similitudo  resurrectionis,  ad  restitutionem 
Israelitici  populi  significandam,  nisi  staret  ipsa  resurrectio,  et  futura  crederetur ;  quia  nemo  de  rebus 
non  extantibus  incerta  confirmat. 

y  Vid.  xMenasseb  Ben  Isr.  lib.  i.  de  Resurrect,  cap.  ii.  §  4.  Hie  textus  expressus  est,  et  infalli- 
bilis  quo  sine  omne  dubio  resurrectio  probatur. 

z  Job  xix.  25 — 27.  a  Chap.  ii.  7.  b  Chap.  vii.  5. 


256  THE  RESURRECTION. 

mean  only  a  state  of  corruption  in  death.  Further,  it  does  not  appear  that  Job 
had  any  intimation  concerning  the  change  of  his  condition  in  this  world,  before 
God  turned  his  captivity,  having  first  made  him  sensible  of  his  error  in  '  uttering 
that  which  he  understood  not,'  when,  notwithstanding  the  injuries  he  had  received 
from  them,  he  testified  his  reconciliation  to  his  friends  by  praying  for  them.'0  In- 
deed, he  was  so  far  from  expecting  happiness  in  this  life  that  he  says,  '  Mine  eye 
shall  no  more  see  good,  'd  that  is  in  this  world  ;  and  he  hence  takes  occasion  to 
meditate  on  his  own  mortality  in  the  following  words,  '  The  eye  of  him  that  hath 
seen  me  shall  see  me  no  more  ;  thine  eyes  are  upon  me,  and  I  am  not.'  After  this 
he  prays,  'Oh  that  thou  wouldst  hide  me  in  the  grave, 'e  &c.  Besides,  immediately 
before  he  speaks  of  his  *  Redeemer  '  as  '  living, '  and  of  the  deliverance  which  he 
should  obtain  in  'the  latter  day,'  he  earnestly  desires  the  compassion  of  his  friends: 
'  Have  pity  upon  me,  have  pity  upon  me,  0  ye  my  friends  ;  for  the  hand  of  God 
hath  touched  me.'  Now,  this  does  not  well  agree  with  the  supposition  that  he  had 
any  expectation  of  a  state  of  happiness  in  this  world.  In  that  case  he  would  not 
have  needed  their  pity.  He  might  only  have  convinced  them  of  the  truth  of  his 
expectation,  and  it  would  have  given  a  turn  to  their  behaviour  towards  him ;  for 
we  find  that,  when  God  blessed  his  latter  end  more  than  his  beginning,  every  one 
was  as  ready  to  comfort  him  concerning  the  evil  that  the  Lord  had  brought  upon 
him,  and  show  their  very  great  respect  to  him  by  offering  him  presents,  as  any  were 
before  to  reproach  him.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  it  is  very  evident  that  Job  is 
speaking,  not  concerning  his  deliverance  from  his  present  evils  in  this  world,  but  of 
a  perfect  deliverance  from  all  evil  in  the  great  day  of  the  resurrection.  We  must 
hence  conclude  that  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  is  plainly  asserted  in  this 
scripture.  Indeed,  Jerome  says  that  no  one  who  wrote  after  Christ  has  more 
plainly  maintained  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  than  Job,  who  lived  before  him, 
does  in  this  scripture. f 

There  is  another  scripture  from  which,  if  I  do  not  mistake  the  sense  of  it,  Job 
appears  to  have  had  a  steady  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  and  to 
have  been  firmly  persuaded  concerning  his  happiness  when  raised  from  the  dead. 
This  scripture  is  in  chap.  xiv.  13 — 15,  where  he  says,  '  Oh  that  thou  wouldst  hide 
me  in  the  grave,  that  thou  wouldst  keep  me  secret  until  thy  wrath  be  past ;'  that 
is,  till  a  full  end  is  put  to  all  the  afflictive  providences  which  men  are  liable  to  in 
this  world,  namely,  till  the  day  of  Christ's  second  coming  ;  '  or  that  thou  wouldest 
appoint  me  a  set  time,  and  remember  me  ;'  that  is,  that  thou  wouldst  deliver  me 
from  the  evils  which  I  now  endure.  As  to  the  former  of  these  expedients,  namely, 
his  deliverance  by  death,  he  counts  it  a  blessing,  because  he  takes  it  for  granted 
that  'if  a  man  die  he  shall  live  again, '*  and  therefore  says,  '  all  the  days  of  my 
appointed  time,'  that  is,  not  of  the  appointed  time  of  life,  but  the  time  appointed 
that  he  should  lie  in  the  grave,  in  which  he  desired  that  God  would  hide  him, — '  all 
the  days  of  my  appointed  time  I  shall  wait,'  or  remain,  'till  my  change  come,'  that 
is,  till  I  shall  be  changed  from  a  state  of  mortality  to  that  of  life.  And  he  goes  on 
in  the  following  words,  '  Thou  shalt  call,'  that  is,  by  thy  power  thou  shalt  raise 
me,  '  and  I  will  answer  thee,'  or  come  forth  out  of  my  grave ;  and  hereby  thou  wilt 
make  it  known  that  thou  '  hast  a  desire  to  the  work  of  thine  hands.'  It  may  be 
objected  to  this  sense  of  the  words,  that  Job  says,  '  Man  lieth  down,  and  riseth  not 
till  the  heavens  be  no  more  ;  they  shall  not  awake  nor  be  raised  out  of  their  sleep  ;'h 
so  that  he  is  so  far  from  expecting  relief  from  his  misery  in  the  resurrection,  that 
he  seems  plainly  to  deny  it.  I  answer,  that  he  does  not  deny  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  in  the  words,  '  They  shall  not  be  raised  from  the  dead  till  the  heavens 
be  no  more;'  he  only  seems  to  conclude  that  the  dead  should  rise  when  the  frame 
of  nature  was  changed,  as  it  will  be  at  the  last  day,  in  which  the  heavens  shall  be 
no  more.    I  confess  this  sense  is  not  commonly  given  of  these  verses,  nor  any  argu- 

c  Job  xlii.  3,  10.  d  Chap.  vii.  7-  e  Chap.  xiv.  13. 

f  Vid.  Hieron.  Epist.  61.  ad  Pammacb.  de  error.  Job.  Hieros.  Quid  bac  prophetia  manifesting  ? 
Niillns  tain  npert&  post  Christum,  quam  iste  ante  Christum  de  resurrectione  loquitur. 

g  Verse  14.  The  words  are  put  in  the  form  of  an  interrogation,  which  sometimes  argues  a  strong 
negation,  but  not  always,  since  here  it  seems  to  imply  a  concession  that  he  should  live  again. 

b  Job  xiv.  12. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  257 

ment  drawn  from  them  to  prove  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  ;  so  that  I  would  not 
he  too  tenacious  of  my  own  sense  of  them.  Yet  I  cannot  hut  think  it  more  proba- 
hle  than  the  common  sense  ;  and  if  so,  the  passage  may  he  considered  as  a  proof 
of  the  doctrine  which  we  are  maintaining. 

There  is  another  scripture  which  plainly  proves  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection, 
'  Many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.'1  This  scripture  is  brought  by  several 
Rabbinical  writers  as  a  proof  of  this  doctrine  ;  and  the  words  are  so  express  that  it 
will  be  very  difficult  to  evade  the  force  of  them.  It  is  true,  some  modern  writers, 
who  are  ready  to  conclude  that  the  Old  Testament  is  silent  as  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection,  take  the  words  in  a  metaphorical  sense,  and  understand  them  to 
mean,  the  deliverance  of  the  church  from  those  grievous  persecutions  which  they 
were  under  in  the  reign  of  Antiochus.  Accordingly,  '  sleeping  in  the  dust '  is  taken 
by  them  for  lying  in  holes  and  caves  of  the  earth,  the  Jews  being  forced  to  seek 
protection  there  from  the  fury  of  the  tyrant.  But  this  cannot  be  properly  called 
'  sleeping  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  ;'  nor  is  their  deliverance  from  this  persecution 
consistent  with  '  the  contempt '  which  should  be  cast  on  some  who  were  raised  out 
of  the  dust ;  nor  could  the  happiness  which  others  enjoyed  in  this  deliverance  be 
called  'everlasting  life.'  Besides,  it  must  be  a  straining  of  the  metaphor  to  a  great 
degree,  to  apply  to  their  wise  men  and  teachers,  after  this  deliverance,  the  words, 
'They  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament.'  This  interpretation,  then, 
has  such  difficulties  attending  it,  that  every  person  who  is  not  prepossessed  with 
prejudice  must  adopt  the  literal  sense  of  the  text,  and  confess  that  it  proves  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection.  The  only  difficulty  which  is  pretended  to  be  involved  in 
this  literal  sense  is  its  being  said, '  Many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  awake,' 
while  the  doctrine  we  are  defending  is  that  of  an  universal  resurrection.  But  as  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  notice  this  difficulty  under  a  following  Head,  we  choose  to 
refer  it  to  its  proper  place,  where,  according  to  our  designed  method,  we  are  to  con- 
sider that  all  who  have  lived  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  time  shall  be  raised. 

There  are  other  scriptures  in  the  Old  Testament  which  might  be  brought  to 
prove  this  doctrine.  Thus  God  says,  '  I  kill,  and  I  make  alive  ;'k  and  Hannah, 
in  her  song,  says,  '  The  Lord  killeth  and  maketh  alive,  he  bringeth  down  to  the 
grave,  and  bringeth  up.'1  I  know  that  'death'  and  'life  '  are  sometimes  taken  for, 
good  and  evil  ;  but  why  should  deliverance  from  the  miseries  of  this  life  be  repre- 
sented by  the  metaphor  of  a  resurrection,  and  this  attributed  to  the  almighty  power 
of  God,  if  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  was  reckoned  by  the  church  at  that  time 
no  other  than  a  fiction  or  chimera,  as  it  must  be  supposed  to  have  been  if  they  had 
no  idea  of  it,  as  not  having  received  it  by  divine  revelation  ? 

We  might,  as  a  farther  proof  of  this  doctrine,  consider  the  three  instances  nar- 
rated in  the  Old  Testament  of  persons  raised  from  the  dead,  namely,  the  Shuna- 
mite's  child,  by  the  prophet  Elisha,™ — the  man  who  was  cast  into  his  sepulchre,  and 
'  revived  and  stood  on  his  feet  when  he  touched  Elisha's  bones, 'n  and  the  widow  of 
Zarephath's  son,  by  the  prophet  Elijah.  In  the  last  of  these  cases,  it  is  said,  Eli- 
jah '  cried  to  the  Lord,  and  said,  0  Lord  my  God,  I  pray  thee  let  this  child's  soul 
come  unto  him  again ;'  and  accordingly  the  soul  of  the  child  came  into  him  again, 
and  he  revived.0  We  must  hence  conclude  that  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
was  not  unknown  to  the  prophet ;  for  had  he  not  known  it,  he  could  not  have  di- 
rected his  prayer  to  God  in  faith.  These  instances  of  a  resurrection  of  particular 
persons  could  not  but  give  occasion  to  the  church  at  that  time  to  believe  the  possi- 
bility of  a  resurrection  at  the  last  day ;  for  it  might  as  reasonably  be  expected  that 
God  will  exert  his  power  by  raising  the  dead  then,  as  that  he  would  do  it  at  this 
time,  unless  there  were  something  in  this  possible  event  contrary  to  his  moral  per- 
fections. But  the  resurrection  appeared  to  them,  as  it  does  to  all  who  consider  him 
as  the  governor  of  the  world,  and  as  distributing  rewards  and  punishments  to  every 
one  according  to  their  works,  as  not  only  agreeable  to  these  perfections,  but,  in  some 
respects,  necessary  for  the  illustration  of  them.     We  must  conclude*  therefore,  that 

i  Dan.  xii.  2.  k  Deut.  xxxii.  39.  11  Sam.  ii.  & 

m  2  Kings  iv.  35.  u  Chap.  xiii.  21.  0  1  Kings  xvii.  21,  22. 

II.  2  K 


258  THE  RESURRECTION. 

as  they  had  particular  instances  of  a  resurrection,  which  argued  the  general  resur- 
rection possible,  they  might  easily  believe  that  it  should  be  future  ;  which  is  the 
doctrine  that  we  are  maintaining. 

We  may  add  that  the  patriarch  Abraham  believed  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  of  course  had  it  some  way  or  other  revealed  to  him,  before  the  word  of 
God  was  committed  to  writing.  This  appears  from  what  the  apostle  says  when 
speaking  concerning  his  offering  Isaac,  that  '  he  accounted  that  God  was  able  to 
raise  him  up  even  from  the  dead.'P  These  words  render  it  evident  that  he  was 
verily  persuaded  when  he  bound  Isaac  to  the  altar,  and  lifted  up  his  hand  to  slay 
him,  that  God  would  suffer  him  to  do  it,  otherwise  the  command  to  offer  him  up 
would  have  been  no  trial  of  his  faith  ;  so  that  his  being  prevented  from  laying  his 
hand  on  him  was  an  unexpected  providence.  Now,  how  could  he  solve  the  difficulty 
which  would  necessarily  follow  upon  his  slaying  Isaac  ?  Had  he  expected  that  God 
would  give  him  another  seed  instead  of  Isaac,  such  an  event  would  not  have  been 
an  accomplishment  of  the  promise  which  was  given  to  him,  namely,  that  '  in  Isaac 
his  seed  should  be  called.'  The  only  thing,  therefore,  which  he  depended  on,  was 
that  when  he  had  offered  him,  God  would  raise  him  from  the  dead,  and  by  doing 
so  would  fulfil  the  promise  which  was  made  to  him  concerning  the  numerous  seed 
which  should  descend  from  him.  Hence,  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  Abraham  was 
a  stranger  to  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection. 

There  are  other  scriptures  by  which  it  appears  that  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion was  revealed  to  the  church  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  either  from 
the  sense  of  the  words  themselves,  or  from  the  explanation  of  them  in  passages  of 
the  New  which  refer  to  them.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in 
hell ;  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption  ;'i  words  which  the 
apostle  Peter  quotes  to  prove  the  resurrection  of  Christ.1"  If  David,  therefore,  knew 
that  the  Messiah  should  be  raised  from  the  dead — which,  as  will  be  considered  un- 
der a  following  Head,  is  a  glorious  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
saints — we  cannot  suppose  that  he  was  a  stranger  to  the  latter  doctrine. — Again,  it 
is  said,  •  He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory.'3  These  words  occur  immediately 
after  a  prediction  of  the  glorious  provision  which  God  would  make  for  his  people 
under  the  gospel  dispensation,  which  is  called,  by  a  metaphorical  way  of  speaking, 
'  A  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of 
wines  on  the  lees  well  refined  ;'*  and  of  the  gospel's  being  preached  to  the  Gentiles, 
which  is  expressed  by  his  '  destroying  the  face  of  the  covering,  and  the  vail  that 
was  spread  over  all  nations.'"  The  passage  may  hence  be  well  supposed  to  contain 
a  prediction  of  something  consequent  on  these  events,  namely,  the  general  resurrec- 
tion.— Moreover,  there  is  another  scripture  to  the  same  purpose,  '  I  will  ransom  them 
from  the  power  of  the  grave ;  I  will  redeem  them  from  death.  0  death,  I  will  be  thy 
plagues  ;  0  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction.'1  Now,  both  this  scripture  and  the  for- 
mer one  are  referred  to  by  the  apostle,  as  what  shall  be  fulfilled  in  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead.  He  says,  '  Then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is 
swallowed  up  in  victory.  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?'J 
We  cannot  but  think,  therefore,  that  the  prophets,  and  the  church  in  their  day, 
understood  the  words  in  the  same  sense. — There  is  still  another  scripture  in  the  Old 
Testament,  in  which  the  premises  are  laid  down  whence  the  conclusion  is  drawn  in 
the  New  for  the  proof  of  this  doctrine,  namely,  that  which  narrates  how  God  revealed 
himself  to  Moses. z  This  our  Saviour  refers  to,  and  proves  from  it  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  against  the  Sadducees.  '  Now  that  the  dead  are  raised,  even 
Moses  showed  at  the  bush,  when  he  calleth  the  Lord  the  God  of  Abraham,  and 
the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  ;  for  he  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of 
the  living.'*  This  argument  was  so  convincing  that  "certain  of  the  Scribes  said, 
Master,  thou  hast  well  said  ;  and  after  that,  they,'  that  is,  the  Sadducees,  'durst 
not  ask  him  any  question  at  all ;'  so  that  it  silenced,  if  it  did  not  convince  them. 
There  are  some,  indeed,  who,  though  they  conclude  that  it  is  a  very  strong  proof 
of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  which  the  Sadducees  denied,  since  that  which  does 

p  Heb.  xi.  19.  q  psal.  xvi.  10.  r  Acts  ii.  24—27.  s  Lm.  xxv.  18. 

t  Isa.  xxv.  6.  u  Chap.  xxv.  7.  x  Hos.  xiii.  14.  y  1  Cor.  xv.  54,  55. 

»  Exod.  iii.  6.  a  Luke  xx.  37,  38. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  259 

not  exist  cannot  be  the  subject  of  a  promise  ;  yet  are  not  able  to  see  how  the  resur- 
rection can  be  proved  from  it ;  though  it  is  brought  by  our  Saviour  for  that  pur- 
pose. But  that  the  force  of  it  may  appear,  we  must  consider  what  is  the  import  of 
the  promise  contained  in  the  covenant,  that  '  God  would  be  the  God  of  Abraham.' 
This  is  explained  elsewhere,  when  he  told  him,  '  I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceed- 
ing great  reward. 'b  Abraham,  therefore,  was  given  to  expect,  at  the  hand  of  God, 
all  the  spiritual  and  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  But  these  blessings 
respect  not  only  the  soul,  but  the  body  ;  and  as  they  are  extended  to  both  worlds, 
the  promise  of  them  is  an  evident  proof  of  the  happiness  of  the  saints  in  their  bodies 
in  a  future  state,  and  consequently  that  they  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead. 

2.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  those  arguments  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  re- 
surrection which  are  contained  in  the  New  Testament,  in  which  it  is  more  fully 
and  expressly  revealed  than  in  any  other  part  of  scripture.  Here  we  may  first  take 
notice  of  those  particular  instances  in  which  our  Saviour  raised  persons  from  the 
dead  in  a  miraculous  way,  as  the  prophets  Elijah  and  Elisha  did  under  the  Old 
Testament  dispensation.  Thus  he  raised  Jairus'  daughter,  whom  he  found  dead 
in  the  house.0  He  raised  also  the  widow's  son  at  Nain,  when  they  were  carrying 
him  to  the  grave  ;  and  he  did  this  in  the  presence  of  a  great  multitude.*1  He  like- 
wise raised  Lazarus  from  the  dead,6  in  a  very  solemn  and  public  manner,  after  he 
had  been  dead  four  days,  his  body  being  then  corrupted  and  laid  in  the  grave, 
whence  Christ  called  him,  and  he  immediately  revived  and  came  forth.  These 
instances  of  the  resurrection  of  particular  persons  tended  to  put  the  doctrine  of  the 
general  resurrection  out  of  all  manner  of  doubt.  Indeed,  it  was,  at  this  time,  hard- 
ly questioned  by  any  excepting  the  Sadducees.  Accordingly,  before  Christ  raised 
Lftzarus,  when  he  only  told  his  sister  Martha  that  he  'should  rise  again,'  she,  not 
then  understanding  that  he  designed  immediately  to  raise  him  from  the  dead,  ex- 
pressed her  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  the  general  resurrection  :  '  I  know  that  he  shall 
rise  again  in  the  resurrection  at  the  last  day  ;'f  on  which  occasion  our  Saviour  re- 
plied, '  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life, ' »  denoting  that  this  work  was  to  be  per- 
formed by  him. 

Moreover,  this  doctrine  was  asserted  and  maintained  by  the  apostles,  after 
Christ  had  given  the  greatest  proof  of  it  in  his  own  resurrection  from  the  dead.  It 
is  said  that  they  preached  through  Jesus,  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.'h  The 
apostle  Paul  standing  before  Felix,  and  confessing  his  belief  of  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  immediately  adds  that  he  had  '  hope  towards 
God,  which  they  themselves  also  allow,'  that  is,  the  main  body  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion, '  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  un- 
just.' He,  however,  not  only  asserts  but  proves  it  with  very  great  strength  of  reason- 
ing, in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  The  argument 
which  he  there  insists  on,  is  taken  from  Christ's  resurrection.  '  If  there  be  no  re- 
surrection, then  is  Christ  not  risen.'1  Now,  Christ's  resurrection  is  a  doctrine 
which  could  not  be  denied  by  any  who  embraced  the  Christian  religion  ;  .since  it 
was  the  very  foundation  of  it.  But  if  any  one  should  entertain  the  least  doubt 
about  it,  he  adds,  '  If  Christ  be  not  raised  from  the  dead,  your  faith  is  vain,  ye  are 
yet  in  your  sins,  'k  that  is,  your  hope  of  justification  hereby  is  ungrounded,  'and  they 
also  which  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ,  are  perished.'  But  this  none  of  them  could 
deny  ;  so  that  they  must  have  concluded  that  he  had  risen  from  the  dead.  If  it 
be  inquired  how  this  argument  proves  the  general  resurrection,  he  farther  says, 
4  Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept.'1 
Christ's  resurrection  removes  all  the  difficulties  which  might  afford  the  least  matter 
of  doubt  concerning  the  possibility  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  and  his  being 
raised  as  '  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept,'  or  as  the  head  of  all  the  elect,  who 
are  said  to  have  communion  with  him  in  his  resurrection,  or  to  be  '  risen  with  him,'m 
renders  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  all  his  saints  undeniably  certain.  As 
the  first-fruits  are  a  part  and  pledge  of  the  harvest ;  so  Christ's  resurrection  is  a 

b  Gen.  xv.  1.  c  Matt.  ix.  25.  d  Luke  vi .  11,  14,  15.  e  Jobn  xi.  43,  44. 

f  John  xi.  24.  g  Ver.  25.  h  Acts  iv.  2.  i  1  Cor.  xv.  13. 

k  1  Cor.  xv.  17.  1  Ver.  20.  m  Col.  iii.  1 


260  THE  RESURRECTION. 

pledge  and  earnest  of  the  resurrection  of  his  people.  Thus  the  apostle  sajs  else- 
where, *  If  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he 
that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies.'11  Our 
Saviour,  also,  when  he  was  discoursing  with  his  disciples  concerning  his  death,  and 
his  resurrection  which  would  follow,  told  them  that,  though  he  should  be  separated 
for  a  time  from  them,  and  '  the  world  should  see  him  no  more,'  yet  '  they  should 
see  him  again  ;'  and  he  assigned  this  as  a  reason,  '  Because  I  live  ye  shall  live 
also:'0  as  if  he  had  said,  'Because  I  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  live  for 
ever  in  heaven,  you  who  are  my  favourites,  friends,  and  followers,  shall  also  be  raised 
and  live  with  me  there.'  The  resurrection  of  believers,  therefore,  is  plainly  evinced 
from  Christ's  resurrection. 

I  might  produce  many  other  scriptures  out  of  the  New  Testament,  in  which  this 
doctrine  is  maintained ;  but  we  shall  proceed  to  consider  what  proofs  may  be  de- 
duced from  scripture  consequences.  It  may  here  be  observed  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  has,  by  his  death  and  resurrection,  purchased  an  universal  dominion  over 
his  subjects,  or  a  right  to  dispose  of  them  in  such  a  way  as  will  be  most  conducive 
to  his  own  glory  and  their  advantage.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks  of  him  as  '  dying, 
rising,  and  reviving,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living ;'  and  he 
infers  thence  that  '  whether  we  live  or  die  we  are  the  Lord's. 'p  Christ  being  Lord 
over  the  dead  is  expressed  in  other  terms,  by  his  '  having  the  keys  of  hell  and 
death  ;'  and  this  is  stated  to  be  the  consequence  of  his  'being  alive '  after  his  death, 
or  of  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.0'  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  he  has  a  power, 
as  Mediator,  to  raise  the  dead.  We  may  add,  that  he  has  engaged  to  do  this  work, 
as  truly  as  he  did  to  redeem  the  souls  of  his  people.  When  believers  are  said  to 
be  given  to  him,  or  purchased  by  him,  it  is  the  whole  man  that  is  included. 
Accordingly,  he  purchased  the  bodies  as  well  as  the  souls  of  his  people,  as  may  be 
argued  from  our  obligation  consequent  on  his  redeeming  us  to  '  glorify  him  in  our 
bodies'  as  well  as  'in  our  spirits,  which  are  God's. 'r  They  are  both  under  his 
care  ;  and  he  has  undertaken  that  his  people's  bodies  shall  not  be  lost  in  the  grave. 
His  having  done  so  is  very  emphatically  expressed,  when  he  is  represented  as  say- 
ing, '  This  is  the  will  of  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me,'8  or  is  contained  in  the 
commission  which  I  received  from  him,  when  he  invested  me  with  the  office  of 
Mediator,  '  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should 
raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.'  What  should  be  the  reason  that  he  here  speaks 
of  things  rather  than  persons,  if  he  had  not  a  peculiar  regard  to  the  bodies  of  be- 
lievers ?  As  these  are  the  subjects  of  his  power  when  raised  from  the  dead,  so 
they  are  the  objects  of  his  care  ;  and  therefore  he  will  raise  them  up  at  the  last  day. 

We  might  farther  consider  Christ's  dominion  as  extended  to  the  wicked  as  well 
as  the  righteous.  He  is  not,  indeed,  their  federal  head  ;  but  he  is  appointed  to  be 
their  Judge.  Hence,  though  they  are  neither  the  objects  of  his  special  love,  nor 
redeemed  by  his  blood,  nor  the  dutiful  and  obedient  subjects  of  his  kingdom,  he  has 
a  right  tt>  demand  them  to  come  forth  out  of  their  graves,  to  appear  before  his  tri- 
bunal ;  for  it  is  said,  '  God  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world 
in  righteousness,  by  that  Man  whom  he  hath  ordained,  whereof  he  hath  given  assur- 
ance unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.'1  Elsewhere,  also,  it 
is  said,  that  he  was  '  ordained  of  God  to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead.'"  Hence, 
we  read  that  he  shall  'sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  ;'  that  'before  him  shall 
be  gathered  all  nations  ;'x  and  that,  as  is  stated  in  the  following  verses,  he  shall 
determine  the  final  state,  both  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked.  Now,  this  general 
judgment  is  described  more  particularly  as  being  immediately  after  the  universal 
resurrection.  It  is  said,  '  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God,  and 
the  books  were  opened,  1 — language,  as  will  be  observed  under  our  next  Answer, 
which  respects  his  judging  the  world ;  and  in  order  to  this,  it  is  farther  said,  that 
*  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ;  and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the 
dead  which  were  in  them ;  and  they  were  judged  every  man  according  to  their 

n  Rom.  viii.  11.  0  J0hn  xiv.  19.  p  Rom.  xiv.  8,  9.  q  Rev.  i.  18. 

r  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  8  John  vi.  39,  40.  t  Acts  xvii.  31.  u  Chap.  x.  42. 

x  Matt.  xxv.  31,  32.  y  Rev.  xx.  12,  13. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  261 

works.'  Besides,  as  Christ  is  represented  as  a  Judge,  it  is  necessary  that  he  should 
execute  his  vindictive  justice  against  his  enemies,  and  punish  them  as  their  sins 
deserve.  But  this  respects  not  only  the  soul  but  the  body.  Hence,  Christ,  that  he 
may  secure  the  glory  of  his  justice,  shall  raise  the  bodies  of  sinners,  that  he  may 
punish  them  according  to  their  works  ;  and  therefore  he  is  said  to  be  the  object  of 
fear,  because  he  is  '  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell.'z 

We  have  thus  endeavoured  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  by  argu- 
ments taken  from  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  and  from  those  scripture  con- 
sequences whence  it  may  be  plainly  deduced.  How  much  soever,  then,  it  may  be 
thought  a  strange  and  incredible  doctrine,  by  those  who  have  no  other  light  to 
guide  them  but  that  of  nature  ;  it  will  be  generally  believed  by  all  whose  faith  is 
founded  upon  divine  revelation,  and  who  adore  the  infinite  power  and  impartial 
justice  of  God,  the  governor  of  the  world.  Indeed,  it  is  not  attended  with  such 
difficulties  arising  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  as  many  pretend  ;  since  we  have 
several  emblems  in  nature  which  seem  to  illustrate  it.  These  are  very  elegantly 
represented  by  some  of  the  Fathers,  and  especially  by  Tertullian  ;a  whom  the 
learned  and  excellent  Bishop  Pearson  refers  to  and  imitates  in  his  style  and  mode 
of  expression.b  His  words  are  these,  "  As  the  day  dies  into  night,  so  doth  the 
summer  into  winter.  The  sap  is  said  to  descend  into  the  root,  and  there  it  lies 
buried  in  the  ground.  The  earth  is  covered  with  snow,  or  crusted  with  frost,  and 
becomes  a  general  sepulchre.  When  the  spring  appeareth,  all  begin  to  rise  ;  the 
plants  and  flowers  peep  out  of  their  graves,  revive,  and  grow,  and  flourish.  This  is 
the  annual  resurrection.  The  corn  by  which  we  live,  and  for  want  of  which  we 
perish  with  famine,  is  notwithstanding  cast  upon  the  earth,  and  buried  in  the 
ground,  with  a  design  that  it  may  corrupt,  and  being  corrupted,  may  revive  and 
multiply.  Our  bodies  are  fed  with  this  constant  experiment,  and  we  continue  this 
present  life  by  succession  of  resurrections.  Thus  all  things  are  repaired  by  cor- 
rupting, are  preserved  by  perishing,  and  revive  by  dying.    And  can  we  think  that 

z  Matt.  x.  28. 

a  Vid.  Min ut.  Fel.  in  Octav.  §  33.  Vide  adeo  quam  in  solatium  nostri  Resurrectionem  futuram 
omnis  natura  meditatur.  Sol  demergit,  et  nascitur  ;  astra  labuntur,  et  redeunt ;  flores  occidunt,  et 
reviviscunt ;  post  senium  arbtista  frondescunt;  semina  non  nisi  corrupta  revirescunt ;  ita  corpus  in 
sepulchro  ut  arbores  in  hyberno  occultant  viiorem  ariditate  mentita.  Expectandum  nobis  etiam 
corporis  ver  est,  &c. 

b  See  bis  Exposition  on  the  Creed,  Artie,  xi.  and  Tertull.  de  Resurr.  Cam.  cap.  xii.  Aspice 
nunc  ad  ipsa  quoque  exempla  divinae  potestatis:  Dies  moritur  in  noctem,  et  tenebns  usquequaque 
sepelitur.  Funestatur  muudi  honor,  omnis  substantia  denigratur.  Sordent,  silent,  stupent cuncta; 
ubique  justitium  est,  quies  rerum.  Ita  lux  amissa  lugetur  ;  et  tamen  rursus  cum  suo  cultu,  cum 
dote,  cum  sole,  eadem  et  iutegra  et  tota  universo  orbi  reviviscit,  interficiens  mortem  suam  noctem, 
rescindeus  sepulturam  suam  tenebras,  haeres  sibimet  existens,  donee  et  uox  reviviscat,  cum  suo  et  ilia 
suggestu.  Redaccenduntur  enim  et  stcllarum  radii,  quos  matutina  successio  extinxerat.  Redu- 
cuntur  et  siderum  absentia?,  quas  temporalis  distinctio  exemerat.  Redornantur,  et  specula  luiire 
quae  irenstruus  Humerus  adtriverat.  Revolvuntur  hyemes  et  restates,  et  verna,  et  autumna,  cum 
suis  viribus,  moribus,  fructibus.  Quippe  etiam  terrre  de  coelo  discipliua  est, arbores  vestire  poet  spolio, 
flores  denudcolorare,  herbas  rursus  imponere,  exhibere  eadem  quae  absumpta  sunt  semina;  nee  prius 
exhibere  quam  absumpta  :  Mira  ratio  :  De  fraudatrice  servatrix  :  Ut  reddat,  intereipit :  Ut  custo- 
diat,  perdit :  Ut  integret,  vitiat :  Ut  etiam  ampliet,  prius  decoquit.  Siquidem  uberiora  et  cultiora 
restituit  quam  exterminavit.  Re  vera  fcenore  interitu,  et  injuria  usura,  et  lucro  damno  :  Semel 
dixerim  univnsa  conditio  recidiva  est.  Quodcunque  con  veneris,  fuit:  Quodcunqiie  amiseris,  nihil  non 
iteruin  est.  Omnia  in  statum  redeunt,  quum  abscesserint;  Omnia  incipiunt,  quum  desierint.  Ideo 
tiniuntur,  ut  fiant.  Nihil  depirit,  nisi  in  salutem.  Totusigitur  hie  ordo  revolubilis  rerum,  testatio 
est  resurrectionis  mortuorum.  Operibus  earn  pi aescripsit  Deus  ante,  quam  literis:  Viribus  pi aedi- 
cavit  ante,  quam  vocibus.  Praemisit  tibi  naturam  magistram,  submissurus  et  prophetiain  quo  fa- 
c.lius  credas  prophetiae,  discipulus  naturae:  Quo  statim  admittas,  quum  audieris,  quod  ubique  jam 
viiieris:  Nee  dubites  Deum  carnis  etiam  resuscitatorem,  quern  omnium  norisrestituoiem.  Et  utique 
si  omnia  homini  resurgunt,  cui  procurata  sunt,  pond  non  homini,  nisi  et  carni,  quale  est  ut  ipsa  depe- 
reat  in  totuin,  propter  quam  et  cui  nihil  deperit?  Et  Vid.  Ejusd.  Apologet.  cap.  xlviii.  in  which 
he  proves  the  resurrection  of  the  body  from  the  possibility  of  that  being  restored  to  a  former  being, 
with  the  same  ease  with  which  it  was  made  out  of  nothing;  and  shows  bow  Goii  has  impressed  upon 
this  world  many  testimonies  of  the  resurrection;  and  then  he  adds,  Lux  quotidid  interfecta  re- 
splendet,  et  tenebrre,  pari  vice  decedendo  succedunt,  sidera  defuncta  vivescunt,  tempora,  ubi  fim- 
untur,  incipiunt,  fructus  consummautur,  et  redeunt.  Certe  semina  non  nisi  corrupta  et  dissolutu 
foecundius  surgunt,  omnia  pereundo  servantur,  omnia  de  interitu  relormautur.  Tu  homo  tantiim 
nonien,  hi  intelligas  te,  vel  de  titulo  Pythiae  discens,  dominus  omnium  morientium  et  resuigentium, 
ad  hoe  morieris,  ut  pereas? 


262  THE  RESURRECTION. 

man,  the  lord  of  all  theso  things,  which  thus  die  and  revive  for  him,  should  be  de- 
tained in  death,  as  never  to  live  again  ?  Is  it  imaginable  that  God  should  thus 
restore  all  things  to  man,  and  not  restore  man  to  himself  ?  If  there  were  no  other 
consideration  but  of  the  principles  of  human  nature,  of  the  liberty  and  remuner- 
ability  of  human  actions,  and  of  the  natural  revolutions  and  resurrections  of  other 
creatures,  it  were  abundantly  sufficient  to  render  the  resurrection  of  our  bodies 
highly  probable." 

Examination  of  Objections  against  the  Resurrection. 

"We  shall  now  consider  some  objections  which  are  generally  brought  against  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  Some  things,  indeed,  are  objected  against  it,  which 
are  so  vain  and  trifling,  that  they  do  not  deserve  an  answer.  The  followers  of 
Aristotle,  for  example,  assert  that  it  is  impossible  for  a  thing  which  is  totally  de- 
stroyed, to  be  restored  to  that  condition  in  which  it  was  beiore.c  And  some  have 
been  so  foolish  as  to  think  that  those  nations  who  burnt  their  dead  bodies,  put  an 
eternal  bar  in  the  way  of  their  resurrection  ;  since  the  particles  being  so  changed 
and  separated  by  fire  as  they  are,  can  never  return  again  to  their  former  bodies  ; 
or  that  those  bodies  which  have  been  swallowed  up  by  the  ocean,  so  that  the  par- 
ticles of  which  they  consisted  have  been  dissolved  by  water,  and  every  one  of  them 
separated  from  the  other,  can  never  be  again  restored  to  their  former  situation. 
Such  objections  as  these,  I  say,  do  not  deserve  an  answer  ;  because  they  consider 
the  resurrection  as  if  it  were  to  be  brought  about  in  the  same  way  in  which  effects 
are  produced  by  second  causes,  according  to  the  common  course  of  nature,  without 
any  regard  to  the  almighty  power  of  God,  which  can  easily  surmount  all  the  diffi- 
culties which,  they  pretend,  lie  in  the  way  of  the  resurrection.  There  are  other 
objections,  taken  from  a  perverse  sense  of  some  texts  of  scripture,  without  consi- 
dering the  drift  and  design  of  these,  or  what  is  added  in  some  following  words, 
which  sufficiently  overthrows  the  objection.  Thus  some  produce  as  an  objection 
that  scripture  in  which  it  is  said,  '  That  which  befalleth  the  sons  of  men,  befalleth 
beasts  ;  so  that  a  man  hath  no  pre-eminence  above  a  beast ;  all  go  unto  one  place, 
and  all  are  of  the  dust,  and  all  turn  to  dust  again.  'd  This  text  we  formerly  noticed 
as  brought  against  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  and  it  is  also  alleged  against  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  by  those  who  conclude  that  the  body  shall  be  no  more 
raised  from  the  dead  than  the  bodies  of  brute  creatures.  But  this  is  rather  a 
cavil  or  a  sophism,  than  a  just  way  of  reasoning  ;  inasmuch  as  the  following  words 
plainly  intimate  that  men  and  beasts  are  compared  together  only  as  to  their  mor- 
tality, not  as  to  what  respects  their  condition  after  death ;  so  that  it  is  no  sufficient 
argument  to  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  These  and  similar  objec- 
tions are  so  trifling  that  we  shall  not  insist  on  them.  There  are,  however,  three 
or  four  that  we  shall  lay  down,  and  consider  what  answers  may  be  given  to  them. 

1.  It.is  objected  against  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  that,  though  the  power 
of  God  can  do  all  things  possible  to  be  done,  yet  the  raising  of  the  dead,  at  least 
in  some  particular  instances,  is  impossible,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing ;  so  that 
we  may  say,  without  any  reflection  cast  on  the  divine  Omnipotency,  that  God  can- 
not raise  them,  at  least  not  so  that  every  one  shall  have  his  own  body  restored  to 
him.  Thus  there  are  some  instances  of  cannibals,  or  men-eaters,  who  devour  one 
another,  by  which  means  the  flesh  of  one  man  is  turned  into  the  flesh  of  another. 
In  those  instances  also  which  are  more  common,  the  bodies  of  men,  being  turned 
into  dust,  produce  food,  like  other  parts  of  the  earth,  for  brute  creatures,  and  some 
of  the  particles  of  which  they  consisted  are  changed  into  the  flesh  of  these  crea- 
tures, and  these  again  are  eaten  by  men  ;  so  that  the  particles  of  one  human  body, 
after  having  undergone  several  changes,  become  a  part  of  another.  There  can- 
not, therefore,  say  the  objectors,  be  a  distinct  resurrection  of  every  one  of  those 
bodies  that  have  lived  in  all  the  ages  of  the  world. 

But  it  cannot  be  proved  that,  in  those  instances  mentioned  in  the  objection,  when 

c  This  is  what  they  generally  intend  by  that  aphorism,  '  A  privatione  ad  habitum  non  datur 
regregsu*.*  r 

d  Eccl.  iii.  19,  20,  21. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  263 

one  man  preys  upon  another,  or  when  brute  creatures  live  upon  grass  produced  by  the 
ground  made  fertile  by  the  bodies  of  men  turned  to  corruption,  and,  it  may  be,  con- 
taining some  of  the  particles  of  these  bodies, — it  cannot,  I  say,  be  proved  that,  in 
these  instances,  the  particles  of  the  bodies  of  men  are  turned  into  nourishment,  and 
so  become  a  part  of  human  flesh ;  since  providence  did  not  design  them  to  be  for  food. 
If  so, 'then  it  is  not  true  in  fact,  that  the  particles  of  one  human  body  become  a 
part  of  another.  But,  suppose  it  were  otherwise,  and  suppose  the  objection  to  have 
as  much  weight  as  possible,  we  may  farther  observe  that  it  is  but  a  very  small  part 
of  what  is  eaten  which  is  turned  into  flesh  ;  so  that  those  particles  of  one  human 
body  which  by  this  means  are  supposed  to  pass  into  another,  make  up  but  a  very 
inconsiderable  part  of  the  latter.  Hence,  if  some  few  particles  of  one  human  body 
in  the  resurrection  are  restored  again  to  that  body  to  which  they  at  first  belonged, 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  same  body  will  not  be  overthrown.  If  the 
body  of  a  man  lose  a  few  ounces  of  its  weight,  no  one  supposes  that  it  is  not  the 
same  body.  So  when  the  bodies  of  men  are  raised  from  the  dead,  if  the  far  greater 
part  of  the  particles  of  them  are  re-collected  and  united  together,  they  may  truly 
be  said  to  constitute  the  same  body.  The  facts  alleged  in  the  objection,  therefore, 
do  not  overthrow  the  resurrection  of  the  same  body  from  the  nature  of  the  thing. 

2.  It  is  farther  objected,  especially  against  the  possibility  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  same  body  which  was  once  alive  in  this  world,  that  the  bodies  of  men,  while 
they  live,  are  subject  to  such  alterations  that  it  can  hardly  be  said  that  we  are  the 
same  when  we  are  men  as  when  we  were  children.  The  expenditure  of  those  par- 
ticles which  are  insensibly  lost  by  perspiration,  and  the  daily  gaining  of  others  by 
nutrition,  make  such  an  alteration  in  the  contexture  of  the  body,  that,  as  some 
suppose,  in  the  space  of  about  seven  yearsv  almost  all  the  particles  of  the  body  are 
changed,  some  lost  and  others  regained.  Now,  if  it  be  supposed  that  the  same 
body  we  once  had  shall  be  raised,  it  is  hard  to  determine  whether  those  particles 
of  which  it  consisted  when  we  were  young,  shall  be  gathered  together  in  the  resur- 
rection, or  the  particles  of  the  emaciated  or  enfeebled  body  which  was  laid  down 
in  the  grave. 

We  are  obliged  to  take  notice  of  such  objections  as  these,  because  they  are  often 
alleged  in  a  cavilling  way,  against  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  The  answer 
that  I  would  give  to  this,  is,  that  the  more  solid  and  substantial  parts  of  the  body, 
such  as  the  skin,  bones,  cartilages,  veins,  arteries,  nerves,  fibres,  that  compose  the 
muscles,  with  the  ligaments  and  tendons,  are  not  subject  to  the  change  which  is 
mentioned  in  the  objection  by  evaporation  or  perspiration,  which  more  especially 
respects  the  fluids,  and  not  the  solids  of  the  body.  These  remain  the  same  in  men 
as  they  were  in  children,  excepting  what  respects  their  strength  and  size.  Now, 
if  the  body,  as  consisting  of  these  and  some  of  the  particles  which  it  has  lost, 
which  the  wisdom  of  God  thinks  fit  to  re-collect,  be  gathered  together  in  the  resur- 
rection ;  we  may  truly  say  that  the  same  body  which  once  lived,  notwithstanding 
the  change  made  in  the  fluids  of  it,  is  raised  from  the  dead.  [See  Note  R,  p.  269.] 

3.  There  is  another  objection  which  is  sometimes  brought  against  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  just,  especially  against  their  being  raised  with  the  same  body 
which  they  once  had.  This  objection  is  founded  on  the  supposed  inconsistency  of 
their  resurrection  with  their  living  in  the  other  world,  called  heaven  ;  which  is  gen- 
erally distinguished  from  the  earth,  as  being  a  more  pure,  subtile,  and  ethereal  re- 
gion, and  therefore  not  fit  to  be  an  habitation  for  bodies  compounded  of  such  gross 
matter  as  ours  are,  which  are  adapted  to  the  state  and  world  in  which  they  now 
live.  To  suppose  them  placed  in  heaven,  say  the  objectors,  is  inconsistent  with 
the  nature  of  gravity  ;  so  that  we  may  is  well  conclude  a  body  which  naturally 
tends  to  the  earth  as  its  centre,  to  be  capable  of  living  in  the  air,  at  a  distance  from 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  as  we  may  conclude  that  it  is  possible  for  such  a  body  to 
live  in  heaven.  They  hence  argue,  that  the  bodies  of  men,  at  the  resurrection, 
must  be  changed  so  as  to  become  ethereal ;  and  by  advancing  this  position,  they  in 
effect  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  as  respecting,  at  least,  the  re- 
storing of  the  bodies  of  men  to  the  same  form  which  once  they  had. — Moreover, 
this  objection  is  improved  by  another  supposition,  which  gave  the  Socinians  occa- 
sion to  assert  that  the  same  body  shall  not  be  raised,  namely,  that  if  the  bodies  of 


264  THE  RESURRECTION. 

men  should  be  the  same  as  they  are  now,  they  would  be  rendered  incapable  of  that 
state  of  immortality  which  is  in  heaven.  They  argue,  as  was  formerly  observed, 
that  because  man's  body  at  first  was  to  be  supported  by  food,  breathe  in  proper  air, 
vuid  be  protected  from  dissolution  only  by  being  guarded  against  things  which  might 
tend  to  destroy  its  temperament,  man  would  have  been  liable  to  mortality,  though 
he  had  not  sinned,  or  in  other  words,  death  was  then  the  consequence  of  nature  ; 
and  from  the  same  premises  they  conclude  that,  at  the  resurrection,  we  must  not 
have  such  bodies  as  we  now  have,  but  ethereal.  To  give  countenance  to  this  opin- 
ion, they  refer  to  the  apostle's  words,  '  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God  ; ' e  and  to  his  speaking  of '  celestial  bodies '  as  distinguished  from  '  terrestial, ' f 
and  of  the  body  being  raised  'a  spiritual  body.'s  They  generally  refer  also  to  a 
scripture  in  which  our  Saviour  speaks  of  believers,  in  the  resurrection,  being  •  as 
the  angels  of  God  ;'h  which  they  understand  as  signifying  at  least  that  their  motion 
will  no  more  be  hindered  by  the  weight  of  the  body,  than  the  motion  of  an  angel  is  ; 
so  that  their  bodies  must  be  of  another  kind  that  what  we  suppose  they  shall  be 
in  the  resurrection. 

Now,  as  to  the  inconsistency  of  bodies  like  ours  living  in  the  upper  world,  as 
being  contrary  to  the  nature  of  gravitation,  it  may  be  answered  that,  according  to 
the  generally  received  opinion  of  modern  philosophers,  gravity  arises  from  an  ex- 
ternal pressure  made  upon  bodies  which  are  said  to  be  heavy  or  light,  according  to 
their  force.  Hence,  those  bodies  which  are  in  the  upper  regions,  above  the  atmo- 
sphere, are  equally  adapted  to  ascend  or  descend, — a  fact  which  sufficiently  answers 
that  part  of  the  objection.  A  learned  writer  takes  notice  of  it  ;*  and  if  it  be  not 
acquiesced  in,  he  advances  another  hypothesis ;  which,  because  it  has  something  of 
wit  and  spirit  in  it,  I  shall  take  leave  to.mention,  though  I  must  suspend  my  judg- 
ment concerning  it,  as  to  whether  it  be  true  or  false.  He  says  that  perhaps  our 
heaven  will  be  nothing  else  but  an  heaven  upon  earth  ;  and  that  it  seems  more 
natural  to  suppose  that,  since  we  have  solid  and  material  bodies,  we  shall  be  placed 
as  we  are  in  this  life,  in  some  solid  and  material  orb.  This  supposition  he  thinks 
agreeable  to  the  apostle  Peter's  words,  when  he  speaks  of  '  a  new  earth,  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness  ;'k  whence  he  concludes,  that  either  this  world  shall  be  fitted 
to  be  the  seat  of  the  blessed,  or  some  other  which  has  a  solid  basis  like  it.  To  give 
countenance  to  this  opinion,  he  refers  to  some  ancient  writers.  He  particularly 
tells  us,  that  Maximus  speaks  of  it  as  the  opinion  of  many  in  his  time  ;  and  that  Epi- 
phanius  brings  in  Methodius  in  the  third  century  as  asserting  the  same  thing. — As 
to  that  part  of  the  objection,  that  bodies  like  those  we  have  now  are  unmeet  for  the 
heavenly  state,  inasmuch  as  they  cannot  be  supported  without  food  and  other  con- 
veniences of  nature,  which  tend  to  the  preservation  of  life  in  this  world ;  it  may  be 
answered,  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  the  body  shall  be  raised  with 
such  qualities  that  it  will  stand  in  need  of  food,  rest,  or  other  conveniences  of  na- 
ture, which  at  present  tend  to  the  support  of  life.  The  apostle  seems  to  assert  the 
contrary  when  he  says,  *  Meats  for  the  belly,  and  the  belly  for  meats  ;  but  God 
shall  destroy  both  it  and  them.'1  There  is  certainly  a  medium  between  asserting, 
with  some,  that  we  shall  be  raised  with  an  ethereal  body,  in  all  respects  unlike  that 
which  we  have  at  present ;  and  maintaining,  that  we  shall  have  such  bodies  as  are 
liable  to  the  imperfections  of  the  present  state,  and  supported  in  the  same  way  in 
which  they  now  are.  As  to  what  the  apostle  says  concerning  *  flesh  and  blood  not 
inheriting  the  kingdom  of  heaven,'  he  does  not  mean  that  our  bodies  shall  be  so 
changed  that  they  shall  in  no  respect  consist  of  flesh  and  blood.  And  when  he 
speaks  of  '  celestial '  and  '  spiritual '  bodies,  it  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  suppose 
that  he  intends  aerial  or  ethereal  bodies.*  But  this  will  be  more  particularly  con- 
sidered under  a  following  Head,  when  we  speak  of  the  circumstances  in  which  the 
bodies  of  believers  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead.  As  to  the  scripture  in  which 
glorified  believers  are  said  to  be  '  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven, '  it  respects  their 
being  immortal  and  incorruptible,  or,  as  the  context  seems  to  intimate,  that  they 
need  not  marriage  to  perpetuate  their  generations  in  that  world.     We  have  no 

*  i  S»  Y'  50*  f  Ver-  40'  8  Ver.  44.  fa  Matt.  xxii.  3a 

l  See  Hody  on  the  Resurrection,  &c.  pages  205—208.         k  2  Pet.  iii.  13.  1  1  Cor.  vi.  13. 


THE  RESURRECTION.  265 

occasion,  therefore,  to  strain  the  sense  of  the  words,  so  as  to  suppose  that  our  Sa- 
viour intends,  in  his  saying  '  they  shall  he  as  angels, '  that  they  shall  cease  to  he 
like  what  they  were  when  men  on  earth. 

4.  The  last  objection  which  we  shall  mention,  is  taken  from  the  resurrection  not 
being  agreeable  to  the  goodness  of  God,  extended  to  those  who  are  made  partakers 
of  eternal  life,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  bringing  of  them  into  a  worse  condition  than  the 
soul  was  in  when  separate  from  the  body.  This  objection  is  generally  brought  by 
those  who  adopt  the  mode  of  speaking  often  used  by  Plato™  and  his  followers,  that 
the  body  in  this  world,  is  the  prison  of  the  soul,  which  at  death  is  set  at  liberty. 
They  hence  suppose  that  its  being  united  to  the  body  again,  is  no  other  than  its 
being  condemned  to  a  second  imprisonment ;  which  is  so  far  from  being  a  favour 
conferred,  that  it  rather  seems  to  be  a  punishment  inflicted.  Others,  with  Celsus, 
reckon  it  a  dishonour  for  the  soul  to  be  reunited  to  a  body  which  is  corrupted.11 
Others  say  that  the  body  is  a  great  hinderance  to  the  soul  in  its  actings  ;  that  it 
frequently  inclines  it  to  the  exercise  of  some  of  those  passions  which  tend  to  make 
men  uneasy,  and  in  consequence  unhappy  ;  and  that  it  may  in  some  way  or  other 
operate  thus  in  a  future  state. 

There  is  no  great  difficulty  in  answering  this  objection  ;  in  which  there  is  not  a 
due  difference  put  between  the  present  and  the  future  state  of  believers.  The  only 
thing  which  might  give  occasion  to  men  to  conclude  that  their  souls  are  imprisoned 
in  this  world,  is  that  they  are  abridged  of  that  happiness  which  they  shall  be  pos- 
sessed of  in  another  ;  which  the  apostle  calls  '  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children 
of  God.'°  As  for  the  reproaches  which  some  of  the  greatest  enemies  to  Christianity 
have  cast  on  this  doctrine,  these  are  not  sufficient  to  beget  the  least  dislike  of  it  in 
the  minds  of  serious  and  unprejudiced  Christians.  What  though  the  body  be 
turned  to  corruption  I  It  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  in  glory  ;  and  therefore 
shall  be  a  palace  fit  to  entertain  its  noble  inhabitant.  What  though  it  has,  in  this 
world,  offered  many  temptations  to  the  soul  to  sin,  by  which  the  latter  has  been 
sometimes  overcome  and  exposed  to  passions  which  have  defiled  it,  and  made  it 
very  uneasy  !  Is  this  to  be  objected  against  its  being  raised  from  the  dead  in  such 
a  state  of  perfection,  that  it  shall  never  more  contract  any  guilt,  or  render  the  soul 
unhappy,  by  any  inconvenience  arising  from  it  ?  But  this  will  farther  appear,  when 
we  speak,  under  a  following  Head,  of  the  condition  in  which  the  body  shall  be  raised. 

The  Resurrection  Universal. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  as  universal,  including  all 
who  have  lived,  or  shall  live,  from  the  beginning  of  time,  till  Christ's  second  com- 
ing, excepting  those  who  shall  be  found  alive,  on  whom  a  change  shall  pass  which 
is  equivalent  to  a  resurrection. 

I.  All  the  dead  shall  be  raised.  This  is  expressly  mentioned  in  the  vision  of 
John,  '  I  saw  the  dead,  both  small  and  great,  stand  before  God ;  and  the  books 
were  opened  ;  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things  which  were  written  in 
the  books,  according  to  their  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ; 
and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them ;  and  they  were  judged 
every  man  according  to  their  works.'?  Here  the  Judge  is  represented  as  demand- 
ing the  bodies  of  men  of  all  ranks,  conditions,  and  ages,  out  of  those  places  where 
they  have  been  lodged,  with  a  design  to  reward  or  punish  them  according  to  their 
works.  Now,  if  the  justice  of  God  is  to  be  displayed  in  this  solemn  and  awful  trans- 
action, and  the  bodies,  as  well  as  the  souls  of  men,  are  the  subjects  on  which  judg- 
ment must  pass  ;  it  follows  that  the  resurrection  will  be  universal.  Thus  our  Sa- 
viour says,  '  All  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth ; 
they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done 

m  Vid.  Plat,  in  Cratyl.  who  brings  in  Socrates  as  gravely  punning  on  the  word  rv/ta  as  if  it  were 
ctifia,'  sepulchrum;'  and  supposing  that  this  name  was  given  it  to  denote  that  the  soul  suffers 
punishment  for  its  faults,  by  being  detained  or  shut  up  in  this  prison.  Seneca  speaks  to  the  same 
purpose:  Corpus  hoc,  animi  pondus,  et  poena  est,  permanente  illo  urgetur,  in  vinculis  est.  Vid. 
Sen.  Epist.  65. 

n  Vid.  Orig.  in  Loc.  supra  citat.  o  Rom.  viii.  21.  p  Rev.  xx.  12,  et  siq. 

II.  2  L 


266  THE  RESURRECTION. 

evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation.,q  This  is  so  evident  a  truth,  founded  on 
the  divine  perfections,  as  well  as  express  words  of  scripture,  that  it  is  strange  to 
find  that  any  who  allow  that  the  dead  shall  be  raised  should  deny  it. 

We  meet,  however,  with  several  expressions  in  Rabbinical  writers,  which  seem 
to  speak  of  the  resurrection  as  a  peculiar  privilege  belonging  to  some  but  not  to  alL 
Accordingly,  they  have  a  proverbial  expression,  that,  though  the  rain  descends  on 
the  just  and  on  the  unjust,  yet  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  belongs  only  to  the 
just.r  This  they  infer  from  the  words  of  the  prophet  Daniel,  '  Many  of  them  that 
sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake.'8  These  words  contain  a  difficulty  whicn 
most  have  found  it  an  hard  matter  to  solve  agreeably  to  the  sense  of  the  prophet. 
He  says,  in  the  words  immediately  following,  that,  as  the  consequence  of  the  resur- 
rection of  which  he  speaks,  *  some  shall  awake  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  ever- 
lasting shame  and  contempt.'  Here  he  divides  the  world  into  two  parts,  and  con- 
siders the  one  as  happy,  the  other  as  miserable  ;  so  that  he  must,  doubtless,  speak 
of  a  universal  resurrection.  But  the  great  difficulty  lies  in  these  words,  '  Many  of 
them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  arise.'  Some  conclude  that  this  expression  con- 
tains an  exception  of  others  who  shall  not  arise.  Thus  some  Jewish  writers  seem 
to  have  understood  it.  I  rather  think,  however,  that  the  word  'many,'  there,  im- 
ports nothing  else  but  '  multitude,'  that  is,  the  whole  number  of  those  that  sleep 
shall  awake.'  It  is  somewhat  hard  to  determine  what  the  Rabbinical  writers  in- 
tend when  they  seem  to  confine  the  resurrection  to  the  Israelites.  Some  of  them 
do  this  in  order  to  exclude  from  it,  not  only  the  wicked,  but  those  who  had  not  ad- 
dicted themselves  to  the  study  of  the  law,  whom  they  call  the  Gnam  Haaretz. 
Thus  they  are  represented  in  scripture  as  giving  them  but  a  very  indifferent  char- 
acter, '  The  people  that  knoweth  not  the  law  are  accursed.'"  By  this  means  they 
bring  the  number  of  those  who  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead  into  a  very  narrow 
compass.  Nevertheless  they  speak  of  future  rewards  and  punishments  in  another 
world.  Hence,  some  have  thought  that,  when  they  exclude  all  but  the  Israelites, 
and,  of  them,  all  but  those  who  were  in  the  greatest  reputation  amongst  them,  they 
understand  nothing  else  by  the  resurrection,  but  that  which  they  fancied  would 
happen  in  the  days  of  the  Messiah ;  in  which,  they  suppose  that  some  of  the  Jews 
shall  be  raised  from  the  dead  before  the  general  resurrection  at  the  last  day.  In 
this  sense  we  may  easily  understand  their  exclusive  account,  when  they  speak  of 
many  who  shall  not  be  partakers  of  this  privilege.  But  if  their  opinion  be  extended 
to  the  resurrection  at  the  last  day,  I  am  apt  to  think  that  they  intend  a  resurrec- 
tion to  eternal  life.  So  some  understand  the  common  proverb  just  mentioned,  as  to 
the  rain  descending  upon  all,  while  the  resurrection  belongs  only  to  the  just,  to  mean 
that  though  the  rain  descends  upon  the  wilderness  and  barren  ground,  yet  it  is  only 
some  places  which  are  made  fruitful  by  it,  and  that  in  the  same  way,  though  the  re- 
surrection shall  be  universal  both  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  yet  the  resur- 
rection to  eternal  life  belongs  only  to  the  just.x     All  that  I  shall  observe  at  present 

q  John  v.  28,  29.  r  Beneficium  pluviae  ad  omnes  spectare,  resurrectionem 

mortnorum  ad  justos  tantum.  s  Dan.  xii.  2. 

t  The  words  are,  »3wsD  0*31,  multi  ex  dormientibus.  Now,  it  is  certain  that  D*2*),  is  often  trans- 
lated 'a  multitude,' or  'multitudes,'  and  signifies  the  same  with  an,  or  the  Greek  word  ra  wXr,ies, 
as  in  Gen.  xvii.  4 ;  Fsal.  cix.  30,  and  in  several  other  places.  But  the  principal  difficulty  lies  in  the 
sense  ot  the  particle  Mem,  which  is  prefixed  to  the  following  word  ;  and  is  generally  supposed  to 
be  taken  distributively.  Accordingly,  the  sense  must  he,  'many.'  that  is,  'a  great  number,' or 
part,  taken  out  of  them  '  that  sleep,  shall  awake.'  I  am  apt  to  think,  however,  that  the  piefix 
Mem  here,  is  not  taken  distributively  but  denotes  the  following  word  to  be  in  the  Genitive  case, 
as  Lamed  and  Beth  often  do ;  and  if  so,  the  words  may  be  rendered,  '  The  multitude  of  them  that 
sleep  shall  aw<tke;'  that  is,  the  whole  number  of  them  that  sleep  shall  awake.  The  meaning  is 
thus  the  same  as  what  is  mentioned  by  our  Saviour  in  the  text  just  referred  to.  'all  that  are  in 
their  graves  shall  come  forth,'  and  be  disposed  of  in  a  different  way,  as  be  particularly  expresses 
it;  which  contains  the  sense  of  the  prophet's  prediction  in  this  place.  There  is  a  scripture,  in 
which  the  word  '  many*  plainly  signifies  <r»  *\ntt>t,  '  the  multitude,'  or  all  mankind.  The  apostle 
speaks  in  Rom.  v.  15,  of  *  many,'  as  '  being  dead  by  the  offence  of  one,'  and  '  by  one  man's  disobe- 
dience many  being  made  sinners;'  which  none  who  allow  all  the  world  to  have  fallen  in  A(iam,  will 
suppose  to  be  taken  in  any  other  sense.  See  other  instances  of  the  like  nature  in  Glass.  Phil.  Sacr. 
lib.  v.   Tract,  i.  cap.  xv.'  u  John  vii.  49. 

x  Viil.  Poc.  Not.  Misc.  in  Mimom.  Port.  Mos.  cap.  vi,  who  treuts  largely  on  this  subject,  and 
gives  an  account  of  the  opinions  of  several  Rabbinical  writers  concerning  this  matter;  which  ren- 
ders it  needless  for  me  to  refer  to  particular  places. 


THE  RESURRECTION  267 

is,  that  this  is  not  altogether  disagreeable  to  the  scripture  mode  of  speaking.  For 
while,  in  some  places,  it  asserts  the  resurrection  of  the  whole  world  ;  in  others,  by 
the  resurrection  we  are  to  understand  nothing  else  but  a  resurrection  to  eternal 
life.  Thus  the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  speaks  of  his  '  attaining  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,'*  intends  his  obtaining  a  glorious  resurrection.  Our  Saviour  also, 
when  speaking  concerning  the  happiness  of  the  saints  in  another  world,  says  that 
they  shall  be  •  counted  worthy, '  or  meet,  '  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead.'2  So  that  whatever  is  said  by  Jewish  writers,  tending  to  limit 
to  some  particular  persons  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  to  eternal  life,  it  does  not 
appear  but  that  even  they  held,  in  other  respects,  a  general  resurrection,  both  of 
the  just  and  the  unjust ;  which  is  as  demonstrable  as  is  the  resurrection  in  general. 
2.  They  who  are  found  alive  at  Christ's  second  coming,  shall  undergo  a  change 
which,  though  it  cannot  be  called  a  resurrection,  will  be  equivalent  to  it.  The 
apostle  Paul  gives  an  account  of  this,  as  what  was  before  unknown  to  the  church : 
'  Behold  I  show  you  a  mystery ;  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed, 
in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump. 'a  Elsewhere,  also,  he 
speaks  of  them  when  thus  changed,  as  '  caught  up  in  the  clouds,  together  with  ' 
saints  that  are  raised  from  the  dead,  '  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.'b  This  change 
is  no  less  an  effect  of  almighty  power  than  a  resurrection  ;  for  hereby  their  bodies, 
though  never  separated  from  their  souls,  are  brought  into  the  same  state  as  the 
bodies  of  others  shall  be  when  reunited  to  them,  and  are  rendered  incorruptible 
and  immortal,  as  the  bodies  of  all  other  saints  shall  be,  and  made  partakers  of  the 
same  glory  with  which  they  are  said  to  be  raised.  We  have  an  emblem  of  the 
change  in  Christ's  transfiguration,  when  there  was  such  a  change  made  for  the 
present  on  his  body,  that  his  face  shone  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as 
the  light.  There  was,  moreover,  not  only  a  resemblance,  but  a  kind  of  specimen 
of  it,  in  the  translation  of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  whose  bodies  were  formerly  liable  to 
corruption  and  all  the  other  infirmities  which  attend  the  present  life,  but  were 
made,  in  a  moment,  celestial  and  glorious.  The  body  of  our  Saviour,  also,  though 
raised  from  the  dead  incorruptible  and  immortal,  yet,  during  the  space  of  forty 
days,  while  he  continued  on  earth,  was  not  made  so  glorious  as  it  was  immediately 
after  the  cloud  received  him  into  heaven  ;  when  it  underwent  such  a  change  as 
was  agreeable  to  the  place  and  state  into  which  he  then  entered.  Even  so  the  bodies 
of  the  saints,  at  last,  shall,  by  this  change,  be  made  meet  for  heaven,  and  shall  be 
received  with  other  saints  into  it. 

The  condition  in  which  the  Body  shall  be  raised. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  condition  in  which  the  body  shall  be  raised. 

1.  We  shall  notice  first  the  circumstances  of  honour  and  glory  which  respect 
more  especially  the  resurrection  of  the  just.  The  apostle  describes  them  as  'raised 
in  glory.'0  The  same  body,  indeed,  is  raised  which  lived  on  earth.  Its  identity  he 
illustrates  by  '  a  grain  of  wheat '  springing  up,  and  changed  into  a  full  grown  ear. 
Though  this  is  greatly  improved,  and  very  much  altered  from  what  it  was  when  cast 
into  the  ground,  yet  'every  seed,'  as  he  observes,  'has  its  own  body.'d  We  may 
hence  infer  that  the  same  body  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead,  though  with  very 
different  qualities.  There  are,  in  the  account  he  gives  of  the  bodies  of  the  saints 
alter  the  resurrection,  several  things  mentioned  by  the  apostle  which  some  have 
attempted  to  explain  in  a  way  which  is  hardly  consistent  with  a  resurrection  of  the 
same  body.  The  Socinians  generally  maintain  that  the  body  shall  be  altogether 
new,  as  to  its  substance,  as  well  as  its  qualities.  Others  speak  of  it  as  an  aerial 
body ;  supposing  that  the  gross  and  heavy  matter  of  which  it  formerly  consisted,  is 
not  adapted  to  an  heavenly  state,  and  would  render  it  not  altogether  free  from  a 
liability  to  corruption.  This  opinion  a  late  writer  mentions  as  having  been  espoused 
by  some  of  the  Fathers,  and  he  "speaks  very  favourably  of  it.  Inasmuch  as  the 
apostle  calls  it  '  a  spiritual  body,'0  and  seems  to  distinguish  it  from 'flesh  and 

v  Phil.  iii.  11.  z  Luke  xx.  35.  a  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52.  b  1  Thess.  iv.  17. 

c  I  Cor.  xv.  43.  d  Ver.  38.  e  Ver.  44. 


268  THE  RESURRECTION. 

blood,'  which  'cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ;,f  he  thinks  that,  though  the  same 
flesh  and  blood  may  rise  from  the  grave,  it  will  then  or  afterwards,  receive  such  a 
change  as  will  render  it  spiritual  and  incorruptible,  that  so,  perhaps,  when  it  comes 
to  heaven,  it  will  not  be  flesh  and  blood  ;  or,  that  it  will  be  clothed  with  such  an 
heavenly  body  as  will  keep  it  from  a  possibility  of  corruption.  Accordingly,  he 
supposes  that  the  apostle  is  to  be  understood  as  saying,  that  flesh  and  blood  un- 
changed and  unclothed  with  its  heavenly  body,  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God; 
that  the  body  with  which  it  shall  be  invested,  will  be  thin,  aerial,  spiritual,  bright, 
and  shining ;  and  that,  in  that  respect,  it  may  be  called  celestial.  *  The  reason  he 
assigns  why  'flesh  and  blood,'  namely,  such  as  is  subject  to  corruption  here,  'can- 
not inherit  the  kindgom  of  God,'  is  that  the  flesh  may  be  cut  and  divided,  and  the 
blood  let  out,  which  would  subject  it  to  corruption.  Hence,  he  argues,  it  must  be 
changed,  and  'put  on  incorruption. ' 

This  account  of  the  bodies  of  the  saints  after  the  resurrection,  seems,  indeed,  to 
be  a  medium  between  the  two  extremes,  of  those  who  suppose  that  the  body  shall 
differ  but  little  from  what  it  was  while  on  earth,  and  of  those  who  conclude  it  to 
be  nothing  else  but  an  aerial  body  ;  yet  it  takes  several  things  for  granted  which 
I  cannot  readily  concede.  What  he  farther  adds  on  this  subject,  however,  is  unde- 
niably true,  namely,  that  the  body,  which  before  was  subject  to  filth  and  deformity, 
is  raised  in  glory  and  splendour,  '  shining  like  the  sun.'h  That  which  was  once 
'vile,'  is  'fashioned  like  unto  Christ's  glorious  body,'1  and  freed  from  all  defect  or 
deformity  of  its  members,  and  from  any  dishonourable  parts,  not  subject  to  weakness 
by  labour,  decays  by  age,  to  impotency  and  wasting  by  diseases,  but  nimble,  strong, 
active,  and  that  without  intermission  or  molestation,  grief,  pain,  or  lassitude.  It 
is  raised  a  spiritual  body,  possessed  and  acted  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  advanced 
so  far  to  the  perfection  of  spirits  as  to  be  free  from  grossness,  ponderosity,  from 
needing  rest,  sleep,  or  sustenance  ;  and  is  fitted  for  a  spiritual  and  celestial  state, 
in  which  our  bodies  shall  wholly  serve  our  spirits,  and  depend  upon  them,  and 
therefore  may  be  styled  spiritual.  If  we  stop  here,  without  giving  too  much  scope 
to  wit  and  fancy,  in  advancing  things  too  high  for  us,  and  confess  that  we  know 
not,  or  at  least  know  but  little,  the  affairs  of  an  unseen  world,  or  '  what  we  shall 
be, ' k  we  say  enough  to  give  us  occasion  to  conclude  that  it  is  a  glorious  and  desir- 
able state,  and  the  change  wrought  is  such  as  fully  answers  our  most  raised  ex- 
pectations, and  is  agreeable  to  a  state  of  perfect  blessedness.  Thus  concerning  the 
condition  or  circumstances  in  which  the  saints  shall  be  raised. 

There  is  one  thing  which  must  not  wholly  be  passed  over,  which  is  farther  ob- 
served in  this  Answer,  namely,  that  the  bodies  of  the  just  shall  be  raised  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ.  This  the  apostle  expressly  states  :  '  If  the  Spirit  of  him  that 
raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead,  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the 
dead,  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.'1 
The  bodies  of  believers,  which  were  in  this  world  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  were  under  his  divine  influence  while  living,  shall  not  cease  to  be  the  objects 
of  his  care  when  dead  ;  and  as  an  instance  of  his  regard  to  them,  as  well  as  denot- 
ing the  subserviency  of  them  to  their  attaining  that  complete  redemption  which 
Christ  has  purchased  for  them,  the  Spirit,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  demonstrates  his 
personal  glory  in  raising  them  from  the  dead.  Others,  on  the  other  hand,  are  said 
to  be  raised  only  by  the  power  of  Christ. 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  the  circumstances  in  which  the  wicked  shall  be  raised, 
namely,  in  dishonour,  or,  as  the  prophet  Daniel  expresses  it,  '  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt.'  Some  marks  of  dishonour  shall  doubtless  be  impressed  on  their 
bodies.  They  shall  be  raised  with  all  those  natural  blemishes  and  deformities 
which  rendered  them  the  object  of  contempt.     That  part  which  the  body  bore  in 

f  1  Cor.  xv.  50. 

g  Vid.  Whitby  in  1  Cor.  xv.  44,  50.  If  by  the  bright  and  shining  body  which  this  autbor  speaks 
of,  he  means  that  it  shall  be  invested  with  some  rays  of  glory  in. the  heavenly  state,  as  many  others 
suppose,  I  think,  none  will  deny  his  position,  since  it  agrees  well  with  what  the  apostle  says  con- 
cerning the  body's  being  made  like  to  Christ's  glorious  body,  and  also  with  what  the  prophet  Daniel 
says,  chap,  xii  2,  concerning  their  'shining  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  as  the  stars;' 
or,  as  our  Saviour  says,  Matt.  xiii.  43.  '  Thev  shall  shine  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father.' 

h  Matt.  xiii.  4a  i  Phil.  lii.  21.  "  k  1  John  iii.  2.  1  Rom.  viii.  11. 


THE    RESURRECTION.  269 

tempting  the  soul  to  sin,  shall  tend  to  its  everlasting  reproach ;  and  when  reunited 
to  it,  those  habits  of  sin  which  were  contracted  shall  incurably  remain,  as  well  as 
the  tormenting  sense  of  guilt  consequent  upon  them  ;  so  that  the  body  shall  be  ex- 
posed to  the  wrath  of  God  for  ever.  The  resurrection  of  the  bodies  of  the  wicked, 
therefore,  which  renders  them  immortal,  brings  upon  them  endless  misery.  More- 
over, it  is  said  to  be  brought  about  by  Christ,  as  an  offended  Judge ;  and  as  the 
consequence  of  it,  they  are  summoned  to  his  tribunal  that  he  may  render  to  every 
one  according  to  his  works.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  Christ  as  coming  to  judge 
the  world  ;  which  is  that  solemn  transaction  that  will  immediately  follow  after  the 
resurrection. 

[Note  R.  The  Identity  of  the  Human  Body. — The  objections  against  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion, from  the  same  particles  belonging  to  different  bodies,  and  the  same  body  undergoing  great 
changes  as  to  its  constituent  particles,  are  merely  a  play  upon  the  somewhat  subtle  subject  of  phy- 
sical identity,  and  scarcely  deserve  a  very  serious  reply.  The  decompositions,  recombinations,  and 
numerous  transmutations  capable  of  being  performed  in  a  process  of  chemical  experiment,  would 
silence  an  argument  an  hundred  times  stronger  than  the  strongest  which  can  be  based  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  sceptic's  reasoning  respecting  the  resurrection,  and,  if  he  chose  to  maintain  that  prin- 
ciple, would  involve  him,  in  the  face  of  demonstrable  facts,  in  inextricable  difficulty  and  self-contra- 
diction Astounding  as  the  analyzing  and  transmuting  processes  of  chemistry  are,  even  they  can 
throw  little  light  on  the  question  of  identity  as  to  the  particles  or  constituent  parts  of  any  one  com- 
pound, organized,  animated  substance.  How  monstrous,  then,  is  it,  in  defiance  not  only  of  that 
science  but  of  all  the  knowledge  which  man  has  ever  yet  attained,  to  pronounce  peremptorily,  as 
the  sceptics  presume  to  do,  on  what  does  or  on  what  does  not  affect  the  identity  of  an  organized 
body  !  Let  them  look  at  a  matter  incomparably  simpler — let  them  consider  so  seemingly  obvious, 
so  apparently  very  definable  an  object  as  a  river ;  and,  according  to  their  reasonings,  either  there 
can  be  no  rivers  in  the  world,  or  there  is  no  identity  whatever  in  any  one  of  them,  and  no  conceiv- 
able distinctiveness  between  ocean,  cloud,  and  stream.  All  the  respective  particles  of  water  which 
flow  on  any  given  day  in  any  one  river,  have  flowed  before  and  may  flow  again  in  scores  or  hundreds 
of  other  streams,  and  have  existed  before,  and  will  exist  again,  as  portions  both  of  the  great  deep  and 
of  the  vapours  of  the  sky.  Nor  may  a  sceptic  escape  by  saying,  that  the  channel,  and  not  the 
water,  constitutes  the  river  ;  for  he  may  remember  that  some  rivers  have  materially  or  almost  en- 
tirely altered  their  course,  and  still  remain  the  same,  and  he  will  easily  see,  too,  that  a  channel, 
apart  from  water,  is  only  a  hollow  stripe  of  earth,  possessing  as  little  the  character  of  a  river  as  that 
of  a  Roman  road. 

But  a  better  illustration  of  physical  identity  occurs  in  the  history  of  the  butterfly.  How  few, 
how  very  few,  if  any,  of  the  original  particles  of  the  incipient  caterpillar  remain  in  the  body  of  the 
winged  insect  1  Not  only,  in  its  growth  from  the  larva  state  to  that  of  the  full-formed  caterpillar,  in 
its  transition  thence  to  that  of  a  chrysalis,  and  in  its  transition  again  to  that  of  the  butterfly,  does  it 
experience  both  a  loss  and  an  accession  of  particles  surprisingly  great,  but  it  undergoes  wondrous 
changes  in  organization,  and  eventually  exists  in  a  condition  affording  hardly  one  trace  of  resemblance 
to  that  which  belonged  to  it  at  the  commencement  of  its  being.  Yet  he  who  should  doubt  or  question 
its  identity,  would  be  compelled  to  adopt  principles  of  reasoning  and  practise  rebuttings  of  testimony 
and  observation,  which  would  upset  belief  in  all  identity  and  in  all  physical  realities  whatever. 

The  identity  of  organized  or  mutable  bodies,  then,  would  seem  to  consist,  not  in  the  sameness  of 
their  particles,  but  in  their  relative  position  to  some  connecting  or  concomitant  substance.  Any 
given  river  of  to-day  is  the  same;  which  it  was  centuries  ago,  simply  by  its  consisting  of  waters  which 
have  their  source  in  certain  highlands  and  pursue  their  course  through  a  certain  valley  ;  an  insect 
in  a  butterfly  state  is  the  same  being  which  existed  as  a  caterpillar,  simply  because  successive 
changes  in  its  organization  and  in  its  loss  and  accession  of  particles  have  occurred  in  connexion  with 
one  animating  principle  or  animal  life ;  an  oak  of  the  forest  is  identical  with  the  acorri  whence  it 
sprung,  or  a  cornstalk  of  the  field,  with  its  fifty  or  fourscore  ears  of  corn,  is  identical  with  the  seed 
whence  it  vegetated,  simply  because  its  continuous  succession  of  particles,  in  its  transition  from  a 
seminal  to  a  matured  state,  occurred  in  connexion  with  the  same  vegetable  properties,  or  with  the 
substratum  or  organic  peculiarity  which  constitutes  the  distinctiveness  or  specific  nature  of  the 
plant.  Now,  where,  with-  these  facts  and  thousands  of  similar  ones  before  us,  is  the  difficulty  of 
conceiving  the  perfect  identity  of  the  incorruptible  body  of  the  resurrection,  with  the  corruptible 
body  which  is  consigned  to  the  grave?  Suppose  the  loss  and  accession  of  particles  while  the  body 
is  in  life  to  be  ever  so  extensive  and  frequent,  and  suppose  any  amount  of  the  aggregate  particles 
to  belong  successively  to  different  bodies,  we  have  only  to  see  a  continuous  succession  or  connecting 
chain  of  particles  between  the  body  of  the  present  life  and  the  body  of  the  resurrection, — or  at  most 
to  see  this  succession  in  connexion  with  the  distinctive  peculiarity  of  a  human  body  and  in  relation 
to  the  animating  soul — in  order  to  recognise,  in  an  emphatic  sense  of  the  phrase,  a  perfect  identity. 
The  particles,  be  their  history  what  it  may,  which  constitute  the  body  of  a  man  an  hundred  years 
old,  occupy  just  the  same  relation  to  the  rational  soul  which  animates  them,  as  the  particles  which 
preceded  them  ;  and  they  have  been  acquired  through  a  process  of  consecutiveness,  and  in  an  uni- 
formity of  relationship,  in  strict  though  intermediate  identity  with  the  particles  which  constituted 
his  body  when  he  was  born.  His  possessing  now,  or  his  having  possessed  before,  particles  which 
once  belonged  to  other  bodies,  or  his  having  at  various  periods  of  his  life  thrown  off  particles  which 
other  bodies  have  already  incorporated,  do  not,  in  the  remotest  degree,  impair  the  perfect  identity 
of  his  present  body  with  his  body  when  an  infant.     How,  then,  or  by  what  laws,  can  his  bodily 


270  THE  RESURRECTION. 

identity  be  affected  by  the  comparatively  fewer  changes  which  shall  take  place  between  the  putri- 
faction  of  his  body  and  its  resurrection"?  Changes  such  as  are  made  the  ground  of  the  sceptic's 
objections  take  place  chiefly  while  the  body  is  animated  on  earth ;  loss  and  accession  and  constant 
alteration  of  particles  occur  in  the  processes  of  animated  existence  ;  even  participation  of  particles 
which  have  belonged  to  other  bodies,  or  throwing  off  particles  which  other  bodies  incorporate, 
occurs,  in  most  eases,  far  more  in  the  multitudinous  and  bulky  changes  of  the  body's  life  and  ac- 
tivities, than  in  the  summary  and  unique  events  of  its  dissolving  into  corruption  ;  so  that  if  doubts 
and  difficulties  are  to  be  raised  as  to  either  the  possibility  or  the  fact  of  identity,  they  may  be  di- 
rected much  more  efficiently  against  the  identity  of  the  body  of  the  sexagenarian  with  the  body  of 
the  infant,  than  against  the  identity  of  the  body  of  the  resurrection  with  the  body  which  is  committed 
to  the  dust.  Man's  original  body  is,  in  all  its  particles,  derived  through  the  medium  of  the  body  of 
his  mother ;  and,  so  long  as  he  is  a  suckling,  it  derives  all  its  accessions  of  particles  by  milk  drawn 
from  her  paps  In  the  animal  food  which  he  afterwards  eats,  he  incorporates  the  directly  consti- 
tuent particles  of  the  bodies  of  brutes ;  and  in  the  vegetable  on  which  he  feeds,  and  even  the 
water  which  he  drinks  and  the  air  which  he  inhales,  he  almost,  certainly,  during  his  life,  receives 
into  his  body  minute  but  accumulating  particles  which  once  belonged  to  other  human  bodies.  Yet 
numerous  and  great  and  constant  as  are  the  transmutations  of  his  body,  both  in  the  accessions  which 
it  receives  from  other  bodies,  and  in  its  exudations  or  losses  of  particles  which  other  bodies  in  their 
turn  incorporate,  neither  these  bodies  nor  his  own  are,  in  the  remotest  degree,  affected  in  their 
identity.  How,  then,  can  transmutations  of  a  similar  kind,  but  in  the  aggregate  neither  so  great 
nor  so  direct,  after  the  body  is  consigned  to  the  grave,  have  any  destructive  or  modifying  effect? 
If  the  body  of  the  resurrection  but  be  consecutively  connected  with  the  body  of  the  sepulchre,  and 
occupy  relationship  or  union  to  the  same  animating  soul,  it  will  possess  just  the  constituents  of 
identity  with  it,  which  the  body  of  the  living  man  advanced  in  years  possesses  with  the  body  of  the 
same  man  when  he  was  a  suckling.  These  constituents  will,  without  a  doubt,  exist,  and  can  as- 
suredly be  as  little  marred  or  hindered  by  the  transmutations  of  the  grave  as  by  the  transmutations 
of  animated  existence. 

It  is  clear,  then,  that  the  identity  of  a  body,  at  any  two  stages  or  in  any  two  states  of  its  being, 
does  not  depend  on  the  sameness  of  its  particles.  If,  however,  a  certain  amount  of  sameness  of 
particles  should  be  contended  for  as  necessary  to  its  identity,  we  can  easily  show  that  this  sameness 
is  more  certain  in  the  abstract,  and  may,  in  most  cases,  embrace  a  larger  amount  of  particles,  between 
the  body  of  the  resurrection  and  the  body  of  the  sepulchre,  than  between  the  body  of  advanced  age 
and  the  body  of  infancy.  If  the  allegations  of  some  philosophers  be  correct,  that,  while  the  fluids 
and  unguous  parts  of  an  animated  body  are  very  rapidly  changed,  even  the  hardest  particles  of  the 
bones  are  renewed  in  the  course  of  seven  years,  the  body  of  any  adult  has  ceased  to  possess  even 
one  particle  which  belonged  to  the  body  of  the  same  person  when  an  infant;  but  even  if  such  alle- 
gations be  exaggerated,  and  if  the  most  compact  and  durable  parts  of  the  body  be  of  comparatively 
long  continuance,  still  the  body  of  a  sexagenarian  cannot  be  proved,  and  with  difficulty  can  even  be 
conceived,  to  retain  any  of  the  particles  which  belonged  to  it  when  he  hung  upon  his  mother's 
breast.  Suppose,  however,  the  body  at  death  to  be  disposed  of  in  any  imaginable  way, — suppose  it  to 
be  interred  in  some  spot  of  earth,  where  it  mingles  with  the  surrounding  dust, — suppose  it  to  be  re- 
duced to  ashes,  and  either  gathered  into  an  urn,  or  scattered  on  the  winds  of  heaven, — or  suppose 
it  to  be  devoured  by  a  monster  of  the  sea  or  of  the  land,  and  its  flesh  reduced  to  dust  in  common 
with  the  monster's  body,  while  its  bones  are  left  to  moulder  away  on  the  spot  where  the  devourer 
made  his  horrid  repast, — in  either  of  these  cases  the  departed  soul  will  have  left  behind  it  a  specific 
and  considerable  amount  of  the  particles  which  actually  constituted  its  body  at  death,  and,  by  the 
power  of  God  collecting  the  particles  together  and  reconstructing  them  into  organic  form,  it  may  be 
reunited  to  them  in  the  day  of  the  resurrection.  While  the  soul  of  a  man,  when  he  is  sixty  years 
of  age,  is  united  to  a  body  probably  containing  not  one  particle  which  belonged  to  it  when  he  was 
an  infant,  it  may  most  certainly,  at  the  resurrection,  be  united  to  a  body  containing  many  of  the 
very  particles  which  belonged  to  it  when  he  resigned  it  at  death.  Regard  the  question  of  physical 
identity,  therefore,  as  we  will,  sceptics  are  bound  either  to  deny  the  identity  of  the  very  bodies 
they  themselves  at  present  possess,  and  so  to  deny  the  identity  of  all  organized  and  mutable  sub- 
stances whatever,  or  to  admit  the  very  obvious  demonstrableness  of  the  identity  of  the  body  which 
shall  be  raised  in  immortality  with  the  body  which  is  entombed  in  corruption Ed.] 


THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 


Question  LXXXVIII.  What  shall  immediately  follow  after  the  resurrection  ? 

Answkr.  Immediately  after  the  resurrection  shall  follow  the  general  and  final  judgment  of 
angels  and  men,  the  day  and  hour  whereof  no  man  knoweth,  that  all  may  watch  and  pray,  and  be 
ever  ready  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  having  finished  the  work  which  he  undertook  to  perform, 
in  gathering  in  his  elect,  and  bringing  that  grace  which  he  wrought  in  them  to  per- 
fection ;  the  only  thing  then  remaining  to  be  done,  will  be  his  receiving  them  into 
his  immediate  presence  to  behold  his  glory,  and  his  banishing  others  for  ever  from 
him,  with  marks  of  infamy  and  detestation.    In  order  to  this,  he  will  raise  the  dcud, 


THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT.  271 

and  give  a  summons  to  the  whole  world  of  angels  and  men,  to  appear  before  his 
tribunal  in  that  day  in  which  he  is  appointed  by  the  Father  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness.  This  is  the  subject  insisted  on  in  the  present  Answer.  In  discuss- 
ing it,  we  shall  observe  the  following  method.  First,  we  shall  prove  that  there 
shall  be  a  day  of  judgment.  Secondly,  we  shall  consider  the  person,  the  charac- 
ter, and  the  solemn  appearance  of  the  great  Judge  to  whom  this  work  is  committed. 
Thirdly,  we  shall  consider  the  persons  to  be  judged, — angels  and  men.  Fourthly, 
we  shall  consider  the  manner  in  which  he  shall  proceed  in  judging  them.  Lastly, 
we  shall  state  some  circumstances  concerning  the  place  where,  and  the  time  when, 
this  great  and  awful  work  shall  be  performed. 

Proofs  of  the  Final  Judgment. 

"We  are  here  to  prove  that  there  shall  be  a  day  of  judgment.  This  is  as  evident 
a  truth  as  that  there  is  a  providence,  or  that  God  is  the  governor  of  the  world. 
Every  intelligent  creature,  being  the  subject  of  moral  government,  affords  an  argu- 
ment for  the  proof  of  this  doctrine.  We  must  consider  intelligent  creatures  as  under 
a  law  which  God  has  given  as  that  by  which  they  are  to  be  governed.  Hence  arises 
our  obligation  to  duty,  and  our  being  rendered  accountable  to  the  great  Lawgiver, 
as  to  our  obedience  to  or  violation  of  his  law.  Now,  God  is  obliged  in  honour  to 
make  a  scrutiny  into  or  take  an  account  of  our  behaviour,  that  it  may  be  known 
whether  we  have  obeyed  him  or  rebelled  against  him.  This  is  evident  from  the 
concern  which  the  glory  of  his  own  perfections  has  in  calling  us  to  account,  and 
from  the  promises  and  threatenings  annexed  to  his  law,  which  he  is  obliged  to  fulfil 
or  execute.  It  follows,  then,  that  God  will  display  his  glory  as  the  Judge  of  the 
world. 

The  fact  that  there  will  be  a  final  judgment,  is  plainly  revealed  in  scripture.  It 
was  foretold  in  the  early  ages  of  the  world,  as  contained  in  the  prophecy  of  Enoch, 
recorded  in  the  epistle  of  Jude,  '  Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his 
saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly  among 
them  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds,  which  they  have  ungodly  committed,  and  of 
all  their  hard  speeches  which  ungodly  sinners  have  spoken  against  him.'m 
Though  these  words  might  have  a  peculiar  reference  to  the  judgment  which 
God  would  execute  in  the  destruction  of  the  old  world ;  yet  it  is  plain  from 
the  application  made  of  them  by  the  apostle,  that  they  look  as  far  as  the  final 
judgment,  which  shall  be  in  the  end  of  time.  The  same  truth  appears  like- 
wise from  what  is  said  in  Eccl.  xii.  14,  '  God  shall  bring  every  work  into  judg- 
ment, with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil.'  There 
are,  indeed,  many  displays  of  God's  judicial  hand  in  the  present  dispensations 
of  his  providence  ;  as  he  is  said  to  be  '  known  by  the  judgment  which  he  exe- 
cuteth.'n  The  visible  tokens  of  his  regard  to  his  saints  in  this  world,  as  well  as  the 
public  and  dreadful  display  of  his  vengeance  poured  forth  upon  his  enemies,  pro- 
claim his  glory  as  God,  the  Judge  of  all.  But  as  sin  deserves  greater  punishments 
than  what  are  inflicted  here  ;  as  the  promises  which  God  has  made  for  the  encour- 
agement of  his  people,  give  them  occasion  to  look  beyond  the  present  scene  of 
affairs  ;  and  especially  as  the  divine  dealings  with  men,  as  to  outward  things,  cannot 
so  clearly  be  accounted  for  while  we  behold  the  righteous  oppressed,  and  many  of 
the  wicked  having,  as  it  were,  more  than  heart  can  wish  ;  we  must  evidently  con- 
clude that  there  is  a  time  coming  when  matters  will  be  adjusted,  and  when,  as  the 
psalmist  says,  *  a  man  shall  say,'  or  every  one  shall  have  occasion  to  say,  *  Verily 
there  is  a  reward  for  the  righteous  ;  verily  he  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth.'0 

Moreover,  this  doctrine  is  not  only  revealed  in  scripture,  but  is  impressed  on  the 
consciences  of  men.  Though  they  take  never  so  much  pains  to  extinguish  their 
apprehension  or  dread  of  it,  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  succeed.  That  secret  re- 
morse or  terror  which  sinners  feel  within  their  own  breasts,  which  makes  them 
restless  and  uneasy,  especially  when  they  perceive  themselves  to  stand  on  the  con- 
fines of  another  world,  is  an  undeniable  argument  that  there  is  a  future  judg- 

m  Jude  14,  15.  n  Psal.  ix.  16.  o  Psal.  lviii.  11. 


272  THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 

ment.  What  was  it  that  made  Belshazzar's  countenance  to  change?  Why  did 
his  '  thoughts  trouble  him,  so  that  the  joints  of  his  loins  were  loosed,  and  his  knees 
smote  one  against  another,'  when  he  saw  'the  hand-writing  on  the  wall,'  in  the 
midst  of  all  his  mirth  and  jollity  ?p  Was  he  afraid  of  the  united  forces  of  the  Per- 
sians and  Modes,  who  at  the  time  invested  the  capital  city  in  which  he  was  ?  Did 
he  know  that  he  should  be  slain  before  the  morning  ?  These  things  were  most  re- 
mote from  his  thoughts ;  for  he  apprehended  himself  safe  from  any  danger  which 
might  arise  from  that  quarter.  Was  he  afraid  of  punishment  from  men  ?  His  con- 
dition in  the  world  set  him  above  the  dread  of  any  such  event.  It  was  only  the 
sense  he  had  of  a  future  judgment  from  God,  that  produced  these  effects  in  him. 
It  was  this  too  which  made  the  heathen  governor  'tremble,'  when  the  apostle 
'reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to  come.'q  And  when  Paul 
was  disputing  with  the  Athenians,  though  they  mocked  and  treated  what  he  said 
about  the  resurrection  with  ridicule,  yet  none  of  them  had  any  thing  to  object 
against  the  doctrine  that  '  God  would  judge  the  world  in  righteousness.'1" 

It  may  be  observed,  that  the  doctrine  of  future  rewards  and  punishments,  as  the 
result  of  a  sentence  passed  on  men  after  death,  is  so  often  mentioned  by  heathen 
writers,  that  it  is  evident  they  either  received  it  by  tradition,  or  understood  it  by 
the  light  of  nature.  When  they  enter  into  particular  explanations  of  it,  indeed,  we 
meet  with  little  but  what  is  fabulous  and  trifling.  Some  of  them  suppose  the  re- 
wards and  punishments  to  be  in  other  bodies,  agreeably  to  the  doctrine  of  the  trans- 
migration of  souls.  Others  speak  of  fictitious  lakes  and  rivers  in  the  other  world, 
where  men  are  doomed  to  abide,  at  least,  for  some  time.  They  knew  nothing, 
however,  respecting  the  day  of  judgment,  or  the  appearance  of  the  whole  world 
before  Christ's  tribunal ;  for  this  is  a  matter  of  pure  revelation.8 

The  Person  and  Appearance  of  the  Judge. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  person,  character,  and  solemn  appearance  of  the  great 
Judge  to  whom  this  work  is  more  especially  committed.  This  is  a  doctrine  which 
can  be  known  in  no  other  way  than  by  divine  revelation.  The  light  of  nature,  indeed, 
discovers  to  us  that  God  shall  judge  the  world  ;  but  something  more  than  this  may 
be  learned  from  scripture,  as  well  as  those  circumstances  of  glory  with  which  the 
work  shall  be  performed. 

1.  We  read  that  the  person  who  is  to  perform  this  great  work,  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Chrst.  Of  him  it  is  said,  he  shall  'judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing, 
and  his  kingdom  ;**  and  elsewhere,  '  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment-seat 
of  Christ.  'u  If  we  consider  his  glory  as  a  divine  person,  he  is  fit  to  engage  in  it. 
For  as  he  knows  all  things,  he  can  judge  the  secrets  of  men,  which  no  mere  crea- 
ture can  do  ;  and  as  he  has  all  the  other  perfections  of  the  divine  nature,  he  can 
display  and  glorify  them,  in  such  a  way  as  is  necessary,  in  determining  the  final 
estate  of  men,  and  rewarding  every  one  according  to  his  work.  We  may  observe 
also,  that  this  work  is  a  branch  of  his  mediatorial  dignity,  and  is  included  in  the 

p  Dan.  v.  6.  q  Acts  xxiv.  25.  r  Chap.  xvii.  31. 

s  We  often  read  in  heathen  writers,  of  JEacus,  Minos,  and  Rbadamanthus,  as  appointed  to  pass  a 
judgment  on  every  one  at  death,  fix  them  in  their  respective  places  of  residence,  and  determine 
their  rewards  and  punishments.  These  are  generally  supposed  to  have  lived  ahout  Moses'  time, 
and  are  commended  for  the  exercise  of  justice,  and  for  making  laws,  some  of  which  they  are  sup- 
posed to  have  received  from  heaven  ;  and  as  the  reward  of  their  conduct,  they  are  said  to  have  had  the 
honour  of  being  judges  of  men  at  death,  conferred  upon  them.  Some  have  been  ready  to  conclude 
that  the  account  which  the  heathen  give  of  these  three  famous  lawgivers  and  judges  is  nothing  else 
but  a  corruption  of  a  tradition  which  they  had  received  concerning  Moses,  the  great  lawgiver  to 
the  Israelites,  set  forth  by  different  names,  with  several  things  fabulous  added.  They  who  have  a 
mind  to  see  a  very  learned  and  critical  disquisition  on  this  subject,  may  consult  Huet  Demonst. 
Evang.  Prop.  iv.  §  9 — 13.  As  for  the  variety  of  punishments  which  these  judges  inflicted,  the 
Jakes  and  rivers  of  fire  to  which  they  condemn  the  guilty,  see  Plato's  account  of  them,  transcribed 
by  Eusebms,  in  Praep.  Evan.  lib.  xi.  cap.  xxxviii.  Eusebius  thinks  that  some  things  mentioned  by 
flato  i  enr  a  resemblance  to  the  punishment  of  sin  which  we  read  of  in  scripture;  and  these  tbingi 
be  supposes  he  received  by  tradition,  from  some  who  were  acquainted  with  divine  revelation,  as  he 
did  many  other  things  which  he  speaks  of  in  his  writings. 

t  2  Inn.  iv.  1.  u  2  Cor.  v.  10.  *. 


THE   FINAL  JUDGMENT.  273 

execution  of  his  kingly  office.  That  he  should  perform  it  was  contained  in  the  com- 
mission which  he  received  of  the  Father.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  The  Father  judgeth 
no  man,'x  that  is,  not  in  a  visible  manner,  or  by  any  delegated  power  which  he  is 
invested  with,  '  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  to  the  Son,  and  hath  given  him 
authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man.'?  We  may  add, 
that  it  is  a  part  of  the  work  which  was  incumbent  on  him  in  the  application  of  re- 
demption ;  which  cannot  be  said  to  be  brought  to  the  utmost  perfection,  till  the 
day  of  judgment.  Thus,  when  he  speaks  concerning  his  'coming  in  a  cloud  with 
power  and  great  glory  ;'  he  bids  his  people  then  '  lift  up  their  heads,  inasmuch  as 
their  redemption  draweth  nigh.'z  We  might  also  add,  that  it  was  very  expedient 
that  he  should  judge  the  world,  since  he  was  unjustly  judged  and  condemned  by 
the  world.  The  cause  must  have  a  second  hearing,  that  his  enemies,  at  whose  bar 
he  once  stood,  may  be  fully  convinced,  to  their  eternal  confusion,  that  he  was  not 
the  person  whom  they  took  him  to  be,  and  that  he  did  not  deserve  the  treatment  and 
rude  insults  which  he  met  with  from  them,  when  he  stood  at  their  tribunal.  They 
asked  him  the  question,  '  Art  thou  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Blessed  ?'  And  he 
replied,  '  I  am  ;  and  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power, 
and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.'*  Here  he  applied  to  himself  what  the  pro- 
phet Daniel  said  concerning  him  ;b  and  thus  intimated  that  his  coming  to  judge  the 
world  would  be  the  most  visible  and  incontestable  proof  of  his  mediatorial  glory, 
with  which  he  was  invested  as  the  Son  of  man.  The  high  priest,  on  hearing  his 
answer,  rent  his  clothes,  apprehending  that  he  spake  blasphemy  ;  after  which  they  all 
condemned  him  to  be  guilty  of  death.  It  is  expedient,  therefore,  that  this  visible 
proof  of  his  Sonship  and  mediatorial  glory  should  be  given,  and  that  he  should  per- 
form this  great  work  which  was  incumbent  on  him,  as  he  gave  them  to  expect. 
It  is  his  'coming  with  clouds,  that  every  eye  shall  see,'  which  shall  oblige  '  them 
which  pierced  him,  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth,'  who  set  themselves  against 
him,  'to  wail  because  of  him.'c  Moreover,  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  judge 
the  world,  in  order  that  he  might  publicly  vindicate  his  people,  who  have  been 
judged  and  condemned  by  the  world  for  his  sake  ;  and  that  his  cause  and  interest, 
which  have  been  trampled  on  by  them,  might  be  defended  in  the  most  public  and 
glorious  manner  so  as  to  afford  an  everlasting  conviction  that  he  whom  men  de- 
spised, whose  glory  was  set  light  by,  whose  gospel  was  rejected  and  persecuted,  is  a 
person  worthy  of  universal  honour  and  esteem.  Thus  concerning  the  person  who 
is  appointed  to  judge  the  world,  and  the  character  in  which  he  shall  do  it./ 

2.  We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  solemnity  of  his  appearance  when  engaging 
in  the  work.  The  work  being  the  most  glorious  which  ever  was  performed  since 
the  world  was  created,  and  the  honour  redounding  to  Christ  as  the  result  of  it,  be- 
ing the  last  and  highest  degree  of  his  state  of  exaltation ;  it  cannot  but  be  supposed 
that  he  will  appear  with  those  ensigns  of  majesty  and  regal  dignity  which  become 
his  character  as  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead.  Accordingly  we  have  an  account 
of  his  '  appearing  in  his  own  glory,  and  in  his  Father's,  and  of  the  holy  angels. 'd 
'  His  own  glory'  respects  the  rays  of  his  divinity  shining  forth  ;  whereby  it  will 
appear  that  he  has  a  natural  right  to  summon  the  whole  world  before  him.  This 
cannot  but  strike  a  terror  into  his  enemies,  and  enhance  the  joy  and  triumph  of 
his  friends,  and  excite  the  adoration  which  is  due  to  so  glorious  a  person.  His 
appearing  in  'his  Father's  glory,'  denotes  that  this  is  the  highest  display  of  his 
mediatorial  dignity  ;  the  reward  of  his  having  perfectly  fulfilled  the  commission 
given  him  by  the  Father,  and  fully  answered  the  end  for  which  he  became  incar- 
nate. And  his  appearing  in  'the  glory  of  his  holy  angels,'  implies  the  reverence 
and  homage  which  they  will  pay  to  him,  into  whose  hands  they  are  given  as  min- 
istering spirits  to  fulfil  his  pleasure,  and  who  always  rejoice  in  the  advancement  of 
his  kingdom.  The  angels  shall  not  indeed  be  employed  in  raising  the  dead,  for. 
that  is  a  work  too  great  for  finite  power  ;  but  we  read  of  their  ministry  as  subser- 
vient to  the  glory  of  this  solemnity,  as  consisting  in  their  appearing  with  Christ  as 
his  retinue.     So  it  is  said  that  he  shall  '  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels 

z  Luke  xxi.  27,  28.  a  Mark  xiv.  61—64. 

d  Luke  ix.  26. 
2  M 


x  John  v.  22. 
b  Dan.  vii.   13. 

y  Ver.  27- 
c  Rev.  i.  7. 

It. 

274  THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 

■with  him.'e  These  indeed  make  up  his  train  ;  but  do  not  convey  to  him  the  least 
branch  of  that  glory  or  character  he  is  invested  with.  It  is  their  honour  to  attend 
him,  whose  servants  they  are.  Their  work  is  to  praise  and  adore  him,  and  to  show 
their  readiness  to  fulfil  his  pleasure,  without  desiring  to  usurp  the  least  branch  of 
Ins  glory.  The  first  thing  they  are  represented  as  doing,  is  their  attending  his 
coming  with  a  shout,  or  their  transmitting  to  the  whole  world  the  word  of  command 
first  given  forth  by  Christ,  whereby  all  men  shall  be  summoned  to  appear  before 
him.  This  shall  doubtless  be  attended  with  universal  joy  and  triumph  expressed 
by  them.  As  to  its  being  said  that  Christ  shall  '  come  with  the  sound  of  a  trum- 
pet,^ either  the  expression  is  to  be  considered  as  an  allusion  to  the  custom  of  call- 
ing the  hosts  together,  which  was  done  by  the  sound  of  a  trumpet ;  s  or  we  may 
understand  it  in  a  literal  sense  to  denote  some  sound  like  that  of  a  trumpet,  which 
shall  be  heard  throughout  the  world,  and  which  shall  have  a  tendency  to  excite 
the  joy  and  triumph  of  the  saints,  and  to  strike  terror  into  the  wicked.  Now,  as 
this  trumpet  gives  an  alarm  to  all  to  appear  before  Christ's  tribunal  ;  the  angels 
are  represented  as  assisting  in  bringing  them  thither.  It  is  by  them  that  the  saints 
'  which  remain  alive,  shall  be  caught  up'  with  others  '  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air  ;'h  and  it  is  said  they  shall  'gather  together  the  elect  from  the 
four  winds,  from  one  end  of  the  heaven  to  the  other.'1  Elsewhere,  our  Saviour, 
speaking  of  'the  end  of  the  world,'  which  he  calls  'the  harvest,'  represents  the 
angels  as  '  reapers  ;'k  and  he  explains  his  meaning  to  be,  that  '  at  the  end  of  the 
world  the  angels  shall  come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just.'1 
This  plainly  intimates  that  they  are  to  gather  the  elect  together.  Inasmuch,  too, 
as  there  must  be  a  separation  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  so  that  the 
one  shall  be  set  at  Christ's  right  hand,  the  other  at  his  left ;  it  is  more  than  pro- 
bable that  this  shall  be  done  by  the  ministry  of  angels.m  And  then  the  Judge  is 
represented  as  'sitting  on  his  throne. 'n  This  is  called  elsewhere  'a  judgment- 
seat,'  agreeably  to  his  character  as  a  judge  ;  and  it  is  here  styled  his  throne,  as 
expressive  of  the  majesty  and  royal  dignity  with  which  he  shall  perform  this  great 
work. 

The  Persons  Judged. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  persons  who  are  to  be  judged.  These  are  said 
to  be  aagels  and  men,  that  is,  all  who  are  summoned  to  appear  before  Christ's  tri- 
bunal. Whether  the  holy  angels  are  included  in  the  number  of  those  whom  Christ 
will  judge,  it  is  not  safe  for  us  to  pretend  to  determine,  since  scripture  is  silent  on 
the  subject.  That  they  are  the  subjects  of  moral  government  is  evident,  because 
they  are  intelligent  creatures  ;  and  it  follows  that  as  such  they  are  accountable  to 
God  for  their  behaviour.  It  is  also  certain  that  they  are  employed  by  our  Saviour 
in  'fulfilling  his  pleasure  ;'  and  in  connection  with  their  being  thus  employed,  they 
are  '  sent  forth  by  him  to  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation.'0  On  this  account  it 
may  not  be  reckoned  foreign  to  the  work  of  the  day,  for  Christ  to  give  a  public 
testimony  to  their  faithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  every  work  which  has  been  com- 
mitted to  them  ;  especially  as  the  saints  who,  in  some  respects,  may  be  said  to  have 
been  their  charge  and  care,  have  received  no  small  advantage  from  the  good  offices 
which  they  have  performed  for  them  by  Christ's  appointment.  More  than  this, 
however,  I  think  cannot  be  determined,  with  respect  to  their  being  judged  by 
Christ.  Many  conclude,  therefore,  that,  properly  speaking,  they  are  not  included 
in  the  number  of  those  who  shall  be  judged  by  him  ;  either  because  they  are  re- 
presented as  attending  him  when  he  comes  to  judgment,  and  are  never  spoken  of 

e  Matt.  xxv.  31.  f  1  Thess.  iv.  16.  g  Numb.  x.  2,  &c     See  Quest,  lvi. 

h  1  Thess.  iv.  17. 

i  Matt.  xxiv.  31.  This  is  the  most  common  sense  of  these  words.  They  are  supposed  by 
some  indeed,  to  be  taken  in  a  figurative  sense,  for  the  preach'ng  of  the  gosptl  throughout  the 
world  after  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  state;  which  thev  think  is  principally  intended  by 
what  is  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  verses.  Most  conclude,  however,  that  several  things  in  this 
account  of  Christ's  glorious  appearance,  are  not  without  some  allusion,  at  least,  to  what  shall  be 
more  eminently  accomplished,  when  he  shall  come  to  judgment. 

k  Matt.  xm.  39.  1  Verse  49.  m  Matt.  xxv.  32.  n  Verse  31.  o  Heb.  i.  14. 


THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT.  2»5 

as  standing  before  his  tribunal  as  persons  whose  cause  is  to  be  tried  oy  him  ;  or 
because  they  are  considered,  as  having  been  long  before  confirmed  in  holiness  and 
happiness,  as  beholding  the  face  of  God  in  heaven,  and  consequently  not  to  be  dealt 
•with  as  those  who  are  to  undergo  a  farther  scrutiny  in  order  to  their  having  a  new 
sentence  passed  upon  them. 

As  to  the  fallen  angels,  they  are  to  be  brought  as  criminals  before  Christ's  tri- 
bunal, in  order  to  his  passing  a  righteous  sentence  upon  them.  Whether  the  charge 
of  their  apostasy  from  God  shall  be  again  renewed,  and  sin  traced  to  the  very  first 
spring  and  fountain  of  it,  we  know  not.  But  all  the  guilt  which  they  have  contract- 
ed since  they  were,  by  a  former  sentence,  cast  out  of  heaven,  shall  be  laid  to  their 
charge.  All  that  they  have  done  against  the  interest  of  God  in  the  world,  begun 
in  the  seduction  of  our  first  parents,  and  continued  ever  since,  with  all  those 
methods  of  revenge  and  subtilty  whereby  they  have  opposed  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
in  the  world,  and  endeavoured  to  ruin  his  people,  will  be  alleged  against  them,  as 
well  as  the  bold  attempt  they  made  on  him  in  his  own  person,  whilst  he  was  in  his 
state  of  humiliation.  Accordingly,  the  fallen  angels,  though  represented  as  cast 
down  to  hell,  are  yet  said  to  be  '  delivered  into  chains  of  darkness,  and  reserved 
unto  judgment.'?  This  they  are  at  present  apprehensive  of,  and  are  accordingly 
said  '  to  tremble  'i  at  the  forethoughts  of  it.  That  they  shall  be  judged  at  the  last 
day  may  be  inferred  also  from  what  they  said  to  our  Saviour,  '  Art  thou  come  to 
torment  us  before  the  time?'1"  Moreover,  as  the  result  of  the  final  judgment,  it 
is  said  that  'the  devil  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,'8  that- is,  ad- 
judged to  endure  a  greater  degree  of  torment  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  his 
guilt. 

But  what  is  more  particularly  insisted  on  in  scripture,  and  what  we  are  immediate- 
ly concerned  in,  is  that  men  shall  be  judged  by  Christ.  That  they  shall  be  so  is  set 
forth  in  universal  terms.  The  apostle  says,  '  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  ac- 
cording to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad.'*  Men  of  all  ranks  and 
conditions  must  appear  there,  'small  and  great,'"  '  quick  and  dead,'x  that  is,  those 
who  died  before  or  shall  be  found  alive  at  his  coming,  '  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked, 'y  and  among  these,  not  only  those  who  have  lived  under  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation, but  others  who  have  had  no  other  light  but  that  of  nature,  as  it  is  said,  '  As 
many  as  have  sinned  without  law,  shall  also  perish  without  law.'z  We  have  no 
account  in  scripture,  indeed,  of  the  last  class  being  adjudged  to  eternal  life,  for 
their  doing  by  nature  some  things  that  axe  contained  in  the  law.  To  suppose  this, 
is  to  be  wise  above  what  is  written.  Indeed,  it  seems  contradictory  to  those 
scriptures  which  assert  the  necessity  of  faith  in  Christ  to  salvation.  But  this  class 
are  generally  described  as  suffering  punishment  proportioned  to  their  works.  Thus 
we  read  of  '  the  men  of  Nineveh,' a  '  the  queen  of  the  south, 'b  '  the  inhabitants  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,'c  and  '  those  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 'd  as  'appearing  in  judg- 
ment,' and  being  exposed  to  a  less  degree  of  punishment  than  those  who  sinned 
against  greater  light.  But  there  is  not  the  least  intimation  given  of  their  being 
discharged  from  condemnation.  Our  Saviour,  indeed,  speaks  of  '  the  servant  which 
knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  prepared  not  himself  to  do  according  to  it,  who  should 
be  beaten  with  many  stripes,'  that  is,  exposed  to  a  greater  condemnation.  Yet  he, 
at  the  same  time,  intimates  that  'the  servant  who  did  not  know  it,'  that  is,  who 
sinned  under  greater  disadvantages  for  want  of  gospel  revelation, '  should  be  beaten 
with  few  stripes,'  or  adjudged  to  suffer  a  less  degree  of  punishment. 

The  Pelagians,  indeed,  have  endeavoured  not  only  to  exempt  the  heathen  from 
the  consequences  of  the  final  judgment ;  but  some  have  insinuated  that  they  shall 
not  be  concerned  in  it  at  all.  Thus  one  e  supposes  that  the  persons  who  are  repre- 
sented as  appearing  at  Christ's  tribunal/  and  sentenced  by  him  according  to  their 
works,  are  only  those  who  made  a  profession  of  the  Christian  religion.  The  princi- 
pal argument  which  he-  brings  to  support  this  opinion  is,  that  they  on  whom  a  sen- 

p  2  Pet.  ii.  4 ;  Jude  ver.  6.  q  James  ii.  19.  r  Matt.  viii.  29.  s  Rev.  xx.  10. 

t  2  Cor.  v.  10.  u  Rev.  xx.  12.  x  2  Tim.  iv.  1.  y  Eccl.  iii.  17. 

z  Rom.  ii.  12.  a  Matt.  xii.  41.  b  Ver.  42.  c  Chap.  xi.  22. 

d  Matt.  xi.  24.  e  Curcellaeus  in  Dissert,  de  necessit.  coguit.  Christ.  §  vi.  f  Matt.  xx;-. 


276  THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 

ter.ce  of  condemnation  is  passed,  are  accused  of  not  ministering  to  Christ's  mem- 
bers ;  that  this  ministering  is  interpreted  as  not  giving  him  meat  when  he  was 
hungry,  or  drink  when  he  was '  thirsty,  &c. ;  and  that  this  charge  cannot  be 
brought  against  those  who  never  heard  of  Christ,  or  that  if  it  could,  they  might 
excuse  themselves  by  alleging  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  show  respect  to 
him  whom  they  never  knew.  But  though  our  Saviour's  design  here,  is  to  aggra- 
vate the  condemnation  of  those  who  sinned  under  the  gospel,  and  to  charge  some 
with  crimes  of  the  highest  nature  ;  yet  there  is  nothing  mentioned  to  exclude  others 
so  as  to  give  occasion  to  suppose  that  the  judgment  of  the  great  day  will  respect 
those  only  who  have  sat  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel.  We  have  hence  ground  to 
conclude  that,  as  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  will  be  universal,  so  all  who  have 
lived,  or  shall  live,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  time,  shall  be  the  subjects  of 
the  judicial  proceedings  in  that  solemn  and  awful  day. 

The  Manner  of  the  Judgment. 

We  now  proceed  to  consider  the  manner  in  which  Christ  shall  proceed  in  judging 
the  world.  It  is  evident  that  the  design  of  this  glorious  transaction  is  to  determine 
the  final  state  of  all  men ;  which  will  be  done  in  a  public  and  visible  manner,  that 
it  may  appear  that  the  Judge  of  all  does  right.  The  transaction  differs  very  much 
from  that  particular  judgment  which  is  passed  on  every  one  at  death  ;  in  which, 
though  the  state  of  men  is  unalterably  determined,  yet  it  is  not  done  in  an  open 
and  visible  manner,  but  with  a  design  that  the  cause  should  be  tried  again  in  that 
day  which  is  appointed  for  it.  The  account  we  have  in  scripture  of  the  manner  in 
which  this  shall  be  done,  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  proceedings  in  human 
courts  of  judicature.  The  day  is  set  in  which  causes  are  to  be  tried;  the  judge 
appears  with  the  ensigns  of  his  authority ;  he  being  seated  on  the  tribunal,  the  per- 
sons to  be  tried  appear  before  him  ;  the  cause  is  heard  ;  and  as  all  are  to  be  judged 
according  to  law,  the  law  is  supposed  to  be  known,  or  the  particular  statute  which 
is  the  rule  of  judgment  is  produced,  and  whatever  charge  is  brought  against  any 
one  is  drawn  up  in  the  form  of  an  indictment,  and  supported  by  sufficient  evidence ; 
and  the  persons  are  then  acquitted  or  condemned.  In  allusion  to  this  process  of 
judgment  we  read  of  Christ's  appearing  in  a  visible  manner,  seated  on  a  throne  of 
judgment ;  or  of  '  the  Son  of  man  appearing  with  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,' — of 
his  '  sitting  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  all  nations  being  gathered  before  him  '* 
— 'the  judgment  set,  and  the  books  opened.'11 

The  righteous,  who  are  a  part  of  those  who  shall  stand  before  Christ's  tribunal? 
shall  be  separated  from  the  wicked  ;  the  former  placed  at  his  right  hand,  the  latter 
at  his  left.  With  respect  to  the  wicked,  an  indictment  shall  be  brought  in,  in  which 
they  shall  be  charged  with  the  violation  of  the  holy  law  of  God,  with  all  the  aggra- 
vating circumstances  of  their  crimes,  the  detail  of  which  is  contained  in  the  books 
which  are  said  to  be  opened.  This  charge  shall  be  supported  by  evidence  ;  in 
which  case  men  shall  be  witnesses  against  one  another,  so  far  as  they  have  been  ap- 
prized of  each  other's  behaviour,  or  immediately  concerned  in  it.  It  is  not  impro- 
bable also,  that  as  the  holy  angels  are  conversant  in  this  lower  world,  and  as  they 
are  sometimes  represented  as  being  present  in  worshipping  assemblies,'  and  observ- 
ing the  actions  of  men,k  that  they  shall  appear  as  evidences  against  the  wicked. 
It  may  be  observed  too,  that  the  Judge  himself  will  be  a  witness  against  the  crimi- 
nals ;  which  is  not  usual  in  human  courts  of  judicature,  though  it  does  not  savour 
of  the  least  injustice.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  I  will  come  near  to  you  in  judgment ;  and 
I  will  be  a  swift  witness  against  the  sorcerers,  and  against  the  adulterers,  and 
against  false  swearers,  and  against  those  that  oppress  the  hireling  in  his  wages,  the 
widow  and  the  fatherless,  and  that  turn  aside  the  stranger  from  his  right,  and  fear 
not  me,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.'1  The  divine  Omniscience  will  put  the  charge 
out  of  all  manner  of  doubt.     There  can  be  no  appeal  from  it ;  for  it  is  impossible 

g  Matt.  xxv.  31,  32.  h  Dan.  vii.  26;  Rev.  xx.  12.  i  1  Cor.  xi.  10. 

k  I  Tim.  v.  21.  1  Mai.  in.  5. 


THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT.  277 

for  God,  either  to  be  deceived  himself,  or  to  deceive  others.  Besides,  there  shall 
be  the  testimony  of  conscience,  whereby  persons  shall  stand  self-convicted.  Theii 
'own  hearts  shall  condemn  them,'  as  well  as  'God,  who  is  greater  than  their 
hearts. 'm  Thus  it  is  said  that  '  the  consciences  of  men  bear  witness,  and  their 
thoughts,  in  the  mean  while,  accuse  or  else  excuse  one  another,  i*i  the  day  when 
God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ.'  Accordingly,  '  every  mouth 
shall  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  '  of  the  ungodly  'become  guilty,'11  or  appear  by 
their  own  confession  to  be  so,  '  before  God.'°  And  in  order  to  this,  there  shall  be 
a  particular  dispensation  of  providence,  whereby  those  sins  which  have  been  long 
since  forgotten,  shall  be  brought  to  remembrance.  This  seems  intimated  in  our 
Saviour's  words  in  the  parable :  '  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime,  receiv- 
edst  thy  good  things,  'p  &c;  and  also  in  God's  'setting  the  iniquities'  of  sinners  'in 
order  before  their  eyes  ;'i  and  this  will  have  a  greater  tendency  to  support  the 
charge  than  ten  thousand  witnesses. 

As  to  the  things  which  shall  be  brought  into  judgment,  or  be  charged  and  proved, 
they  are  mentioned  in  a  very  particular  manner.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  God  shall  bring 
every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether 
it  be  evil.'r  Elsewhere  he  is  represented  as  'executing  judgment  upon  all,  and 
convincing  all  that  are  ungodly  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds,  which  they  have  ungodly 
committed,  and  of  all  their  hard  speeches  which  ungodly  sinners  have  spoken 
against  him.'s  Our  Saviour  particularly  intimates,*  that  their  behaviour,  under 
the  means  of  grace,  shall  be  inquired  into,  and  that  what  they  have  done  against 
him  and  his  interest  in  the  world,  shall  be  alleged  against  them.  But  now  that  we 
are  speaking  concerning  those  matters  which  shall  be  produced  in  judgment  against 
the  wicked,  it  may  be  inquired  whether  the  smallest  sins  committed  by  them  shall 
be  brought  into  judgment  against  them.  This  seems  to  be  intimated  by  our  Sa- 
viour when  he  says,  '  Every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment.'11  From  this  statement  some  take  occasion  to  com- 
plain of  the  severity  of  the  divine  dispensations,  as  if  it  were  intended  that  persons 
shall  be  condemned  to  suffer  eternal  punishments  for  a  vain  thought.  But  no  one 
will  bring  this  as  an  objection  against  the  methods  of  the  divine  proceeding  in  the 
great  day,  who  duly  considers  the  infinite  evil  of  sin  ;  or  that  the  least  sin  deserves 
a  sentence  of  banishment  from  God,  as  it  is  an  affront  to  his  sovereignty,  and  oppo- 
site to  his  holiness.  Let  it  be  considered,  however,  that  no  person  in  the  world 
shall  have  reason  to  complain  that  he  is  separated  from  God,  or  rendered  eternally 
miserable,  only  for  a  vain  thought,  or  for  a  sin  of  infirmity,  as  though  he  had  been 
guilty  of  nothing  else.  When  our  Saviour  says  that  '  every  idle  word  shall  come 
into  judgment,'  the  meaning  is,  that  every  such  sin  shall  tend  to  fill  up  the  measure 
of  their  iniquity  ;  so  that  the  punishments  which  they  shall  be  exposed  to,  shall  be 
for  this,  in  conjunction  with  all  other  sins.  Every  sin  brings  guilt  with  it;  and  all 
sins  taken  together,  smaller  as  well  as  greater,  enhance  the  guilt.  Hence  our  Sa- 
viour's meaning  is,  that  every  sin  exposes  men  to  a  degree  of  condemnation,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  aggravation  of  it ;  though  those  sins  which  are  of  a  more  heinous 
nature,  bring  with  them  a  greater  degree  of  condemnation.  Thus  concerning  the 
charge  brought  against  the  wicked. 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered,  is  the  trial  of  the  righteous,  who  are  said  to 
stand  before  Christ's  judgment-seat.  Here  it  may  be  observed  that  no  indictment 
shall  be  brought  against  them,  at  least,  with  the  Judge's  approbation  ;  for  they  were 
acquitted  and  discharged,  when  brought  into  a  justified  state  ;  and  as  the  conse- 
quence of  their  having  been  so,  '  none,'  as  the  apostle  says,  '  shall  lay  any  thing  to 
their  charge,'  since  'it  is  God  that  justifieth.'*  If  any  thing  be  alleged  against 
them  by  the  enemies  of  God,  who  loaded  them -with  reproach,  and  laid  many  things 
to  their  charge  in  this  world  of  which  some  have  been  just,  and  others  unjust  and 
malicious,  the  great  and  merciful  Judge  will  appear  as  an  advocate  on  their  be- 
half, and  will  vindicate  them  from  those  charges  which  are  ungrounded,  and  will 
farther  allege,  as  a  foundation  of  their  discharge  from  the  guilt  of  all  others,  that 

m   1  John  iii.  20.         n  Rom.  ii.  15,  16.         o  Chap.  iii.  19.         p  Luke  xvi.  25.         q  Psal.  1.  21. 
r  Eccl.  xii.  14.         s  Jurie  15.         t  Matt.  xxv.  42,  43.  u  Chap.  xii.  36.         x  Rom.  viii.  33. 


273  THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 

lie  has  made  a  full  atonement  for  them.  Hence,  when  their  sins  are  sought  for, 
they  shall  not  he  found  in  judgment,  or  charged  upon  them  to  their  shame,  confu- 
sion, or  condemnation  ;  hut  they  shall  he  pronounced  righteous,  as  interested  in 
Christ's  righteousness.  The  great  Judge  shall  evince  that  they  are  so,  by  produc- 
ing those  grace!  which  were  wrought  in  them,  which  are  inseparably  connected  with 
their  justification,  though  not  the  foundation  of  it,  that  so  the  method  of  the  divine 
proceedings  may  be  vindicated,  and  it  may  appear  that,  as  '  without  holiness  no  one 
shall  see  the  Lord,'  so  they  are  holy,  and  accordingly  possess  that  internal  quality 
which  denotes  them  to  be  persons  whom  God  designed  to  save.  This  I  take  to  be 
the  meaning  of  our  Saviour's  address  to  the  righteous,  when  he  pronounces  them 
4  blessed,'  and  invites  them  to  '  come  and  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  them 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;  for  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink, '-v  &c.  Here  the  word  '  for'  is  taken  demonstratively, 
and  not  causally  ;  and  denotes  that  they  were  such  as  might  .expect  to  be  admitted 
to  this  honour  and  blessedness,  having  those  marks  and  characters  of  his  children 
upon  them  to  which  the  promise  of  salvation  was  annexed ;  not  as  though  any 
thing  done  by  them  was  the  cause  of  their  salvation.  It  hence  appears  that  the 
graces  of  God's  people  shall  be  published  before  angels  and  men,  to  the  praise  of 
the  glory  of  him  who  was  the  author  of  them. 

But  there  is  a  difficult  question  proposed  by  some,  namely,  Whether  shall  the  sins 
of  God's  people  be  published  in  the  great  day ;  though  it  is  certain  they  shall  not  be 
alleged  against  them  to  their  condemnation  ?  This  is  one  of  the  secret  things 
which  belong  to  God,  which  he  has  not  so  fully  or  clearly  revealed  to  us  in  his  word ; 
so  that  we  can  say  little  more  about  it  than  what  is  matter  of  conjecture.  Some 
have  thought  that  the  sins  of  the  godly,  though  forgiven,  shall  be  made  mani- 
fest, that  so  the  glory  of  that  grace  which  has  pardoned  them  may  appear  more 
illustrious,  and  their  obligation  to  God  farther  enhanced.  They  also  think  that 
the  justice  of  the  proceedings  of  that  day  requires  it ;  since  it  is  presumed  and 
known  by  the  whole  world  that  they  were  prone  to  sin  as  well  as  others, — that,  before 
conversion,  they  were  as  great  sinners  as  any, — and  that,  after  it,  their  sins  had 
a  peculiar  aggravation.  Why,  then,  they  ask,  should  not  their  sins  be  made  public, 
as  a  glory  due  to  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God,  as  being  infinitely  opposite  to  all 
sin  ?  This  they  farther  suppose  to  be  necessary,  that  the  impartiality  of  divine 
justice  may  appear.  Moreover,  if  God,  by  recording  the  sins  of  his  saints  in  scrip- 
ture, has  perpetuated  the  knowledge  of  them,  and  if  it  is  to  their  honour  that  the 
sins  there  mentioned  were  repented  of,  as  well  as  forgiven,  why  may  it  not  be  sup- 
posed that  the  sins  of  believers  shall  be  made  known  in  the  great  day  ?  Besides, 
that  they  shall  be  made  known  seems  agreeable  to  those  scriptures  which 
state  that  every  word  and  every  action  shall  be  brought  into  judgment,  whether 
it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  bad. — On  the  other  hand,  it  is  supposed  by  others, 
that  though  the  making  known  of  sin  which  is  subdued  and  forgiven,  tends 
to  the  advancement  of  divine  grace  ;  yet  it  is  sufficient  to  answer  this  end,  as  far 
as  God  designs  it  shall  be  answered,  that  the  sins  which  have  been  subdued  and 
forgiven,  should  be  known  to  those  who  committed  them,  who,  in  consequence  of  hav- 
ing received  pardon,  have  matter  of  praise  to  God.  Again,  the  expressions  of  scrip- 
ture whereby  forgiveness  of  sin  is  set  forth,  are  such  as  seem  to  argue  that  those 
sins  which  were  forgiven  shall  not  be  made  manifest.  Thus  they  are  said  to  be 
'blotted  out,'2  '  covered, 'a  '  subdued,'  '  cast  into  the  depths  of  the  sea  ;'b  and  '  re- 
membered no  more,'0  &c.  Besides,  Christ's  being  a  Judge,  does  not  divest  him  of 
the  character  of  an  Advocate,  whose  part  is  rather  to  conceal  the  crimes  of  those 
whose  cause  he  pleads,  than  to  divulge  them.  We  may  add,  that  the  law  which 
requires  duty,  and  forbids  the  contrary  sins,  is  not  the  rule  by  which  they  who  are 
in  Christ  are  to  be  proceeded  against,  for  if  it  were,  they  could  not  stand  in  judg- 
ment ;  but  they  are  dealt  with  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  gospel,  which  forgives 
and  covers  all  sins.  Furthermore,  it  is  argued  that  the  public  declaring  of  all  their 
sins  before  the  whole  world,  notwithstanding  their  interest  in  forgiving  grace,  would 


y  Mi 
bM 


Matt.  xxv.  34,  35.  z  Isa.  xliii.  25.  a  Psal.  xxxii.  1. 

"  icah  vii.  19.  c  Jcr.  xxxi.  34. 


THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT.  279 

fill  them  with  such  shame  as  is  hardly  consistent  with  a  state  of  perfect  blessedness. 
Lastly,  the  principal  argument  insisted  on,  is  that  our  Saviour,  in  Matt,  xxv.,  in 
which  he  gives  a  particular  account  of  the  proceedings  of  that  day,  makes  no  men- 
tion of  the  sins,  but  only  commends  the  graces,  of  his  saints.  Such  arguments  as 
these  are  alleged  to  prove  that  it  is  probable  the  sins  of  the  saints  shall  not  be  ex- 
posed to  public  view  in  the  great  day.  But  after  all  that  has  been  said,  it  is  safest 
for  us  not  to  be  too  peremptory  in  determining  this  matter,  lest,  by  pretending  to 
be  wise  beyond  what  is  clearly  revealed  in  scripture,  we  betray  our  own  folly  and 
too  bold  presumption,  or  assert  that  which  is  not  right  of  this  glorious  Judge. 
Thus  concerning  the  method.iu  which  Christ  shall  proceed  in  judging  the  world. 

The  Place  and  Time  of  the  Judgment. 

We  are  now  to  consider  some  circumstances  relating  to  the  place  where,  and  the 
time  when,  this  great  and  awful  work  shall  be  performed,  at  least,  so  far  as  it  is 
convenient  for  us  to  inquire  into  this  matter,  without  giving  too  much  scope  to  a 
vain  curiosity,  or  desire  to  be  wise  above  what  is  written. 

1.  As  to  the  place,  it  does  not  seem  probable  that  it  shall  be  upon  the  surface  of 
the  earth  ;  because  we  read  that  'they  which  are '  found  'alive '  at  Christ's  coming, 
'  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them/  that  is,  the  others  who  are  raised  from 
the  dead,  'in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.'  This  statement  immediately 
follows  the  account  which  the  apostle  gives  of  the  Lord's  '  descending  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God  ;'d  which 
is  the  signal  to  be  given  of  the  immediate  appearance  of  the  Judge.  Hence,  their 
being  '  caught  up  in  the  clouds,'  denotes  that  Christ  shall  judge  the  world,  in  some 
place  above  this  earth  ;  otherwise  they  must  be  supposed  to  be  caught  up  thither, 
and  afterwards  obliged  to  descend  thence  to  the  place  from  which  they  were  taken  ; 
which  does  not  seem  probable.  This  is  all  that  we  dare  assert,  concerning  the 
place  where  this  great  and  solemn  transaction  shall  be  performed. 

I  the  rather  observe  this,  because  some  are  of  opinion  that  the  valley  of  Jehosh- 
aphat  is  designed  to  be  the  place.  They  found  this  opinion  on  the  prediction  of 
the  prophet  Joel,e  '  I  will  gather  all  nations,  and  will  bring  them  down  into  the  valley 
of  Jehoshaphat,  and  will  plead  with  them  there  for  my  people. 'f  This,  however, 
seems  to  be  a  prophecy  of  some  signal  victory  which  the  church  should  gain  over 
its  enemies ;  which  shall  have  its  accomplishment  before  Christ  comes  to  judgment, 
and  be  no  less  remarkable  than  that  which  God  gave  Jehoshaphat  over  the  Moab- 
ites,  Ammonites,  and  the  inhabitants  of  mount  Seir,  mentioned  in  2  Chron.  xx. ; 
on  which  occasion  the  place  where  it  was  obtained,  was  called  '  the  valley  of  Bera- 
chah,'  which  signifies  blessing.  The  prophet  seems,  by  'the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,' 
not  to  point  out  any  particular  place  known  by  that  name,  but  rather  to  allude  to 
the  signification  of  the  word,  as  importing  the  judgment  of  the  Lord.  So  that  no- 
thing else  is  intended  by  it  but  that  God  shall,  in  the  latter  day,  probably  when 
those  scriptures  shall  have  had  their  accomplishment,  which  relate  to  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Jews,  execute  some  remarkable  judgment  against  the  heathen,  amongst 
whom  they  were  scattered.     It  cannot,  therefore,  with  the  least  shadow  of  justice, 

d  1  Thess.  iv.  16,  17.  e  Joel  iii.  2. 

f  Of  this  opinion  are  some  amongst  the  Papists,  and  particularly  Cornelius  a  Lapide,  Vid.  ejusd. 
Comment,  in  loc.  who  describes  it  as  a  place  situated  at  the  loot  of  the  mount  of  Olives,  in  or 
near  the  place  where  our  Saviour  was  in  his  agony,  betrayed  arid  delivered  by  Judas,  into  the  hands 
of  his  enemies.  This  will  he,  according  to  him,  the  fitt>st  place  for  Christ  to  execute  judgment 
upon  them,  and  to  appear  in  his  triumphant  and  glorious  manner  for  this  purpose.  The  same  opinion 
is  mentioned  by  many  Jewish  writers,  who  maintained  it.  Thus  the  author  of  the  Cbaldee  Para- 
phrase on  Canticles  viii.  5,  sa\s.  that  the  dead  shall  be  raised,  and  the  mountain  of  Olives  shall  be 
clelt,  and  all  tne  dead  of  Israel  shall  come  out  hence;  and  that  the  just  who  died  in  the  captivity, 
and  consequently  wt-re  buried  in  or  near  that  place,  shall  come  through  the  caverns  of  the  earth, 
that  they  may  here  arise  to  judgment.  Several  ltabbiuical  writers  adopt  this  chimera;  which  is 
mentioned  also  in  both  the  Talmuds.  And  man)  ol  the  modem  Jews,  as  is  observed  bv  some  late 
travellers  into  the  Holy  Land,  are  so  fond  of  bur)  ing  their  dead  in  or  near  this  place,  that  they  might 
not  have  far  to  come  under  the  earth,  when  they  rise  from  the  dead,  and  must  appear  here  at  the 
day  of  judgment,  that  they  pay  a  certain  sum  of  money  for  the  privilege  of  burying  their  dead  there. 
See  Hody  on  the  Resurrection,  pages  70,  71. 


280  THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 

be  argued  from  this  scripture,  that  the  place  called  the  '  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,'  is 
that  where  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  gathered  to  judgment.  Besides, 
some  have  observed,  that  how  great  soever  this  valley  may  be,  it  is  not  large  enough 
to  hold  the  vast  multitudes  that  shall  be  convened  on  this  occasion. 

2.  As  to  the  time  when  Christ  shall  judge  the  world,  it  is  called,  in  scripture,  'a 
day.'g  This  does  not  signify  that  the  whole  work  shall  be  performed  in  the  space  of 
time  which  we  generally  call  a  day  ;  for  that  space  can  hardly  be  sufficient  for  per- 
forming the  many  things  which  are  to  be  done.  Some  have  thought  that  the  whole 
process  shall  take  up  no  less  than  a  thousand  years  ;  and  suppose,  that  the  apostle 
Peter  intimates  as  much,  when,  speaking  concerning  the  day  of  judgment,  he  says, 
'  One  day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day.'h 
In  this  sense  the  excellent  Mr.  Mede  understands  that  scripture.1  But  as  the  idea 
is  not  more  clearly  explained  by  other  scriptures,  speaking  to  the  same  purpose,  I 
dare  not  be  too  peremptory  in  adopting  it.  I  would  rather  conclude  that  the  time 
of  the  continuance  of  the  last  judgment  is  called  '  a  day,'  as  denoting  a  season 
appointed  for  the  despatch  of  a  work,  whether  it  be  longer  or  shorter.  Thus  Christ 
calls  that  season  in  which  the  gospel  was  preached  to  the  Jews,  '  their  day.'k  It 
is  the  safest  way  for  us  to  acknowledge  this  point  to  be  a  secret  which  belongs  not 
to  us  to  inquire  into.  • 

As  to  the  time  when  Christ  shall  come  to  judgment,  or  when  this  glorious  day 
shall  begin,  this  also  is  considered  as  a  matter  kept  secret,  not  only  from  us,  but 
from  all  creatures.  Thus  our  Saviour,  speaking  concerning  it,  says,  '  Of  that  day 
and  hour  knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  of  heaven,  but  my  Father  only.'1 
This  is  particularly  intimated  in  the  Answer  we  are  explaining ;  and  the  reason 
assigned  why  it  is  kept  secret  from  us  is,  that  all  may  watch  and  pray,  and  be  ready 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  which  is  certainly  a  matter  of  the  highest  importance. 
It  is  evident  that  if  God  had  either  revealed  the  time  of  Christ's  coming  to  judg- 
ment, or  let  men  know  how  long  they  should  continue  in  this  world  before  that  judg- 
ment which  is  passed  on  all  at  death,  the  corruption  of  our  nature  might  have  taken 
occasion  to  put  off  all  thoughts  about  it  till  it  was  at  hand.  Hence,  our  Saviour, 
in  wisdom,  as  well  as  in  kindness  to  his  people,  has  represented  his  coming  under 
the  similitude  of  '  a  thief  in  the  night  ;'m  and  accordingly  says,  '  Therefore  be  ye 
also  ready  :  for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh.'n  Thus 
concerning  the  day  of  judgment.  As  to  the  consequences  of  it,  and  the  sentence 
which  shall  be  pronounced  on  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  these  shall  be  treated 
under  the  two  following  Answers. 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Doctrine  of  the  Final  Judgment. 

All  that  I  shall  add  at  present  are  some  practical  inferences  from  this  doctrine 
of  Christ's  coming  to  judgment. 

1.  What  has  been  observed  concerning  Christ's  coming  to  judge  the  world  in  his 
own  glory,  and  that  of  his  Father,  and  of  his  holy  angels,  should  fill  us  with  high 
and  honourable  thoughts  of  him ;  and  since  the  angels  reckon  it  an  honour  to  attend 
him  as  ministering  spirits  in  that  great  day,  we  should  be  excited  to  an  holy  ambi- 
tion to  approve  ourselves  his  servants  in  all  things,  and  to  account  it  our  honour 
that  he  will  esteem  us  such. 

2.  Since  Christ,  at  his  coming  to  judgment,  will  bring  all  things  to  light,  and 
impartially  state  and  try  the  cause  of  every  one,  who  shall  be  rewarded  according 
to  his  works ;  we  ought  to  feel  protected  against  all  unbelieving  thoughts  which 
may  arise  in  our  minds,  concerning  the  seemingly  unequal  distributions  of  provi- 
dence, in  God's  dealing  with  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  as  to  the  outward  affairs 

g  Actsxvii.  31.  h2Pet.  iii.  8. 

i  See  his  works,  lib.  iii.  in  Comment.  Apoeal.  page  662,  and  his  Remains,  chap.  xi.  page  748,  in 
which  he  is  followed  by  some  others.  The  learned  Gale,  in  his  Court  of  the  Gentiles,  Part  I.  book 
iii.  chap.  vii.  page  78,  speaks  of  some  Jewish  writers  as  maintaining,  that  the  world  shall  continue 
bOOO  years,  and  that  from  thence  to  the  7000lh  shall  he  the  day  ot  judgment.  He  also  mentions 
this  as  an  opinion  which  Plato  had  received  by  conversing  with  some  of  them;  and  concludes,  that 
this  is  the  j-r.  at  Platonic  year,  which  is  mentioned  bv  that  philosopher  and  his  followers. 

k  l.ukc  x.x.  42.  Matt.  xxiv.  bti.  "  m  1  Tfaess.  v.  2.  a  Matt.  xxiv.  44. 


THE  FINAL  JUDGMENT.  281 

of  life.  We  ought  also  to  feci  convinced  that,  though  we  know  not  his  design  in 
the  various  afflictive  providences  wherewith  we  are  exercised,  since  we  are  not  to 
expect  those  blessings  here  which  he  has  reserved  for  his  people  at  Christ's  appear- 
ing to  judgment ;  yet,  if  he  is  pleased  to  bestow  them  upon  us  hereafter,  wc  shall 
then  have  the  highest  reason  to  admire  his  wisdom,  goodness,  and  faithfulness,  in 
the  whole  method  of  his  providential  dealings  with  us. 

3.  This  doctrine  tends  to  reprove  the  atheism  and  profaneness  of  those,  who  make 
a  jest  of  or  scoff  at  the  day  of  judgment;  like  those  the  apostle  Peter  mentions, 
whom  he. calls  'scoffers,  walking  after  their  own  lusts,  and  saying,  Where  is  the 
promise  of  his  coming?  for  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  continue  as  they 
were  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation.'0  It  also  reproves  those  who  abuse  the  day 
of  God's  patience  ;  and  because  his  coming  to  judgment  is  delayed,  take  occasion  to 
commit  the  vilest  crimes.  Our  Saviour  speaks  of  some  as  acting  thus,  and  inti- 
mates that  he  will  '  come  in  a  day  when  they  looked  not  for  him,  and  shall  cut 
them  asunder,  and  appoint  them  their  portion  with  hypocrites. 'P 

4.  This  doctrine  should  stir  us  up  to  universal  holiness,  and  the  greatest  circum- 
spection and  diligence  in  the  service  of  God.  Accordingly,  the  apostle,  when 
speaking  concerning  Christ's  coming  to  judgment,  with  those  displays  of  terrible 
majesty  which  shall  attend  it,  says,  '  What  manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be  in 
all  holy  conversation  and  godliness  ;  looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of 
the  day  of  God  ?'°- 

5.  Since  we  expect  that  Christ  will  judge  the  world  at  the  last  day,  it  behoves  us 
to  be  often  judging  and  trying  ourselves  ;  examining  how  matters  stand  between 
God  and  us  ;  and  whether  we  behave  ourselves  in  such  a  way  that  we  may  be  meet 
for  Christ's  coming,  and  have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment.  As  the  apostle 
says,  '  If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged, 'r  that  is,  with  the 
judgment  of  condemnation. 

6.  It  is  an  inexpressible  advantage  when  we  can  conclude,  upon  good  grounds, 
that  this  great  Judge  is  our  Friend,  our  Saviour,  our  Advocate,  and  that,  living 
and  dying,  we  shall  be  found  in  him  ;  for  in  that  case,  though  he  come  in  such  a 
way  as  will  strike  the  utmost  terror  and  confusion  into  his  enemies,  we  shall  be 
found  of  him  in  peace  ;  and  the  consequence  of  this  day's  solemnity  shall  be  our 
admission  into  his  immediate  presence,  and  being  for  ever  blessed  in  it. 


FINAL  PUNISHMENT. 

Question  LXXXIX.  What  shall  be  done  to  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment  f 
Answer.  At  the  day  of  judgment  the  wicked  shall  be  set  on  Christ's  left  hand  ;  and  upon  clear 
evidence,  and  full  conviction  of 'their  own  consciences,  shall  have  the  fearful,  but  just  sentence  of 
condemnation  pronounced  against  them ;  and  thereupon  6hall  he  cast  out  from  the  favourable  presence 
of  God,  and  the  glorious  fellowship  with  Christ,  his  saints,  and  all  his  holy  angels,  into  hell,  to  be 
punished  with  unspeakable  torments  both  of  body  and  soul,  with  the  devil  and  his  angels  for  ever. 

Having,  under  the  last  Answer,  taken  a  view  of  Christ  as  coming  to  judgment,  and 
the  whole  world  as  seated  at  his  tribunal,  the  wicked  on  his  left  hand,  and  the 
righteous  on  his  right,  the  books  opened,  the  cause  tried,  and  the  evidence  pro- 
duced ;  we  are  now  to  consider  the  sentence  which  will  be  past  on  each  of  them, 
together  with  the  consequences.  In  particular,  we  have  an  account  in  this  Answer, 
of  a  sentence  of  condemnation,  pronounced  against  the  wicked,  and  the  punish- 
ment inflicted  on  them  in  execution  of  it.  This  our  Saviour  expresses  in  words 
full  of  dread  and  horror  :  '  Then  shall  he  say  unto  them  on  the  left  hand,  Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels ; 
and  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment.'8  This  includes  an  eternal 
banishment  and  separation  from  him,  in  whose  favour  there  is  life.  As  sin  is  the 
object  of  his  detestation,  it  being  contrary  to  the  holiness  of  his  nature,  they  who 

o  2  Pet.  iii.  3,  4.  p  Matt.  xxiv.  48—31.  q  2  Pet.  iii.  11,  12. 

r  1  Cor.  xi.  31.  s  Matt,  xxv.  41,  45. 

II.  2  N 


282  FINAL  PUNISHMENT. 

are  found  in  open  rebellion  against  him  shall  not  'stand  in  his  sight.'*  As  they 
did  not  desire  his  special  and  gracious  presence,  which  his  saints  always  reckoned 
their  chief  joy,  in  this  world,  they  shall  be  deprived  of  it  in  the  next.  And  when 
they  are  commanded  to  depart  from  him,  they  are  described  as  '  cursed,'  that  is, 
bound  over  to  suffer  all  those  punishments  which  the  vindictive  justice  of  God  will 
inflict,  and  which  are  contained  in  the  threatenings  denounced  by  his  law  which 
they  have  violated,  and  to  be  sent  down  into  hell,  to  be  punished  with  unspeak- 
able torments,  both  in  body  and  soul,  with  the  devil  and  his  angels  for  ever.  Accord- 
ingly, there  are  three  things  to  be  considered,  relating  to  the  punishment  of  sin- 
ners in  another  world,  namely,  the  kind  of  it,  its  degree,  and  its  eternal  duration. 

The  Nature  of  the  Punishment. 

As  to  the  kind  of  punishment ;  it  is  generally  considered  in  two  respects,  namely, 
the  punishment  of  loss  and  the  punishment  of  sense. 

1.  The  punishment  of  loss  includes  a  separation  from  God,  the  fountain  of  bless- 
edness ;  a  being  destitute  of  every  thing  which  might  administer  comfort  to  them ; 
and,  as  the  consequence  of  this,  a  deprivation  of  fellowship,  not  only  with  Christ, 
but  with  his  saints.  Not  that  they  were  ever  the  objects  of  their  love  or  delight, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  their  conversation  was  distasteful  and  burdensome,  espe- 
cially when  it  was  in  itself  most  savoury  and  spiritual ;  yet  it  is  reckoned  to  be  one 
ingredient  in  their  misery,  as  our  Saviour  states,  when  he  first  speaks  of  '  the 
workers  of  iniquity'  as  commanded  to  'depart  from  him,'u  and  then  tells  them, 
'  Ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  you  yourselves  thrust  out.'  Here  the  happiness  of  others  is  con- 
sidered as  what  will  raise  their  envy,  and  prove  a  torment  to  them. 

2.  There  is  the  punishment  of  sense.  This  is  set  forth  by  unspeakable  torments 
to  be  endured  both  in  soul  and  body  ;  and  because  no  pain  is  so  exquisite  as  that 
which  is  occasioned  by  fire,  it  is  called  'unquenchable  and  everlasting  fire.'x  As 
for  the  inquiry  which  some  make  whether  the  fire  be  elementary  or  material,  like 
that  which  is  in  this  world,  it  savours  more  of  curiosity  than  what  tends  to  real  ad- 
vantage. As  it  is  called  '  a  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,'  some  have 
a  little  hesitated  about  this  matter,  concluding  it  impossible  for  material  fire  to 
affect  spirits  ;  but  I  am  not  desirous  to  enter  too  far  into  this  disquisition.  It  is, 
indeed,  a  hard  matter  for  us  to  determine  whether  or  how  far  a  spirit  is  capable  of  the 
punishment  of  sense,  any  otherwise,  than  as,  by  reason  of  its  union  with  the  body, 
it  has  an  afflictive  sensation  of  the  evils  which  that  immediately  endures.  Hence, 
some  have  thought  that,  when  we  read  of  the  fire  of  hell,  it  is  to  be  taken  in  a 
metaphorical  sense,  to  denote  those  punishments  which  are  most  exquisite  and  have 
a  tendency  to  torment  both  soul  and  body  in  different  respects.  The  soul  may  be 
tormented  as  the  wrath  of  God  has  an  immediate  access  to  it,  to  make  it  miserable. 
And  though  this  cannot  be  styled  the  punishment  of  sense  in  the  same  respect  as 
that  is  of  which  the  body  is  the  more  immediate  subject ;  yet  if  we  understand  the 
word  '  sense '  as  importing  an  intellectual  perception  of  those  miseries  which  it  un- 
dergoes,, whereby  it  is  made  uneasy,  and,  in  a  moral  sense,  subject  to  pain,  as  we 
sometimes  speak  of  the  pain  of  the  mind,  as  well  as  that  of  the  body,  then  it  may 
be  said  to  endure  the  punishment  of  sense,  though  it  is  a  spiritual  substance. 

There  are  various  ways  by  which  the  wrath  of  God  may  have  access  to  the  soul,  to 
make  it  miserable.  This  punishment  is  sometimes  compared  to  fire,  as  it  is  beyond 
expression  dreadful.  Accordingly,  God,  when  inflicting  it,  is  styled,  '  a  consum- 
ing fire  ;'J  and  elsewhere  '  his  jealousy'  is  said  to  '  burn  like  fire.'2  Hence,  some 
have  described  the  punishment  of  sin  in  hell,  as  including  the  insupportable  weight 
of  the  wrath  of  God  lying  on  the  consciences  of  men,  and  sinking  them  into  perdi- 
tion ;  whereby  it  appears  to  be  '  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God.'a  A  judicious  divine  considers  this  as  the  effect  of  God's  immediate  presence, 
as  a  sin-revenging  Judge.     He  does  not,  therefore,  understand  that  text  in  which 

t  Psal.  v.  5  u  Luke  xiii.  27,  28.  x  Matt.  iii.  12 ;  Chap.  xxv.  41. 

y  Heb.  xii.  W.  z  psau  jxxjx.  5.  a  Heb.  x.  31. 


Jb'INAL  PUNISHMENT.  283 

it  is  said,  '  They  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction,  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,'b  as  denoting  an  exclusion  from  his  comforting  presence,  which  is  an 
undoubted  truth,  and  the  more  generally  received  sense  of  it,  but  he  speaks  of  the 
presence  of  God,  as  well  as  his  power,  as  the  immediate  cause  of  their  destruction  ; 
just  as  the  psalmist  joins  these  ideas  together  when  he  says,  '■  Who  knoweth  the 
power  of  thine  anger  ?'c  This  interpretation  seems  most  agreeable  to  the^gramma- 
tical  construction  of  the  words.d  Thus  concerning  that  punishment  whicn  is  more 
immediately  adapted  to  the  soul. 

As  for  the  punishment  of  sense  which  the  body  shall  endure,  whether  it  be  com- 
pared to  fire  as  containing  some  effects  not  unlike  those  produced  by  fire,  or  whether 
it  signifies  only  that  the  punishment  shall  be  most  exquisite,  as  no  pain  is  so  terri- 
ble as  that  which  is  the  effect  of  fire,  I  will  not  pretend  to  determine.  There  are, 
indeed,  other  expressions,  as  well  as  fire,  by  which  it  is  set  forth  in  scripture, 
namely,  '^cutting  asunder,'8  '  tearing  in  pieces,' f  •  drowning  men  in  destruction  and 
perdition, 's  '  a  being  bound  hand  and  foot,'  and  'cast  into  outer  darkness, 'h  or  into 
*  a  furnace  of  fire,'1  or  •  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone. 'k  Some  of  these 
are,  doubtless,  metaphorical  expressions,-  by  which  the  punishment  of  sin  is  set 
forth  ;  but  whether  they  are  all  so,  we  must  not  be  too  positive  in  determining. 
Some,  however,  suppose  that  they  are,  because  the  glory  of  heaven  is  described  by 
the  metaphors  of  '  streets  of  gold,  gates  of  pearl,'1  '  rivers  of  pleasure,'111  &c,  and 
the  wrath  of  God  is  metaphorically  described,  when  he  is  called  'a  consuming  fire.'n 
Now,  as  the  glory  of  heaven  is  represented  by  metaphors,  denoting  that  it  is  incon- 
ceivably great ;  so,  if  we  suppose  that  the  punishment  of  sin  in  hell  is  set  forth  by 
metaphorical  ways  of  speaking,  we  cannot,  from  the  metaphors  used  to  describe 
it,  take,  in  all  respects,  an  estimate  of  its  quality.  Yet,  from  such  expressions 
we  must  conclude  in  general  that  it  is  inexpressibly  terrible,  and  that  it  respects 
both  soul  and  body,  and  in  different  senses  is  called  the  punishment  of  sense. 

The  Degree  of  the  Punishment. 

We  now  come  to  consider  this  punishment  as  to  its  degree.  This  is  generally 
described  as  being  various,  in  proportion  to  the  aggravations  of  sin  committed. 
Accordingly,  they  who  have  sinned  under  the  gospel  dispensation,  are  considered  as 
exposed  to  a  greater  degree  of  punishment  than  others  who  have  not  had  those  advan- 
tages. Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  Of  how  much  sorer  punishment  shall  he  be  thought 
worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God  ?'°  Our  Saviour,  speaking 
concerning  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  were  notorious  hypocrites,  and  whose 
religion  was  no  more  than  a  pretence,  and  made  subservient  to  the  vilest  practices, 
tells  them  that  'they  should  receive  the  greater  damnation, 'p  that  is,  a  greater  de- 
gree of  punishment,  as  they  had  contracted  greater  guilt,  than  others.  The  apos- 
tle likewise  speaks  of  some  who  had  had  great  advantages  through  '  the  riches  of 
God's  goodness  and  forbearance  '  towards  them,  but  yet  were  '  impenitent '  and 
hardened  in  sin ;  and  these  he  says  '  treasure  up  unto  themselves  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath, 'i  that  is,  add  greater  degrees  to  the  punishment  which  they  shall  en- 
dure in  another  world. 

The  Duration  of  the  Punishment. 
We  are  now  to  consider  the  punishment  which  sinners  are  liable  to  in  the  world 

b  2  Thess.  i.  9.  c  Psal.  xc.  11. 

d  See  this  largely  insisted  on  by  Dr.  Goodwin,  in  his  Works,  vol.  iii.  book  xiii.  His  critical  re 
mark  in  chap.  ii.  seems  very  j list,  viz.  that  «wa  is  casual  here,  as  well  as  in  many  other  scriptures 
which  he  refers  to.  His  strongest  argument  to  prove  that  it  is  to  betaken  so  in  this  verse,  is,  that, 
us  lie  observes,  avro  must  he  applied  to  '  the  glory  of  his  power,'  as  well  as  to  '  his  presence  ;'  so  that 
ii  it  denotes  a  separation  from  the  one,  it  must  also  denote  a  separation  from  the  other;  whereas 
in.  one  suppose?  that  this  punishment  consists  in  a  separation  from  the  power  of  God,  but  that  it 
is  to  he  eonsidi  red  as  the  effect  thereof. 

t-  Matt.  xxiv.  51.  f   Psal.  1.  22.  g  1  Tim.  vi.  9.  h  Matt  xxii.  13. 

i  Muri.  xiii.  42.  k  Rev.  xix.  '20.  1  Chap.  xxi.  21.  m  Psal.  xxxvi.  8. 

i»  litb.  x.i.  29.  o  Chap.  x.  29.  p  Matt,  xxiii.  14.  q  Horn  ii.  5. 


284  FINAL  PUNISHMENT. 

to  come,  as  to  its  duration  ;  in  which  respect,  it  shall  be  without  intermission,  and 
eternal.  That  there  shall  be  no  relaxation  of  punishment,  may  be  proved  from 
what  our  Saviour  says  in  the  parable  ;  '  the  rich  man,'  who  was  tormented  in  flames, 
could  not  obtain  '  one  drop  of  water  to  cool  his  tongue.'1"  Thus  we  read  that  the 
wicked  *  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mix- 
ture, into^the  cup  of  his  indignation;'  that  'the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth 
up  for  ever  and  ever  ;'  and  that  ■  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night.'3  Our  Saviour 
speaks  of  the  two  main  ingredients  in  the  punishment  of  sin  ;  namely,  the  torment- 
ing sense  which  conscience  shall  have  of  the  wrath  of  God,  due  to  it ;  and  the  punish- 
ment of  sense,  which  is  compared  to  that  which  proceeds  from  fire  ;  and  both  are 
described  as  eternal:  '  Their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.'1 

That  the  punishment  of  sin  in  another  world  will  be  eternal,  may  be  argued  from 
the  impossibility  of  their  obtaining  a  discharge  from  the  sentence  of  condemnation 
under  which  they  are,  unless  satisfaction  be  given  to  the  justice  of  God  for  sins 
committed.  This  cannot  be  given  by  the  person  who  suffers;  inasmuch  as  his  suf- 
ferings are  due  to  him  in  execution  of  the  sentence  of  the  Judge,  and  agreeably  to 
the  demerit  of  sin.  The  latter  being,  as  it  is  usually  expressed,  objectively  infinite, 
because  committed  against  an  infinite  God,  and  containing  a  contempt  of  his  sover- 
eignty and  other  perfections  which  are  infinite,  deserves  a  punishment  proportion- 
able to  it.  And  as  the  sufferings  of  finite  creatures  are  no  other  than  finite,  and 
consequently  bear  no  proportion  to  the  demands  of  infinite  justice,  they  must  be 
infinite  in  duration,  that  is,  eternal. — It  may  be  observed  also,  that  at  the  same 
time  that  persons  are  suffering  for  past  sins,  they  are  committing  others.  This  is 
not  like  God's  furnace  which  is  in  Sion,  by  means  of  which  he  designs,  not  to  con- 
sume, but  to  refine  and  purge  away  the  dross  and  the  tin ;  for  it  cannot  in  any  in- 
stance be  said,  that  this  is  overruled  for  good.  Hence,  the  habits  of  sin  are  in- 
creased rather  than  weakened  by  it ;  and  consequently  sinners  are  set  at  a  farther 
distance  from  God,  from  holiness  and  happiness  ;  and  as  their  sin  is  still  increasing, 
their  punishment  must  be  eternal. — We  may  add,  that  there  is  no  Mediator  appoint- 
ed between  God  and  them,  none  who  has  undertaken  to  pay  this  debt  for  them,  and 
procure  their  discharge.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says  concerning  those  who  have 
'  sinned  wilfully,  after  they  had  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  there  remain- 
eth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin  ;'u  no  advocate  to  plead  their  cause  ;  no  ordinances  in 
which  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  are  published,  nor  any  golden  sceptre  of  mercy 
held  forth  to  invite  them  to  come  in,  or  give  them  hope  of  finding  acceptance  in  the 
sight  of  God  ;  no  covenant  of  grace  which  contains  any  promise  that  will  afford  re- 
lief ;  and  no  inclination  in  their  own  souls  to  return  to  God  with  an  humble  sense 
of  sin,  and  desire  to  forsake  it.  Hence  arises  everlasting  despair,  beyond  expres- 
sion tormenting,  which  the  apostle  calls  '  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever.'x 

This  is  a  very  awful  and  awakening  subject.  Many  are  as  little  desirous  to  hear 
of  it,  as  the  people  were  to  hear  the  account  which  the  prophet  Isaiah  gave  them 
of  approaching  judgments  ;  and  therefore  they  say,  '  Cause  the  Holy  One  of  Israel 
to  cease  from  before  us.'*  But  as  there  is  such  a  passion  in  men  as  fear,  and  as 
this  is  often  made  subservient  to  their  spiritual  advantage  ;  it  pleases  God,  in  wis- 
dom and  mercy,  sometimes  to  reveal  those  things  in  his  word  which  have  a  ten- 
dency to  awaken  our  fears,  and  to  set  before  us  death  as  well  as  life,  the  threaten- 
ings  as  well  as  the  promises,  that  we  may  see  it  to  be  our  duty  and  interest  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  use  those  precautions  prescribed  in  the  gospel  which 
may  have  a  tendency,  through  divine  grace,  to  prevent  our  sinking  into  everlasting 
perdition.  They  who  cast  off  fear,  and  think  themselves  safe,  because  the  rod  of 
God  is  not  upon  them,  generally  cast  off  a  sense  of  duty,  and  say  unto  God,  '  De- 
part from  us  ;  for  we  desire  not  the,  knowledge  of  thy  ways.  'z  Hence,  these  sub- 
jects are  to  be  insisted  on  as  warnings  to  induce  men  to  avoid  the  rock  on  which 
multitudes  have  split  and  perished  ;  not  to  lead  them  to  despair. 

r  Luke  xvi.  26.  s  Rev.  xiv.  10,  11.  t  Mark  ix.  44,  46,  48.  u  Heb.  x.  26. 

x  Jude,  verse  m.  v  isa.  xxx.  ii.  z  Job  xxi.  9,  1 1. 


FINAL  PUNISHMENT. 


How  the  Doctrine  of  Final  Punishment  is  to  be  preached. 

There  is  great  need  of  prudence,  however,  in  applying  every  truth  in  such  a  way 
that  it  may  be  of  advantage  ;  which  renders  the  work  of  those  that  are  employed 
in  preaching  the  gospel  exceedingly  difficult.  Every  one  must  have  those  doc- 
trines inculcated  and  applied  to  him,  which  are  adapted  to  his  respective  condition, 
as  well  as  founded  on  the  word  of  God.  We  therefore  subjoin  two  remarks  for 
direction. 

1.  Such  subjects  as  those  which  relate  to  the  final  punishment  of  the  wicked, 
though  they  are  not  to  be  concealed,  as  being  a  part  of  the  counsel  of  God,  and  a 
means  ordained  by  him  to  answer  some  valuable  ends  ;  yet  are  not  only  or  princi- 

?ally  to  be  insisted  on,  as  if  there  were  no  passion  to  be  wrought  upon  but  fear, 
t  is  the  stupid  person  who  is  to  be  awaked  out  of  his  lethargy  by  violent  methods. 
The  man  who  says,  '  I  shall  have  peace,  though  I  walk  according  to  the  corrupt 
inclinations  of  my  own  heart ;  the  danger  is  over  ;  or  no  ill  consequences  will  fol- 
low the  wilful  impenitency  and  unbelief  which  is  like  to  prove  destructive  to  one  ;' 
or  the  person  who  is  willing  to  deceive  himself,  and  endeavours  to  extenuate  his  sin, 
apprehending  that  the  consequences  of  it  will  not  be  so  pernicious  as  they  really 
are,  or  that  the  mercy  of  God  will  save  him  though  he  remain  in  open  rebellion 
against  him,  as  if  there  were  no  arrows  in  his  quiver,  or  vials  of  wrath  to  be  poured 
forth  on  his  enemies  ; — these  ought  to  be  dealt  with  by  representing  God  as  a  con- 
suming fire,  with  whom  is  terrible  majesty  ;  and  they  must  be  told  of  the  punish- 
ment of  sin  in  this  and  another  world,  that  they  may  see  their  danger  before  it  be 
too  late  to  escape.  If  it  be  said  that  the  terrors  of  God  have  a  tendency  to  drive 
persons  to  despair,  we  reply  that  the  persons  We  are  speaking  of  are  so  far  from 
despairing  of  the  mercy  of  God,  that  they  are  inclined  to  abuse  it ;  and  that  that 
which  is  likely  to  be  their  ruin,  is  the  contrary  extreme,  presumption,  which  leads 
them  to  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness. 

2.  As  for  others  who  are  humbled  under  a  sense  of  sin,  whose  flesh  trembles  for 
fear  of  God's  judgments,  there  is  not  so  much  occasion  to  insist  on  these  awakening 
subjects,  when  we  have  to  do  with  them  ;  for  to  do  so  would  be  like  adding  fuel  to 
the  fire.  If  the  heart  be  broken  and  contrite,  and  is  apt  to  meditate  little  else  but 
terror  ;  such  subjects  as  are  encouraging  are  to  be  insisted  on.  Thus  when  the 
prophet  Jeremiah  had  been  reproving  the  people  for  their  abominations,  and 
threatening  many  sore  judgments  which  God  would  execute  upon  them,  he  applies, 
healing  medicines  :  •  Is  there  no  balm  in  Gilead  ?  is  there  no  physician  there  ? 
why  then  is  not  the  health  of  the  daughter  of  my  people  recovered  ?'a  Elsewhere, 
also,  when  he  had  been  reprehending  them  for  their  idolatry,  and  putting  them  in 
mind  of  those  judgments  they  had  exposed  themselves  to,  he  encourages  them  to 
'  cry  unto  God,  My  Father,  thou  art  the  guide  of  my  youth.  Will  he  reserve  his 
anger  for  ever  ?  will  he  keep  it  to  the  end  ?'b  God,  in  his  usual  method  of  deal- 
ing with  sinners,  first  excites  their  fear  by  charging  sin  on  the  conscience,  and 
putting  them  in  mind  of  the  dreadful  consequences  of  it,  in  which  respect,  as  the 
apostle  expresses  it,  '  The  law  enters  that  the  offence  might  abound  ;'  and  then  he 
shows  them  that  the  soul  may  take  encouragement  when  humbled  under  a  sense  of 
its  own  guilt,  that '  where  sin  hath  abounded,  grace  hath  much  more  abounded.'0 — 
The  gospel  is  designed  to  administer  comfort  to  those  who  are  distressed  under  a  dread 
of  the  wrath  of  God.  Hence,  there  are  promises  as  well  as  threatenings  ;  and  each 
are  to  be  applied  as  the  occasion  requires  ;  so  that  the  happiness  of  heaven  is  to 
be  set  in  opposition  to  the  punishment  of  sin  in  hell.  Accordingly,  as  the  Answer 
we  have  been  explaining  contains  a  very  awful  and  awakening  subject ;  so,  in  the 
next,  we  are  led  to  consider  a  doctrine  which  is  full  of  comfort  to  those  who  have 
an  interest  in  Jesus  Christ. 

a  Jer.  viii.  22.  Chap.  iii.  4,  S.  c  Rom.  v.  20. 


286  FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 

•• 

Qcestion  XC.  What  shall  be  done  to  the  righteous  at  the  day  of  judgment  f 
Answer.  At  the  day  of  judgment,  the  righteous  being  caught  up  to  Christ  in  the  clouds,  shall 
be  set  on  his  right  hand,  and  there  openly  acknowledged  and  acquitted  ;  shall  join  with  him  in  the 
judging  of  reprobate  angels  and  men,  and  shall  he  received  into  heaven:  where  they  shall  be  fully 
and  for  ever  freed  from  all  sin  and  misery,  filled  with  unconceivable  joys,  made  perfectly  holy  and 
happy,  both  in  body  and  soul,  in  the  company  of  innumerable  saints  and  holy  angels,  but  especially 
in  the  immediate  vision  and  fruition  of  God  the  Father,  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  all  eternity:  And  this  is  the  perfect  and  full  communion  which  the  members  of  the  in- 
visible church  shall  enjoy  with  Christ  in  glory  at  the  resurrection  and  day  of  judgment. 

We  have,  in  this  Answer,  an  account  of  the  great  honours  and  privileges  which 
the  saints  shall  be  advanced  to  and  partake  of,  as  the  consequence  of  that  sentence 
which  Christ  will  pass  on  them,  '  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;'d  which  are  words  con- 
taining a  gracious  invitation  to  them  to  take  possession  of  that  glory  which  shall 
tend  to  make  them  completely  and  for  ever  happy.  We  have  alre'ady  considered 
the  righteous  as  caught  up  to  Christ  in  the  clouds.  Either  this  is  done  by  the 
ministry  of  angels,  or  else  their  bodies  will  be  so  changed  that  they  shall  be  able  to 
mount  upward  as  easily  as  they  now  are  to  walk  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth.  We 
have  also  considered  them  as  set  at  Christ's  right  hand.  Whether  this  has  any  regard 
to  the  place  of  their  situation,  we  cannot  determine  ;  but,  according  to  the  scripture 
mode  of  speaking,  it  certainly  denotes  the  highest  honours  conferred  upon  them. 
These  will  be  not  only  spiritual  but  external  and  visible  ;  whereby  it  shall  appear 
to  all,  that  they  are  Christ's  peculiar  friends  and  favourites.  That  they  should  be 
thus  dealt  with  by  so  glorious  a  person,  while  they  were  in  themselves  unworthy  of 
his  notice,  will  tend  to  raise  in  them  the  highest  astonishment,  and  shall  afford 
matter  of  eternal  praise.  What  is  farther  observed  concerning  them  in  this  Answer, 
is  contained  in  the  following  Heads.  First,  they  shall  be  opefily  acknowledged 
and  acquitted.  Secondly,  they  shall  join  with  Christ  in  the  judging  of  reprobate 
angels  and  men.  Thirdly,  they  shall  be  received  into  heaven  ;  and  there  they  shall 
be  freed  from  sin  and  misery,  filled  with  unspeakable  joy,  made  perfectly  holy  and 
happy,  both  in  body  and  soul,  and  admitted  into  the  company  of  saints  and  holy 
angels,  and  have  the  immediate  vision  and  fruition  of  God  to  all  eternity. 

The  Saints  Acknowledged  and  Acquitted. 

They  shall  be  openly  acknowledged  and  acquitted.  Our  Lord  Jesus  was  not 
ashamed  to  own  his  people,  when  he  condescended  to  take  their  nature  upon  him, 
and  dwell  among  them  ;  or,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  '  He  is  not  ashamed  to  call 
them  brethren. 'e  He  gives  them  many  tokens  of  his  approbation,  by  those  spiri- 
tual privileges  which  he  bestows  on  them  here.  But  at  last  he  shall  own  them 
publicly,  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  world,  as  a  people  whom  he  has  chosen,  re- 
deemed, and  sanctified,  and  in  whom  he  has  brought  the  work  of  grace  to  perfection. 
He  overlooks  all  their  former  failures  and  defects,  and  looks  upon  them  as  adorned 
with  perfect  beauty,  appearing  without  spot  before  him,  and  having  now  nothing 
which  may  be  offensive  to  his  holy  eye,  or  denote  them  unmeet  for  the  relation  which 
they  stand  in  to  him,  and  the  blessings  which  they  shall  enjoy  with  him. 

Moreover,  it  is  said  that  he  shall  openly  acquit  them,  that  is,  declare  publicly  that 
he  has  given  satisfaction  for  all  their  offences,  and  that  therefore  they  are  for  ever 
pronounced  clear  from  the  guilt  of  them.  It  is  not  improbable,  also,  as  was  former- 
ly observed,  that  their  former  sins  shall  not  be  so  much  as  mentioned,  being  all 
covered,  and  if  sought  for,  shall  not  be  found.  But  it  is  certain  that  if  they  shall 
be  mentioned,  it  shall  not  be  to  their  confusion  or  condemnation  ;  for  it  shall  be 

a  Matt.  xxv.  34.  e  Heb.  ii.  11. 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS.  287 

declared  that  the  justice  of  God  has  nothing  to  lay  to  their  charge  ;  and,  in  con- 
sequence, they  shall  be  delivered  from  that  fear,  shame,  and  distress,  which  they 
had  formerly  been  subject  to,  through  the  afflicting  sense  of  the  guilt  and  preva- 
lence of  sin.  When,  however,  they  are  represented  as  thus  acquitted,  we  are  not 
to  suppose  that  their  sins  were  not  fully  pardoned  before,  or  that  justification  in 
this  life  is  imperfect,  as  to  what  concerns  their  right  to  forgiveness  or  eternal  life. 
The  debt  was  fully  cancelled,  and  a  discharge  given  into  Christ's  hands  in  behalf 
of  all  his  elect,  on  his  making  satisfaction  to  the  justice  of  God.  But  this  was  not 
their  visible  discharge  ;  and  not  being  a  declared  act,  it  could  not  be  claimed  by 
them,  nor  was  it  applied  to  them,  till  they  believed  ;  and  then  they  might  say, 
'Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  our  charge?  It  is  God  that  justifieth.'  Yet  their 
justification,  as  it  is  declared  to  faith,  and  apprehended  by  it,  could  not  be  said  to 
be,  in  all  respects,  so  apparent,  or  so  attended  with  those  comfortable  fruits  and 
effects  which  are  the  consequence  of  it,  as  it  is  when  they  are  pronounced  justified 
by  Christ  at  death.  And  even  then  the  discharge  is  not  so  open  and  visible  to  the 
whole  world,  as  it  shall  be  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

The  Saints  Joining  Christ  in  Judging. 

It  is  farther  said  that  the  saints  shall  join  with  Christ  in  judging  reprobate  angels 
and  men.  This  is  very  often  asserted  by  those  who  treat  on  this  subject  ;  and  it 
seems  to  be  founded  on  the  sense  which  is  commonly  given  of  the  apostle's  words 
in  1  Cor.  vi.  2,  3,  '  Know  ye  not  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  ?'  and, 
1  Know  ye  not  that  we  shall  judge  angels  ?'  We  must  take  heed,  however,  if  we 
apply  that  scripture  to  the  case  before  us,  that  we  do  not  advance  anything  which 
tends  in  the  least  to  derogate  from  the  glory  of  Christ,  who  alone  is  fit  for,  and  ap- 
pointed to  perform,  this  great  work.  Hence,  if  we  suppose  that  the  apostle  is  here 
speaking  concerning  the  judgment  of  the  great  day,  the  saints  are  said  to  judge 
the  world  in  a  less  proper  sense.  But  whatever  be  the  sense  in  which  we  explain  it, 
we  must'not  think  that  they  shall  be  assessors  with  Christ  in  his  throne  of  judg- 
ment. It  is  one  thing  for  them  to  be  near  his  throne  in  the  capacity  and  station 
of  favourites ;  and  another  thing  for  them  to  be  in  it.  If  they  are  in  any  sense 
said  to  judge  the  world,  it  must  be  understood,  not  as  if  the  trying  of  the  cause  or 
the  passing  of  the  sentence,  were  committed  to  them,  but  rather  of  their  approving 
what  Christ  shall  do.  This  they  are  represented  as  doing,  when  Christ  is  set  forth 
as  'judging  the  great  whore,  'f  namely,  the  antichristian  powers.  They  so  far  join 
with  him  in  doing  this,  that  they  ascribe  glory  and  honour  to  him,  and  say, '  Righte- 
ous are  his  judgments.'  There  is  another  sense  in  which  some  understand  this 
scripture  concerning  'the  saints  judging  the  world,'  namely,  as  denoting  that  the  pub- 
lic mention  which  shall  be  made  of  the  graces  of  the  saints,  their  faith,  repentance, 
love  to  God,  and  universal  holiness,  will  have  a  tendency  to  condemn  those  whose 
conversation  in  this  world  has  been  the  reverse  of  theirs.  Their  having  forsaken 
all  and  followed  Christ,  and  accounted  all  things  but  loss  that  they  might  win  him, 
the  choice  which  they  have  made  of  suffering  rather  than  of  sinning,  which  appears 
to  be  an  instance  of  the  highest  wisdom,  shall  condemn  the  wickedness  and  folly  of 
those  who  have  exposed  themselves  to  inevitable  ruin  and  misery  by  being  otherwise 
minded.  Thus  Noah  is  said  to  have  'condemned  the  world  by  his  faith, '&  when, 
in  obedience  to  the  divine  command,  he  '  prepared  an  ark  to  the  saving  of  his 
house  ;'  which  the  world  then  thought  to  be  the  most  preposterous  action  which 
ever  was  performed,  though  they  were  afterwards,  to  their  cost,  convinced  of  the 
contrary.  '  The  men  of  Nineveh,'  also,  and  'the  queen  of  the  south,'  it  is  said,  shall 
'rise  in  the  judgment  with  that  generation,  and  condemn  it,'h  that  is,  shall  do  so 
objectively,  rather  than  formally ;  as  their  respective  behaviour  tended  to  expose 
the  impenitency  and  unbelief  of  the  Jews,  whom  Christ  there  reproves.  If  the 
saints'  judging  the  world,  be  understood  in  either  of  these  senses,  it  is  an  undoubted 
truth ;  but  more  than  this  I  dare  not  assert. 

We  may  take  occasion  to  inquire,  however,  whether  the  text  on  which  this  doc- 

f  Rev.  xix.  2.  g  Heb.  xi.  7.  h  Matt.  xii.  41,  42. 


288  FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 

trine  is  founded,  may  not  be  explained  in  another  sense,  as  denoting  some  privilege 
which  the  saints  were  to  enjoy  in  this  world,  when  the  empire  should  become  Chris- 
tian. Magistrates  and  judges  should  then  be  chosen  out  of  the  church ;  and  in  this 
respect  they  should  'judge  the  world.'  This  seems  to  me  the  most  probable  sense 
of  the  apostle's  words.  It  is  that  in  which  an  excellent  and  learned  writer  under- 
stands them;1  and  it  is  very  agreeable  to  the  context,  in  which  believers  are  dis- 
suaded from  'going  to  law  before  the  unjust,  and  not  before  the  saints. 'k  The 
apostle  here  signifies  the  inexpediency  of  exposing  those  controversies,  before  hea- 
then magistrates,  which  ought  to  be  compromised  in  the  church ;  as  though  the 
Christians  thought  themselves  unfit  to  judge  the  smallest  matters  ;  for  he  speaks  only 
of  such  matters,  not  of  capital  offences,  which  were  to  be  tried  only  by  the  civil 
magistrate.  Now  to  enforce  his  advice,  he  says,  '  Know  ye  not  that  the  saints 
shall  judge  the  world?' 

It  is  objected  to  this  sense  of  the  text,  that,  at  the  same  time  when  '  the  saints  ' 
are  said  to  'judge  the  world,' the  apostle  speaks  of  them  as  'judging  angels,' a 
work  which  comes  not  within  the  province  of  civil  magistrates,  though  we  suppose 
them  to  be  Christians.  But  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  '  saints  judging  angels,' 
his  language  is  brought  in  occasionally,  the  former  sense  of  'judging  '  being  more 
agreeable  to  the  context.  Since  he  is  insisting  on  an  honour  which  should  be  con- 
ferred on  the  church,  he  farther  enlarges  on  that  subject,  and  so  speaks  of  their 
'judging  angels,'  as  denoting  that  the  consequence  and  success  of  the  gospel  would 
be  an  evident  conviction  to  the  world,  that  the  devil's  empire  was  weakened,  and 
that  he  had  no  right  to  reign  over  the  children  of  disobedience  as  he  formerly  had 
done.  Thus  our  Saviour  speaks  of  Satan's  kingdom  being  destroyed  by  the  preach- 
ing and  success  of  the  gospel,  '  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world ;  now  shall  the 
prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out.'1  Elsewhere  also  it  is  said,  '  Now  is  come  salva- 
tion and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ ;  for 
the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down.'m  Moreover,  the  apostle  may  have  a 
particular  reference  to .  their  power  of  casting  out  devils,  not  only  in  that  but  in 
some  following  ages, — a  power  which  our  Saviour,  before  he  left  the  world,11  pro- 
mised they  should  have,  and  which  is  known  to  have  continued  in  the  church  till 
the  third  century.  ° 

It  is  farther  objected  that  there  is  another  scripture  which  seems  to  favour  the 
opinion  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  in  the  last  day,  namely,  our  Saviour's 
words  in  Matt.  xix.  28,  '  Ye  which  have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  the 
Son  of  man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones, 
judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel.'  That,  it  is  alleged,  which  makes  this  sense 
more  probable  is  what  he  mentions  in  the  following  verse  as  a  reward  which  they 
who  had  '  forsaken  all  for  his  name's  sake,'  should  enjoy,  namely,  'Ye  shall  receive 
an  hundred-fold,  and  shall  inherit  everlasting  life.'  We  reply,  that  our  Saviour,  in 
one  of  these  verses,  may,  without  any  strain  on  the  sense  of  the  words,  be  under- 
stood as  giving  his  people  to  expect  some  honours  which  should  be  conferred  on  them 
here,  and  in  the  other,  those  which  they  should  receive  in  another  world.  As  to 
the  honours  which  were  to  be  conferred  on  them  here,  namely,  their  '  sitting  on 
thrones,'  <fcc,  these  are  said  to  be  enjoyed  '  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of  man 
shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory,'  that  is,  not  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  come 
to  judgment,  but  when  he  shall  enter  into  his  state  of  exaltation,  and  sit  at  God's 
right  hand.  '  The  regeneration '  seems  most  applicable  to  the  gospel  state  ;  in  which, 
as  the  apostle  says, '  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new,'P 
agreeably  to  what  is  foretold  by  the  prophet,  '  Behold  I  create  new  heavens  and 
a  new  earth ;'i  which  may  well  be  called  '  the  'regeneration.'  As  for  the  apostles 
'  sitting  on  thrones,'  this  may  signify  the  spiritual  honours  which  should  be  conferred 
upon  them ;  so  that  however  they  might  be  despised  by  the  world,  they  should  be 
reckoned,  by  all  who  entertain  just  notions  of  things,  the  chief  and  most  honourable 
men  of  the  earth.  Their  'judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,'  may,  in  the  same 
way,  be  understood  of  their  convicting  the  Jews,  and  condemning  them  for  their  un- 

i  Vid.  Wits,  in  Symb.  Extrcit.  22.  Sect.  18—20.  k  i  Cor.  vi.  1.  1  John  xii.  31. 

in  Rev.  xii.  10.         n  Mark  xvi.  17.         o  See  vol.  ii.  p.  25.         p  2  Cor.  v.  1".        q  lsa.  lxv.  17. 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS.  289 

belief  in  crucifying  Christ,  and  rejecting  and  persecuting  the  gospel.  This  they 
might  be  said  to  do,  partly  in  the  exercise  of  their  ministry,  and  partly  in  the  suc- 
cess of  it.  Indeed,  the  gospel  may  be  said  to  judge  men  when  it  convicts  and  re- 
proves them.  If  this  be  the  sense  of  the  text,  then  it  does  not  respect  any  honours 
which  the  apostles  should  be  advanced  to  in  the  day  of  judgment ;  and  consequently 
it  does  not  give  any  countenance  to  the  opinion  that  they,  any  more  than  other 
saints,  shall  bear  a  part  in  judging  the  world,  either  of  angels  or  men. 

The  Saints  Blessed  in  Heaven. 

The  saints  shall  be  received  into  heaven.  This  includes  their  being  brought  into 
a  glorious  place  and  state.  The  apostle  calls  this  place,  'an  house  not  made  with 
hands  ;'r  which,  doubtless,  far  excels  all  the  other  parts  of  the  creation.  For,  as 
the  earthly  paradise  far  excelled  all  other  places  in  this  world,  being  planted  imme- 
diately by  God,  and  furnished  with  every  thing  which  might  be  delightful  and  en- 
tertaining for  man,  for  whom  it  was  designed ;  so  must  this  place  be  supposed  to 
be  the  most  glorious  part  of  the  frame  of  nature,  being  designed  to  be  the  place  of 
the  eternal  abode  of  the  best  of  creatures.  Indeed,  whatever  is  called  heaven  in 
scripture,  comes  short  of  it,  this  being  styled,  '  The  heaven  of  heavens.'8  It  is 
also  particularly  described  as  •  God's  throne  ;'*  the  place  of  his  immediate  residence, 
where  he  displays  his  glory  in  an  extraordinary  manner.  As  for  that  particular 
part  of  the  universe  in  which  it  is  situated,  it  is  neither  possible  nor  of  any  advan- 
tage for  us  to  determine,  any  otherwise  than  as  it  is  described,  as  being  above  this 
lower  world.  The  principal  thing  to  be  considered,  is  the  glory  Of  the  state  into 
which  the  saints  shall  there  be  brought.  This  is  set  forth  in  this  Answer,  by  a  variety 
of  expressions. 

1.  The  saints  shall  be  fully,  and  for  ever,  freed  from  all  sin  and  misery.  These 
being  inseparably  connected,  they  are  delivered  from  both  at  once.  As  to  deliv- 
erance from  the  guilt  of  sin,  it  includes  not  only  their  being  for  ever  discharged 
from  the  guilt  of  past  sins,  which  is  involved  in  their  being  openly  acquitted,  but 
their  not  contracting  guilt  for  the  future.  Accordingly,  they  are  put  into  such  a 
etate  that  they  shall  be  disposed  and  enabled  to  yield  sinless  obedience  ;  and  as  they 
are  presented  without  spot  and  blemish  before  God,  they  shall  never  contract  the  least 
defilement,  or  do  any  tiling  which  shall  render  them  unmeet  for  that  glory  to  which 
they  are  advanced,  afford  matter  of  reproach  to  them,  or  provoke  God  to  cast  them 
out  of  that  place  which  cannot  entertain  any  but  sinless  creatures.  Their  state, 
therefore,  differs  not  only  from  that  sinless  state  in  which  man  was  created  at  first, 
but  from  that  in  which  the  angels  were  created,  who  were  not  all  confirmed  in  their 
state  of  holiness,  so  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  any  of  them  to  fall.  But  a  state 
of  confirmed  holiness  is  the  happiness  of  glorified  saints.  We  may  infer  also  that 
there  shall  be  no  temptations  to  sin  ;  none  arising  from  themselves,  since  there  are 
no  lusts  or  remains  of  corruption  to  draw  them  aside  from  God  ;  and  no  tempta- 
tions from  others,  since  they  are  all  made  perfectly  holy.  The  soul  meets  with  no 
temptations  from  the  body,  as  it  often  did,  while  it  was  subject  to  the  infirmities  of 
nature  in  this  imperfect  state.  It  shall  never  be  liable  to  any  weakness,  weariness, 
stupidity,  or  any  of  those  diseases  with  which  it  is  now  oppressed  ;  so  that  the  soul 
shall  never  meet  with  any  temptations  arising  thence,  inasmuch  as  the  happiness  of 
the  body  consists  in  its  subserviency  to  it,  in  all  those  things  which  may  tend  to 
promote  its  complete  blessedness. 

Moreover,  the  saints  are  considered  as  delivered  from  all  misery,  whether  per- 
sonal or  relative.  The  afflictions  of  believers  are  confined  to  the  present  state.  In 
heaven  '  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain  ;  for  the 
former  things  are  passed  away.'u  Nothing  remains  which  may  tend  to  abate  their 
happiness,  or  render  the  state  in  which  they  are  imperfect. 

2.  They  shall  be  filled  with  inconceivable  joys.  Thus  our  Saviour  says  to  the 
man  in  the  parable,  who  had  improved  the  talents  he  had  been  intrusted  with, 

r  2  Cor.  v.  I.  s  Psal.  cxlviii.  4.  t  Isa.  lxvi.  I.  u  Rev.  xxi.  4. 

ii.  2  o     • 


290  FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 

'  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.'x  They  are  said  to  be  'presented,'  not  only 
'faultless  before  the  presence  of  the  glory  of  Christ,'  but  'with  exceeding  joy."* 
This  is  the  necessary  result  of  a  state  of  perfect  blessedness  ;  which  cannot  but  ad- 
minister the  highest  satisfaction  and  comfort  to  those  who  are  possessed  of  it ;  inas- 
much as  it  not  only  answers,  but  even  exceeds,  their  most  raised  expectations. 
These  joys  are  not  indeed  carnal,  but  spiritual ;  for,  as  the  greatest  delight  which 
the  saints  have  here,  consists  in  the  favour  and  love  of  God,  and  in  the  bright  rays 
of  his  glory  shining  into  the  soul,  so  they  shall  be  perfectly  blessed  with  this  delight 
hereafter,  and  in  respect  to  it  their  joy  shall  be  full. 

3.  They  shall  be  made  perfectly  holy  and  happy,  both  in  body  and  in  soul.  The 
soul  shall  be  unspeakably  more  enlarged  than  it  was  before,  as  to  all  its  powers  and 
faculties.  The  understanding  shall  be  rendered  more  capable  of  contemplating 
the  divine  perfections  ;  and  it  shall  be  entertained  with  those  discoveries  of  the 
glory  of  these  perfections,  which  at  present  we  have  but  a  very  imperfect  know- 
ledge of.  It  shall  be  fitted  to  behold  the  wisdom  of  God  in  the  works  of  creation 
and  redemption,  and  be  led  into  the  deep  mysteries  of  his  providence,  and  the 
reason  of  those  various  dispensations  of  it,  which,  though  they  know  not  now,  they 
shall  know  hereafter.  The  will  shall  be  perfectly  free,  having  no  corrupt  nature 
to  bias  it  or  turn  it  aside  from  that  which  is  its  chief  good  and  happiness  ;  nor 
shall  it  choose  any  thing  but  what  is  conducive  to  that  end.  There  will  be  no  re- 
mains of  rebellion  and  obstinacy,  but  a  perfect  and  entire  conformity  to  the  will  of 
God.  The  affections  shall  be  perfectly  regulated,  and  shall  unalterably  run  in  a 
right  channel,  fixed  upon  the  best  objects,  and  not  in  the  least  inclined  to  deviate 
from  them.  As  for  the  body,  it  shall  be  fitted  for  a  state  of  perfection,  as  well  as 
the  soul ;  for  it  shall  be  raised  a  spiritual,  celestial,  and  glorious  body,  and  there- 
fore perfectly  adapted  to  be  a  partaker  with  the  soul  of  that  glory  which  the  whole 
man  shall  be  possessed  of,  and  sanctified  to  be  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  ever. 

4.  They  shall  be  joined  with  the  innumerable  company  of  .the  saints  and  holy 
angels.  The  apostle  speaks  of  'an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  and  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,'2  to  which  we  are  said  in  this  world,  to 
'  come  '  by  faith  ;  but  hereafter  these  two  assemblies  shall  be  joined  together,  and 
make  one  body,  that  they  may,  with  one  consent,  'adore'  and  proclaim  'the  wor- 
thiness, riches,  wisdom,  and  strength  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  who  lives  for  ever 
and  ever.'a 

As  the  saints  and  angels  are  described  as  making  up  the  same  body,  and  engaged 
in  the  same  worship,  some  have  taken  occasion  to  inquire  concerning  the  means  by 
which  they  shall  converse  together  in  another  world,  or  in  what  manner  this  united 
body  shall  be  made  visible  to  each  other.  These  things,  however,  we  must  be  con- 
tent to  be  ignorant  of  in  this  present  state.  Yet  as  to  the  saints,  they  shall  con- 
verse with  one  another  by  the  organs  of  sense  and  speech  ;  for  that  they  may  do 
so  is  one  of  the  ends  for  which  the  body  shall  be  raised  and  reunited  to  the  soul ; 
and  it  may  be  proved  also,  from  the  fact  that  Moses  and  Elias  conversed  with  Christ 
at  his  transfiguration  in  such  a  manner.b  Some  propose  the  question  relating  to 
this  matter,  Whether  shall  there  be  a  diversity  of  languages  in  heaven,  as  there  is 
on  earth  ?  But  this  we  cannot  pretend  to  determine.  Some  think  that  there  shall ; 
that  as  persons  of  all  nations  and  tongues  shall  make  up  that  blessed  society,  so  they 
shall  praise  God  in  the  same  language  which  they  used  when  on  earth  ;  and  that 
in  order  to  this  worship  being  performed  with  the  greatest  harmony,  and  to  mutual 
edification,  all  the  saints  shall,  by  the  immediate  power  and  providence  of  God, 
be  able  to  understand  and  make  use  of  every  one  of  those  different  languages  as 
well  as  their  own.  This  opinion  they  found  on  the  apostle's  words,  *  That  at  the 
name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  Lord.'  The  worship  of  Christ  here  described,  they  suppose  to  have 
respect  to  the  heavenly  state,  because  it  is  said  to  be  done  both  by  '  those  that  are 
in  heaven,  and  those  that  are  on  earth.'0  But  though  the  apostle  speaks,  by  a  me- 
tonymy, of  different  tongues,  that  is,  persons  who  speak  different  languages,  being 

x  Matt.  xxv.  21,  23.  y  Jude,  ver.  24.  z  Heb.  xii.  22,  23. 

a  Rev.  v.  11,  et  seq.  1»  Matt.  xvii.  &  c  Phil.  ii.  10,  11. 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS.  291 

subject  to  Christ,  he  probably  means  by  the  expression  persons  of  different  nations, 
whether  they  shall  praise  him  in  their  own  language  in  heaven  or  not.  Accord- 
ingly, some  conjecture,  that  the  diversity  of  languages  shall  then  cease  ;  because 
it  took  its  rise  from  God's  judicial  hand,  when  he  confounded  the  speech  of  those 
who  presumptuously  attempted  to  build  the  city  and  tower  of  Babel,  and  because 
it  has  been  ever  since  attended  with  many  inconveniences.  Indeed,  the  apostle 
seems  expressly  to  intimate  as  much,  when  speaking  concerning  the  heavenly  state, 
he  says,  that  'tongues  shall  cease, 'd  that  is,  the  present  variety  of  languages. 
Moreover,  as  the  gift  of  tongues  was  bestowed  on  the  apostles,  for  the  gathering 
and  building  up  of  the  church  in  the  first  age,  and  as  it  ceased  to  be  bestowed  when 
this  end  was  answered ;  so  it  is  probable,  that,  in  like  manner,  the  diversity  of  lan- 
guages shall  hereafter  cease.  I  am  aware  that  there  are  some  who  object  that  the 
saints'  understanding  all  languages,  will  be  an  addition  to  their  honour,  glory,  and 
happiness.  But  we  may  answer,  that  though  it  is  indeed  an  accomplishment  in  this 
world  for  a  person  to  understand  several  languages,  its  being  so  arises  from  the 
subserviency  of  it  to  those  valuable  ends  which  are  answered  by  it.  But  all  neces- 
sity for  it,  and  consequently  all  such  subserviency,  would  be  entirely  removed,  if 
the  diversity  of  languages  be  taken  away  in  heaven,  as  some  suppose  it  will. 

There  are  some,  who,  it  may  be,  give  too  much  scope  to  a  vain  curiosity  on  this 
subject :  they  pretend  to  inquire  what  this  language  shall  be,  and  determine,  as 
the  Jews  and  some  of  the  fathers  do,  that  it  shall  be  the  Hebrew.  Their  argu- 
ments for  this  opinion  are  not  sufficiently  conclusive  ;  and  are  principally  these  ; — 
that  Hebrew  was  the  language  with  which  God  inspired  man  in  paradise,  and  that 
which  the  saints  and  patriarchs  spake,  and  the  church  generally  made  use  of  in  all 
ages,  till  our  Saviour's  time  ;  that  it  was  this  language  which  he  himself  spake 
while  on  earth  ;  that  since  his  ascension  into  heaven,  he  spake  to  Paul  in  the  He- 
brew tongue  ;e  and  that  when  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  are  described  in  Reve- 
lation as  praising  God,  there  is  one  word  used,  by  wliich  their  praise  is  expressed, 
namely, '  Hallelujah, '  which  is  Hebrew,  the  meaning  of  which  is,  '  Praise  ye  the  Lord. ' 
But  these  arguments  are  not  sufficiently  convincing  ;  so  that  we  must  reckon  the 
opinion  which  they  are  brought  to  support  no  more  than  a  conjecture. 

Others  suppose  that  the  language  spoken  in  heaven  will  not  be  any  particular 
language  which  is  or  has  been  spoken  in  this  world,  but  one  more  perfect  and  sig- 
nificative ;  and  that  this  language  is  what  the  apostle  means  when  he  speaks  of 
'  the  tongue  of  angels.  'f  Now,  though  it  is  more  than  probable  that  there  shall  be 
some  language  more  perfect  and  significative  than  any  now  known  in  the  world, 
which  glorified  saints  shall  receive  by  immediate  inspiration  ;  yet  that  there  will  be 
such  does  not  fully  appear  to  be  the  apostle's  meaning  in  the  scripture  referred  to. 
For  it  is  not  certain  that  angels  express  their  ideas  by  the  sound  of  words  ;  inas- 
much as  they  have  no  bodies,  nor  organs  of  speech,  nor  can  we  certainly  determine 
that  they  frame  voices  some  other  way.  '  The  tongue  of  angels, '  which  the  apostle 
speaks  of,  is  an  hyperbolical  expression,  signifying  the  most  excellent  language,  or 
such  an  one  as  angels  would  speak,  did  they  use  a  voice  ;  just  as  'the  face  of  angels '& 
signifies  the  most  bright,  glorious,  and  majestic  countenance  ;  and  as  manna  is 
called  '  angel's  food,'h  that  is,  the  most  pleasant  and  delightful.  But  these  things, 
though  often  inquired  into  by  those  who  treat  on  this  subject,  are  very  uncertain ; 
nor  is  it  of  any  advantage  for  us  to  be  able  to  determine  them. 

But  there  is  another  thing  arising  from  the  consideration  of  the  saints  being 
joined  in  one  society,  which  is  much  more  useful,  and,  so  far  as  we  have  light  to 
determine  it,  will  afford  a  very  comfortable  and  delightful  thought  to  us,  namely, 
what  concerns  their  knowing  one  another  in  heaven.  The  scripture,  indeed,  does 
not  so  fully  determine  this  matter  as  it  does  some  others  relating  to  the  heavenly 
state  ;  yet  many  of  God's  children  have  died  with  a  firm  persuasion  that  they  shall 
see  and  know  their  friends,  in  another  world,  and  have  been  ready  to  conclude  such 
knowledge  to  be  a  part  of  that  happiness  which  they  shall  enjoy  there.  Nor  can 
we  think  this  altogether  an  ungrounded  opinion  ;  though  it  is  not  to  be  contended 
for  as  if  it  were  a  necessary  and  important  article  of  faith.     The  arguments  which 

d  1  Cor.  xiii.  8.         e  Acts  xxvi.  14.        f  1  Cor.  xiii.  1.      g  Acts  vi.  15.        h  Psal.  lxxviii.  25. 


292  FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 

are  generally  brought  in  defence  of  it,  are  taken  from  those  instances  recorded  in 
scripture  in  which  persons  who  have  never  seen  one  another  before,  have  imme- 
diately known  each  other  in  this  world,  by  a  special,  immediate,  divine  revelation, 
given  to  them.     Adam  in  this  manner  knew  that  Eve  was  taken  out  of  him,  and 
therefore  said,  '  This  is  now  bone  of  my  bones,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh.     She  shall  be 
called  woman,  because  she  was  taken  out  of  man.'1     He  was  'cast  into  a  deep 
sleep,  when  God  took  one  of  his  ribs,  and  so  formed  the  woman,'  as  we  read  in  the 
foregoing  words  ;  yet  the  knowledge  of  the  event  was  communicated  to  him  by 
God. — Moreover,  we  read  that  Peter,  James,  and  John,  knew  Moses  and  Elias  ;k 
as  appears  from  Peter's  making  a  particular  mention  of  them,  '  Let  us  make  three 
tabernacles,  one  for  thee,  and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias,'1  though  he  had  never 
seen  them  before. — Again,  our  Saviour,  in  the  parable,  represents  '  the  rich  man' 
as  '  seeing  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom  ;'m  and  speaks  of  him  as 
addressing  his  discourse  to  him.     From  such  arguments  some  think  it  may  be  in- 
ferred that  the  saints  shall  know  one  another  in  heaven,  when  joined  together  in 
the  same  assembly. — Again,  some  think  that  this  may  be  proved  from  the  apostle's 
words,  in  1  Thess.  ii.  19,  20,  '  What  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  oi*  crown  of  rejoicing  ?  Are 
not  even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?  for  ye  are  our 
glory  and  joy.'     This  language  seems  to  argue  that  he  apprehended  their  happiness 
in  heaven  should  contribute  or  be  an  addition  to  his,  as  he  was  made  an  instrument 
to  bring  them  thither.     Even  so,  by  a  parity  of  reason,  every  one  who  has  been 
instrumental  in  the  conversion  and  building  up  of  others  in  their  holy  iaith,  as  the 
apostle  Paul  was  vith  respect  to  them,  may  expect  that  these  shall  tend  to  enhance 
his  praise,  and  give  him  occasion  to  glorify  God  on  their  behalf.     It  follows,  then, 
that  the  redeemed  shall  know  one  another  ;  and  that  they  who  have  walked  to- 
gether in  the  ways  of  God,  and  have  been  useful  to  one  another  as  relations  and 
intimate  friends,  in  what  respects  more  especially  their  spiritual  concerns,  shall 
bless  God  for  the  mutual  advantages  which  they  have  received. — Further,  some 
prove  this  from  that  expression  of  our  Saviour,  '  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness,  that  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into  everlast- 
ing habitations.'"     If  by  these  '  everlasting  habitations'  be  meant  heaven,  as  many 
suppose  ;  then  the  meaning  is,  that  they  whom  you  have  relieved  and  shown  kind- 
ness to  in  this  world,  shall  express  a  particular  joy  upon  your  being  admitted  into 
heaven  ;  and  consequently  they  shall  know  you,  and  bless  God  for  your  having 
been  so  useful  and  beneficial  to  them. 

It  is  objected  that,  if  the  saints  shall  know  one  another  in  heaven,  they  shall 
know  that  several  of  those  who  were  their  intimate  friends  here  on  earth,  whom 
they  loved  with  a  very  great  affection,  are  not  there ;  and  that  their  knowing  this 
will  have  a  tendency  to  give  them  some  uneasiness,  and  be  a  diminution  of  their 
joy  and  happiness.  But  if  it  be  allowed  that  the  saints  shall  know  that  some  whom 
they  loved  on  earth  are  not  in  heaven,  they  will  not  experience  uneasiness  ;  for  the 
affection  which  took  its  rise  principally  from  the  relation  which  we  stood  in  to  per- 
sons on  earth,  or  the  intimacy  which  we  have  contracted  with  them,  will  cease  in 
another  world,  or  rather  run  in  another  channel,  and  be  excited  by  superior  motives, 
namely,  their  relation  to  Christ,  that  perfect  holiness  which  they  are  adorned  with, 
their  being  joined  in  one  blessed  society  and  engaged  in  one  employment,  and  the 
remembrance  of  their  former  usefulness  one  to  another,  in  promoting  their  spiritual 
welfare,  as  made  subservient  to  the  happiness  they  now  enjoy.  As  for  others  who 
are  excluded  from  their  society,  they  will  think  themselves  obliged  out  of  a  due 
regard  to  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God,  to  acquiesce  in  his  righteous  judgments. 
Thus  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  are  represented  as  adoring  the  divine  perfections, 
when  the  vials  of  God's  wrath  were  poured  out  upon  his  enemies,  and  saying, 
'  Thou  art  righteous,  0  Lord,  because  thou  hast  judged  thus.  True  and  righteous 
are  thy  judgments.'0 

5.  Another  ingredient  in  the  glory  of  heaven,  which  is,  indeed,  the  greatest  of 
all,  is  the  saints'  enjoying  the  immediate  vision  and  fruition  of  God.     This  vision 

i  Gen.  ii.  23.  k  Matt,  xxii.  1  Ver.  4. 

m  Luke  xvi.  23.  n  Ver.  9.  o  Rev.  xvi.  5,  7« 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS.  293 

t 

includes  something  more  than  their  beholding  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  as  Job 
speaks,  when  he  says,  '  In  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God.'P  This,  indeed,  will  be  a  de- 
lightful object,  not  only  by  reason  of  the  glory  of  it,  but  from  the  love  which  they 
bear  to  his  person  who,  in  that  nature,  procured  for  them  the  happiness  which  they 
are  advanced  to.  But  the  principal  thing  contained  in  this  vision  of  God,  is  that 
it  is  contemplative  and  intellectual ;  for,  in  other  respects,  he  is  invisible.  Yet, 
there  are  two  ways  by  whitih  persons  are  said  to  see  him.  The  one  is  by  faith, 
adapted  to  our  present  state.  Thus  Moses  is  said  to  have  '  seen  him  who  is  invi- 
sible,'*1 that  is,  to  contemplate,  adore,  and  improve  the  glory  of  the  divine  perfec- 
tions, so  far  as  he  is  pleased  to  manifest  it  to  us  in  this  world.  But  the  other  way 
of  beholding  him  is  more  perfect,  as  his  glory  is  displayed  with  the  greatest  clear- 
ness and  in  the  highest  degree  in  heaven.  This  the  apostle  opposes  to  that  vision 
which  we  have  of  God  by  faith,  when  he  says  that  in  heaven  '  we  shall  see  face  to 
face,  and  know  even  as  we  are  also  known  ;'r  that  is,  we  shall  have  more  bright 
and  immediate  discoveries  of  the  glory  of  God.  This,  when  represented  by  the 
metaphor  of  '  seeing  face  to  face,'  has  some  allusion  to  our  knowing  persons  when 
we  are  in  their  immediate  presence,  which  far  exceeds  that  knowledge  which  we 
had  of  them  by  report,  when  at  a  distance  from  them.  This  immediate  knowledge 
of  God  the  apostle  expresses  by  a  mode  of  speaking  which  cannot  well  be  under- 
stood in  this  imperfect  state,  when  he  says,  '  We  shall  see  him  as  he  is.'s  It  differs 
from  those  views  which  the  saints  have  sometimes  had  of  the  glory  of-  God,  when 
manifested  in  an  emblematical  way  in  this  world.  Saints  in  heaven  behold  that 
glory  as  shining  forth  in  its  greatest  effulgency.  Moreover,  as  the  apostle  speaks  of 
this  as  a  privilege  which  should  be  enjoyed  by  the  saints  at  the  appearing  of  Christ, 
who  seems  to  be  the  object  more  especially  here  intended,  it  may  denote  their  be- 
holding his  mediatorial  glory  in  its  highest  advancement.  Now,  the  view  which 
they  have  of  it,  is  said  to  be  assimilating,  as  well  as  delightful.  Hence,  the  apostle 
adds,  '  We  shall  be  like  him.'  It  shall  also  be  satisfying.  Thus  the  psalmist  says, 
'  I  will,'  or  shall  '  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness.  When  I  awake,  I  shall  be 
satisfied  with  thy  likeness.'4  How  vastly  does  this  differ  from  the  brightest  views 
which  the  saints  have  of  the  glory  of  God  here  I  It  is  true  they  know  something 
of  him  as  he  manifests  himself  in  the  works  of  creation  and  grace.  But  their  know- 
ledge of  him  as  thus  manifested  is  very  imperfect.  The  object  is  not  presented 
in  its  brightest  lustre  ;  nor  is  the  soul,  which  is  the  recipient  of  it,  enlarged,  as  it 
shall  then  be,  to  take  in  the  rays  of  divine  glory.  Though,  however,  this  vision  of 
God  shall  be  unspeakable,  so  that  much  more  shall  be  known  of  his  perfections 
than  we  can  attain  to  in  this  life  ;  yet  the  saints  shall  not  have  a  comprehensive 
view  of  it ;  for  that  is  not  consistent  with  the  idea  of  them  as  finite  creatures. 
Thus  concerning  the  immediate  vision  of  God. 

It  is  farther  observed  that  this  vision  is  attended  with  fruition ;  and  therefore 
it  is  not  merely  speculative  or  contemplative,  but  such  as  is  felicitating.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  saints  know  their  interest  in  God,  and  see  themselves  to  be  the 
happy  objects  of  the  former  and  present  displays  of  the  glory  of  his  perfections, 
and  how  these  have  all  been  exerted  in  bringing  them  to  this  blessed  state,  and 
fixing  them  in  it;  and  hence  arises  that  joy  which  accompanies  this  vision  of 
God.  Besides,  there  are  some  impressions  of  his  glory  on  their  souls,  which  not 
only  occasion  but  excite  this  joy. — Again,  it  is  observed  that  this  fruition  is  of 
God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  The  Father  is  beheld  and  enjoyed,  as  his 
glory  shines  forth  in  the  face  of  Christ,  as  bestowing  on  his  saints  all  the  blessings 
which  he  has  promised  in  that  everlasting  covenant  which  was  established  with  and 
in  Christ,  as  their  Head  and  Saviour  ;  his  purposes  of  grace,  and  all  his  promises 
having  had  their  full  accomplishment  in  him.  The  glory  of  Christ  is  beheld  as 
the  person  to  whom  the  whole  work  of  redemption,  together  with  the  application 
of  it,  was  committed,  and  by  whom  it  is  now  brought  to  perfection.  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  beheld  as  the  person  who  has,  by  his  power,  rendered  every  thing  which 
was  designed  by  the  Father,  and  purchased  by  the  Son,  effectual  to  answer  the 
end  which  is  now  attained,  by  shedding  abroad  the  love  of  the  Father  and  Son  in 

p  Job  xix.  26.  q  Heb.  xi.  27.  r  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  s  1  John  Hi.  2.  t  Psal.  xvii.  15. 


294  FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 

their  hearts,  dwelling  in  them  as  his  temple,  and  beginning,  carrying  on,  and  per- 
fecting that  work  which  is  so  glorious  in  its  effects  and  consequences.  In  these  re- 
spects the  saints  have  perfect  and  distinct  communion  with  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost ;  which  far  exceeds  all  they  can  have  here,  and  is  infinitely  preferable 
to  all  the  delight  which  arises  from  that  enjoyment  which  they  have  of  the  blessed 
society  of  perfect  creatures  to  whom  they  are  joined. 

6.  The  last  ingredient  in  the  happiness  which  believers  shall  enjoy  in  heaven 
is,  that  it  shall  be  to  all  eternity.  As  the  soul  is  immortal,  and  the  body  to  which 
it  shall  be  united  shall  be  raised  incorruptible ;  so  the  inheritance  which  is  reserved 
in  heaven  for  the  saints,  is  such  as  ■  fadeth  not  away.'u  This  will  tend  to  make  their 
happiness  complete  ;  which  nothing  could  do  were  there  not  a  full  assurance  of  its 
everlasting  duration.  It  would  be  a  continual  alloy  to  it,  and  a  very  uncomfort- 
able thought,  to  conclude  that,  though  their  enjoyments  are  very  great,  they  shall 
have  an  end.  The  glory  of  heaven  is  not  like  the  glories  of  this  present  world, 
which  are  but  for  a  moment,  and,  as  it  were,  perish  in  the  using ;  nor  like  the  state 
of  holiness  and  happiness  in  which  God  created  man  at  first,  which,  through  the 
mutability  of  his  nature,  it  was  possible  for  him  to  lose.  But  it  is  established  by 
the  decree  of  God,  founded  on  the  virtue  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  purchased  for 
his  people  eternal  redemption,  and  in  the  covenant  of  grace  settled  this  inheri- 
tance upon  them,  as  an  everlasting  possession.  This  is  a  doctrine  so  universally 
acknowledged,  that  it  is  needless  to  insist  on  the  proof  of  it ;  and  it  is  so  frequently 
mentioned  in  scripture,  that  we  scarcely  ever  read  of  the  glory  of  heaven,  but  it  is 
described  as  '  eternal.' x 

There  is  one  thing  more  which,  though  it  is  not  particularly  mentioned  in  this 
Answer,  I  would  not  entirely  pass  over,  that  is,  what  may  be  said  to  a  question 
proposed  by  some,  Whether  there  are  degrees  of  glory  in  heaven  ?  The  Papists 
not  only  maintain  that  there  are,  but  pretend  that  greater  degrees  of  glory  shall  be 
conferred  on  persons,  in  proportion  to  the  merit  of  their  good  works  here  on  earth. 
They,  accordingly,  have  assigned  the  highest  places  there,  to  those  who  have  per- 
formed works  of  supererogation,  by  doing  more  than  was  strictly  enjoined  them  by 
the  law  of  God.  But  all  Protestant  divines,  who  allow  that  there  are  degrees  of 
glory  in  heaven,  strenuously  maintain  that  these  are  rewards  of  grace,  as  every  in- 
gredient in  the  heavenly  blessedness  is  supposed  to  be.  When  this  doctrine  is  made 
the  subject  of  controversy,  neither  side  ought  to  contend  for  their  particular  opinion, 
as  if  it  were  one  of  the  most  important  articles  of  faith/  or  charge  those  who  de- 
fend the  other  side  of  the  question  with  maintaining  something  directly  contrary 
to  scripture  or  of  a  pernicious  consequence.  They  who  suppose  that  there  are  no 
degrees  of  glory  in  heaven,  are  afraid  that,  if  they  should  assert  the  contrary,  it 
would  in  some  measure  eclipse  the  glory  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  give  too  much 
countenance  to  the  popish  doctrine  of  the  merit  of  good  works.  But  this  all  Pro- 
testant divines,  as  was  just  observed,  sufficiently  guard  against. — Again,  it  is  argued 
against  degrees  of  glory,  that  those  external  and  relative  privileges  which  the  saints 
enjoy,  such  as  election,  justification,  and  adoption,  belong  equally  and  alike  to 
all,  and  that  the  same  price  of  redemption  was  paid  for  all,  so  that  their  glory  shall 
be  equal.  But  this  reasoning  will  not  appear  very  conclusive,  if  we  consider  that 
sanctification  is  as  much  the  result  of  their  being  elected,  justified,  redeemed,  and 
adopted,  as  their  being  glorified.  Yet  sanctification  appears  not  to  be  equal  in  all; 
and  it  hence  does  not  follow  that  their  glory  in  a  future  state  shall  be  so.  Besides, 
though  their  objective  blessedness,  which  consists  in  that  infinite  fulness  of  grace 
which  there  is  in  God,  is  inconsistent  with  any  idea  of  degrees  ;  yet  it  does  not 
follow  that  the  communications  resulting  from  it,  which  are  finite,  shall  be  in  a  like 
degree. — Nor  can  it  be  inferred,  that  if  there  are  degrees  of  glory,  the  state  of 
those  who  have  the  least  degree  shall  be  imperfect  in  its  kind,  or  have  anything  in 

u  1  Pet.  i.  4 ;  chap.  v.  4.  x  See  Jurie  verses  6  and  21  ;  Matt.  xxv.  46  ;  Tit.  i.  2 ; 

Rom.  vi.  22;  Gal.  vi.  8 ;   1  Tim.  i.   16;  Psal.  xvi.  11. 

y  [Dr.  Ririgfley  evidently  means  here  the  doctrine  of  degrees  of  glory,  altogether  apart  from  the 
question  as  to  tliese  degrees  being'  '  rewards  of  grace.'  From  the  whole  tenor  of  bis  sentiments  he 
clearly  regards  the  affirmative  ot  this  question — supposing  the  doctrine  of  degrees  to  be  admitted— 
as  not  open  to  a  moment's  doubt  among  true  Christians.— Ed.] 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS.  295 

it  which  shall  afford  the  least  abatement  of  their  happiness,  or  be  the  occasion  of 
envy  or  uneasiness,  as  the  superior  excellencies  of  some,  in  this  imperfect  state,, 
often  appear  to  be  ;  for  any  such  result  would  be  inconsistent  with  perfect  holi- 
ness. Nor  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  there  are  any  degrees  with  respect  to  the  de- 
liverance of  the  saints  from  the  sins,  guilt,  and  miseries  of  this  present  life  ;  for 
this  deliverance  is  equal  in  all.  Nor  do  they  who  think  that  there  are  degrees  of 
glory  in  heaven,  in  the  least  insinuate  that  every  one  shall  not  be  perfectly  filled 
and  satisfied,  in  proportion  to  his  receptive  disposition.  As  a  small  vessel,  put  into 
the  ocean,  is  as  full,  in  proportion  to  its  capacity,  as  the  largest ;  so  none  of  the 
saints  will  desire,  nor  indeed  can  contain,  more  than  God  designs  to  communicate 
to  them. — In  defence  of  the  opinion  that  there  are  no  degrees  of  glory  in  heaven, 
reference  is  sometimes  made  to  the  parable  of  the  persons  who  were  hired  to  work 
in  •  the  vineyard. 'z  There  it  is  said  that  'they  that  were  hired  about  the  eleventh 
hour,  received  every  man  a  penny  ;'  which  is  as  much  as  others  .received  who  were 
hired  early  in  the  morning,  and  had  '  borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day.'  But 
this  does  not  sufficiently  prove  the  opinion  ;  for  some  of  these  labourers  are  repre- 
sented as  '  murmuring,'  and  insinuating  that  they  had  wrong  done  them  ;  and  Christ 
replies  to  them,  '  Is  thine  eye  evil  because  I  am  good  ?'  and  they  are  described  as 
4  called,'  but  'not  chosen.'a  The  parable,  therefore,  is  designed  to  set  forth,  not 
the  glory  of  heaven,  but  the  temper  and  disposition  of  the  Jewish  church,  who 
were  partakers  of  the  external  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  to  show  that 
they  and  the  gospel-church  had  equal  privileges. 

The  arguments,  then,  which  are  generally  insisted  on  to  prove  that  there  are  no 
degrees  of  glory  in  heaven,  can  hardly  be  reckoned  sufficient  to  overthrow  the  con- 
trary doctrine  ;  especially  if  those  other  scriptures  which  are  often  brought  to  prove 
that  there  are,  be  understood  in  their  most  obvious  sense.  One  of  these  is  Daniel 
xii.  3,  '  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they 
that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever.'  Here  the  pro- 
phet speaks  of  those  who  excel  in  grace  and  usefulness  in  this  world ;  and  then  con- 
siders them,  not  only  as  'wise,'  but  as  'turning  many  to  righteousness;'  whose 
glory,  after  the  resurrection,  of  which  he  speaks  in  the  foregoing  verse,  has  in  it  some- 
thing illustrious  and  distinguishing,  which  is  compared  to  'the  brightness  of  the  firma- 
ment' and  '  stars.'  It  is  objected,  however,  that  our  Saviour b  illustrates  the  happiness 
of  all  the  glorified  saints,  whom  he  calls  'the  righteous,'  by  their  'shining  as  the 
sun  ;'  that  therefore  the  prophet  Daniel  means  no  other  glory  but  what  is  common 
to  all  saints  ;  and  that  consequently  there  are  no  degrees  of  glory.  We  reply,  that 
our  Saviour  does  not  compare  the  glory  of  one  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  with  that  of 
another  ;  but  intimates  that  the  happiness  of  every  one  of  them  shall  be  inconceiv- 
ably great,  and  very  fitly  illustrates  it  by  '  the  brightness  of  the  sun.'  The  pro- 
phet, on  the  other  hand,  is  speaking  of  some  who  were  honoured  above  others  in 
their  usefulness  here ;  and  then  considers  them  as  having  peculiar  degrees  of  glory 
conferred  upon  them  hereafter.  This  is  something  more  than  what  he  refers  to  in 
the  foregoing  verse,  which  is  common  to  all  the  saints,  when  he  speaks  of  them  as 
*  awaking  out  of  the  dust  to  everlasting  life.' 

Another  scripture  brought  to  prove  this  doctrine,  is  1  Cor.  xv.  41,  42,  '  There  is 
one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the  stars ; 
for  one>star  differeth  from  another  star  in  glory  ;  so  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead.'  Here  the  apostle  is  speaking  concerning  the  happisess  of  the  saints  after  the 
resurrection.  He  does  not  compare  them  with  what  they  were  when  they  left  the 
world,  for  then  they  had  no  glory,  being  '  sown  in  corruption  and  dishonour  ;'  but 
ho  seems  to  compare  the  glory  of  one  saint,  after  the  resurrection,  with  that  of  an- 
other. Accordingly,  he  illustrates  it  by  the  brightness  of  the  heavenly  luminaries  ; 
every  one  of  which  has  a  glory  superior  to  terrestrial  bodies.  Yet  he  seems  to  in- 
timate, that  if  we  compare  them  together,  the  glory  of  the  one  exceeds  that  of  the 
other.  Thus  the  glory  of  the  least  saint  in  heaven  is  inconceivably  greater  than  that 
of  the  greatest  on  earth.  The  glory,  indeed,  is  full  and  complete  in  its  kind  ;  yet 
when  compared  with  the  glory  of  others,  it  may  in  some  circumstances  fall  short 
of  it. 

z  Matt.  xx.  9.  a  Verses  15,  1G.  b  Chap.  xiii.  43. 


296  FINAL  BLESSEDNESS. 

Another  argument  brought  by  some  to  prove  this  doctrine  is  taken  from  the  par- 
able of  the  talents.0  There  the  reward  is  proportioned  to  the  respective  improve- 
ment of  the  talents  by  those  who  received  them  ;  and  it  seems  to  have  reference  to 
some  blessings  which  they  were  to  receive  in  another  world.  Our  Saviour  com- 
pares himself  to  one  who  '  travels  into  a  far  country,'  and  after  a  long  time,  returns 
and  reckons  with  his  servants.  Now,  by  the  former  is  meant  his  ascension  into 
heaven,  and  by  the  latter  his  return  to  judgment ;  so  that  the  rewards  spoken  of  which 
differ  in  degree,  must  respect  some  peculiar  glory  which  he  will  confer  on  his  people 
in  another  world.  Indeed,  the  whole  chapter  seems  to  refer  to  the  same  thing. 
The  preceding  parable  of  the  wise  and  foolish  virgins  denotes  the  behaviour  of 
persons  here,  and  the  consequence  of  it  hereafter ;  and  the  latter  part  of  the  chap- 
ter expressly  speaks  of  Christ's  coming  to  judgment,  and  dealing  with  every  one 
according  to  his  works.  If,  therefore,  the  improvement  of  the  talents  respects  some 
advantages  which  .one  is  to  expect  above  another,  it  seems  to  intimate  that  there 
are  degrees  of  glory. 

This  is  farther  argued  from  the  higher  degree  of  grace  which  some  have  in  this 
world  than  others ;  which  is  a  peculiar  honour  bestowed  on  them,  and  is  sometimes 
considered  as  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  their  right  improvement  of  the  graces 
which  they  had  formerly  received.  Their  enjoyment  of  it  may  be  considered  as 
laying  a  foundation  for  greater  praise  ;  so  that  the  soul  must  be  enlarged  in  pro- 
portion to  the  grace  received,  in  order  that  it  may  give  to  God  the  glory  due  to  his 
name,  as  the  result  of  what  it  enjoys.  Hence,  if  we  take  an  estimate  of  God's 
future  from  his  present  dispensations,  it  not  only  removes  some  objections  which 
are  sometimes  brought  against  this  doctrine,  but  adds  farther  strength  to  the 
arguments  taken  from  the  scriptures  before-mentioned,  to  prove  it.  But  notwith- 
standing all  that  has  been  said  on  this  subject,  it  is  the  safest  way  for  us  to  con- 
fess that  we  know  but  little  of  the  affairs  of  another  world,  and  much  less  of  the  cir- 
cumstances of  glorified  saints,  considered  as  compared  with  one  another.  Nor  are  we 
to  conclude,  if  there  are  degrees  of  glory,  that  the  highest  of  these  is  founded  on 
the  merit  of  what  any  have  done  or  suffered  for  Christ,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
the  lowest  is  inconsistent  with  complete  blessedness  ;  which  shall  be  proportioned 
to  their  most  enlarged  desires,  and  as  much  as  they  are  capable  of  containing. 
Thus  concerning  the  question  proposed  by  some  as  to  whether  there  are  degrees  of 
glory. 

There  is  another  which  has  some  affinity  to  it,  which  I  would  not  wholly  pass 
over,  namely,  whether  the  saints  in  heaven  shall  not  have  some  additional  improve- 
ments, or  make  progressive  advances,  in  some  things  which  may  be  reckoned  a 
farther  ingredient  in  their  future  happiness.  This  is  to  be  insisted  on  with  the 
utmost  caution,  lest  any  thing  should  be  advanced  which  is  inconsistent  with  the 
complete  blessedness  which  they  are  immediately  possessed  of.  I  do  not  think, 
however,  that  it  will  detract  from  it,  if  we  should  venture  to  assert,  that  the  under- 
standing of  glorified  saints  shall  receive  very  considerable  improvements,  from  those 
objects  which  shall  be  presented  to  them,  and  from  the  perpetual  discoveries  which 
will  be  made  of  the  glorious  mysteries  of  divine  grace,  whereby  the  whole  scene  of 
providence,  and  its  subserviency  to  their  eternal  happiness,  shall  be  opened,  to  raise 
their  wonder,  and  enhance  their  praise.  As  it  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  perfect 
blessedness  of  the  angels,  to  desire  to  know  more  of  this  mystery,  which  they  are 
said  to  'look  into  ;'d  and  as  their  joy  is  increased  by  those  new  occasions  which 
daily  present  themselves ;  why  may  not  the  same  be  said  with  respect  to  the  saints 
in  heaven,  especially  if  we  consider  that  this  will  redound  so  much  to  the  glory  of 
God,  as  well  as  give  us  more  raised  ideas  of  that  happiness  which  they  shall  be 
possessed  of? 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Doctrine  of  Final  Blessedness. 

We  shall  conclude  with  some  practical  inferences  from  what  has  been  said  in 
this  Answer,  concerning  the  happiness  of  the  saints  in  heaven. 

C   Matt.  xxv.  14,  et  seq.  d  1  Pet.  i.  12. 


FINAL  BLESSEDNESS.  297 

1.  We  may  learn  the  great  difference  which  there  is  between  the  militant 
and  triumphant  state  of  the  church.  Here  believers  meet  with  perpetual  conflicts ; 
but  hereafter  they  shall  be  crowned  with  complete  victory.  Now,  they  walk  by 
faith;  but  then  faith  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  vision,  and  hope  in  enjoyment.  The 
saints  of  God  are,  at  present,  in  their  minority,  having  a  right  to  their  inheritance, 
but  not  the  possession  of  it.  Their  desires  are  enlarged,  and  their  expectations 
raised  ;  but  nothing  can  give  them  full  satisfaction  till  they  arrive  at  that  state  of 
perfection  to  which  God  will  at  last  bring  them. 

2.  The  account  which  we  have  of  the  happiness  of  heaven  being  of  a  spiritual 
nature,  and  accompanied  with  perfect  blessedness,  and  of  the  enjoyments  of  heaven 
being  of  a  corresponding  nature,  may  tend  to  reprove  the  carnal  conceptions  which 
many  entertain  concerning  it,  as  though  it  were  no  other  than  what  Mahommed 
promised  his  followers  ;  who  fancy  that  they  shall  have  there  those  delights  which 
are  agreeable  to  the  sensual  appetites  of  such  as  have  no  other  ideas  of  happiness 
than  that  it  consists  in  the  pleasures  of  sin.  Nor  is  it  enough  for  us  to  conceive  of 
the  heavenly  blessedness  as  merely  a  freedom  from  the  miseries  of  this  life,  though 
this  is  an  ingredient  in  it ;  nor  must  we  think  of  it  as  if  it  had  no  reference  to  the 
bringing  of  those  graces  which  are  begun  here  to  perfection,  or  as  if  it  did  not  con- 
sist in  the  blessed  work  of  admiring  and  adoring  the  divine  perfections,  and  im- 
proving the  displays  of  these  in  the  Mediator,  a  work  in  which  the  saints  shall  for 
ever  be  engaged. 

3.  Let  us  not  content  ourselves  merely  with  the  description  which  we  have  in  the 
word  of  God  of  the  glory  of  heaven,  but  inquire  whether  we  have  a  well-grounded 
hope  that  we  have  a  right  to  it,  and  are  found  in  the  exercise  of  those  graces  which 
will  be  an  evidence  of  our  fitness.  It  is  a  very  low  and  insignificant  thing  for  us 
to  be  convinced  that  the  glory  of  heaven  contains  all  those  things  which  shall 
render  those  who  are  possessed  of  it  completely  happy,  if  we  have  no  ground  to 
claim  an  interest  in  it ;  and  if  we  have  this  ground  of  hope,  it  will  have  a  tendency 
to  excite  practical  godliness,  which  is  inseparably  connected  with  eternal  life,  and 
affords  an  evidence  of  our  right  to  it.  But  without  this  godliness,  our  hope  will  be 
delusive,  and  we  shall  be  chargeable  with  an  unwarrantable  presumption,  in  ex- 
pecting salvation  without  sanctification. 

4.  If  we  have  any  hope  concerning  future  blessedness,  it  ought  to  be  improved 
by  us,  to  support  and  comfort  us  under  the  present  miseries  of  life.  Thus  the 
apostle  exhorts  the  church  to  which  he  writes,  to  '  comfort  one  another  with  these 
words,  'e  or  from  considerations  of  the  heavenly  glory.  Our  hope  should  also  be  an 
inducement  to  us  to  bear  afflictions  with  patience,  since  these  '  work  for  us  an  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 'f 

5.  Let  the  hope  we  have  of  the  privileges  to  be  enjoyed  hereafter,  put  us  upon 
the  greatest  diligence  in  the  performance  of  those  duties  which  are  incumbent  on 
us,  as  expectants  of  this  inheritance  ;  and  let  us  endeavour  to  have  our  conversa- 
tion in  heaven,  and  be  frequently  meditating  on  the  blessed  employment  of  that  state, 
and  be  earnest  with  God  that  we  may  be  made  more  meet  for  it,  and  in  the  end 
received  to  it. 

6.  If  we  are  enabled  by  faith  to  conclude  that  we  have  a  right  to  the  heavenly 
inheritance,  let  us  be  frequently  engaged  in  the  work  and  employment  of  that  in- 
heritance, so  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  present  imperfect  state.  Let  us  be  much 
in  praising  and  blessing  God,  who  has  prepared  these  glorious  mansions  for  his 
people  ;  and  let  us  set  a  due  value  on  the  blood  of  Christ,  by  which  they  were 
purchased,  and  give  glory  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  has  given  us  the  earnest  of  them, 
and  who,  having  begun  the  work  of  grace,  will,  we  trust,  carry  it  on  to  perfection. 

e  1  TheaB.  iv.  18.  f  2  Cor.  iv.  17 

n.  2  p 


298  MORAL  OBLIGATION. 


MORAL  OBLIGATION. 

Question  XCI.   What  is  the  duty  that  God requireth  of  man  ? 

Answer.  The  duty  which  God  requireth  of  ma*i,  is  obedience  to  his  revealed  will. 

Question  XCII.   What  did  God  at  first  reveal  unto  man  as  the  rule  of  his  obedience  f 

Answer.  The  rule  of  obedience  revealed  to  Adam  in  the  state  of innocency,  and  to  all  mankind 
in  him,  beside  a  special  command,  not  to  eat  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 
was  the  moral  law. 

Havixg,  in  the  former  part  of  the  Catechism,  been  led  to  consider  what  we  are  to 
believe  concerning  God,  and  those  works  of  nature  and  grace  wherein  he  has  dis- 
played his  glory  to  man,  whether  considered  as  created  alter  his  image,  or  as  hav- 
ing lost  it  by  sin,  and  as  afterwards  redeemed,  and  made  partaker  of  those  blessings 
which  are  consequent  on  redemption  ;  we  are  now  to  consider  him  as  under  an  in- 
dispensable obligation  to  yield  obedience  to  God.  They  who  have  received  most 
grace  from  him,  are  laid  under  the  strongest  ties  and  engagements  to  yield  obe- 
dience. 

Man  Bound  to  Obey  God. 

We  observe,  then,  that  obedience  is  due  from  man  to  God.  Our  obligation  to 
obey  results  from  the  relation  we  stand  in  to  him  as  creatures  ;  who  ought  to  say 
with  the  psalmist,  '  0  come  let  us  worship  and  bow  down  ;  let  us  kneel  before  the 
Lord  our  Maker.  *&  Our  obligation  results  particularly  from  our  being  intelligent 
creatures,  having  excellencies  superior  to  all  others  in  this  world,  whereby  we  are 
rendered  capable,  not  only  of  subserving  the  ends  of  his  providence,  but  performing 
obedience  as  subjects  of  moral  government.  But  our  obligation  becomes  highest 
when  we  are  considered  as  redeemed,  justified,  and  sanctified,  and  made  partakers 
of  all  the  blessings  which  accompany  salvation.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says, 
'  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price  ;  therefore  glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your 
spirit,  which  are  God's. 'h  Obedience  may  be  considered,  not  only  as  our  duty,  but 
as  our  highest  wisdom  ;  as  it  is  said,  '  The  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom,  and 
to  depart  from  evil,  is  understanding.'1  Hereby,  in  some  measure,  we  answer  the 
end  for  which  we  came  into  the  world  ;  and  to  render  it  is  our  interest,  inasmuch  as 
it  is  conducive  to  our  present  and  future  blessedness,  and  inseparably  connected 
with  it.  We  are  to  be  very  sensible,  however,  that  to  yield  obedience  is  out  of  our 
own  power  ;  as  our  Saviour  says,  «  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing. 'k  We  should, 
therefore,  exercise  a  constant  dependence  on  him  who  works  in  his  people  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  of  his  own  good  pleasure.  We  might  here  consider  the  nature  and 
properties  of  that  duty  and  obedience  which  we  owe  to  God. 

1.  If  it  be  such  as  we  hope  God  will  accept  or  approve,  it  must  proceed  from  a 
renewed  nature,  and,  in  consequence,  from  a  principle  of  love  to  God  as  a  recon- 
ciled Father  ;  not  from  a  slavish  fear  and  dread  of  his  wrath,  as  a  sin-revenging 
Judge.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  *  There  is  forgiveness  with  Uue,  that  thou  mayest 
be  feared.'1 

2.  It  ought  to  be  without  the  least  reserve,  including  a  ready  compliance  with 
whatever  he  commands.  In  performing  it,  we  ought  to  approve  ourselves  to  him 
as  our  Sovereign  Lord  and  Lawgiver,  and  consider  that  we  are  under  his  all-seeing* 
eye.     Accordingly,  his  glory  is  to  be  assigned  as  the  highest  end  of  all  we  do. 

3.  It  ought  to  be  performed  with  constancy.  It  does  not  consist  merely  in  a  sud- 
den fit  of  devotion,  arising  from  the  dictates  of  an  awakened  conscience,  or  the 
dread  we  have  of  his  wrath,  when  under  some  distressing  providence ;  but  it  ought 
to  be  the  constant  work  and  business  of  life. 

4.  When  we  have  done  or  suffered  most  for  God,  we  are  not  only  to  consider  our- 
selves as  'unprofitable  servants,'111  as  our.  Saviour  expresses  it ;  but  we  must  lament 

g  Psal.  xcv.  6.  h  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  i  Job  xxviii.  28. 

k  John  xv.  5.  1  Psal.  cxxx.  4.  m  Luke  xvii.  10. 


MORAL  OBLIGATION..  299 

our  imperfections,  and  be  deeply  humbled  for  the  iniquities  which  attend  our  holy 
things,  inasmuch  as  '  there  is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth  that  doeth  good  and  sin- 
neth  not.'n 

Connexion  of  Revelation  with  Moral  Obligation. 

In  order  to  our  yielding  obedience,  it  is  necessary  that  God  should  signify  to  us, 
in  what  instances  he  will  be  obeyed,  and  the  manner  in  which  obedience  is  to  be 
performed  ;  otherwise  it  would  be  rather  a  fulfilling  of  our  own  will  than  of  his. 
None  but  those  who  are  authorized  by  God  to  communicate  his  will,  and  who  re- 
ceive what  they  impart  to  us  by  divine  inspiration,  can,  without  the  boldest  pre- 
sumption, assume  to  themselves  the  prerogative  of  prescribing  to  us  a  rule  of  duty  to 
God.  It  follows  that  obedience  must  be  to  his  revealed  will.  The  secret  purposes 
of  God  are  the  rule  and  measure  of  his  own  actings  :  but  his  revealed  will  is  the 
rule  of  our  obedience.  '  Secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God ;  but  those 
things  which  are  revealed,  belong  unto  us  and  to  our  children.'0 

The  Law  of  God  as  the  Mule  of  Obligation. 

The  will  of  God,  as  thus  made  known  to  us,  is  called  a  Law.  Now,  let  us  con- 
sider that  a  law  is  the  decree  or  revealed  will  of  a  sovereign,  designed  to  direct  and 
govern  the  actions  of  his  subjects,  and  thereby  to  secure  his  own  honour  and  their 
welfare.  If  this  be  applied  to  the  law  of  God,  we  must  consider  him  as  our  Lord 
and  Sovereign,  whose  will  is  the  rule  of  our  actions  ;  and  he,  being  infinitely  wise 
and  good,  is  able  and  inclined  to  direct  us  in  those  things  which  are  conducive  to  his 
own  honour  and  our  safety  and  happiness.  This  he  has  been  pleased  to  do  ;  and 
accordingly  has  given  us  a  law  as  the  rule  of  life. 

The  laws  of  God  are  in  part  such  as  take  their  rise  from  his  holy  nature.  Ac- 
cordingly, our  obligation  to  yield  obedience  to  these  proceeds,  not  only  or  principally 
from  the  command  of  God,  but  from  their  being  agreeable  to  his  divine  perfections; 
which  must  be  assigned  as  the  reason  of  his  prescribing  them  as  matter  of  obliga- 
tion. These  are  all  reducible  to  what  we  call,  in  general,  the  law  of  nature  ;  which, 
because  it  is  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  reason,  is  called  by  way  of  eminence  the 
moral  law.  Thus  when  we  consider  ourselves  as  creatures,  we  are  led  to  confess 
that  we  are  subject  to  God,  and  therefore  bound  to  obey  him.  When  we  think  of 
him  as  a  God  of  infinite  perfection,  our  obedience  must  be  agreeable  to  that  perfec- 
tion. Because  he  is  a  Spirit,  our  obedience  must  be  performed  in  a  spiritual  man- 
ner ;  and  as  he  is  a  holy  God,  he  is  to  be  worshipped  with  reverence  and  holy  fear. 
Thus  far  we  are  induced  to  yield  obedience  by  the  law  of  nature. — But,  on  the 
other  hand,  there  are  many  laws  relating  to  the  circumstances  or  manner  in  which 
God  will  be  worshipped,  which  are  founded  in  his  sovereign  will.  These  we  call 
positive  laws.  Of  this  kind  was  that  law  given  to  our  first  parents,  not  to  eat  of 
the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  and  doubtless,  there  were  many  other  laws 
given  to  them  relating  to  their  conduct  of  life  and  mode  of  worship,  though  they 
are  not  particularly  mentioned  in  the  short  history  we  have  of  the  state  of  man  be- 
fore the  fall. — As  for  the  moral  law,  it  is  said,  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explain- 
ing, to  have  been  revealed  to  Adam  in  his  state  of  innocency,  and  to  all  mankind 
in  him.  Its  being  revealed  to  man,  must  be  supposed  to  be  a  less  proper  way  of 
speaking  ;  inasmuch  as  the  method  of  discovery  by  revelation  is  more  especially 
applicable  to  positive  laws.  Hence,  I  would  rather  choose  to  express  it,  as  in  a  fore- 
going Answer, p  by  God's  writing  his  laws  in  the  hearts  of  our  first  parents,  or  im- 
pressing the  commands  of  the  moral  law  on  their  nature  ;  so  that  by  the  power  of 
reasoning  with  which  they  were  endowed,  they  might  attain  to  the  knowledge  of 
them.  Accordingly,  man,  by  the  light  of  nature,  knew  all  things  contained  in  the 
moral  law. 

As  to  what  is  farther  said  in  this  Answer,  that  the  moral  law  was  given  to  man 
in  innocency,  we  considered  this  subject  elsewhere.     And  as  all  mankind  were  re- 

n  Eccl.  vii  20.  o  Deut.  xxix.  29.  p  See  Quest,  xvii. 


300  THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW. 

presented  by  him,  we  are  to  understand  these  words  as  meaning  that  it  was  given  to 
all  mankind  in  him.  But  these  things  having  been  insisted  on  in  another  place,  as 
also  what  relates  to  his  having  been  prohibited  from  eating  of  the  tree  of  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil,  I  shall  pass  them  over,  and  proceed  to  speak  more  particularly 
concerning  the  moral  law,  together  with  the  uses  of  it  to  all  sorts  of  men. 


THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW. 

Question  XCIII.   What  is  the  moral  law? 

Answer.  The  moral  law  is  the  declaration  of  the  will  of  God  to  mankind,  directing  and  binding 
everv  one  to  personal,  perfect,  and  perpetual  conformity  and  obedience  thereunto,  in  the  frame  and 
disposition  of  the  whole  man.  soul  and  body,  and  in  performance  of  all  those  duties  of  holiness  and 
righteousness  which  he  oweth  to  God  and  man ;  promising  life  upon  the  fulfilling,  and  threatening 
death  upon  the  breach,  of  it. 

Question  XC1V.  Is  there  any  use  of  the  moral  law  to  man,  since  the  fall? 

Answer  Although  no  man,  since  the  fall,  can  attain  to  righteousness  and  life  by  the  moral  law; 
yet  there  is  great  use  thereof,  as  well  common  to  all  men,  as  peculiar  either  to  the  unregenerate,  or 
the  regenerate. 

Question  XCV.   Of  what  use  is  the  moral  law  to  all  men  f 

Answer.  The  moral  law  is  of  use  to  all  men,  to  inform  them  of  the  holy  nature  and  will  of  God, 
and  of  their  duty,  binding  them  to  walk  accordingly  ;  to  convince  them  of  their  disability  to  keep 
it.  and  of  the  sinful  pollution  of  their  nature,  hearts,  and  lives;  to  humble  them  in  the  sense  of 
their  sin  and  misery,  and  thereby  help  them  to  a  clearer  sight  of  the  need  they  have  of  Christ,  and 
of  the  perfection  of  his  obedience. 

Question  XC  VI.   What  particular  use  is  there  of  the  moral  law  to  unregenerate  men  f 

Answer.  The  moral  law  is  of  use  to  unregenerate  men,  to  awaken  their  consciences  to  flee  from 

wrath  to  come,  and  to  drive  them  to  Christ;  or,  upon  their  continuance  in  the  estate  and  way  of 

sin,  to  leave  them  inexcusable,  and  under  the  curse  thereof. 

Question  XCVII.   Wfiat  special  use  is  there  of  the  moral  law  to  the  regenerate  ? 

Answer.  Although  they  that  are  regenerate,  and  believe  in  Christ,  be  delivered  from  the  moral 
law  as  a  covenant  of  works,  so  as  thereby  they  are  neither  justified  nor  condemned;  yet  beside  the 
general  uses  thereof  common  to  them  with  all  men,  it  is  of  special  use,  to  show  them  how  much 
they  are  bound  to  Christ  lor  his  fulfilling  it,  and  enduring  the  curse  thereof  in  their  stead,  and  for 
their  good  ;  and  ihereby  to  provoke  them  to  more  thankfulness,  and  to  express  the  same  in  their 
greater  care,  to  conform  themselves  thereunto,  as  the  rule  of  their  obedience. 

The  Nature  of  the  Moral  Law. 

In  these  Answers  we  have,  first,  a  description  of  the  moral  law. 

I.  This  law  is  a  declaration  of  the  will  of  God  to  mankind,  that  so  we  may  not 
be  destitute  of  a  rule  to  guide  and  regulate  our  behaviour,  both  towards  God  and 
man.  This  is  the  first  idea  contained  in  a  law.  But  there  is  another,  which  re- 
spects the  obligation  which  we  are  laid  under  by  the  law,  arising  from  our  being 
creatures,  and  consequently  subject  to  God,  who,  as  the  supreme  Governor,  has  an 
undoubted  right  to  demand  obedience  from  us  to  every  thing  which  he  prescribes 
and  reveals  to  us  as  a  rule  for  our  direction.  Moreover,  that  which  God  requires 
of  us  in  this  law,  is,  personal,  perfect,  and  perpetual  conformity  and  obedience  to 
its  precepts. 

1.  Our  obedience  must  be  personal,  that  is,  it  is  not  to  be  performed  by  proxy. 
Whatever  services  we  may  expect  from  men,  we  must  not  conclude  that  they  can 
perform  obedience  for  us  to  God,  and  fulfil  the  obligation  which  we  are  personally 
laid  under.  Yea,  we  may  proceed  farther,  and  assert  that  the  obedience  which 
Christ  has  performed  for  us,  does  not  exempt  us  from  an  obligation  to  yield  perfect 
obedience.  Obedience,  indeed,  is  not  to  be  performed  by  us  with  the  same  view 
with  which  he  performed  it.  This  will  be  farther  considered  under  a  following 
Head,  where  we  shall  show,  that  though  the  law  is  not  to  be  obeyed  by  us  as  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  yet  we  are  obliged  to  obey  it  as  a  rule  of  life. 

2.  Our  obedience  to  the  law  of  God  must  be  perfect.     The  same  obligation 


THE   NATURE  AND   USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW.  301 

which  man  was  under  at  first,  to  yield  perfect  obedience,  remains  still  in  force, 
though  we  are  not  able  to  perform  it.  The  insolvency  of  man  by  the  fall,  did  not 
cancel  or  disannul  this  debt.i  How  much  soever  God  may  own  and  approve  the 
sincerity  of  his  people,  which  is  all  the  perfection  that  fallen  man  can  arrive  at  in 
this  world ;  yet  we  must  not  suppose  that  hereby  we  fulfil  the  obligation  which  God, 
as  a  Lawgiver,  has  laid  us  under.  This  I  the  rather  take  notice  of,  that  there  may 
not  be  the  least  ground  to  suppose  that  we  make  void  the  law :  we  rather  establish 
it,  and  assert  the  right  which  God  has  to  that  perfection  of  obedience  which  is  due 
from  us,  though  unable  to  perform  it. 

3.  Our  obedience  must  be  perpetual,  without  backsliding  from  God,  or  the  least 
remissness  in  our  duty  to  him.  There  is  no  abatement  or  dispensation  allowed, 
which  may  give  countenance  to  the  least  defect  of  this  obedience.  Thus  the 
psalmist  says,  '  I  will  never  forget  thy  precepts  ;'r  and,  '  Every  day  will  I  bless 
thee,  and  I  will  praise  thy  name  for  ever  and  ever.'8— Moreover,  this  obedience  is 
to  be  performed  with  the  whole  man,  and  in  particular,  by  the  soul,  with  the  ut- 
most intenseness,  in  all  its  powers  and  faculties.  Accordingly,  our  understandings 
are  to  be  rightly  instructed,  as  to  the  matter  and  manner  of  performing  it ;  our 
wills  to  be  entirely  subjected  to  the  will  of  God  ;  and  our  affections  engaged  in  his 
service,  being  sanctified  and  excited  by  the  Spirit,  to  the  end  that  duty  may  be 
performed  with  delight,  arising  from  the  love  which  we  bear  to  him  whose  servants 
we  are.  Our  obedience  is  to  be  performed  also  with  our  bodies.  The  former  in- 
cludes that  obedience  more  especially  which  is  internal ;  this,  that  which  is  exter- 
nal. This  is  what  is  styled  a  lower  sort  of  obedience ;  and  if  we  rest  here,  it  is  far 
from  being  acceptable,  as  the  apostle  says  that  'bodily  exercise  profiteth  little.'* 
Yet  as  the  body  is  an  instrument  of  the  soul  in  acting,  that  service  which  is  per- 
formed in  it  is  absolutely  necessary.  Hence,  all  religious  worship  is  to  be  engaged 
in  with  a  becoming  reverence  which  is  external,  as  well  as  with  that  which  is  in- 
ternal ;  without  which  the  soul  cannot  be  said  to  engage  in  any  religious  duties  in 
a  becoming  manner. — Again,  this  obedience  includes  holiness  and  righteousness. 
The  former  of  these  respects  more  especially  our  duty  to  God,  which,  being  a 
branch  of  religious  worship,  ought  to  be  performed  with  a  reverential  fear  of  his 
divine  Majesty,  and  a  due  regard  to  his  infinite  purity,  and  entire  dedication  and 
consecration  of  ourselves  to  him,  as  becomes  those  who  are  sanctified  by  his  Spirit, 
and  enabled  to  exercise  all  those  graces  whereby  we  may  approve  ourselves  his 
faithful  servants  and  subjects.  The  latter  more  especially  respects  those  duties 
which  we  owe  to  men,  in  the  various  relations  we  stand  in  to  them,  and  which  are 
incumbent  on  us  as  enjoined  by  God. 

II.  The  moral  law  is  farther  considered  as  having  a  promise  of  life  annexed  to 
it,  and  a  threatening  of  death  upon  the  breach  of  it.  This  is  what  is  generally 
called  the  sanction  annexed  to  the  law.  A  law  without  a  sanction  would  not  be 
much  regarded,  especially  by  those  who  have  not  a  due  sense  of  their  obligation  to 
obedience.  Persons  are  very  much  disposed  to  inquire,  when  a  command  is  given, 
what  the  consequence  of  their  obeying  or  disregarding  it  will  be  ;  and  this  being 
made  known  beforehand,  is  a  strong  motive  to  obedience.  If  God  is  pleased,  out 
of  his  abundant  grace,  to  encourage  his  people,  by  giving  them  to  expect  some 
blessings  which  he  will  bestow  on  those  who  obey  him,  it  is,  in  some  respect,  ne- 
cessary that  his  doing  so  should  be  known.  But  especially  as  punishment,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  nature  of  the  crime,  will  be  the  consequence  of  disobedience,  it  is 
becoming  the  divine  perfections  to  let  it  be  known  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death. 
Now,  this  sanction  was  not  only  annexed  to  the  moral  law,  but  equally  impressed 
on  the  nature  of  man,  who  could  not  but  know  that  rebellion  against  God  would 
be  punished  with  a  separation  from  him,  and  that  all  those  miseries  which  it  de- 
serves would  attend  it,  in  proportion  to  its  respective  aggravation. 

q  It  is  a  known  maxim  in  the  civil  law,  Cessante  capacitate  subditi  non  cessat  obligatio. 
r  Psal.  cxix.  93.  s  Psal.  cxlv.  2.  t  1  Tim.  iv.  8. 


302  ,       THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW. 


The  Uses  of  the  Moral  Law. 

We  have  an  account  of  the  use  of  the  moral  law  since  the  fall ;  and  that  either 
with  respect  to  mankind  in  general,  or  the  unregenerate  and  regenerate.  Here  it 
is  observed  that  no  man  since  the  fall  can  attain  righteousness  and  life  by  it ;  sc 
that  it  is  not  to  be  used  with  that  view.  We  may  hence  infer  that  this  end  might 
have  been  attained  by  man  before  the  fall,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  covenant 
which  he  was  under,  the  sum  and  substance  of  which  was,  that 4  the  man  that  doeth 
these  things  shall  live  by  them.'u  Eternal  life  was  promised  to  man  in  innocency ; 
and  he  was  then  able  to  yield  sinless  obedience,  which  was  the  condition  of  his 
obtaining  it.  But  it  is  impossible  for  fallen  man  thus  to  obey.  How  perfect  soever 
his  obedience  may  be  for  the  future,  it  is  supposed,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing, 
that  it  cannot  be  sinless,  after  sin  has  been  committed ;  and  it  would  be  a  reflection 
on  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God,  for  us  to  conclude  that  he  will  accept  of  imper- 
fect obedience,  instead  of  perfect.  It  follows  that  a  right  to  life  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected from  our  imperfect  obedience  to  the  law ;  as  the  apostle  says,  '  By  the  deeds 
of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified, 'x  in  God's  sight.  In  this  respect  our 
own  righteousness  is  represented,  not  only  as  faulty  and  defective,  but  as  altogether 
insufficient  to  procure  an  interest  in  the  divine  favour,  or  to  exempt  us  from  the 
punishment  which  is  due  to  us  for  sin.  It  is  one  thing  to  say  that  eternal  life  is 
connected  with  obedience,  so  that  no  one  can  have  the  least  ground  to  expect  the 
former  without  the  latter,  and  another  thing  to  say  that  eternal  life  is  founded 
upon  obedience,  or  that  it  gives  us  a  right  and  title  to  it.  We  are  not  to  conclude, 
however,  that  the  law  is  of  no  use.     For, 

1.  It  is  of  use  to  all  men,  in  several  respects.  It  informs  us  of  the  holy  nature 
and  will  of  God,  and  of  our  duty  to  him.  This  is  the  first  idea  we  have  of  a  law,* 
which  signifies  more  especially  a  doctrine  ;  and,  as  the  grand  scope  of  it  respects 
our  being  taught  what  we  are  obliged  to  as  commanded  by  a  lawgiver,  it  signifies 
a  law.  The  divine  perfections  are  eminently  stamped  on  it  in  very  legible  charac- 
ters :  his  sovereignty,  as  having  a  right  to  demand  obedience ;  his  holiness  in  the 
matter  of  it,  and  in  the  obligation  it  lays  us  under  to  be  *  holy  in  all  conversation ; 
because  it  is  written,  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy;'z  and  therefore  this  perfection 
is  set  forth  in  those  threatenings  which  are  annexed  to  it,  whereby  '  the  wrath  of 
God  is  revealed  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men.'a  As  the  law 
is  designed  to  discover  our  secret  faults,  that  we  may  be  humbled  for  them,  and  a 
multitude  of  sins  may  be  prevented  ;  so  it  sets  forth,  not  only  the  holiness,  but  the 
goodness  of  God.  Indeed,  there  is  nothing  enjoined  in  it  as  our  duty,  but  what 
includes  some  advantage.  Thus  the  psalmist  describes  it  as  '  more  to  be  desired 
than  gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold  ;  sweeter  also  than  honey  and  the  honey- 
comb ;'  and  adds,  that  '  in  keeping  thereof  there  is  great  reward. 'b 

Again,  the  moral  law  is  of  use  to  all  men,  as  it  binds  them  to  perform  that  which 
is  enjoined  in  it  as  matter  of  duty.  This  is  another  idea  contained  in  a  law; 
namely,  it  is  that  which  binds  the  consciences  of  men,  that  so  we  may  not  vainly 
and  presumptuously  conclude,  to  our  own  destruction,  that  we  may  live  as  we  list, 
or  say,  Who  is  Lord  over  us  ?  It  is  a  great  instance  of  the  care  and  goodness  of 
God,  that  he  has  taken  this  method  to  prevent  that  ruin  which  would  arise  from 
our  withdrawing  the  allegiance  which  we  owe  to  him,  and  to  lay  us  under  the 
strictest  engagement  to  seek  after  that  blessedness  which  is  connected  with  obe- 
dience to  him. 

Further,  we  are  convinced  by  the  moral  law  of  our  inability  to  keep  its  precepts, 
and  of  the  sinful  pollution  of  our  nature,  hearts,  and  lives,  as  an  expedient  to  hum- 
ble us  under  the  sense  of  sin  and  misery.  The  law  being  spiritual,  we  are  con- 
vinced by  it  that  'we  are  carnal,  and  sold  under  sin,'  as  the  apostle  expresses  it  ;c 
and  he  also  says, '  I  had  not  known  sin,  but  by  the  law.'d     When  we  consider  our- 

u  Rom.  x  5.  x  Chap.  iii.  20.  v  Thus  the  word  rmn,  is  derived  from  m*, 

didicit,  or  vi*n  inonstravit.  z  1  Pet.  i.  15,  16.  a  Rom.  i.  18.  b  Psal.  xix.  10,  1 1. 

c  Rom.  vii.  14.  d  Verse  17. 


THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW.  303 

selves  as  being  obliged  to  yield  perfect  obedience,  and  compare  our  hearts  and  lives 
with  the  law  which  requires  this,  we  shall  see  nothing  but  holiness  and  purity  on 
the  one  hand,  and  a  wretched  mass  of  corruption  and  impurity  on  the  other. 
God  demands  perfect  obedience,  while  we  are  unable  of  ourselves  to  perform  any 
obedience  ;  and  our  best  duties  being  attended  with  many  imperfections,  we  are 
led  to  be  humbled  under  a  sense  of  sin,  whatever  thoughts  we  formerly  had  of  our- 
selves. When  '  the  law  enters,  sin  will  abound  ;'e  and  if  we  were  apprehensive 
that  'we  were  alive,'  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  'without  the  law,  when  the 
commandment  comes,  sin  revives  and  we  die, ' f  and  see  ourselves  exposed  to  the 
miseries  threatened  against  those  who  violate  it. 

Hence  arises  a  clear  sight  of  the  need  which  persons  have  of  Christ,  and  of  the 
perfection  of  his  obedience.  When  we  find  that  we  are  condemned  by  the  law, 
and  that  righteousness  is  not  to  be  attained  by  our  own  obedience  to  it,  we  are  led 
to  see  our  need  of  seeking  it  elsewhere ;  and  when  the  gospel  gives  us  a  discovery 
of  Christ,  as  ordained  by  God  to  procure  for  us  righteousness,  or  a  right  to  eternal 
life  by  his  obedience,  we  see  the  need  we  have  of  faith  in  him,  whereby  we  derive 
from  him  that  which  could  not  be  attained  by  our  own  conformity  to  the  law, 

2.  The  moral  law  is  of  use  in  particular  to  the  unregenerate.  We  considered, 
under  the  former  Head,  that  it  is  of  use  to  all  men,  among  whom  the  unregenerate 
are  included,  as  it  gives  them  a  discovery  of  the  pollution  and  guilt  of  sin  ;  and 
now  we  are  led  to  inquire  into  the  consequence  of  this.  Sin  may  be  charged  on 
the  conscience,  and  the  guilt  of  it  make  it  very  uneasy,  so  that  a  person  may  ap- 
prehend himself  under  the  condemning  sentence  of  the  law  ;  and  yet  he  may  re- 
ceive no  saving  advantage.  He  may  have  a  sight  of  sin,  and  not  be  truly  humbled 
for  it  or  turned  from  it.  In  some,  corruption  is  excited  by  conviction  ;  and  the 
soul  grows  worse  than  it  was  before.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  Sin  taking  occasion 
by  the  commandment,  wrought  in  me  all  manner  of  concupiscence. '&  Others, 
when  filled  with  a  dread  of  the  wrath  of  God,  are  inclined  to  stretch  out  their  hand 
against  him,  and  strengthen  themselves  against  the  Almighty ;  resolving,  some  way 
or  other,  to  disentangle  themselves,  though,  by  such  conduct,  they  render  their 
condition  much  worse.  These  are  compared  to  '  a  wild  bull  in  a  net,  full  of  the 
fury  of  the  Lord  ;'h  or,  as  our  Saviour  says  concerning  Paul,  before  his  con- 
version, '  they  kick  against  the  pricks.'1  Every  step  they  take  to  free  themselves 
from  the  horrible  pit  and  miry  clay  into  which  they  are  cast,  sinks  them  deeper 
into  it.  Others  are  convinced  of  sin  by  the  law,  and,  at  the  same  time,  despair  of 
obtaining  mercy.  They  complain  with  Cain,  '  My  punishment  is  greater  than  I 
can  bear  ;'k  or,  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  '  Mine  iniquity  is  greater  than  that  it  may 
be  forgiven.'  These  see  themselves  lost,  or  condemned  by  the  law  ;  but  have  no 
sight  of  Christ  as  coming  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  or,  at  least,  to  save  the 
chief  of  them.  The  wound  is  opened ;  but  there  are  no  healing  medicines  applied. 
There  are  others  also,  whose  condition  is  no  less  dangerous,  in  whom  '  the  wound 
is  healed  slightly,'  who  'say,  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no  peace.'1  They  are, 
indeed,  convinced  of  sin  ;  and  their  conviction  is  attended  sometimes  with  an  ex- 
ternal humiliation,  arising  from  the  dread  of  God's  judgments.  This  effect  it  had 
in  Pharaoh™  and  Ahab.n  They  are  willing  also  to  part  with  some  particular  sins, 
while  they  indulge  others,  that  by  this  partial  reformation  they  may  free  them- 
selves from  the  condemning  sentence  of  the  law.  But  all  this  is  to  no  purpose  ; 
sin  gains  strength,  and  the  guilt  of  it  is  still  increased.  This  is  a  wrong  method 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Hence,  when  convictions  of  sin  have  a  good 
issue,  in  inciting  those  who  experience  them  to  flee  from  it,  they  have  recourse  to 
Christ.  This  is  called  a  being  driven  to  Christ ;  by  which  we  are  to  understand 
that  they  see  themselves  under  an  unavoidable  necessity  of  going  to  him,  as  not 
being  able  to  find  peace  or  solid  rest  elsewhere.  But  as  this  effect  is  in  a 
peculiar  manner  ascribed  to  the  gospel,  the  law  being  only  the  remote  means  of 
it,  I  would  rather  express  it  by  their  being  drawn  to  him,  or  encouraged  by  the 
grace  contained  in  the  gospel,  to  close  with  him  by  faith  ;   and  then  the  work 

e  Rom.  v.  20.  f  Chap.  vii.  9.  g  Ver.  8.  b  Isa.  li.  20.  i  Acts.  ix.  5. 

k  Gen.  iv.  13.  1  Jer.  vi.  14.  m  Exod.  x.  16,  17.  nl  Kings  xxi.  27—29. 


304  THE  NATURE  AND   USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW. 

is  rendered  effectual,  and  convictions  end  in  a  saving  conversion.     But  if  it  be 
otherwise,  or  they  apply  themselves  to  indirect  means  to  ease  themselves  of  the 
burden  which  lies  on  them,  they  are  farther  described  as  left  inexcusable,  and  still 
emaining  under  the  curse  and  condemning  sentence  of  the  law. 

3.  The  moral  law  is  of  use  to  the  regenerate.  In  considering  this,  it  may  be  ob- 
served that  there  is  something  supposed  in  the  Answer  which  treats  on  this  subject, 
namely,  that  they  who  believe  in  Christ  are  delivered  from  the  law  as  a  covenant  of 
works.  This  is  the  only  sense  in  which  we  are  to  understand  those  scriptures  which 
speak  of  believers  as  '  not  being  under  the  law, '°  and  as  being  *  dead  to  the  law,  'p 
having  been  '  redeemed  from  its  curse.  "*  The  moral  law  is  to  be  considered  in  two 
respects,  as  a  rule  of  life,  and  so  no  one  is  delivered  from  it ;  or  as  a  covenant  of 
works,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  it  was  given  to  man  in  innocency,  the  condition 
of  which  was  his  performing  perfect  obedience,  in  default  whereof  he  was  liable  to 
a  sentence  of  death.  In  the  latter  respect  a  believer  is  delivered  from  it.  This 
deliverance  is  the  great  privilege  which  believers  are  made  partakers  of  in  the  gos- 
pel ;  which  sets  forth  Christ  as  our  surety,  performing  perfect  obedience  for  us,  and 
enduring  the  curse  we  were  liable  to.  Hence,  though  the  law  was  a  covenant  of 
works  to  him,  it  ceases  to  be  so  to  those  who  are  interested  in  him.  Accordingly, 
it  is  added,  that  they  are  hereby  neither  justified  nor  condemned.  They  are  not 
justified  by  it ;  for  the  apostle  says,  '  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be 
justified.'1"  Justification  is  to  be  expected  only  from  him  who  is  'the  Lord  our 
Righteousness  ;'8  'in  whom  all  the  seed  of  Israel  shall  be  justified,  and  glory.'4  Nor 
are  they  condemned  by  the  law  ;  for  that  they  should  be  so  is  inconsistent  with  a 
justified  state.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.  'u  We  must  distinguish,  however,  between  a  believer's  actions 
being  condemned  by  the  law,  or  his  being  reproved  by  it,  and  laid  under  convic- 
tion, for  sins  daily  committed  ;  and  his  being  in  a  condemned  state,  according 
to  the  sentence  of  the  law.  We  are  far  from  denying  that  a  believer  is  under  an 
obligation  to  condemn  or  abhor  himself,  that  is,  to  confess  that  he  deserves  to  be 
condemned  by  God,  for  the  sins  which  he  commits  ;  for  were  God  to  mark  these, 
or  to  punish  him  according  to  the  demerit  of  them,  he  could  not  stand.  Thus  the 
psalmist  says,  though  speaking  of  himself  as  a  believer,  and  consequently  in  a  jus- 
tified state,  '  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant ;  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no 
man  living  be  justified.'1  This  a  believer  may  say,  and  yet  not  conclude  himself 
to  be  in  a  state  of  condemnation  ;  inasmuch  as  he  sees  himself  by  faith  to  have 
ground  to  determine  that  he  is  delivered  from  the  law,  and  so  not  condemned  by  it, 
as  a  covenant  of  works. 

It  is  observed,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  Answer  under  our  present  considera- 
tion, that  the  moral  law  is  of  use  to  a  believer,  in  those  respects  in  which  it  is  of 
use  to  all  men.  He  is  hence  laid  under  the  strictest  obligation  to  perform  all  the 
duties  which  we  owe  to  God  and  man,  and  to  be  humbled  for  those  defects  which 
he  has  reason  to  charge  himself  with,  which  call  for  the  daily  exercise  of  repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

But  as  to  the  special  use  of  the  moral  law  to  those  who  are  regenerate,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  all  others,  it  is  said  to  show  them  how  much  they  are  bound  to 
Christ  for  his  fulfilling  it,  and  enduring  its  curse  in  their  stead  and  for  their  good. 
Christ  is  said  to  be  '  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness ;'J  that  is,  he  has  answered 
the  end  and  demand  of  the  law,  by  performing  that  obedience  which  it  requires, 
and  thereby  procuring  a  justifying  righteousness,  which  is  applied  to  every  one  who 
believes.  This  lays  them  under  a  superadded  obligation  to  obedience,  peculiar 
to  them  as  believers ;  so  that  they  are  engaged  to  the  practice  of  universal  holiness, 
not  only  from  the  consideration  of  the  sovereignty  of  God  commanding  them  in 
common  with  all  others,  but  from  'the  love  of  Christ,'  which  does  as  it  were  '  con- 
strain them'  to  obey.2  Hereby  also  they  are  said  to  be  provoked  to  more  thank- 
fulness, as  they  have  greater  inducements  to  it  than  any  others ;  and  this  gratitude 
cannot  be  better  expressed  than  by  the  utmost  care  to  approve  themselves  to  him 

0  Rom.  vi.  14.         p  Chip.  vii.  4.  q  Gal.  iii.  13.  r  Rom.  iii.  20.  »  Jer.  xxiii.  6. 

1  lsa.  xlv.  '25.  ii  Rem.  viii.  I.  x  Psal.  cxliii.  2.        y  Rom.  x.  4.  z  2  Cor.  v.  14. 


THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW.  305 

in  all  thing?.  The  grace  of  God,  therefore,  is  so  far  from  leading  to  licentiousness, 
that  all  who  have  experienced  it  are  put  by  it  upon  the  exercise  of  that  ohedience 
which  they  owe  to.  God  as  their  rightful  Lord  and  Sovereign,  and  to  Christ  as 
their  gracious  Redeemer,  whom  they  love  entirely,  and  therefore  keep  his  com- 
mandments. 

Strictures  on  Antinomianism. 

I  cannot  but  here  take  occasion  to  observe,  not  only  with  dislike,  but  a  just  in- 
dignation, how  some,  under  a  pretence  of  religion,  sap  the  very  foundation  of  it, 
while  they  frequently  make  mention  of  the  gospel,  and  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ 
has  made  his  people  iree,  and  at  the  same  time  abuse  it,  not  only  by  practising  but 
pleading  for  licentiousness.  The  Epicureans  were  libertines  among  the  heathen, 
and  the  Sadducees  among  the  Jews  ;  but  these  were  vile  and  profligate  out  of  prin- 
ciple, either  denying  the  being  of  a  God,  or  disowning  his  perfections  as  well  as 
future  rewards  and  punishments  ;  so  that  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  had  no  regard 
to  the  divine  law.  But  I  want  words  to  express  the  wickedness  of  those  who  per- 
vert the  gospel  of  Christ,  so  as  to  make  it  appear  to  exempt  them  from  the  obliga- 
tion which  all  are  under  to  universal  obedience.  The  apostle  had  to  do  with  some 
such  in  his  day;  and  he  represents  them  as  saying,  'Is  the  law  sin?'a  a  question 
which  may  be  paraphrased,  '  Since  we  are  delivered  from  the  condemning  sentence 
of  the  law,  may  we  not  take  encouragement  thence  to  sin  ?'  or,  as  he  elsewhere 
brings  them  in  as  saying,  '  Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  ?'b 
To  both  these  questions  he  replies,  with  the  greatest  detestation,  '  God  forbid.' 
Afterwards,  in  an  early  age  of  the  church,  the  Nicolaitansc  and  Gnostics,  and 
among  them,  the  Valentinians,  held  these  pernicious  opinions,  and  encouraged 
themselves  in  the  practice  of  the  greatest  immoralities. d  Augustin  speaks  also  of 
the  Aerians  and  Eunomians,  who  lived  in  his  time,  who  pretended  that  any  who 
persisted  in  the  vilest  crimes,  would  receive  no  detriment,  provided  they  adhered 
to  the  sentiments  which  they  advanced.*  There  are  many  likewise  in  later  ages, 
whose  sentiments  have  been,  in  this  respect,  subversive  of  all  religion  ;  and  from 
their  denying  the  obligation  we  are  under  to  yield  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  are 
justly  called  Antinomians. 

But  that  we  may  not  appear  to  be  unjust  to  the  characters  of  men,  let  it  be  con- 
sidered that  we  are  not  here  speaking  of  the  charge  of  Antinomianism,  which  some 
who  defend  or  oppose  the  doctrines  of  grace  bring  against  each  other,  supposing 
that  their  respective  sentiments  lead  to  licentiousness.  The  Papists  and  Pelagians 
pretend,  though  unjustly,  that  the  doctrine  of  predestination,  efficacious  grace,  and 
the  final  perseverance  of  the  saints,  is  liable  to  this  charge  ;  while  they,  on  the 
other  hand,  lay  themselves  open  to  the  same  charge,  by  advancing  doctrines  which 
have  the  most  pernicious  tendency,  as  subversive  of  practical  godliness,  in  various 
instances, — particularly  by  their  asserting  that  God,  in  the  gospel- covenant,  dis- 
penses with  imperfect  obedience  instead  of  perfect,  and  that  this  is  only  such  as  we 
are  able  to  perform  without  the  aids  of  divine  grace.  We  leave  each  party,  how- 
ever, to  defend  their  scheme  from  this  imputation.  As  to  others  who  are  more 
especially  known  by  the  character  of  Antinomians,  they  are  of  two  sorts.  The 
first  are  such  as  openly  maintain  that  the  moral  law  is  not  a  rule  of  life  in  any 
sense ;  that  good  works  are  not  to  be  insisted  on  as  having  any  reference  to  salva- 
tion ;  that,  therefore,  if  persons  presume,  as  they,  according  to  them,  ought  to  do, 
that  Christ  died  for  them,  and  that  they  were  justified  before  they  had  a  being, 
they  may  live  in  the  practice  of  the  greatest  immoralities,  or  give  countenance  to 
those  who  do  so,  without  entertaining  the  least  doubt  of  their  salvation  ;  and  that 
it  is  a  preposterous  thing,  for  those  who  thus  presumptuously  conclude  themselves 
to  be  justified,  to  confess  themselves  guilty  of  sin,  since  to  do  so  would  be  to 
deny  that  they  are  in  a  justified  state, — or  in  any  sense  to  pray  for  the  pardon 

a  Rom.  vii.  7-  b  Chap.  vL  1.  c  Rev.  ii.  6.  d  Vid.  Cav.  Hist.  Lit.  torn.  i.  page  30. 

e  Vid.  Aug.  de  Haeres.  cap.  liv.  where  speaking  of  Eunomius,  he  says,  Fertur  etiam  usque  adeo 
fuisse  bonis  moribus  inimicus,  ut  asseveraret,  quod  nihil  cuique  obesset,  quorum  libet  perpetratio 
ac  perseverantia  peccatorum,  si  hujus  quae  ab  illo  docebatur,  ridei  particeps  esset. 

II.  2  Q 


306  THE  NATURE   AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW. 

of  sin,  since  to  do  this  would  argue  that  sin  is  not  forgiven.  Nor  can  the}',  with 
any  tolerable  degree  of  patience,  entertain  the  least  exhortations  to  practical  god- 
liness ;  because  they  pretend  that  they  are  exempted  from  the  obligation  to  per- 
form any  branch  of  it,  by  their  not  being  under  the  law.  Nay,  some  of  them  have 
been  so  impudent  and  daringly  wicked  as  to  'assert  that,  if  they  should  commit 
murder,  adultery,  or  any  other  crimes  of  a  similar  nature,  even  this  would  be  no 
bar  in  the  way  of  their  salvation  ;  and  that  the  most  vile  sins  which  can  be  com- 
mitted, will  do  them  no  hurt,  nor  in  the  least  affect  their  eternal  state.  I  have, 
indeed,  sometimes  thought  that  this  representation  of  Antinomianism  was  only  a 
consequence  deduced  from  some  absurd  doctrines  which  have  been  maintained  ;  or 
that  so  much  of  hell  could  never  put  on  the  mask  or  show  of  religion  in  any  de- 
gree ;  and  that  this  character  belonged  to  none  but  those  who  are  open  and  pro- 
fessed atheists.  But  though  my  lot  has  not  been  cast  among  persons  of  so  vile  a 
character,  yet  I  have  been  informed  by  those  whose  souls  have  been  grieved  with 
their  conversation,  that  there  are  some  in  the  world  who  thus  set  themselves 
against  the  law  of  God. 

There  are  others,  indeed,  who  are  styled  Antinomians,  whose  conversation  is 
blameless,  and  are  not  therefore  to  be  ranked  with  these  men,  or  judged  Antino- 
mians in  practice  ;  who  nevertheless,  do  great  disservice  to  the  truth,  and,  it  may 
be,  give  occasion  to  some  to  be  licentious,  by  advancing  unguarded  expressions  which 
will  admit  of  a  double  construction,  without  condescending  to  explain  some  bold 
positions  which  they  occasionally  lay  down.  Thus,  when  they  maintain  eternal 
justification,  without  considering  it  as  an  immanent  act  in  God,  or  as  his  secret 
determination  not  to  impute  sin  to  those  who  are  given  to  Christ,  but  ascribe  that 
to  it  which  is  only  to  be  applied  to  justification,  as  it  is  the  result  of  God's  revealed 
will,  in  which  respect  it  is  said  to  be  by  faith  ;  and  when  they  encourage  persons  from 
hence  to  conclude  that  their  state  is  safe,  and  maintain  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one 
to  believe  that  he  is  thus  justified ;  they  certainly  advance  positions  which  have  a 
tendency  to  lead  some  out  of  the  way  of  truth  and  holiness,  whether  they  design  so  or 
not.  Again,  when  others  speak  diminutively  of  good  works,  as  though  they  were  in 
no  sense  necessary  to  salvation,  because  they  are  not  the  matter  of  our  justification  ; 
some  may  take  occasion  to  think  that  they  may  be  saved  without  them. — Further, 
when  others  deny  the  law  to  be  a  rule  of  life,  or  assert  that  believers  have  nothing 
to  do  with  it ;  though,  it  may  be,  they  mean  nothing  else  but  that  it  is  not  that 
rule  according  to  which  God  proceeds  in  justifying  his  people  or  in  giving  them  a 
right  to  eternal  life,  or  that  a  believer  is  not  under  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works ; 
yet  many  would  be  ready  to  think  that  their  words  had  a  different  meaning,  and 
so  be  led  out  of  the  way  by  them,  how  far  soever  this  might  be  from  their  inten- 
tion.— Moreover,  if  a  person  seems  studiously  to  avoid  confessing  sin  or  praying 
for  forgiveness,  some  would  be  ready  to  judge  of  his  sentiments  by  his  practice  ; 
and  certainly  our  denying  either  of  these  to  be  a  duty  in  any  sense,  is  not  only  con- 
trary to  scripture,  but  inconsistent  with  the  humility  and  faith  which  are  essential 
to  practical  godliness.  Or  when  persons  deny  that  self-examination  is  a  duty,  and 
speak  of  all  marks  and  evidences  of  grace,  though  never  so  just  and  agreeable  to 
the  scripture-account  of  them,  as  legal,  or  as  a  low  way  of  a  person's  coming  to  the 
knowledge  of  himself,  or  suppose  that  these  marks  and  evidences  are  unnecessary, 
as  being  inconsistent  with  the  Spirit's  testimony  ;  this  has  a  tendency  to  lead  to  pre- 
sumption, which  is  a  degree  of  licentiousness. — Again,  when  they  assert  that  God 
is  not  angry  with  his  people  for  their  sins,  nor,  in  any  sense,  punishes  them  for  them, 
without  distinguishing  between  fatherly  chastisements,  and  the  stroke  of  vindictive 
justice,  or  the  external  and  sensible  effects  of  that  hatred  which  God  cannot  but 
exercise  against  sin,  and  his  casting  them  out  of  a  justified  state  ;  such  doctrines 
lead  some  persons  to  licentiousness,  whatever  be  the  secret  meaning  of  those  who 
advance  them.  We  have  an  instance  of  this,  as  the  historian  observes/  in  Agri- 
cola,  who  was  Luther's  townsman,  and  great  admirer.  He,  as  is  probable,  did  not 
thoroughly  understand  what  Luther  maintained  concerning  the  subserviency  of  the 
law  to  the  gospel,  and  its  having  no  place  in  the  justification  of  a  sinner  ;  or  else, 

f  See  Sleid.  Comment,  de  Stat.  Relig.  et  Repub.  lib.  xii. 


THE  NATURE  AND  USES  OF  THE  MORAL  LAW.  307 

from  some  unguarded  expressions  which  Luther  was  sometimes  apt  to  make  use  of, 
this  friend  of  his  took  occasion  to  advance  some  Antinomian  tenets,  namely,  that 
repentance  ought  not  to  be  urged  from  the  consideration  of  the  breach  of  the  law, 
that  the  gospel  ought  to  be  preached  to  sinners  before  they  are  brought  under  con- 
viction by  the  law,  and  that,  how  scandalous  and  debauched  soever  persons  be  in 
their  lives,  yet,  if  they  do  but  believe  the  promises  of  the  gospel,  they  shall  be  jus 
tilled.  In  these  doctrines,  Agricola  was  followed  by  a  party  of  men.  Accordingly 
Antinomianism  is  said  to  have  taken  its  rise,  in  this  part  of  the  world,  from  that 
time.  Luther,  on  the  other  hand,  was  forced  to  take  a  great  deal  of  pains  to  rec- 
tify his  mistakes  ;  which,  though  it  tended  to  Agricola's  conviction,  yet  did  not  put 
a  stop  to  the  spread  of  his  errors,  which  he  had  before  propagated. 

As  for  those  who  were  charged  with  Antinomianism  in  England,  in  the  last  cen- 
tury, such  as  Dr.  Crisp,  Eaton,  Saltmarsh,  Town,  and  others,  whatever  their  design 
might  be,  and  how  much  soever  they  were  remote  from  the  charge  of  Antinomi- 
anism in  practice  ;  though  it  be  alleged  by  some  in  their  vindication  that  the  prin- 
cipal thing  they  had  in  view  was  to  bear  their  testimony  against  the  prevailing 
doctrine  of  Arminianism,  which  was  studiously  propagated  by  some  persons  of 
great  character  and  influence  in  the  nation  ;  yet  we  cannot  but  conclude  that  they 
would  have  done  more  service  to  the  cause  of  truth,  had  they  been  more  cautious 
in  explaining  their  sentiments,  and  saved  those  who  had  favourable  thoughts  of 
them,  in  other  respects,  the  trouble  of  producing  some  expressions  out  of  their 
writings,  to  convince  the  world  that  they  did  not  hold  those  dangerous  notions  which 
were  charged  upon  them.  It  is  too  evident  to  be  denied,  that  many  have  under- 
stood their  opinions  in  the  worst  sense  ;  who  have  hence  been  ready  to  charge  the 
most  important  doctrines  of  the  gospel  with  leading  to  licentiousness.  One  result 
has  been,  that  some  are  more  sparing  in  defending  those  truths  which  ought  to  be 
insisted  on  and  explained,  though  in  words  more  intelligible  and  unexceptionable. 


THE  JUDICIAL  AND  THE  CEREMONIAL  LAW. 

Question.  XCVIH.  Where  is  the  moral  law  summarily  comprehended  f 

Answer.  The  moral  law  is  summarily  comprehended  in  the  Ten  Commandments,  which  were 
delivered  by  the  voice  of  God  upon  mount  Sinai,  and  written  by  him  in  two  tables  of  stone,  and 
are  recorded  in  the  twentieth  chapter  of  Exodus;  the  four  first  commandments  containing  our 
duty  to  God,  and  the  other  six  our  duty  to  man. 

Having  considered  the  moral  law,  as  written  on  the  heart  of  man  at  first,  and  the 
knowledge  of  it  as  in  some  degree  attainable  by  all  who  exercise  their  reasoning 
powers  ;  we  are,  in  this  and  some  following  Answers,  led  to  consider  that  epitome 
or  abstract  of  it  which  was  given  to  the  Israelites  by  the  voice  of  God  upon  mount 
Sinai,  which  is  contained  in  the  Ten  Commandments.  But  as  we  are  considering 
this  instance  of  divine  condescension  to  them,  it  may  not  be  reckoned  altogether 
foreign  to  our  present  design,  to  give  some  brief  account  of  those  other  laws  which 
God  gave,  together  with  the  moral  law,  most  of  which  were  communicated  from 
mount  Sinai.  We  may  observe,  therefore,  that,  together  with  the  moral  law,  there 
were  several  forensic  or  judicial  laws  given  by  God  for  the  government  of  the 
people  of  Israel,  which  more  especially  respected  their  civil  rights.  And  there 
were  other  laws  which  had  a  more  immediate  subserviency  to  their  attaining  the 
knowledge  of  those  things  which  related  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  the  promised 
Messiah,  which  are  more  fully  revealed  in  the  gospel.  These  are  what  we  call  the 
ceremonial  law.  Both  are  to  be  considered  before  we  come  to  speak  concerning 
the  moral  law,  as  summarily  comprehended  in  the  Ten  Commandments. 

The  Judicial  Law. 

We  shall  speak  first  concerning  the  judicial  law.     It  cannot  be  supposed  that 
so  great  a  people,  so  much  interested  in  the  care  of  God,  to  whom  he  condescended 


308  THE  JUDICIAL  AND  THE  CEREMONIAL  LAW. 

to  be  their  king,  should  be  without  a  body  of  laws  for  their  government.  Accord- 
ingly, there  were  some  given  them  by  him,  which  were  founded  in  and  agreeable 
to  the  law  of  nature  and  nations  ;  which  all  well-governed  states  observe  to  this 
day,  such  as  that  murder  should  be  punished  with  death,  and  that  theft  should  be 
punished  with  restitution  or  some  other  punishments  which  may  best  tend  to  deter 
men  from  it.  Moreover,  there  were  other  judicial  laws  given  to  Israel,  which 
had  a  more  immediate  tendency  to  promote  their  civil  welfare,  as  a  nation  dis- 
tinguished from  all  others  in  the  world  ;  which  laws  expired  when  their  civil 
polity  was  extinct.     These  were  the  following : — 

1.  Such  as  tended  to  prevent  the  alienation  of  inheritances  from  the  respective 
families  to  which  they  were  at  first  given.  God  commanded,  that  if  a  man  died 
without  children,  his  brother  should  marry  his  widow  to  raise  up  seed  to  him,  to 
inherit  his  estate  and  name.* 

2.  If  an  Israelite  had  become  poor,  and  was  obliged  to  sell  his  land  for  the  pay- 
ment of  his  debts,  the  purchaser  was  to  admit  any  of  his  family  to  redeem  it ;  or, 
if  they  could  not,  he  was,  nevertheless,  to  restore  the  land  at  the  year  of  jubilee, 
which  was  every  fiftieth  year.h 

3.  If  an  Hebrew  servant  was  sold  for  the  payment  of  debts,  which  he  could  not 
otherwise  discharge,  his  master  was  obliged  to  release  him  after  six  years'  service.1 
But  if  the  servant  chose  to  stay  with  his  master  longer  than  that  time,  out  of  the 
love  he  bare  to  him ;  then  he  was  to  have  his  ear  bored,  as  a  token  that  he  should 
serve  him,  without  being  subject  to  the  aforesaid  laws,  which  made  provision  for 
his  discharge  after  a  certain  number  of  yeara.k 

4.  The  land  was  to  lie  untilled,  and  the  vineyards  and  olive-yards  were  to  be 
free  for  every  one  to  come  and  eat  of  the  fruit  of  them  every  seventh  year.  This 
law  was  designed  more  especially  for  the  relief  of  the  poor  amongst  them,  who  had 
no  distinct  inheritance  of  their  own.1 

5.  They  were  prohibited  from  taking  usury  of  an  Israelite,  though  they  might 
of  a  stranger.  The  reason  of  this  law  might  be  that  they  might  exercise  brotherly 
kindness  and  charity  to  one  another,  in  which  sense  the  law  is  in  force  to  this  day ; 
especially  when  the  poor  borrow  money  to  supply  themselves  with  necessary  food, 
in  which  case  it  is  now  unlawful  to  take  usury.  Or  the  reason  of  it  was,  that  the 
Israelites  lived  upon  their  farms  or  cattle,  by  which  they  seldom  got  more  than 
what  was  a  necessary  provision  for  their  families  ;  so  that  the  paying  of  usury 
whenever  they  were  necessitated  to  borrow  money,  would  have  proved  their  ruin 
in  the  end.  Hence  they  were  not  to  take  usury  of  an  Israelite,  but  of  a  stranger 
they  might ;  because  these  enriched  themselves  by  merchandise,  and  were  gainers 
in  a  way  of  trade  by  what  they  borrowed. 

6.  All  the  males  were  to  come  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  appear  before  God,  and  per- 
form public  worship  in  the  temple  three  times  a-year,  namely,  at  the  solemn  festi- 
vals,— the  passover,  pentecost,  and  the  feast  of  tabernacles.m 

7.  Six  cities  of  refuge  were  appointed  for  those  to  flee  to  for  protection,  who 
killed  any  one  by  accident ;  though  a  near  kinsman,  as  an  avenger  of  blood,  might 
kill  the  manslayer  before  he  came  to  one  of  these  cities.  The  design  of  this  law 
was  to  induce  them  to  take  care  that  none  might  lose  their  lives  through  inadver- 
tency. And  there  was  provision  made  in  these  cites  for  the  manslayer  to  dwell 
safely  ;  whereby  a  just  difference  was  put  between  such  an  one,  and  a  wilful  mur- 
derer.11    Thus  concerning  the  judicial  laws. 

The  Ceremonial  Law. 

We  now  proceed  to  consider  the  ceremonial  laws  which  were  given  them,  the 
design  of  which  was  to  lead  them  into  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  the  way  of 
salvation  by  him,  then  to  come.0  These  may  be  considered  under  six  heads,  which 
we  shall  briefly  notice. 

g  Deut.  xxv.  5,  6;  Matt.  xxii.  24.  h  Levit.  xxv.  11—13,  25—27.  i  Exod.  xxi.  2. 

k  Exod.  xxi.  5,  6.        1  Chap,  xxiii.  10.        m  Deut.  xvi.  16,  17.        n  Numb.  xxxv.  15,  26,  27. 
O  Heb.  x.  1 ;  Gal.  iii.  24,  25. 


THE  JUDICIAL  AND  THE  CEREMONIAL  LAW.  309 

1.  It  was  ordained  that  all  their  males  should  he  circumcised.  Circumcision 
was  designed  to  be  a  visible  mark  put  on  the  church,  whom  God  had  set  apart  for 
himself,  that  they  might  be  distinguished  from  the  world.  But  the  principal  de- 
sign of  it  was,  that  it  might  be  a  sign  or  seal  of  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  in  which  God  promised  that  he  would  be  '  a  God  to  them ;'  and  by  observ- 
ing this  rite,  they  were  to  own  themselves  as  his  people.p 

2.  There  were  various  ways,  whereby  persons  were  reckoned  unclean,  and  ordi- 
nances appointed  for  their  cleansing.  They  were  rendered  unclean  by  eating  those 
birds,  beasts,  fishes,  and  creeping  things,  which  God  had  pronounced  unclean,  and 
not  designed  for  food.**  Moreover,  they  were  polluted  by  touching  the  dead  bodies 
of  such  unclean  birds,  beasts,  fishes,  or  creeping  things.1-  Again,  some  diseases,  in- 
cident to  the  bodies  of  men,  which  were  more  than  ordinarily  noisome,  rendered  them 
unclean,  such  as  the  issue,  leprosy,8  &c.  Besides,  the  clothes  they  wore,  the  houses 
they  lived  in,  the  beds  on  which  they  lay,  their  ovens,  and  the  vessels  used  in  eating 
or  drinking,  were,  on  several  accounts,  deemed  unclean  ;  and  accordingly  were  either 
to  be  cleansed  or  destroyed,  otherwise  the  owners  of  them  would  be  polluted  by  them.* 
This  law  was  designed  to  signify  how  odious  and  abominable  sin,  which  is  a  moral 
pollution,  is  in  God's  account,  who  is  'of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity.'11  We 
might  also  observe  that  there  were  various  ordinances  appointed  for  their  cleansing, 
in  order  to  which,  several  sacrifices  were  to  be  offered,  and  divers  washings  with 
water. x  The  former  signified  the  way  of  our  being  delivered  from  sin  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  as  the  procuring  cause  of  forgiveness  -J  the  latter,  our  being  cleansed  from 
sin  by  the  internal,  powerful  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  regeneration  and  sanc- 
tification.2 

3.  There  were  holy  places,  such  as  the  tabernacle  and  temple,  with  their  vessels 
and  ornaments.  The  tabernacle  was  erected  according  to  the  pattern  which  God 
showed  to  Moses  in  the  mount  ;a  and  was  so  framed  that  it  might  be  taken  to  pieces, 
and  removed  from  place  to  place,  as  often  as  the  host  of  Israel  changed  their  station 
in  the  wilderness.  Accordingly,  there  were  Levites  appointed  to  take  it  down  and 
set  it  up  ;  and  also  waggons,  with  oxen,  to  carry  it,  excepting  those  parts  of  it  which 
belonged  to  the  holiest  of  all,  which  were  to  be  carried  on  men's  shoulders.1*  The 
temple  was  the  fixed  place  appointed  for  public  worship  at  Jerusalem ;  first  built 
by  Solomon,  and  afterwards  rebuilt  by  Zerubbabel.  Both  this  and  the  tabernacle 
signified  that  God  would  dwell  in  the  midst  of  his  people,  and  accept  that  solemn 
and  instituted  worship  which  was  to  be  performed  by  his  church  in  all  ages.  The 
temple  was  designed  to  be  a  type  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  is 
styled  '  Emmanuel,  God  with  us  ;'  and  who,  in  allusion  to  it,  calls  his  body  a  tem- 
ple.'0 Moreover,  the  courts  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple,  and  the  ministry  per- 
formed in  them,  had  each  its  respective  signification  annexed  to  it.  That  in  which 
the  priests  came  daily  to  minister,  wherein  gifts  and  sacrifices  were  offered,  pre- 
figured Christ's  offering  himself  a  sacrifice  upon  earth,  for  the  sins  of  his  people. 
And  the  inner  court,  which  was  the  holiest  of  all,  into  which  none  but  the  high 
priest  was  to  enter,  and  that  with  blood  and  incense,  signified  Christ's  *  entering 
into  heaven,  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.'d 

As  for  the  vessels  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple,  some  of  these  were  in  the  first 
court,  which  is  also  called  '  the  sanctuary  ;  in  which  was  the  candlestick,  the  table, 
and  the  show-bread, 'e  the  laver  and  the  altar  ;f  all  which  were  designed  for  types. 
The  candlestick  signified  the  church,  and  the  preaching  the  gospel  therein  ;  whereby 
light  is  held  forth  to  the  worlds  The  show-bread  set  up,  signified  the  communion 
which  the  members  of  the  church  have  with  Christ,  and  with  one  another  ;h  as  he 
styles  himself  the  'bread  of  life,'  or,  'the  bread  of  God,  which  cometh  down  from 
heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world.'1  The  laver  signified  that,  when  we  draw 
nigh  to  God,  our  persons  and  our  services  ought  to  be  pure  and  holy.     To  this  the 

p  Gen.  xvii.  7,  10.  q  Lev.  xi.  r  Verse  31.  s  Lev.  xv.  2,  et  seq.  and  chap.  xiii. 

t  See  a  particular  account  hereof  in  Lev.  xi.  15.  u  Hab.  i.  13.  x  Lev.  xiii xv. 

y  Heb.  ix.  13.  14;  Eph.  i.  7-  z  Ezek.  xxxvi.  23—27;  Heb.  x.  22;  Tit  iii.  5,  6. 

a  Exod.  xxv.  40.         b  Numb.  vii.  6.         c  John  ii.  19.         d  Heb.  ix.  24.         e  Lev.  xxiv.  2 7; 

Heb.  ix.  2.  f  Exod.  xxx.  18.  g  Rev.  i.  20;  Matt.  v.  14.  b.  1  Cor.  x.  17. 

i  John  vi.  33. 


310  THE  JUDICIAL  AND  THE  CEREMONIAL  LAW. 

apostle  alludes,  when  he  says,  ■  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance 
of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed 
with  pure  water.'k  The  altar,  which  was  holy,  and  sanctified  the  gift  that  the 
high-priest  offered  on  it,1  so  that  'every  thing  that  touched  it  was  holy,'"1  signified 
that  the  divine  nature  of  Christ  added  an  infinite  worth  to  what  he  did  in  the  human, 
in  which  he  offered  himself  a  sacrifice  to  God.  These  were  the  vessels  in  the  outer 
court. — Those  in  the  inward  court,  or  holiest  of  all,  '  in  which  were  the  golden  cen- 
ser, the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  the  cherubims  of  glory  shadowing  the  mercy- 
seat,'11  were  a  symbol  and  type  of  God's  special  presence  with  his  people,  which  is 
their  glory,  or  of  the  Son  of  God's  dwelling  with  us  in  our  nature.  The  mercy-seat, 
which  was  placed  over  the  ark,  signified  that  the  mercy  of  God  was  displayed  to  sin- 
ners through  Christ.  The  cherubim  of  glory  with  their  wings  spread,  overshadow- 
ing and  looking  down  upon  the  mercy-seat,  signified  that  the  angels  behold  and  ad- 
mire the  stupendous  work  of  our  redemption.0  The  altar  of  incense,  and  the  golden 
censer,  were  types  of  the  intercession  of  Christ  for  his  people  ;  and  the  fragrancy  of 
the  incense  typified  the  acceptableness  of  that  intercession  in  the  sight  of  God.  There 
were,  besides,  three  more  things  in  the  holiest  of  all,  which  are  particularly  men- 
tioned. One  was  'the  pot  of  manna,'  which  was  miraculously  preserved  from  cor- 
ruption throughout  their  generations,  as  a  memorial  of  the  bread  which  God  had 
fed  them  with  in  the  wilderness,  and  a  type  of  Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  who  was  to 
come  down  from  heaven.P  There  was  also  Aaron's  rod,  which  was  preserved  in 
memory  of  the  won.ders  which  were  wrought  by  it  in  Egypt,  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  in 
the  wilderness.  It  is  said  also  to  have  'blossomed  and  yielded  almonds  ;'i  which 
seemed  to  typify  the  flourishing  state  of  the  gospel,  which  is  called,  '  the  rod  of  God's 
strength.'1  Moreover,  the  two  tables  of  the  law  were  put  into  the  ark,  whereby  the 
exceeding  holiness  of  the  law  was  signified,  and  also  that  it  should  be  fulfilled  and 
magnified  by  Christ,  when  he  came  to  dwell  among  us.  Thus  we  have  given  a  brief 
account  of  the  holy  vessels  of  the  temple  and  the  tabernacle. 

We  might  have  added  that  there  were  various  ornaments  of  the  temple  and  the 
tabernacle.  They  were  adorned  with  silver,  gold,  and  precious  stones,  carved,  and 
curious  needle-work  ;  which  rendered  them  exceedingly  rich  and  beautiful.  The 
temple,  in  particular,  was  the  wonder  of  the  world,  far  surpassing  all  other  build- 
ings, either  before  or  since.8  Its  splendour  may  be  supposed  to  shadow  forth  the 
spiritual  beauty  and  glory  of  the  gospel-church,  and  of  the  heavenly  state,  in  which 
the  church  shall  be  brought  to  its  utmost  perfection.1  Thus  concerning  those  holy 
places,  which  were  immediately  designed  for  worship. 

There  were  other  holy  places,  such  as  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  was  styled  '  the 
holy  land,'  while  the  inhabitants  of  it  were  called  'a  holy  nation,'  or  'the  people  of 
his  holiness.'11  As  this  was  a  place  where  God  gave  them  rest,  and  a  settlement, 
after  forty  years'  travel  in  the  wilderness,  it  was  a  type  of  that  rest  which  the  church 
was  to  expect  from  Christ  under  the  gospel.*  Moreover,  Jerusalem  was  an  holy 
city  ;y  because  thither  the  tribes  went  up  to  worship,*  and  God  was  present  with 
them  there.* 

4.  There  were  laws  which  respected  those  whom  God  had  appointed  to  be  minis- 
ters in  holy  things.  These  were  the  Priests  ;  the  Levites,  who  were  to  assist  the 
former  in  some  parts  of  their  office  ;  but  especially  the  High-priest,  who  was  the 
chief  or  head  of  them  all,  and  who  is  considered  as  an  eminent  type  in  several  respects 
of  Christ's  priestly  office.b  There  were  also  various  ceremonies  instituted,  which 
were  observed  in  the  consecration  of  them.  In  particular,  they  were  to  be  washed 
with  water  ;°  ablution  with  which  was  a  rite  used  in  the  consecration  of  persons 
and  things,  and  signified  that  they  who  ministered  in  holy  things  should  be  holy  in 
their  conversation.  Moreover,  there  were  several  garments  to  be  made  and  put  on 
them,  which  are  styled  'holy,'  and  designed  'for  glory  and  for  beauty. 'd     These 

k  Heb.  x.  22.  1  Matt,  xxiii.  19.  m  Exod.  xxix.  37.  n  Heb.  ix.  3—5. 

o  1  Pet.  i.  12.  p  John  vi.  48 — 50.  q  Numb.  xvii.  8.  r  Psal.  ex.  2. 

s  Exod.  xxv.  3_7;   1  Chron.  xxix.  2—5.  t  Rev.  xxi.  11—23.  u  Isa.  Ixiii.  18. 

x  Isa.  xi.  10  ;    Heb.  iv.  9.  y  Nehvm.  xi.  1 ;  Matt.  iv.  5.  z  Psal.  exxii.  4. 

a  Ezek.  xxxvii.  27,  28.  b  Heb.  v.  1—5.  c  Exod.  xxix.  4. 

il  Chap,  xxviii.  2,  et  seq. 


THE  JUDICIAL  AND  THE  CEREMONIAL  LAW.  311 

signified  the  dignity  and  holiness  of  Christ's  priesthood.  In  particular,  the  breast- 
plate,  adorned  with  precious  stones,  on  which  the  names. of  the  children  of  Israel 
were  engraven,  which  was  worn  only  by  the  high-priest,  and  with  which  he  was  to 
go  into  the  holy  of  holies,  signified  the  concern  of  Christ's  people  in  the  execution 
of  his  priestly  office,  and  his  representing  them  when  appearing  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  them.  Again,  the  priests  were  anointed  with  the  precious  ointment  com- 
pounded for  that  purpose  ;e  whereby  they  were  set  apart  or  consecrated  to  minister 
in  the  priest's  office,  and  were  types  of  Christ.  On  this  account  he  is  said  to  be 
'  anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  his  fellows. 'f 

5.  There  were  laws  respecting  the  temple-service,  or  the  gifts  and  sacrifices  which 
were  to  be  offered  there.  There  were  many  gifts  presented  or  devoted  to  God ; 
some  of  which  were  designed,  not  for  sacrifice,  but  to  testify  their  acknowledgment 
of  God's  right  to  all  we  are  and  have.  Among  these,  the  first  ripe  fruits  were  offered, 
or  presented,  as  gifts  to  him.s  As  for  those  things  which  were  designed  for  sacrifice, 
they  were  offered,  and  their  blood  poured  forth  on  the  altar ;  which  signified  the  ex- 
piation of  sin  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.h  That  part  of  the  high-priest's  office,  which  re- 
spected his  carrying  the  blood  with  the  incense,  into  the  holiest  of  all,  was  a  type  of 
Christ's  '  entering  into  heaven,  there  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God'  for  his  people.1 

6.  There  were  laws  which  respected  the  holy  times  or  festivals  appointed  for 
solemn  worship.  Some  of  these  festivals  were  monthly,  as  the  new  moons ;  others 
annual,  as  the  passover.  The  latter  was  not  only  a  commemorative  sign  of  their 
having  been  formerly  delivered  from  the  sword  of  the  destroying  angel,  when  he 
slew  the  first-born  of  Egypt ;  but  it  typified  our  deliverance  from  the  stroke  of 
vindictive  justice,  on  which  account  Christ  is  called  '  our  passover. 'k  There  was 
also  the  feast  of  harvest,  in  which  the  first-fruits  were  presented  to  God  as  an  ac- 
knowledgment that  he  has  a  right  to  the  best  of  our  time  and  service.  There  was 
likewise  the  feast  of  tabernacles  ;  which  not  only  called  to  remembrance  their 
dwelling  in  tents  in  the  wilderness,  but  was  an  acknowledgment  that  we  are  stran- 
gers and  sojourners  upon  earth,  and  was  also  a  type  of  Christ,  who  was  expected  to 
come  and  pitch  his  tabernacle  among  us  in  his  incarnation. — There  are  many  other 
laws,  both  judicial  and  ceremonial,  which  I  might  have  mentioned  ;  but  as  these 
things  are  only  spoken  of  occasionally,  in  connection  with  their  having  been  im- 
parted by  God  to  Israel,  by  the  hand  of  Moses,  from  mount  Sinai,  about  the  same 
time  that  the  ten  commandments  were  given,1  we  shall  add  no  more  concerning 
them. 

The  Legislation  from  Horeb. 

We  proceed  to  consider  what  is  particularly  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  concern- 
ing God's  giving  the  abstract  of  the  moral  law  contained  in  the  ten  commandments. 
This  was  delivered  by  a  voice  ;  in  respect  to  which  God  is  said  to  have  '  talked 
with  them  face  to  face.'"1  But  at  the  same  time  there  were  many  ensigns  of  ter- 
rible majesty  attending  the  delivery  of  this  law.  '  The  mountain  burned  with  fire.'n 
There  were  'lightnings,  thunderings,  and  earthquakes,  and  the  sound  of  a  trumpet, 
that  waxed  louder  and  louder ;  which  made  the  people,  and  Moses  himself,  exceed- 
ingly tremble.'0  There  was  also  the  ministry  of  angels,  who  performed  that  part 
of  the  work  which  they  were  employed  in  on  this  solemn  occasion.  This  is  de- 
scribed in  a  majestic  style,  becoming  the  subject  insisted  on,  when  it  is  said,  '  The 
Lord  came  from  Sinai,  and  rose  up  from  Seir  unto  them  ;  he  shined  forth  from 
mount  Paran,  and  he  came  with  ten  thousands  of  saints  ;  irom  his  right  hand  went 
a  fiery  law.'P  Their  ministry  might  probably  consist  in  their  forming  the  thunder, 
lightnings,  and  tempest.  Yet  the  law  was  not  originally  from  them,  but  given  im- 
mediately by  God.  The  design  of  its  being  given  in  such  an  awful  and  majestic 
way,  was  that  God  might  hereby  set  forth  his  greatness,  and  fill  them  with  a  rever- 
ential fear  of  him  ;  and  to  intimate  that,  if  they  did  not  yield  obedience  to  him, 

e  Exod.  xxx.  25,  30.  f  Psal.  xlv.  7.  g  Exod.  xxix.  29.  h  Heb.  ix.  22,  23,  26. 

i  Heb.  ix.  24.  k  1  Cor.  v.  7.  1  Dtut.  iv.  12,  13.  m  Chap.  v.  4. 

ii  Exod.  xix.  18.  o  Chap.  xx.  18  ;  Heb.  xii.  18,  19.  p  Deut.  xxxiii.  2. 


312  RULES  FOR  UNDERSTANDING 

they  were  to  expect  nothing  else  but  to  be  consumed  by  the  fire  of  his  jealousy. 
It  was  au  intimation,  however,  not  that  he  designed  to  destroy  them,  but  that  he 
designed  to  prove  them ;  as  it  is  said,  that  '  his  fear  might  be  before  their  faces, 
that  they  should  not  sin.'i  What  we  may  farther  observe  is,  that,  after  God  had 
delivered  the  ten  commandments  by  words,  he  wrote  them  with  his  own  finger  on 
two  tables  of  stone.  In  these  ten  commandments,  written  on  the  two  tables,  the 
whole  moral  law  is  summarily  comprehended.  This  is  particularly  explained  in 
several  following  Answers. 


RULES  FOR  UNDERSTANDING  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 

Question  XCIX.  What  rules  are  to  be  observed  for  the  right  understanding  of  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments ? 

Answer.  For^the  right  understanding  of  the  Ten  Commandments,  these  rules  are  to  be  observed, 

I.  That  the  law  is  perfect,  and  bindeth  every  one  to  full  conformity  in  the  whole  man  unto  the 
righteousness  thereof,  and  unto  entire  obedience  for  ever,  so  as  to  require  the  utmost  perfection  of 
every  duty,  and  to  forbid  the  least  degree  of  every  sin. 

This  implies  that,  how  unable  soever  we  are  to  yield  perfect  obedience,  yet  it 
does  not  cease  to  be  a  duty ;  and  that,  though  some  sins  are  smaller  than  others, 
yet  the  least  is  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  and  therefore  not  to  be  committed  by  us. 

II.  That  it  is  spiritual,  and  so  reacheth  the  understanding,  will,  affections,  and  all  other  powers, 
of  the  soul,  as  well  as  words,  works,  and  gestures. 

This  denotes  that  obedience  ought  to  be  performed  in  a  spiritual  manner.  God 
is  to  be  worshipped  with  our  spirits ;  without  which,  all  external  modes  of  worship 
will  avail  nothing.  Nevertheless,  external  worship  is  to  be  performed  and  expressed 
by  words,  works,  and  gestures  ;  and  it  therefore  supposes  that  our  understandings 
are  rightly -informed,  or  that  we  do  not  worship  an  unknown  God, — that  our  wills 
express  a  readiness  to  obey  him  out  of  choice,  and  without  the  least  reluctance, 
— and  that  our  affections  must  centre  in  him,  we  performing  the  duties  incumbent 
on  us,  with  the  utmost  delight  and  pleasure. 

III.  That  one  and  the  same  thing,  in  divers  respects,  is  required  or  forbidden,  in  several  com- 
mandments. 

Thus  covetousness  is  forbidden  in  the  tenth  commandment.  Yet  as  by  this  sin 
the  world  is  loved  more  than  God,  it  is  a  breach  of  the  first  commandment,  and  as 
such  is  styled  '  idolatry.'1" 

IV.  That  as,  where  a  duty  is  commanded,  the  contrary  sin  is  forbidden  ;  and  where  a  sin  is  for- 
bidden, the  contrary  duty  is  commanded  :  so,  where  a  promise  is  annexed,  the  contrary  threatening 
is  included ;  and  where  a  threatening  is  annexed,  the  contrary  promise  is  included. 

Thus  the  fifth  commandment  requires  us  to  honour  our  superiors.  It  hence  for- 
bids our  reproaching  them,  or  doing  any  thing  dishonourable  or  injurious  to  them.8 
The  eighth  commandment  forbids  stealing  ;  and  it  also  requires  the  contrary  duty, 
namely,  that  we  should  labour  for  a  competent  maintenance,  that  we  may  not 
be  exposed  to  any  temptation  to  steal.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Let  him  that  stole  steal 
no  more,  but  rather  let  him  labour,  working  with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is 
good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth.'*  Moreover,  as  there  is  a  pro- 
mise of  long  life  annexed  to  the  fifth  commandment,  this  promise  includes  the  con- 
trary threatening  to  those  that  break  it.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  The  eye  that  mocketh 
at  his  father,  and  despiseth  to  obey  his  mother,  the  ravens  of  the  valley  shall  pick 
it  out,  and  the  young  eagles  shall  eat  it.'u  On  the  other  hand,  whatever  threatening 
is  annexed  to  any  commandment,  the  contrary  promise  is  included,  and  belongs  to 
those  who  repent  of,  abhor,  and  turn  from  the  sin  forbidden.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  At 
what  instant  I  speak  concerning  a  nation,  and  concerning  a  kingdom,  to  pluck  up 


q  E.\od. 


xx.  20.  r  Col.  iii.  5.  s  Matt.  xv.  4.  t  Eph.  i^  28.  u  Prov.  xxx.  17 


THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  313 

and  to  pull  down,  and  to  destroy  it ;  if  that  nation  against  whom  I  have  pronounced 
turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil  that  1  thought  to  do  unto  them.'* 

V.  That  what  God  forbids,  is  at  no  time  to  be  done;  what  he  commands,  is  always  our  duty, 
and  yet  every  particular  duty  is  not  to  be  done  at  all  times. 

Thus  sin  is,  under  no  pretence,  to  be  committed.  Accordingly,  Moses,  when 
he  was  in  a  prosperous  condition  in  Pharaoh's  court,  though  he  might  have  pre- 
tended that  his  greatness,  and  the  advantages  which  Israel  might  have  expected 
from  it,  would  be  an  excuse  for  his  continuing  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  there  ; 
yet  he  was  sensible  that  these  considerations  would  not  exempt  him  from  guilt. 
Hence,  '  he  forsook  Egypt,  and  chose  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people 
of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin.'  ? — Again,  what  God  commands  is  always 
a  duty ;  so  that  there  is  no  season  of  life  in  which  it  ceases  to  be  so,  for  example, 
praying,  reading,  hearing  the  word,  &c.  Yet  these  duties  are  not  actually  to  be 
engaged  in  every  moment  of  our  lives.  It  is  always  our  duty  to  visit  the  sick,  com- 
fort the  afflicted,  defend  the  oppressed  ;  but  such  objects  do  not  always  present 
themselves  to  us,  so  as  to  render  it  our  duty  at  all  times. 

VI.  That,  under  one  sin  or  duty,  all  of  the  same  kind  are  forbidden  or  commanded,  together  with 
all  the  causes,  im  ans,  occasions,  and  appearances  thereof,  and  provocations  thereunto. 

Thus,  according  to  the  fourth  commandment,  it  is  our  duty  to  sanctify  the  Sab- 
bath, and  consequently  to  avoid  every  thing  which  may  be  a  means  or  occasion  of 
our  breach  of  it.  In  the  sixth  commandment  murder  is  forbidden ;  so  is  likewise 
all  sinful  passion  or  anger  with  our  brethren  without  a  cause. z  In  the  seventh, 
adultery  is  forbidden;  so  is  also  'looking  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her.'*  And 
as  we  are  obliged  to  '  abstain '  from  every  sin  forbidden,  so  '  from  all  appearance 
of  evil,'b  or  what  may  be  an  occasion  of  it.  Thus  '  fathers'  are  'not  to  provoke 
their  children  to  wrath;'0  and  according  to  the  moral  reason  of  the  command,  we 
are  not  to  provoke  any  one  to  wrath,  or  do  that  which  may  excite  their  corruptions. 

VII.  That  what  is  forbidden  or  commanded  to  ourselves,  we  are  bound,  according  to  our  places, 
to  endeavour  that  it  may  be  avoided  or  performed  by  others,  according  to  the  duty  of  their  places. 

Not  to  endeavour  to  prevent  sin  in  others,  is,  in  effect,  to  commit  it  ourselves. 
Thus  Eli  contracted  the  guilt  of  his  son's  crimes,  by  not  endeavouring  to  prevent 
them.  Persons  are  said  to  'hate  their  brethren  in  their  hearts'  who  'do  not 
rebuke  them,  but  suffer  sin  upon  them.'d  And  Abraham  is  commended  for  his 
having  'commanded  his  household  after  him,  that  they  should  keep  the  way  of 
the  Lord.'e  It  is  hence  a  duty  for  parents  to  instruct  their  children  in  the  ways 
of  God.' f 

VIII.  That,  in  what  is  commanded  to  others,  we  are  bound  according  to  our  places  and  callings, 
to  be  helpful  to  them,  and  to  take  heed  of  partaking  with  others  in  what  is  forbidden  them. 

That  we  are  to  be  helpful  to  others,  in  that  which  is  their  duty,  appears  from 
our  obligation  to  endeavour  that  God  may  be  glorified.  Hence,  we  are,  to  our 
utmost,  to  promote  their  faith  and  joy  in  Christ.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  'We  are 
helpers  of  your  joy.'s  On  the  other  hand,  we  ought  to  take  care  that  we  do  not 
partake  with  others  in  their  sin.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  When  thou  sawestga 
thief,  then  thou  consentedst  with  him,  and  hast  been  partaker  with  adulterers. 'h 
• 

x  Jer.  xviii.  7,  8.  y  Heb.  xi.  25.  z  Matt.  v.  22.  a  Matt.  v.  28. 

b  1  Thess.  v.  22.  c  Eph.  vi.  4.  d  Lev.  xix.  17.  e  Gen.  xviii.  19. 

f  Deut.  vi.  6,  7.  g  2  Cor.  i.  24.  h  Psal.  1.  18. 

h.  2  a 


314  THE  PREFACE  AND  SUM  OF 


THE  PREFACE  AND  SUM  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 

Qukstion  C.   What  special  things  are  we  to  consider  in  the  Ten  Commandments? 
Answer.   We  are  to  consider  in  the  Ten  Commandments,  the  preface,  the  substance  of  the  com- 
mandments themselves,  and  several  reasons  annexed  to  some  of  them,  the  more  to  enforce  them. 

Question  CI.   What  is  the  preface  to  the  Commandments? 

Answer.  The  preface  to  the  Commandments  is  contained  in  these  words,  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,  which  have  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,'  wherein  God 
manifesteth  his  sovereignty,  as  being  Jehovah,  the  eternal,  immutable,  and  almighty  God,  having 
his  being  in  and  of  himself,  and  giwng  being  to  all  bis  words  and  works  j  and  that  he  is  a  God  ill 
covenant,  as  with  Israel  of  old,  so  with  all  his  people ;  who,  as  he  brought  them  out  of  their  bon- 
dage in  Egypt,  so  he  delivereth  us  from  our  spiritual  thraldom;  and  that  therefore  we  are  bound 
to  take  him  for  our  God  alone,  and  to  keep  all  his  commandments 

Question  CII.   What  is  the  sum  of  the  four  Commandments,  which  contain  our  duty  to  God? 
Answer.  The  sum  of  the  four  Commandments  containing  our  duty  to  God,  is,  to  love  the  Lord 
our  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  with  all  our  soul,  and  with  all  our  strength,  and  with  all  our  mind. 

These  Answers  contain  some  things  necessary  to  be  observed. 

I.  The  substance  of  each  commandment  is  to  be  considered  by  us  ;  or  what  it  is 
which  God  enjoins  or  forbids  in  it.  We  find  that  every  commandment  contains  a 
distinct  head  of  duty,  and  is  to  be  explained  according  to  the  rules  laid  down  in 
the  foregoing  Answer.  We  find  also  that  some  of  them  have  reasons  annexed  to 
them  ;  and  it  is  an  instance  of  God's  condescending  goodness,  that,  besides  the 
consideration  of  our  obligation  to  obey  whatever  he  commands  because  it  is  his  will, 
we  may  have  other  motives  to  enforce  obedience.  What  these  reasons  or  motives 
are,  will  be  considered  in  their  proper  place. 

II.  Here  is  a  general  preface,  which  God  has  set  before  the  commandments,  and 
which  contains  several  motives  to  obedience.  Some  of  these,  indeed,  were  pecu- 
liarly adapted  to  the  Israelites,  whereby  they  were  put  in  mind  of  their  late  de- 
liverance out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  Yet  if  we  consider  the  moral  reason  of  the 
preface,  as  it,  together  with  the  matter  of  the  commandments  to  which  it  is  pre- 
fixed, may  be  applied  to  God's  people  in  all  ages,  we  shall  find  that  it  extends 
farther  than  to  show  the  obligation  which  Israel  was  under,  as  delivered  from  the 
Egyptian  bondage. 

1.  We  observe,  then,  that  God  reveals  himself  as  the  Lord,  whose  name  alone  is 
Jehovah,  a  God  of  infinite  sovereignty  and  almighty  power,  as  well  as  faithful  to 
his  promises.  Hence,  whatever  he  obliges  us  to  do,  or  gives  us  encouragement  to 
expect  from  him,  we  have  the  highest  motive  and  inducement  to  do  and  expect. 

2.  He  styles  himself  his  people's  God  ;  and  so  puts  them  in  mind  of  that  relation 
which  they  stand  in  to  him,  as  the  result  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  which  he 
gives  them  a  warrant  to  lay  claim  to  those  spiritual  blessings  which  he  bestows  on 
a  people  nigh  unto  him.  This  is  considered  as  a  farther  obligation  to  obedience. 
The  covenant  of  grace  respects  either  the  external  dispensation  of  it  which  belongs 
to  the  church  in  general,  that  is,  to  all  who  are  made  partakers  of  the  glad  tidings 
o#salvation  which  are  contained  in  the  gospel;  or  else  that  particular  claim  which 
believers  have  to  the  saving  blessings  which  are  made  over  to  them  in  it,  which 
respects  all  those  graces  which  God  is  pleased  to  give  his*  people  here,  and  that 
glory  which  he  has  reserved  for  them  hereafter ;  and  this  must  certainly  be  reck- 
oned the  highest  motive  to  duty. 

3.  As  to  God's  having  brought  Israel  '  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage,'  it  is  to  be  extended  farther  than  that  particular  providence, 
which  was  then  fresh  in  their  memories.  It  denotes  all  the  deliverances  which 
God  is  pleased  to  vouchsafe  to  his  people,  whether  temporal  or  spiritual, — in  par- 
ticular, that  which  was  procured  for  us  by  Christ,  from  the  bondage  and  thraldom 
of  sin  and  Satan,  the  condemning  sentence  of  the  law,  together  with  the  salvation 
which  is  inseparably  connected  with  it.  This  deliverance  is  to  be  improved  by  us 
as  an  inducement  to  yield  universal  obedience  to  all  God's  commandments. 

There  are  borne,  indeed,  who  think  that  we  should  call  the  preface  a  part  of  the  first 


THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  315 

commandment ;  and  so  the  meaning  is,  '  Thou  art  to  know,  and  practically  con- 
sider, that  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,'  as  containing  the  affirmative  part  of  the  com- 
mandment ;  and  then  follows  the  negative,  '  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods.'  Or 
they  suppose  the  sentence  to  be  a  reason  annexed  to  this  commandment  in  par- 
ticular. But  it  seems  most  probable  that  it  is  a  preface  to  all  the  commandments ; 
and  that,  accordingly,  it  is  to  be  applied  as  a  motive  to  enforce  obedience  to  every 
one  of  them. 

III.  We  have  farther  an  account  of  the  sum  of  the  four  commandments  which 
contain  our  duty  to  God.  Here  we  may  observe,  that  the  sum  of  all  the  command- 
ments is  love.  This  is  what  the  apostle  intends,  when  he  says,  '  The  end  of  the 
commandment  is  charity,'  or  rather  'love,'  as  it  ought  to  be  rendered.1  Accord- 
ingly, he  says,  '  He  that  loveth  another  hath  fulfilled  the  law.'k  This  love  hath 
either  God  or  man  for  its  object,  and  comprises  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  God  or 
man.  All  these  duties  are  reduced  to  this  general  Head,  that  hereby  we  may 
understand  that  obedience,  whether  it  be  to  God  or  man,  is  to  be  performed  with 
delight.  Without  this,  it  will  be  a  burden  to  us  and  unacceptable  to  him,  who  has 
obliged  us  to  love  him  and  keep  his  commandments,  because  he  first  loved  us. 

These  commandments,  as  they  respect  our  duty  to  God  and  man,  are  comprised 
in  two  tables,  which  are  to  be  divided  according  to  their  respective  objects.  Some 
ancient  writers,  indeed,  have  very  injudiciously  supposed  that  the  five  first  com- 
mandments belong  to  the  first  table,  and  the  others  to  the  second  ;  and  so  make 
an  equal  division  of  them.  The  Papists,  on  the  other  hand,  have  assigned  but  three 
to  the  first  table,  making  the  second  commandment  an  appendix  to  the  first ;  and, 
that  the  number  ten  may  be  complete,  they  divide  the  tenth  commandment  into 
two.  The  reason  urged  by  them  for  this  matter,  will  be  considered  in  its  proper 
place.  We  are  bound  to  conclude,  however,  that  the  first  four  commandments  con- 
tain the  duties  of  the  first  table  ;  and  are  those  which  respect  the  duties  which  we 
owe  immediately  to  God.  These  are  to  be  performed,  as  our  Saviour  says,  '  with  all 
our  soul,  with  all  our  strength,  and  with  all  our  mind.'1  This  is  an  idea  superior 
to  that  which  is  contained  in  the  duty  we  owe  to  man.  The  six  last  commandments 
contain  the  duties  of  the  second  table,  of  which  our  neighbour  is  the  more  imme- 
diate object.  That  this  division  of  the  commandments  is  just,  appears  from  what 
the  apostle  says  when,  speaking  concerning  the  duty  contained  in  the  fifth  com- 
mandment, •  Honour  thy  father  and  mother,'  he  calls  it  'the  first  commandment 
with  promise.'111  Now,  it  is  not  the  first  commandment  which  has  a  promise  annexed 
to  it,  since  the  second  commandment  contains  a  promise  of  mercy  to  '  thousands  of 
them  that  love  God  and  keep  his  commandments ;'  nor  is  it  the  first  of  the  ten 
commandments.  The  apostle,  therefore,  can  intend  nothing  by  calling  it  '  the  first 
commandment  with  promise, '  but  that  it  is  the  first  of  the  second  table. 

Now,  that  we  are  considering  the  commandments  as  contained  in  two  tables,  and 
distinguished  with  respect  to  their  more  immediate  object,  we  may  farther  ob- 
serve that,  though  the  duties  of  both  tables  are  enjoined  by  the  authority  of  God, 
and  consequently  are  equally  binding,  so  that  the  obedience  which  is  acceptable  in 
his  sight  must  be  so  extensive  that  we  must  '  have  respect  to  all  his  command- 
ments ;'n  yet  the  duties  of  the  first  table,  in  which  we  have  to  do  with  God  as 
the  more  immediate  object  of  them,  are  to  be  considered  as  acts  of  religious  wor- 
ship, in  performing  which  we  not  only  confess  our  obligation  to  obey  him,  but  adore 
and  magnify  his  divine  perfections  as  the  highest  end  and  reason  of  our  obedience. 
This  feature  is  not  included  in  the  idea  of  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  our  neigh- 
bour, as  contained  in  the  commandments  of  the  second  table.  These,  indeed,  are 
to  be  religiously  observed,  not  from  any  circumstance  respecting  our  neighbour,  but 
as  duties  which  we  perform  in  obedience  to  God.0 — Again,  though  the  principal 
and  most  excellent  branch  of  religion  consists  in  our  obeying  the  commandments 
of  the  first  table  ;  yet  our  obedience  is  not  only  defective,  but  unacceptable  to  God, 
ii  we  neglect  to  perform  those  of  the  second.  On  the  other  hand,  the  performance 
of  the  duties  of  the  second  table  is  not  sufficient  to  denominate  a  person  a  religious 
man,  who  lives  in  the  neglect  of  those  which  are  contained  in  the  first. — Further,  the 

i  1  Tim.  i.  5.  k  Rom.  xiii.  8.  1  Luke  x.  27.  m  Eph.  vi.  2.  n  Psal.  cxix.  6. 

o  Tlie  former  of  these  are  generally  styled  the  elicit  acts  of  religion,  the  latter  imperate. 


316  THE  DUTIES  REQUIRED  IN 

duties  which  we  owe  to  our  neighbour,  as  contained  in  the  second  table,  are,  for 
the  most  part,  to  give  way  to  those  which  we  owe  to  God,  as  enjoined  in  the  first; 
especially  when  they  are  considered  as  standing  in  competition  with  them.  Thus 
we  are  obliged,  in  the  fifth  commandment,  to  obey  our  parents  or  superiors  ;  yet, 
if  they  command  us  to  bre*ak  the  Sabbath,  profane  the  name  of  God,  or  attend  on 
such  worship  as  he  has  not  required,  we  are  to  disobey  them,  or  to  'obey  God  rather 
than  men.'P  Accordingly,  it  is  said,  '  If  thy  brother,  the  son  of  thy  mother,  or 
thy  son,  or  thy  daughter,  or  the  wife  of  thy  bosom,  or  thy  friend,  which  is  as  thine 
own  soul,  entice  thee  secretly,  saying,  Let  us  go,  and  serve  other  gods  ;  thou  shalt 
not  consent  unto  him,  nor  hearken  unto  him.'i  This  our  Saviour  calls  '  hating 
father  and  mother,  wife,  children,  and  brethren, 'r  without  which  we  cannot  be  his 
disciples.  By  this  language  he  intends  that,  if  the  love  which  we  otherwise  owe 
them  be  inconsistent  with  that  obedience  which  he  requires  of  his  followers,  or  if 
we  cannot  oblige  them,  and  at  the  same  time  perform  the  duties  which  we  owe  to 
him,  the  inferior  obligation  must  give  way  to  the  superior. 


THE  DUTIES  REQUIRED  IN  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CIII.   Which  is  the  first  commandment? 

Answer.  The  first  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me." 

Question  CIV.  What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  first  commandment  ? 

Answer.  The  duties  required  in  the  first  commandment,  are  the  knowing  and  acknowledging  of 
God  to  be  the  only  true  God,  and  our  God  ;  and  to  worship  and  glorify  him  accordingly,  by  think- 
ing, meditating,  remembering,  highly  esteeming,  honouring,  adoring,  choosing,  loving,  desiring,  fear 
ing  of  him,  believing  him,  trusting,  hoping,  delighting,  rejoicing  in  him,  being  zealous  for  him,  call- 
ing upon  him,  giving  all  praise  and  thanks,  and  yielding  all  obedience  and  submission  to  him,  with 
the  whole  man,  being  careful  in  all  things  to  please  him,  and  sorrowful  when  in  any  thing  he  is 
offended,  and  walking  humbly  with  him. 

The  duties  required  in  this  commandment,  are  contained  in  three  general  Heads. 

1.  We  are  obliged  to  know  God.  This  supposes  that  our  understanding  is  rightly 
informed  as  to  what  relates  to  the  divine  perfections  as  displayed  in  the  works  of 
creation  and  providence,  by  which  we  are  led  into  the  knowledge  of  his  eternal 
power  and  Godhead.  This  is  called  the  natural  knowledge  of  God.  But  that 
knowledge  which  we  are  to  endeavour  to  attain,  who  have  a  brighter  manifestation 
of  his  perfections  in  the  gospel,  is  of  a  far  more  excellent  and  superior  nature.  For 
we  see  in  the  gospel,  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  or  behold 
the  perfections  of  the  divine  nature  as  displayed  in  and  through  a  Mediator.  To 
know  God  thus,  is  to  possess  that  knowledge  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to  sal- 
vation ;  as  our  Saviour  says,  •  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.'8  By  means  of  it  we  know, 
not  only  what  God  is,  but  our  interest  in  him,  and  the  foundation  which  we  have 
of  our  being  accepted  in  his  sight. 

2.  We  are  farther  commanded  to  acknowledge  God,  or  make  a  visible  profession 
of  our  subjection  to  him,  and,  in  particular,  to  Christ,  as  our  great  Mediator.  His 
name,  interest,  and  glory,  should  be  most  dear  to  us  ;  and  we  are,  on  all  occasions, 
to  testify  that  we  count  it  our  glory  to  be  his  servants,  and  to  make  it  appear  that 
he  is  the  supreme  object  of  our  desire  and  delight.  Thus,  the  psalmist  says,  1 1 
cried  unto  thee,  0  Lord  ;  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  my  portion  in  the  land 
of  the  living;'1  and,  'Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon 
earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee.'u 

3.  We  are  farther  obliged  by  this  commandment  to  worship  and  glorify  God, 
pursuant  to  what  we  know  and  the  profession  we  make  of  him  as  the  true  God  and 
our  God.  To  worship  and  glorify  God,  is  to  ascribe  all  possible  glory  and  perfec- 
tion to  him,  and  to  have  our  hearts  suitably  affected  therewith,  as  sensible  of  that 

p  Acts  iv.  19.  q  Deut.  xiii.  6,  8.  r  Luke  xiv.  26. 

s  John  xvii.  3.  t  Psal.  cxlii.  5.  u  Psal.  lxxiii.  25. 


THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS  317 

infinite  distance  which  we  stand  at  from  him.  This  is  considered  under  several 
Heads,  which  contain  the  substance  of  what  is  required  in  this  commandment. — 
First,  we  must  make  God  the  subject  of  our  daily  meditation  :  calling  to  mind  what 
he  is  in  himself,  and  what  he  is  to  us,  or  does  for  us.  This  is  to  be  considered  as 
a  means  to  preserve  us  from  sin,  and  a  spur  to  duty,  a  motive  to  holy  fear  and  re- 
verence.— Again,  we  are  to  honour,  adore,  and  fear  him  for  his  greatness.  Thus 
the  psalmist  says,  •  Who  in  heaven  can  be  compared  unto  the  Lord  ?  who  among 
the  sons  of  the  mighty  can  be  likened  to  the  Lord  ?  God  is  greatly  to  be  feared  in 
the  assemblies  of  the  saints,  and  to  be  had  in  reverence  of  all  them  that  are  about 
him.  'x — Further,  as  God  is  the  best  good,  and  has  promised  that  he  will  be  a  God 
to  us  ;  so  he  is  to  be  desired,  loved,  delighted  and  rejoiced  in,  and  chosen  by  us. 
Thus  the  prophet  says,  '  With  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee  in  the  night  ;'*  and  the 
church,  '  I  sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight  ;'z  and  the  apostle,  'Lord, 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.'a — Further,  as  he  is  a  God  of  truth,  we  are  to  believe 
all  that  he  has  spoken  ;  and,  in  particular,  what  he  has  revealed  in  his  promises  or 
threatenings,  relating  to  mercies  which  he  will  bestow,  or  judgments  which  he  will 
inflict.  Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  If  I  say  the  truth,  why  do  ye  not  believe  me  ?'b 
And  it  is  said  that,  when  '■  Israel  saw  that  great  work  which  the  Lord  did  upon  the 
Egyptians,  the  people  feared  the  Lord,  and  believed  the  Lord,  and  his  servant 
Moses. 'c — Again,  as  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  and  faithful  in  fulfilling  all 
his  promises,  we  are  to  trust  him  with  all  we  have  from  him,  and  for  all  those  bless- 
ings which  we  hope  to  receive  at  his  hands.  Thus  the  prophet  says,  '  Trust  ye  in 
the  Lord  for  ever ;  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength. 'd  And  the 
apostle  speaks  of  his  '  having  committed '  all  to  him,e  as  the  consequence  of  what  he 
knew  him  to  be. — Again,  when  the  name,  interest,  and  glory  of  God  are  oppqsed  in 
the  world,  we  are  to  express  an  holy  zeal  for  them.  Thus  the  prophet  Elijah  says, '  I 
have  been  very  jealous  for  the  Lord  God  of  hosts  ;  for  the  children  of  Israel  have 
forsaken  thy  covenant,  thrown  down  thine  altars,  and  slain  thy  prophets  with  the 
sword. 'f  As  to  what  concerns  our  conversation  in  general,  we  are  to  be  'not  sloth- 
ful in  business,  but  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.'s — Further,  as  he  is  a  God 
who  hears  prayer,  we  are  daily  to  call  upon  him,  '  0  thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto 
thee  shall  all  flesh  come.'h — Moreover,  as  he  is  the  God  of  all  our  mercies,  we  are 
to  thank  and  praise  him  for  them.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  *  0  give  thanks  unto 
the  Lord;  for  he  is  good;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever.'' — Further,  his  sover- 
eignty and  dominion  over  us  call  for  subjection  and  obedience,  and  a  constant  care 
to  please  him,  and  to  approve  ourselves  to  him  in  all  things.  Thus  the  apostle  says, 
4  Submit  yourselves  to  God;'k  and  the  psalmist  speaks  of  a  person's  '  cleansing  hia 
way,  by  taking  heed  thereto  according  to  his  word.'1 — Again,  as  he  is  an  holy,  jeal- 
ous, and  sin-hating  God,  we  are  to  be  filled  with  grief  and  sorrow  of  heart  when  he 
is  offended,  either  by  ourselves  or  others.  Thus  Ephraim  says,  '  I  was  ashamed, 
yea,  even  confounded  ;  because  I  did  bear  the  reproach  of  my  youth. 'm  And  the 
psalmist  says,  '  Rivers  of  water  run  down  mine  eyes,  because  they, '  that  is,  the  world 
in  general,  'keep  not  thy  law.'n — Finally,  a  sense  of  our  unworthiness  and  daily  in- 
firmities should  excite  us  to  '  walk  humbly  with  God.'  This  is  enjoined  as  a  neces- 
sary duty,0  and  is  called  a  being  'clothed  with  humility. 'p  Thus  concerning  the 
duties  required  in  this  commandment. 

That  which  may  be  farther  observed  is,  that  it  is  fitly  placed  before  all  the  other 
commandments,  because  what  it  enjoins  is,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  necessary  to 
our  performing  the  duties  which  are  required  in  them.  The  object  of  worship  must 
first  be  known  before  we  can  apply  ourselves,  in  a  right  manner,  to  perform  any 
duty  prescribed,  whether  respecting  God  or  man. — It  may  be  also  farther  consid- 
ered, that  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  keep  this  commandment,  because  of  the  spirit- 
uality and  vast  extent  of  the  duty  enjoined,  and  because  of  the  many  graces  which 
are  to  be  exercised  by  those  who  would  perform  it  aright.     Hence,  we  ought  ear- 

x  Psal.  lxxxix.  6,  7-  y  Isa.  xxvi.  9.  z  Cant.  ii.  3.  a  John  xxi.  15. 

b  John  viii.  46.  c  Exod.  xiv.  31.  d  lsa.  xxvi.  4.  e  2  Tim.  i.  12. 

f  1  Kings  xix.  10.  g  Rom.  xii.  11.  h  Psal.  lxv.  2.  i  Psal.  cxxxvi.  1. 

k  James  iv.  7-  1  Psal.  cxix.  9.  m  Jer.  xxxi.  19.  n  Psal.  cxix.  136. 

o  Muah  vi.  8.  pi  Pet.  v.  5. 


318  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN 

nestly  to  beg  of  God  that  our  hearts  may  be  set  right  with  him,  and  inclined  and 
excited  by  him  to  perform  it.  This  is  a  peculiar  blessing  to  be  desired  and  expected 
from  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  •  Incline  my  heart  unto  thy  testi- 
monies.'^ 


THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CV.  What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  first  commandment? 

Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  lirst  commandment,  are,  Atheism,  in  denying,  or  not  having 
a  God  ;  Idolatry,  in  having,  or  worshipping  more  gods  than  one,  or  any  with,  or  instead  of,  the  true 
God ;  the  not  having  and  avouching  him  for  God,  and  our  God  ;  the  omission  or  neglect  of  any 
thing  due  to  him  required  in  this  commandment,  ignorance,  forgetfulness.  misapprehensions,  false 
opinions,  unworthy  and  wicked  thoughts  of  him,  bold  and  curious  searching  into  his  secrets,  all  pro- 
faneness,  hatred  of  God,  self-love,  self-seeking,  and  all  other  inordinate  and  immoderate  setting  of 
our  mind,  will,  or  affections  upon  other  things,  and  taking  them  off  from  him,  in  whole  or  in  part ; 
vain  credulity,  unbelief,  heresy,  misbelief,  distrust,  despair,  incorrigihleness,  insensibleiiess  under 
judgments,  hardness  of  heart,  pride,  presumption,  carnal  security,  tempting  of  God,  using  unlawful 
means,  and  trusting  in  lawful  means,  carnal  delights  and  joys;  corrupt,  blind,  and  indiscreet  zeal, 
lukewarmness,  and  deadness  in  the  things  of  God,  estranging  ourselves,  and  apostatizing  from  God, 
praying  or  giving  any  religious  worship  to  saints,  angels,  or  any  other  creatures,  all  compacts,  and 
consulting  with  the  devil,  and  hearkening  to  his  suggestions,  making  men  the  lords  of  our  faith  and 
conscience,  slighting  and  despising  God  and  his  commandments,  resisting  and  grieving  of  his  Spirit, 
discontent,  and  impatience  at  his  dispensations,  charging  him  foolishly  lor  ihe  evils  he  inflicts  on 
us,  and  ascribing  the  praise  of  any  good  we  either  are,  have,  or  can  do,  to  fortune,  idols,  ourselves, 
or  any  other  creature. 

Question  C VI.  What  are  we  especially  taught  by  these  words  before  me  in  the  first  command- 
ment f 

Answer.  These  words  before  me,  or  '  before  my  face,'  in  the  first  commandment,  teach  us,  that 
God  who  seeth  all  things,  takes  special  notice  of,  and  is  much  displeased  with,  the  sin  of  having  any 
other  god  ;  that  so  it  may  be  an  argument  to  dissuade  from  it,  and  to  aggravate  it,  as  a  most  impu- 
dent provocation,  as  also  to  persuade  us  to  do,  as  in  his  sight,  whatever  we  do  in  his  service. 

The  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment  may  be  reduced  to  two  general  Heads, 
atheism  and  idolatry. 

Atheism. 

By  atheism  men  are  so  far  from  taking  God  for  their  God,  that  they  deny  that 
there  is  a  God,  or,  at  least,  that  he  is  what  he  has  revealed  himself  to  be.  Thus 
the  wicked  man,  who  is  styled  'a  fool,' is  represented  as  'saying  in  his  heart, 
There  is  no  God.'r  Atheism  is  either  speculative  or  practical.  The  former  is 
that  which  is  seated  in  the  minds  and  consciences  of  men  ;  who  are  so  far  blinded, 
perverted,  and  deluded  as  to  think  that  there  is  no  God.  There  are,  indeed,  very 
few  among  these  who  are  so  bold  and  profane  as  to  deny  this  truth  when  they  at- 
tend to  the  dictates  of  nature,  or  duly  exercise  those  reasoning  faculties  with  which 
God  has  endowed  them  ;  by  neglecting  to  do  which,  they  must  be  reckoned  but 
one  remove  from  brutes.  Some,  it  is  true,  are  ready  to  wish  that  there  were  no 
God ;  or,  inclined  to  deny  those  divine  perfections  which  are  essential  to  him,  they 
cast  contempt  on  his  government,  or,  it  may  be,  deny  a  providence  ;  which  is,  in 
effect,  to  deny  that  there  is  a  God.  It  must  be  observed,  however,  that  none  pro- 
ceed to  this  degree  of  wickedness,  till,  by  a  long  continuance  in  sin,  they  are  given 
up  to  judicial  hardness  of  heart,  and  blindness  of  mind.s  And  even  these  have 
been  forced,  at  times,  to  confess  that  there  is  a  God,  with  whom  is  terrible  majesty ; 
when  he  has  broken  in  on  their  consciences,  and  filled  them  with  the  dreadful  ap- 
prehensions of  his  wrath,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge. — But  where  there  is  one 
speculative  atheist,  there  are  a  thousand  practical  ones,  who  live  without  God  in  the 
world  ;  a\id  these  are  described  in  this  Answer,  as  being  guilty  of  those  sins  which 
none  who  duly  consider  his  divine  perfections  would  venture  to  commit.     To  en- 

q  Psal.  cxix.  36.  r  Psal.  xiv.  1.  s  Rom.  i.  28;  Eph.  iv.  17 20. 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  319 

large  on  every  one  of  those  instances,  particularly  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  in 
which  this  sin  is  supposed  to  consist,  would  require  a  distinct  treatise,  and  be  in- 
consistent with  our  designed  brevity  in  explaining  the  ten  commandments.  All, 
therefore,  that  we  shall  attempt  at  present,  shall  be  to  consider  some  instances  in 
which  practical  atheism  discovers  itself,  together  with  the  aggravations  of  this  sin ; 
and  then  we  shall  inquire  what  judgment  we  are  to  pass  concerning  those  who  com- 
plain of  atheistical  and  blasphemous  thoughts,  and  consider  whether  this  be  a  de- 
gree of  that  atheism  which  we  are  speaking  of,  and  what  are  the  causes  of  this  sin, 
and  the  remedies  against  it. 

1.  We  shall  first  consider  the  instances  in  which  practical  atheism  discovers 
itself.  Among  these  are  the  following : — To  be  grossly  ignorant,  and  know  nothing 
of  God  but  the  name, — being  utter  strangers  to  those  perfections  whereby  he  makes 
himself  known  to  the  world  ;  or  to  entertain  carnal  conceptions  of  him,  as  though 
he  were  altogether  such  an  one  as  ourselves.* — Never  seriously  to  exercise  thoughts 
about  God,  though  we  know,  in  some  measure,  what  he  is.  This  forgetfulness  is  a 
degree  of  atheism,  and  will  be  severely  punished  by  him.u — To  maintain  corrupt 
doctrines  and  dangerous  heresies,  subversive  of  the  fundamental  articles  of  faith, 
and  contrary  to  the  divine  perfections.  Of  this  kind  are  those  doctrines  which 
militate  against  his  sovereignty  and  dominion  over  the  wills,  consciences,  and  affec- 
tions of  men  ;  when  we  conclude  that  his  counsels  and  determinations  may  be  dis- 
annulled or  defeated  ;  or  when  we  suppose  that  he  changes,  as  we  do  ;  or  when, 
under  a  pretence  of  advancing  one  perfection,  we  set  aside  the  glory  of  another ; 
when,  in  order  to  magnify  his  mercy,  we  disregard  his  holiness  or  justice,  and  so 
presume  that  we  shall  be  happy  without  being  holy  ;  or  when  we  give  way  to  de- 
spairing thoughts,  from  the  consideration  of  his  vindictive  justice,  without  improv- 
ing the  displays  of  his  mercy,  as  set  forth  in  the  gospel.— -  Again,  to  repine  and 
quarrel  at  his  providence,  and  pretend  to  find  fault  with  the  dispensations  of  it ;  or 
charge  God  foolishly,  and  go  about  to  prescribe  laws  to  him,  who  is  the  Governor 
of  the  world,  and  may  do  what  he  will  with  the  work  of  his  hands. — To  refuse  to 
engage  in  those  acts  of  religious  worship  which  he  has  appointed,  or  to  attend  on 
his  ordinances,  in  which  we  may  hope  for  his  presence  and  blessing. — To  behave 
ourselves,  in  the  conduct  of  our  lives,  as  though  we  were  not  accountable  to  him, 
and  had  no  reason  to  be  afraid  of  his  judgments  ;  when  we  set  our  affections  on 
other  things,  and  take  them  off  from  him  ;  when  we  are  guilty  of  wilful  impeni- 
tence and  unbelief,  and  are  incorrigible  under  divine  rebukes ;  when  our  hearts  and 
lives  are  estranged  from  him,  as  though  we  desired  not  the  knowledge  of  his  ways  ; 
when  we  resist  and  grieve  his  Spirit,  are  discontented  and  impatient  under  his  hand, 
or  ascribe  that  to  second  causes  or  to  chance  which  is  under  the  direction  of  his  pro- 
vidence. In  these  and  many  other  instances,  persons  are  notoriously  guilty  of 
practical  atheism,  which  is  forbidden  in  this  commandment. 

2.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  aggravations  and  dreadful  consequences  of  this 
sin.  It  is  contrary  to  the  light  of  nature,  and  the  dictates  of  conscience,  a  disre- 
garding of  those  impressions  which  God  has  made  of  his  glory  on  the  souls  of  men. 
In  those  who  have  been  favoured  with  the  revelation  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the 
gospel,  in  which  hfs  perfections  have  been  set  forth  to  the  utmost,  it  is  a  shutting 
of  our  eyes  against  the  light,  and  casting  contempt  on  that  which  should  raise  our 
admiration,  and  excite  in  us  the  highest  esteem  of  him  whom  we  practically  disown 
and  deny. — Again,  it  is  directly  opposite  to  all  religion,  and  entirely  inconsistent 
with  it,  and  opens  a  door  to  the  greatest  degree  of  licentiousness.  To  live  without 
God  in  the  world,  is  to  give  the  reins  to  our  own  corruptions.  It  is  not  merely  a 
sin  of  infirmity  or  inadvertency,  but  a  running  in  all  excess  of  riot ;  and  therefore 
the  consequence  of  it  must  be  dreadful ;  for  that  which  strikes  at  the  very  being 
of  God,  cannot  but  expose  the  sinner  to  the  sorest  condemnation. 

3.  But  there  are  some  sins  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  which  contain  a  degree  of 
practical  atheism,  and  which  believers  themselves  are  prone  to  fall  into  and  com- 
plain of,  such  as  forgetfulness  of  God,  unbelief,  distrust  of  his  providence,  insensi- 
bility under  judgments,  too  great  a  degree  of  hardness  of  heart,  pride,  carnal 

t  Psal.  1.  21.  u  Psal.  ix.  17,  and  1.  22. 


320  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN 

security,  discontent  and  impatience  under  his  dispensations.  That  believers  are 
subject  to  these  sins  may  tend  very  much  to  discourage  them,  and  make  them  con- 
clude that  they  are  not  in  a  state  of  grace  ;  especially  when  they  find,  as  sometimes 
they  do,  atheistical  and  blasphemous  thoughts  suggested  to  their  minds.  We  must 
hence  inquire  what  judgment  we  are  to  pass  concerning  those  who  are  ready  to 
charge  themselves  with  practical  atheism,  especially  as  to  those  unbecoming 
thoughts  and  conceptions  which  they  sometimes  have  of  the  divine  Majesty? 
whether  this  be  altogether  inconsistent  with  the  truth  of  grace,  together  with  the 
causes  of  it,  and  the  remedies  against  it  ? 

It  is  certain  that  the  best  of  God's  people  are  sanctified  but  in  part,  and  there- 
fore are  prone  to  commit  those  sins  which  seem  to  involve  a  denial,  at  least,  a 
neglect,  of  that  regard  which  we  ought  to  have  for  the  divine  perfections,  and 
especially  when  we  are  followed  not  only  with  vain  but  with  blasphemous 
thoughts,  which  give  great  disturbance  to  us  when  engaged  in  holy  duties.  This 
state  of  mind  ought  to  be  reckoned  a  very  great  affliction,  and  occasion  many 
searchings  of  heart ;  since  sometimes  it  brings  much  guilt  with  it.  Yet  we  are 
not  always  to  conclude  from  it  that  we  are  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy.  It  is  the 
prevalency  of  corruption,  or  the  dominion  of  sin,  which  is  inconsistent  with  the 
truth  of  grace,  not  the  remains  of  it.  A  person  may  have  faith,  who  yet  complains 
of  unbelief.  He  may  have  a  due  regard  to  God,  as  to  what  respects  the  course  and 
tenor  of  his  actions  ;  and  yet,  in  many  instances,  be  chargeable  with  forgetfulness 
of  him.  He  may  have  a  love  to  him,  and  yet  sometimes  be  guilty  of  indiscreet 
zeal,  on  the  one  hand,  or  of  lukewarmness  and  deaduess  of  heart,  on  the  other. 
His  mind  and  affections  may  be  sanctified ;  and  yet  he  be  sometimes  followed  with 
atheistical  and  blasphemous  thoughts. — We  have  instances  in  scripture  of  good  men, 
who  have  spoken  not  only  unadvisedly,  but,  as  we  may  term  it,  wickedly  with  their 
lips.  Thus  Job  is  justly  reproved  by  Elihu  for  charging  God  with  '  finding  occa- 
sions against  him  ;  putting  his  feet  in  the  stocks,  and  marking  all  his  paths;'1  as 
though  his  dealings  with  him  had  been  unjust  and  severe  ;  especially  when  he  says 
at  the  same  time,  '  I  am  clean,  and  without  transgression  ;  I  am  innocent ;  neither 
is  there  iniquity  in  me.'y  Jonah,  also,  when  he  was  reproved  by  God  for  his  pas- 
sionate behaviour  towards  him,  vindicated  himself,  and  said,  '  I  do  well  to  be  angry, 
even  unto  death.'2  These  are  expressions  which  savour  of  a  degree  of  atheism  ; 
and  so  do  those  unbecoming  conceptions  of  God  whereby  our  thoughts  are  sometimes 
defiled  and  depraved.  But  it  is  one  thing  to  be  guilty  of  this  through  surprise  and 
the  prevalency  of  temptation,  and  another  thing  to  have  these  thoughts  indulged 
by  and  lodged  in  us  unrepented  of. — Moreover,  there  are  some  instances  in  which 
believers  are  afflicted  with  atheistical  and  blasphemous  thoughts,  when  it  is  hard 
to  say  that  they  contract  guilt  by  them,  or,  at  least,  their  being  afflicted  with  them 
must  be  reckoned  only  an  infirmity  arising  from  the  present  imperfect  state.  It 
must  especially  be  thus  viewed  when  the  thoughts  are  injected  by  Satan,  and  are 
without  the  consent  of  our  wills,  but  treated  with  the  utmost  abhorrence,  constantly 
bewailed  and  resisted  with  all  our  might ;  more  particularly  when  we  take  occasion 
from  them  to  exercise  those  graces  which  discover  that  we  have  other  apprehen- 
sions of  God  than  what  are  suggested  at  those  times  when  we  are  hurried  by  these 
temptations,  and  can  scarcely  say  that  we  have  the  government  of  our  own  thoughts ; 
especially  if  we  are  enabled  to  say,  at  such  a  time  as  our  Saviour  did,  when  un- 
advisably  tempted  by  Peter,  who  was  at  the  time  the  devil's  instrument  to  per- 
suade him  to  relinquish  the  work  which  he  came  into  the  world  to  perform,  ■  Get 
thee  behind  me  Satan,  thou  art  an  offence  to  me.'a 

Let  us  now  consider  the  causes  of  such  atheistical  and  blasphemous  thoughts. 
Sometimes  they  proceed  from  a  neglect  of  waiting  on  God  in  his  ordinances,  or 
from  indulging  a  carnal  and  stupid  frame  of  spirit  in  them,  and  not  maintaining 
that  holy  reverence,  or  becoming  sense  of  his  all-seeing  eye,  which  we  ought  always 
to  have.  Moreover,  there  is  nothing  that  has  a  greater  tendency  to  produce 
them,  than  our  conversing  with  those  who  make  religion  the  subject  of  their  pro- 

x  Job  xxxiii.  10,  11.  y  Ver.  9.  z  Jonah  iv.  9.  a  Matt.  xvi.  23 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  321 

•fane  wit  aad  drollery  ;  especially  if  we  do  this  out  of  choice,  and  do  not  at  the 
same  time  testify  a  just  abhorrence  of  it. 

As  for  those  remedies  which  are  to  be  made  use  of  to  protect  against  and  cure 
the  sinfulness  of  our  thoughts  in  such  instances  ;  it  behoves  us  to  repent  of  those 
sins  which  may  have  been  the  occasion  of  them  or  have  given  rise  to  them.  And 
is  it  is  not  in  our  own  power  to  govern  our  hearts  or  affections,  or  restrain  the 
breakings  forth  of  corruption  ;  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  commit  our  souls  into 
Christ's  hands,  with  earnest  supplications  to  him  that  he  would  sanctify,  regulate, 
and  cleanse  our  thoughts,  and  bring  us  into  and  keep  us  in  a  good  frame.  We 
ought  also  to  desire,  seek  after,  and  improve  all  opportunities  of  conversing  with  " 
those  whose  discourse  is  holy  and  profitable. b  By  this  means  our  affections  may 
be  raised,  and  our  thoughts  tinctured  with  divine  things,  which  will  leave  an  abid- 
ing impression  behind  them.c 

Idolatry. 

Wo  proceed  now  to  consider  this  commandment  as  forbidding  idolatry.  When 
it  is  said,  '  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods,'  the  meaning  is,  '  Thou  shalt  not  wor- 
ship idols,  or  set  a  creature  in  the  place  of  God,  or  pay  that  regard  to  it  which  is  due 
to  him  alone.'  Here  it  may  not  be  inconvenient  to  consider  the  difference  between 
idolatry,  as  it  is  a  breach  of  the  first  and  of  the  second  commandment.  As  it  is  a 
breach  of  the  first  commandment,  it  contains  a  giving  of  divine  honour  to  that 
which  is  not  God ;  but  as  it  is  a  sin  against  the  second  commandment,  it  is  a  wor- 
shipping of  God  by  the  creature,  to  whom  an  inferior  kind  of  worship  is  given.  Thus 
when  the  Papists  worship  God  by  images,  supposing  them  to  be  an  help  to  their 
devotion,  or  a  means  of  performing  that  worship  which  they  pretend  to  be  given 
ultimately  to  God  ;  or  when  they  ascribe  any  branch  of  divine  glory  to  saints  or 
angels  ;  notwithstanding  what  they  say  to  exculpate  themselves  from  the  breach^  of 
the  first  commandment,  they  are  justly  chargeable  with  the  breach  of  the  second. 
We  are  here  to  consider  the  idolatry  more  especially  which  is  forbidden  in  the  first 
commandment.  This  is  either  what  is  more  gross,  such  as  that  which  is  found 
among  the  heathen  ;  or  that  which  is  more  secret,  and  may  be  found  in  the  hearts 
of  all,  and  is  discovered  by  the  practice  of  multitudes  of  Christians,  who  profess 
the  utmost  detestation  of  idolatry  in  the  other  sense. 

1.  We  shall  first  consider  idolatry  in  the  former  sense,  together  with  the  rise 
and  progress  of  it.  As  to  its  rise,  we  may  observe,  that  it  proceeded  from  the 
ignorance  and  pride  of  man,  who,  though  he  could  not  but  know,  by  the  light  of 
nature,  that  there  is  a  God,  yet,  being  ignorant  of  his  perfections,  or  of  what  he 
has  revealed  himself  to  be  in  his  word,  was  disposed  to  frame  those  ideas  of  a  God 
which  took  their  rise  from  his  invention.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  •  When  ye 
knew  not  God,  ye  did  service  unto  them  which  by  nature  are  no  gods.'d  When 
iniquity  abounded  in  the  world,  and  men  withdrew  from  the  ordinances  of  God, 
and  cast  contempt  on  them,  they  invented  and  worshipped  new  gods.  In  this  man- 
ner some  suppose  Cain  and  his  posterity  acted,  when  '  he  went  out  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord  ;'e  and  '  the  sons  of  God,'  that  is,  the  church,  when  they  con- 
tracted marriages  with  '  the  daughters  of  men, 'f  and  joined  with  them  in  idolatry; 
so  that  it  is  no  wonder  if  persons  leave  the  true  worship  of  God,  that  they  should 
choose  to  themselves  other  gods.  When  men  acted  thus,  God  gave  them  up  to 
judicial  blindness;  so  that  '  they  worshipped  the  host  of  heaven, *s  as  the  apostle 
says  the  heathen  did. 

As  to  the  idolatry  which  was  practised  among  the  Israelites,  it  took  its  rise  from 
the  fond  ambition  which  they  had  to  be  like  other  nations,  who  were  abhorred  of 
God.  They  counted  the  religion  of  the  heathen  a  fashionable  religion  ;  and  find- 
ing the  true  worshippers  of  God  to  be  fewer  in  number  than  the  rest  of  the  world, 
so  that,  as  the  prophet  says,  they  were  'like  a  speckled  bird,'  despised  and  hated 
by  the  heathen  'round  about  them,'h  they  approved  and  learned  the  heathen's 


b  Mai.  iii.  16. 

c  Luke  xxiv.  32. 

d  Gal.  iv.  8. 

e  Gen.  ir.  16. 

f  Gen.  vi.  2. 

g  Acts   vii.  42. 

b  Jcr.  xii.  9. 

II. 

2  s 

322  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN 

ways.  It  was  this  which  occasioned  Solomon  to  cleave  to  them  in  love  -,'1  which 
was  not  much  unlike  the  argument  used  by  Demetrius  and  his  followers  why  Diana 
should  be  worshipped,  namely,  '  because  all  Asia  and  the  world  worshipped  her.'* 

The  devil  was  permitted,  for  the  trial  of  the  faith  of  God's  people,  and  as  an  in- 
stance of  his  righteous  judgment  on  his  enemies,  to  abuse  the  unthinking  part  of 
the  world  by  various  signs  and  lying  wonders.  Thus  we  read  of  prophets,  and 
dreamers  of  dreams,  who  gave  forth  signs  and  wonders  which  God  sometimes  j  udicially 
suffered  to  come  to  pass  ;  whereby  many  took  occasion  to  'go  after  other  gods.'1 
Antichrist  also  is  said  '  to  come  after  the  working  of  Satan,  with  all  power,  and 
signs,  and  lying  wonders. 'm  These  signs  and  lying  wonders  were  managed  by  the 
craft  and  covetousness  of  the  priests,  who  made  a  gain  of  them,  and  amused  the 
common  people  by  them.  The  heathen  oracles,  so  much  spoken  of  by  ancient 
writers,  which  gave  countenance  to  their  idolatry,  are  reckoned  by  some  to  have 
been  no  other  than  a  contrivance  of  those  who  had  little  else  but  secular  interest 
in  view.  When  they  predicted  things  future,  or  revealed  secrets,  they  generally 
did  so  in  doubtful  expressions ;  so  that  whether  the  thing  really  came  to  pass  or 
not,  the  end  designed  might  be  answered.  Now  there  was  doubtless  a  hand  of  Sa- 
tan in  this  matter,  to  harden  the  world  in  that  idolatry  which  was  then  practised 
by  them.  The  gods  they  worshipped  were  as  numerous  as  the  countries  and  king- 
doms where  idolatry  prevailed.  Every  nation,  yea,  every  city,  had  its  particular 
god  and  distinct  modes  of  worship. — Some  worshipped  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
supposing  that  their  regular  motion  and  influence  on  earthly  bodies  was  not  to  be 
attributed  to  the  all-wise  providence  of  God,  but  to  some  intelligent  being  which 
resided  in  them,  and  gave  them  that  motion  and  influence  on  account  of  which 
they  worshipped  them  as  gods.  This  worship  of  the  heavenly  bodies  was  practised 
by  some  in  the  early  age  in  which  Job  lived ; n  and  the  Israelites  were  warned 
against  it.°  Afterwards  we  read  of  '  idolatrous  priests,  who  burnt  incense  to  the 
sun,  and  to  the  moon,  and  to  the  planets,  and  to  all  the  host  of  heaven  ;'  and  dedi- 
cated '  horses  and  chariots  to  the  sun.'P — Again,  others  worshipped  the  earth,  and 
many  creatures  therein,  especially  those  from  which  they  received  more  than  an 
ordinary  advantage.  Thus  the  Egyptians  worshipped  the  river  Nile  ;  by  the  over- 
flowing of  which  their  country  was  rendered  fertile.  Some  who  lived  in  maritime 
towns  worshipped  the  sea,  thinking  thereby  to  prevent  an  inundation  from  it.  And 
the  Philistines  worshipped  Dagon  ;  inasmuch,  as  living  near  the  sea,  it  afforded 
them  plenty  of  fish. — Others  worshipped  those  parts  of  the  earth  which  they 
most  delighted  in  ;  such  as  gardens,  woods,  groves,  springs,  <fcc.  These  they  sup- 
posed to  be  inhabited  by  some  gods,  who  produced  the  advantages  which  they  re- 
ceived from  them  ;  without  regarding  the  providence  of  God,  to  which  every  thing 
is  to  be  ascribed,  which  the  earth  brings  forth  for  the  support  and  delight  of  men. 
— Others  supposed  that  there  were  particular  gods  who  had  the  oversight  of  men, 
gave  success  to  their  undertakings  in  the  various  affairs  of  life,  conducted  them 
when  travelling  by  sea  or  land,  gave  good  or  ill  success  to  their  secular  employ- 
ments, and  preserved  them  in  sickness  and  health  ;  and  accordingly  they  paid 
divine  adoration  to  them. — Others  expressed  the  regard  they  had  to  virtue,  by  wor- 
shipping some  men  after  their  death,  who  had  signalized  themselves  by  inventing 
some  things  which  were  of  common  advantage  to  mankind  while  they  lived.  The 
Romans  were  so  much  addicted  to  this  species  of  idolatry,  that  some  of  their  em- 
perors, though  tyrants  and  monsters  in  wickedness  whilst  they  lived,  obliged  their 
subjects  to  perpetuate  their  memories  by  worshipping  them  as  gods  when  they  were 
dead. — Others  of  the  heathen  were  so  stupid  that  they  worshipped  stocks  and  stones, 
ascribing  divinity  to  them  ;  and  in  doing  so,  they  acted  below  the  reason  of  intelli- 
gent creatures.  Thus  the  prophet  speaks  of  their  idols  as  first  '  growing  in  the 
wood,'  then  '  framed  by  the  smith,'  or  carpenter,  '  into  gods,'  and  afterwards  '  wor* 
shipped  by  them.'i  And  the  psalmist  justly  observes,  '  They  that  make  them  are 
like  unto  them;  so  is  every  one  that  trusteth  in  them.'r 

i  1  Kin  -  xi.  2.  k  Acts  xix.  27.  1  Deut.  xiii.  1—3.  m  2  Thess.  ii.  9. 

n  Job  \xxi.  26.  o  Deut.  iv.  19.  p  2  Kings  xxiii.  5,  11.  q  Isa.  xliv.  &— 17. 

r  Psal.  cxv.  4 — 7,  compared  with  8. 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  323 

Wo  might  under  this  Head  consider  some  things  mentioned  in  scripture  in  which 
idolaters  not  only  acted  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  reason,  but  discovered  themselves 
to  be  cruel  and  inhuman  in  their  modes  of  worship.  Thus  Baal's  worshippers,  in 
Ahab'stime,  cut  themselves  with  knives  and  lancets,  till  the  blood  gushed  out  upon 
them  ;s  and  others  made  their  children  pass  through  the  fire,  in  the  worship  they 
paid  to  Moloch,  or  the  sun,  whom  the  psalmist  refers  to,  when  he  says,  '  They  sac- 
rificed their  sons  and  their  daughters  unto  devils,  and  shed  innocent  blood,  even 
the  blood  of  their  sons  and  of  their  daughters.'*  This  language,  indeed,  some  think, 
intends  nothing  else  but  that  they  passed  between  two  fires ;  so  that  they  were  scorch- 
ed by  them.  Yet  others,  with  greater  reason,  suppose  that  they  were  enclosed  in 
that  brazen  idol,  and  so  burnt  to  death  in  the  most  barbarous  manner.u 

The  use  which  we  ought  to  make  of  this  doctrine,  should  be  to  feel  excited  by  it 
to  bless  God  for  the  clear  light  of  the  gospel,  whereby  we  are  led  to  turn  from  dead 
idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God.  Yet  we  are  to  take  heed  lest  we  be  charge- 
able with  heart-idolatry  ;  whereby  we  may  be  said  to  break  this  commandment, 
though  in  a  different  way  from  that  in  which  the  heathen  did. 

2.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  that  idolatry  which  is  sometimes  found  among 
Christians.  Though  they  abhor  the  thoughts  of  giving  divine  worship  to  a  crea- 
ture, yet,  if  they  look  into  their  own  hearts,  they  will  have  reason  to  charge  them- 
selves with  those  things  which  are  in  scripture  called  idolatry  ;  namely,  when  they 
put  any  thing  in  the  room  of  God,  or  love  it  more  than  him.  This  idolatry  may  be 
considered  in  several  instances. 

Self  may  be  reckoned  among  those  idols  which  many  who  make  profession 
of  the  true  religion  pay  a  greater  regard  to  than  God.  The  apostle,  speaking 
concerning  the  great  degeneracy  of  the  world,  says,  among  other  things,  that 
'  men  should  be  lovers  of  their  own  selves  ;'x  so  that  self-love  turns  away  the 
heart  from  God,  and  excludes  all  practical  religion.  This  we  may  be  said  to  be 
guilty  of ;  and  in  respect  to  it  we  are  chargeable  with  heart-idolatry. — We  are 
guilty  of  it  when  we  reject  or  refuse  to  give  credit  to  any  of  the  great  doctrines 
contained  in  divine  revelation,  unless  we  are  able  to  comprehend  them  within  the 
shallow  limits  of  our  own  understandings.  On  this  account  some  are  inclined  to 
treat  the  most  sacred  mysteries  of  our  religion  with  contempt ;  and,  for  the  same 
reason,  they  might  as  well  deny  and  disbelieve  what  is  said  concerning  the  infinite 
perfections  of  the  divine  nature,  because  they  cannot  be  comprehended  by  us. 
This  is  no  other  than  a  setting  up  of  our  own  understanding,  which  is  weak  and 
liable  to  err,  in  opposition  to  the  wisdom  of  God  ;  and,  in  some  respects,  a  giving 
superior  glory  to  it. — Again,  we  are  guilty  of  heart-idolatry,  when  we  are  resolute 
and  incorrigible  under  the  various  rebukes  of  providence,  and  persist  in  our  rebel- 
lion against  God,  notwithstanding  the  threatenings  which  he  has  denounced,  or  the 
judgments  which  he  executes,  or  when  our  will  is  obstinately  set  on  those  things 
which  are  directly  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  and,  though  we  are  warned,  of  the 
danger  of  this,  resolve,  notwithstanding,  to  add  rebellion  to  our  iniquities,  like  the 
wild  ass  used  to  the  wilderness,  or  the  swift  dromedary  traversing  her  ways,  which 
cannot  be  easily  turned  out  of  her  course.  In  acting  thus,  the  will  of  man  is  set  in 
opposition  to  God ;  and  he  is,  for  this  reason,  justly  chargeable  with  idolatry. — The 
same  sin  discovers  itself  in  our  affections,  when  either  they  are  set  on  unlawful  ob- 
jects, or  immoderately  pursue  those  which  would  otherwise  be  lawful ;  when  we  love 
those  things  which  God  hates,  or  covet  what  he  has  expressly  forbidden,  as  Achan  did 
the  wedge  of  gold,  and  the  Babylonish  garment.  On  this  account '  covetousness  '  is, 
by  the  apostle,  called  'idolatry. '* — We  may  add,  that  we  are  chargeable  with  this  sin, 
when  we  'make  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof.'2  Thus  the  apos- 
tle speaks  of  some  '  whose  god  is  their  belly.  'a  As  for  those  things  which  are  other- 
wise lawful,  we  may  be  guilty  of  idolatry  in  the  immoderate  pursuit  of  them,  when 
they  take  up  too  much  of  our  thoughts,  time,  and  concern ;  when  our  affections  are 

s  1  Kings  xviii.  28.  t  Psal.  cvi.  37,  38. 

u  To  this  the  poet's  observation  might  well  be  applied,  '  Tantum  religio  potuit  suadere  malor- 
um  !'  Lucret.  de  Nat.  Rer.  lib.  i.  That  human  sacrifices  were  offered,  appears  from  what  we  read 
concerning  the  king  of  Moab,  v\ho  *  took  his  eldest  son,  that  should  have  reigned  in  his  stead,  and 
offered  him  for  a  burnt-offering,'  2  Kings  iii.  27. 

x  2  Tim.  iii.  2.  y  Col.  iii.  5.  z  Rom.  xiii.  14.  a  Phil.  iii.  19. 


324  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN 

as  much  set  upon  them  as  if  we  had  nothing  better  to  mind  ;  when  we  are  not  will- 
ing to  part  with  them  though  God  calls  for  them  at  our  hands,  and  are  more  cast 
down  at  the  loss  of  them  than  we  are  when  deprived  of  those  spiritual  blessings 
which  are  of  the  highest  importance.  In  these  instances  we  may  be  said  to  set  up 
self  as  our  idol  in  opposition  to  God. — We  may  add,  that  there  is  a  more  subtile 
kind  of  idolatry,  whereby  self  enters  into  and  takes  its  place  in  those  religious 
duties  which  believers  are  engaged  in.  Believers  are  guilty  of  this  when  they  at- 
tempt to  perform  these  duties  in  their  own  strength,  as  though  they  had  a  suffi- 
ciency in  themselves,  and  had  no  occasion  to  depend  on  the  almighty  power  of  God 
to  work  in  them  that  which  is  pleasing  in  his  sight.  We  are  farther  guilty  of  this 
sin  when,  through  the  pride  of  our  hearts,  we  are  apt  to  applaud  ourselves  when  we 
have  performed  some  religious  duties,  and  expect  to  be  justified  by  them  ;  which 
is  a  setting  up  o.  self  as  an  idol  in  the  room  of  Christ.  Lastly,  we  are  guilty  of 
this  sin  when  self  is  the  end  designed  in  what  we  do  in  matters  of  religion,  and  so 
rob  God  of  that  glory  which  is  due  to  his  name. 

There  is  another  idol  which  is  put  in  the  room  of  God,  and  that  is  the  world. 
When  the  profits,  pleasures,  or  honours  of  it  are  thought  of  with  the  greatest  de- 
light, as  though  they  were  our  chief  good ;  when  they  are  pursued  with  more  ear- 
nestness than  Christ's  interest  and  glory ;  when  the  world  not  only  has  the  highest 
place  in  our  affections,  but,  as  it  were,  engrosses  them  ;  we  are  guilty  of  that  love 
of  the  world  which,  as  the  apostle  says,  is  inconsistent  with  the  love  of  the  Father,b 
and  denotes  us  guilty  of  that  idolatry  which  we  are  now  speaking  of. — More  par- 
ticularly, we  are  guilty  of  this  when  our  thoughts  are  so  much  engaged  in  the  pur- 
suit of  the  world,  that  we  not  only  grow  cold  and  remiss  as  to  spiritual  things,  but 
allow  ourselves  no  time  for  serious  meditations  on  them,  or  for  conversing  with  God 
in  secret. — Again,  we  are  guilty  of  it  when  the  world  has  our  first  and  last  thoughts 
every  day  ;  when  we  are  so  far  from  following  the  psalmist's  example,  who  says, 
'  When  I  awake,  I  am  still  with  thee,'0  as  considering  ourselves  under  the  care  of 
providence,  and  indebted  to  God  for  the  mercies  which  we  enjoy,  that  we  are  taken 
up  with  nothing  else  but  the  projects  and  schemes  which  we  lay  for  the  gaining  or 
increasing  of  our  wealth  or  worldly  condition  ;  and  when  this,  having  been  the  great 
business  of  the  day,  takes  up  and  engages  our  wakeful  thoughts  by  night,  as  though  it 
were  the  main  work  and  business  of  life. — Further,  we  are  guilty  of  this  sin  when 
we  pursue  the  world,  without  depending  on  God  for  his  blessing  to  attend  our 
lawful  undertakings,  and  do  not  consider  its  good  things  as  his  special  gift,  or  the 
disappointments  which  attend  us  in  it  as  ordered  by  his  overruling  providence  to 
engage  us  to  walk  more  closely  with  him,  and  to  take  up  our  rest  in  him  as  our 
only  happiness. — Again,  we  are  guilty  of  this  sin  when  our  hearts  are  hardened  by 
the  world,  and  grow  cold  and  indifferent  in  religion,  or  when  it  follows  and  disturbs 
us  in  holy  duties,  and  renders  us  formal  in  the  discharge  of  them ;  when  the  riches, 
honours,  and  pleasures  of  the  world  have  a  tendency  to  quiet  our  spirits,  and  give 
us  full  satisfaction,  though  under  spiritual  declensions,  and  destitute  of  the  special 
presence  of  God,  which  is  our  greatest  happiness  ;  when  we  fret  or  repine  at  the 
providence  of  God,  under  the  disappointments  we  meet  with  in  our  secular  affairs 
in  the  world  ;  and  when  we  despise  the  members  of  Christ,  because  they  are  poor 
in  the  world,  are  ashamed  of  his  cross,  and  refuse  to  bear  reproach  for  his  sake. 

There  is  another  instance  of  heart-idolatry,  namely,  when  we  adhere  to  the  dic- 
tates of  Satan,  and  regard  his  suggestions  more  than  the  convictions  of  our  own 
consciences,  or  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Satan's  design  in  his  temptations 
is  to  turn  us  away  from  God  ;  and  when  we  are  drawn  aside  by  them,  we  may  be 
said  to  obey  him  rather  than  God.  This  is  what  all  are  more  or  less  guilty  of;  but 
some  are  said,  in  an  uncommon  degree,  to  be  his  servants.  Thus  the  apostle  Paul 
styles  the  sorcerer,  who  sought  to  turn  aside  the  deputy  from  the  faith,  '  a  child  of 
the  devil  ;'d  and  our  Saviour  tells  the  Jews,  '  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil ;  and  the 
lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do,'e  &c.  Satan  is  also  called  'the  god  of  this  world,'' 
and  'the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children 
of  disobedience. 's     Accordingly,  he  attempts  to  usurp  the  throne  of  God;  and  by 

b  1  John  ii.  15.  c  Psal.  cxxxix.  18.  d  Acts  xiii.  10. 

e  John  viii.  44.  f  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  g  Eph.  ii.  2. 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  325 

doing  so,  has  led  a  great  part  of  the  world  after  him.  As  he  tempted  our  Saviour 
to  fall  down  and  worship  him,h  though  without  success,  he  prevails  upon  others  to 
do  it  to  their  own  ruin. — Here  it  may  be  observed  that  he  has  propagated  several  doc- 
trines, in  opposition  to  the  gospel.  Indeed,  all  those  doctrines  which  are  subver- 
sive of  it,  take  their  rise  from  him.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks  of  some  who,  '  in  the 
latter  times,  should  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doc- 
trines of  devils.'1  This  they  do  when  they  depart  from  the  way  of  truth.  [See 
Note  S,  page  327.] — Again,  Satan  has  sometimes  invented  modes  of  worship,  which 
have  been  observed  by  some,  in  imitation  of  the  sacrifices  which  God  had  ordained. 
Whatever  pretence  there  might  be  of  religion  in  such  modes  of  worship,  he  doubt- 
less designed  by  them  to  set  up  himself  in  opposition  to  God. — Further,  he  has 
amused  and  hardened  the  hearts  of  his  subjects,  by  pretended  miracles,  designed 
to  oppose  and  lessen  the  credit  of  those  real  miracles  which  have  been  wrought  to 
confirm  the  truth  by  the  finger  of  God.k — He  has  also  endeavoured  to  extirpate 
the  true  religion,  by  raising  persecutions  against  the  faithful  worshippers  of  God. 
This  has  been  his  constant  practice,  so  far  as  he  has  been  permitted,  in  all  ages. — 
Moreover,  he  has  excited,  in  some  of  his  subjects,  the  greatest  degree  of  hatred  of 
God,  opposition  to  him,  and  rebellion  against  him.  Thus  he  '  entered  into  the 
heart  of  Judas;'1  and  'filled  the  heart  of  Ananias,  that  he  lied  to  the  Holy  Ghost  ;'m 
and  hardened  the  hearts  of  others,  so  that  they  bade  defiance  to  the  Almighty, 
like  Pharaoh,  who  said,  •  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  ?'n — Again, 
he  has  persuaded  many  of  his  subjects  to  enter  into  a  kind  of  confederacy  with 
him,  and  with  one  another,  to  promote  his  wicked  designs.  This  was  the  case  with 
those  wretched  Jews,  who  '  bound  themselves  under  a  curse,  that  they  would 
neither  eat  nor  drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul.'0  And  we  read  of  others  who  had 
'  made  a  covenant  with  death  and  with  hell.'p  The  vilest  instances  of  sins  of  this 
nature  were  found  among  some  who  used  sorcery,  divination,  witchcraft,  and  other 
diabolical  practices.  These  are  so  horrid  crimes,  and  so  contrary  to  the  dictates 
of  human  nature,  that  had  we  not  an  account  of  some  in  scripture  who  practised 
them,  we  should  be  ready  to  think  that  none  were  ever  guilty  of  them. 

I  will  not  deny  that  many  things  which  are  commonly  related  concerning  witch- 
craft and  sorcery,  as  practised  in  later  ages,  are  fabulous  and  incredible  ;  that 
some  things,  said  to  be  done  by  the  power  of  the  devil,  may  be  accounted  for  by 
natural  causes  ;  and  that  others  are  ascribed  to  it,  which  are  performed  by  the 
concealed  arts  of  some  who  get  a  livelihood  by  cheating  the  unthinking  part  of 
mankind.  I  am  far  from  thinking,  however,  as  some  modern  writers  suggest,  that 
the  account  we  have  of  witchcraft  and  sorcery  in  scripture,  is  without  any  manner 
of  foundation.  The  famous  story  of  the  witch  of  Endor0-  is  an  argument  that  there 
were  persons,  at  that  time,  in  the  world  who  practised  these  arts.  It  will  be  ob- 
jected, I  am  aware,  that  she  was  a  cunning  woman,  who  lived  by  her  wits,  and 
deceived  Saul  by  pretending  that  she  used  some  infernal  art,  as  an  expedient  to 
bring  him  to  the  speech  of  Samuel.  It  may  not  be  amiss,  therefore,  to  inquire 
into  her  case. 

Let  it  be  observed,  then,  that  it  is  by  no  means  to  be  supposed  that  she  raised 
Samuel  from  the  dead  ;  for  it  is  out  of  the  devil's  power  to  call  the  soul  of  a  saint 
out  of  heaven,  with  a  design  to  subserve  his  interest  by  doing  so,  and  to  set  up  his 
kingdom  in  opposition  to  Christ's.  Nor  is  it  reasonable  to  suppose  that  Samuel 
should  do  the  devil  so  much  service  after  his  death,  who  was  so  great  an  enemy  to 
him  in  his  life.  Besides,  he  was  buried  at  Ramah  ;r  and  can  we  think  that  he  should 
be  now  raised  at  Endor  ?  On  the  other  hand,  we  are  not  to  imagine  that  it  was 
a  mere  trick  or  juggle  of  the  woman,  whereby  she  imposed  on  Saul ;  for  though, 
it  is  true,  he  did  not  see  a  shape,  yet  he  heard  a  voice,  and  made  a  reply  to  it. 
Moreover,  we  read  that  he  had  an  intimation  given  him,  that  Israel  should  be  de- 
livered into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines,  and  that  he  and  his  sons  should  be  with 
him  the  next  day,  that  is,  in  the  state  of  the  dead.     But  the  woman  was  not  cun- 

h  Matt.  iv.  9.  i  1  Tim.  iv.  1.  k  Exod.  viii.  7.  1  Luke  xxii.  3. 

m  Acts  v.  3.  n  Exod.  v.  2.  o  Acts  xxiii.  14.  p  Isa.  xxviii.  15. 

q  Mentioned  in  1  Sam.  xxviii.  7 — 20.  r  1  Sain.  xxv.  1. 


326  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN 

ning  enough  to  foretell  this  ;  or  if  she  had  guessed  that  it  would  be  so,  she  would 
hardly  have  ventured  to  tell  Saul  such  ungrateful  tidings  ;  since  if  he  had  lived  to 
see  himself  cheated,  and  her  prediction  confuted,  her  life  would  have  been  en- 
dangered. Had  it  been  nothing  but  a  cheat  or  a  juggle,  she  would  rather  have 
told  him  that  he  would  be  safe  and  victorious ;  for  had  this  come  to  pass,  she  might 
have  expected  a  reward ;  and  had  it  not,  she  would  have  had  nothing  to  fear  from 
him  as  a  just  punishment  of  her  impiety.  We  must  suppose,  therefore,  that  she 
was  a  professed  servant  of  the  devil,  and  had,  as  the  text  says,  f  a  familiar  spirit.' 
By  this  we  are  to  understand  that  she  conversed  with  Satan  ;  who,  that  he  might 
harden  her  the  more  in  her  sin,  and  lead  others,  like  Saul,  into  a  credulous,  dia- 
bolical presumption,  might  reveal  some  secrets  to  her,  and,  at  the  same  time,  either 
assume  the  shape,  or,  at  least  counterfeit  the  voice,  of  Samuel. 

Thus  concerning  those,  who,  by  the  practice  of  these  arts,  have  professed  them- 
selves to  be  in  a  kind  of  confederacy  with  Satan.  It  is  certain  no  good  man  ever 
practised  them.  Hence,  some  have  found  it  very  difficult  to  understand  the  sense 
of  the  scripture  concerning  the  cup  which  was  in  Benjamin's  sack:  '  Is  not  this  the 
cup  wherein  my  lord  drinketh,  and  whereby  indeed  he  divine th  ?'s  And  Joseph 
himself  says,  '  Wot  ye  not  that  such  a  man  as  I  can  certainly  divine?'1  Though 
Joseph  was  a  prophet,  it  is  certain  he  was  no  diviner  in  the  sense  in  which  the 
word  is  commonly  used  in  scripture  ;  nor  was  this  cup  an  instrument  by  which  he 
practised  any  such  art.  For  understanding  this  scripture,  then,  we  remark  that 
the  word  which  we  render  'to  divine,'  denotes,  as  is  observed  in  the  margin,  to 
make  trial  of  or  search  after,  or  to  discover  or  find  out  a  matter ;  and  that,  instead 
of  '  whereby,'  or  '  by  which,'  we  ought  to  read  '  concerning  which.'  The  meaning 
of  the  scripture,  then,  is  only  this  :  '  Is  not  this  the  cup  in  which  my  Lord  drink- 
eth, and  concerning  which  he  maketh  search  ?'  As  it  was  the  cup  in  which  he 
drank,  if  it  were  lost  or  stolen,  he  would  soon  miss  it,  and  make  inquiry  to  find  out 
the  thief,  as  he  now  did.  And  when  Joseph  says,  '  Wot  ye  not  that  such  a  man 
as  I  can  divine  ?'  the  meaning  is,  "  Do  you  think  that  one  who  is  so  diligent  and 
industrious  in  the  management  of  all  those  affairs  which  are  incumbent  on  me, 
would  lose  the  cup  in  which  I  drink,  and  make  no  inquiry  after  it  ?  Did  you  ex- 
pect to  go  undiscovered,  when  you  had  such  an  one  as  I  to  deal  with,  who  have 
not  only  an  inclination,  but  all  the  advantages  that  can  be  desired,  to  make  search 
after  those  who  have  dealt  unjustly  by  me,  as  you  have  done  ?"  Again,  '  to  divine ' 
may  signify  to  prophesy  ;  and  so  it  may  be  taken  in  a  good  sense  as  well  as  in  a 
bad  one.  Accordingly,  when  Joseph's  servants  speak  of  him  as  divining  concern- 
ing the  cup,  they  consider  him  as  one  who  had  an  extraordinary  gift  from  God  of 
revealing  secrets.  Hence,  they  might  easily  conclude  that  he  would,  by  this  means, 
find  out  the  person  who  had  stolen  his  cup.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  Egyptian  mode 
of  speaking  ;  for  those  whom  the  Hebrews  called  prophets,  the  Egyptians  called 
diviners.  Joseph  uses  the  same  expression  when  he  says, '  Wot  you  not  that  such  a 
man  as  I  could  divine  ?'  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Did  you  not  know  that  I  was  a  pro- 
phet, and  by  this  means  was  advanced  to  my  present  honour  in  Pharaoh's  court  V 
So  .that,  whether  we  take  the  words  in  this  or  in  the  other  sense,  it  does  not  follow 
that  he  used  any  arts  which  were  diabolical  or  unlawful. 

Now  that  we  are  speaking  concerning  the  arts  by  which  Satan  deludes  those 
who,  either  directly,  or  by  consequence,  pay  that  regard  to  him  which  is  due  only 
to  God,  it  may  farther  be  inquired  what  we  are  to  conclude  concerning  the  practice 
of  judicial  astrology  by  those,  who,  in  scripture,  are  called  '  stargazers,'  as  a  term 
of  contempt,  and  whose  profession  scripture  universally  condemns.  These  are, 
especially  in  our  age,  a  generation  of  men,  who  impose  on  the  weakness  of  many 
superstitious  and  ignorant  people,  who,  by  encouraging  them,  are  partakers  with 
them  in  their  sin.  The  art  they  pretend  to,  is  not  only  uncertain,  but  presumptu- 
ous, and  involves  a  contempt  of  the  providence  of  God,  in  paying  regard  to  the 
signs  and  intimations  which  they  suppose  they  receive  from  the  stars,  concerning 
future  contingent  events,  or  those  actions  which  take  their  rise  from  the  free-wiU 
of  man.     What  I  would  observe  in  general  concerning  this  practice  is,  that  we  no- 

s  Gen.  xliv.  5.  t  Verse  15. 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  327 

where  find  in  scripture,  that  the  stars  were  designed  to  signify  the  prosperous  or 
adverse  circumstances  in  which  men  shall  be  in  the  world,  or  to  foretell  the  riches 
or  poverty,  sickness  or  health,  which  we  should  experience  in  our  passage  through 
it,  or  how  long  we  shall  continue  in  it.  Our  times  and  circumstances  in  the  world 
are  only  in  God's  hand  ;  and  it  is  in  mercy  to  us  that  he  has  concealed  these  future 
events  from  us.  We  may  add,  that  this  art,  and  those  who  use  it,  are  very  often 
spoken  against  in  scripture,  and  that  the  church  is  warned  against  it.  Thus  God 
says,  '  Learn  not  the  way  of  the  heathen,  and  be  not  dismayed  at  the  signs  of 
heaven.  'u  Again,  '  Thou  art  wearied  in  the  multitude  of  thy  counsels  ;  let  now 
the  astrologers,  the  slargazers,  the  monthly  prognosticators,  stand  up  and  save 
thee.'x  Elsewhere,  the  persons  thus  described  are  ranked  with  'diviners,'  and 
called  '  liars. 'y  It  may  be  inquired  whether  any  good  men  have  ever  prac- 
tised this  art,  though  without  pretending  to  have  had  any  intimation  from 
Satan,  but  only  proceeding  according  to  the  rules  prescribed  in  the  art.  But  it  is 
not  my  business  to  censure  men,  but  things.  The  best  that  can  be  said  is,  that  if 
any  good  men  have  studied  or  practised  it,  they  have  generally  blamed  themselves 
for  it  afterwards,  or,  at  least,  confessed  the  uncertainty  and  presumption  of  it.  We 
read  of  some  who,  in  the  time  of  their  ignorance,  had  addicted  themselves  to  it, 
who,  when  it  pleased  God  to  convert  them,  laid  it  aside,  and  burned  the  books 
whence  they  learned  it.1 

It  is  objected  against  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  unlawfulness  of  judicial 
astrology,  that  Moses  addicted  himself  to  the  study  of  it,  of  whom  it  is  said  that 
4  he  was  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians.'3  But  if,  by  'the  wisdom  of 
the  Egyptians,'  we  understand,  as  most  expositors  do,  judicial  astrology,  Moses 
might  know,  but  not  approve  of,  or  practise  this  art,  which  was  so  much  in  use 
among  the  Egyptians.  Perhaps,  however,  nothing  more  is  intended  but  his  know- 
ing the  regular  motion  of  the  stars,  and  the  wisdom  of  God  seen  in  it,  without 
judging  by  it  of  future  events  ;  and  in  that  case,  his  knowledge  was  not  only  law- 
ful, but  commendable.  Yet  I  am  apt  to  think  that,  by  '  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyp- 
tians,' we  are  to  understand  those  maxims  of  state,  and  the  secrets  of  Pharaoh's 
court,  which  he  had  an  opportunity  to  know,  as  being  a  great  favourite  with  him,  as 
Josephus  observes,  who  thinks  that  Pharaoh  designed  that  he  should  succeed  him 
in  the  throne. b 

Having  thus  considered  this  commandment  as  being  broken  by  atheism  and  idol- 
atry, and  considered  also  the  various  kinds  and  degrees  of  the  latter,  which  is 
called  our  having  other  gods  ;  we  may  now  inquire  what  is  meant  by  these  words 
"  before  me"  in  the  first  commandment.  They  are  an  intimation  of  the  aggravation 
of  the  sins  forbidden  in  it.  God  puts  us  in  mind  by  them  of  his  all-seeing  eye,  which 
ought  to  deter  us  from  the  breach  of  it ;  especially  when  we  consider,  that  inas- 
much as  he  beholds  all  our  actions,  he  cannot  but  be  exceedingly  displeased  when 
we  entertain  any  conceptions  of  him  which  tend  to  question  his  authority,  dethrone 
his  sovereignty,  or  alienate  our  affections  from  him,  and  set  up  any  thing  in  com- 
petition with  him.  We  ought  hence  to  set  the  Lord  always  before  us,  considering 
him  as  the  heart-searching  God,  who  is  jealous  for  his  own  honour,  and  will  not 
suffer  this  sin  to  go  unpunished. 

u  Jer.  x.  2.  x  Isr.  xlvii.  13.  y  Chap.  xliv.  25. 

z  Acts  xix.  19.  a  Chap.  vii.  22.  b  Vid.  Jos.  Antiq.  lib.  ii.  cap.  v. 

[Note  S.  Doctrines  of  Devils. — The  word  Sa/^owa  was  currently  used  among  the  Greeks  to  signify 
superior  intelligences, — objects  of  religious  worship  ;  and,  in  conformity  with  this  sense,  it  is  in  one 
*  passage  translated  in  our  version  by  the  word  'strange  gods.'  Its  most  common  signification  among 
the  Greeks,  seems  to  have  been,  '  the  souls  of  men  deified  or  canonized  after  death ;'  and  this  signifi- 
cation appears  to  be  attached  to  it  in  Acts  xvii.  18 ;  Rev.  ix.  20 ;  1  Cor.  x.  20,  21 ;  and  1  Tim.  iv.  1. 
The  phrase  in  the  last  of  these  texts,  "HhairKaXiai  leupeviuv,  is  of  parallel  construction  with  the 
phrases  which  occur  elsewhere,  (Heb.  vi.  2;  Acts  xiii.  12.)  fiavrriirfiMv  2/2«£*jf,  r»j  3<Sa£»i  rsv  Kugnu, 
and  may  fairly  be  translated  '  doctrines  concerning  deified  or  canonized  men,'  just  as  these  may  be 
translated, '  doctrine  concerning  baptisms,' '  the  doctrine  concerning  the  Lord.'  The  word  '  spirits,' 
too,  is  employed  in  the  New  Testament  (1  John  iv.  1.)  to  designate  pretenders  to  inspiration  or 
miraculous  gifts.  The  entire  prophecy  in  1  Tim  iv.  1 — 3,  therefore,  is  a  graphic  description  of 
the  peculiar  or  characteristic  features  which  should  early  be  developed  in  the  great  antichristian 
apostacy ;  for  it  enumerates  errors  by  which  both  the  western  and  the  eastern  sections  of  the  body 


328  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

calling  itself '  Catholic,'  has  been  eminently  characterized,—'  departure  from  the  apostolic  faith, 
pretension  to  infallibility  and  miraculous  powers,  the  canonizing  and  worshipping  of  departed  souls, 
the  prohibition  of  marriage  to  the  clergy,  and  the  encouraging  of  monasticism,  the  enjoining  of  fasts 
and  festivals,  and  the  promoting  of  courses  of  cynicism  and  penance  :  '  Now  the  spirit  speaketh  ex- 
pressly that,  in  the  latter  times,  some  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  pretend- 
ers to  authority  over  the  conscience,  and  doctrines  concerning  canonized  men ;  speaking  lies  in' 
hypocrisy ;  having  their  conscience  seared  with  a  hot  iron  ;  forbidding  to  marry  [and  commanding] 
to  abstain  from  meats  which  God  hath  created  to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  those  who  be- 
lieve and  know  the  truth.' — Ed.] 


THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CVII.  Which  is  the  second  commandment  ? 

Answer.  The  second  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any 
likeness  of  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water 
under  the  earth ;  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  to  them,  nor  serve  them;  for  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a 
jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  genera- 
tion of  them  that  hate  me;  and  showing  mercy  unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my 
commandments.'' 

Question  CVIII.  What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  second  commandment  f 

Answer.  The  duties  required  in  the  second  commandment  are  the  receiving,  observing,  and 
keeping  pure  and  entire,  all  such  religions  worship  and  ordinances  as  God  hath  instituted  in  his 
word,  particularly  prayer  and  thanksgiving  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the  reading,  preaching,  and  hear- 
ing of  the  word,  the  administration  and  receiving  of  the  sacraments,  church  government  and  dis- 
cipline, the  ministry  and  maintenance  thereof,  religious  fasting,  sweating  by  the  name  of  God,  and 
vowing  unto  him  ;  as  also  the  disapproving,  detesting,  opposing,  all  false  worship,  and,  according 
to  each  one's  place  and  calling,  removing  it,  and  all  monuments  of  idolatry. 

Question  C1X.  What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  second  commandment  t 

Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  second  commandment,  are  all  devising,  counselling,  command- 
ing, using,  and  any  ways  approving  any  religious  worship  not  instituted  by  God  himself,  tolerating 
a  false  religion,  the  making  any  representation  of  God,  of  all,  or  of  any  of  the  three  Persons,  either 
inwardly  in  our  mind,  or  outwardly,  in  any  kind  of  image  or  likeness  of  any  creature  whatsoever, 
all  worshipping  of  it,  or  God  in  it,  or  by  it;  the  making  of  any  representation  of  feigned  deities, 
and  all  worship  of  them,  or  service  belonging  to  them,  all  superstitious  devices,  corrupting  the 
worship  of  God,  adding  to  it,  taking  from  it,  whether  invented  and  taken  up  of  ourselves,  or  re- 
ceived by  tradition  from  others  ;  though  under  the  title  of  antiquity,  custom,  devotion,  good  in- 
tent, or  any  other  pretence  whatsoever,  simony,  sacrilege,  all  neglect,  contempt,  hindering  and  op- 
posing the  worship  and  ordinances  which  God  hath  appointed. 

Question  CX.  What  are  the  reasons  annexed  to  the  second  commandment  the  more  to  enforce  it  f 
Answer.  The  reasons  annexed  to  the  second  commandment,  the  more  to  enforce  it,  contained 
in  these  words,  "For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me;  and  showing  mercy 
unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  me,  and  keep  my  commandments,"  are,  besides  God's  sovereignty 
over  us,  and  propriety  in  us,  his  fervent  zeal  for  his  own  worship,  and  his  revengeful  indignation 
against  all  false  worship,  as  being  a  spiritual  whoredom,  accounting  the  breakers  of  this  command- 
ment such  as  hate  him,  and  threatening  to  punish  them  unto  divers  generations,  and  esteeming  the 
observers  of  it,  such  as  love  him,  and  keep  his  commandments,  and  promising  mercy  to  them  unto 
many  generations. 

Difference  between  the  First  and  the  Second  Commandment. 

Before  we  proceed  to  consider  the  matter  of  this  commandment,  we  shall  premise 
something,  in  general,  concerning  the  difference  between  it  and  the  first  com- 
mandment. The  first  commandment  respects  the  object  of  worship  ;  the  second, 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be  performed.  Accordingly,  the  former  forbids  our 
not  owning  God  to  be  such  an  one  as  he  has  revealed  himself  to  be  in  his  word, 
and  also  the  substituting  of  any  creature  in  his  room,  or  acknowledging  it,  either 
directly  or  by  consequence,  to  be  our  chief  good  and  happiness  ;  the  latter  obliges 
us  to  worship  God,  in  such  a  way  as  he  has  prescribed,  in  opposition  to  that  which 
takes  its  rise  from  our  own  invention.  These  two  commandments,  therefore,  being 
so  distinct,  we  cannot  but  think  the  Papists  to  be  chargeable  with  a  very  great 
absurdity,  in  making  the  second  to  be  only  an  appendix  to  the  first,  or  an  explana- 
tion of  it.     The  design  of  their  doing  so  seems  to  be,  that  they  may  exculpate 


THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  329 

themselves  from  the  charge  of  idolatry,  in  setting  up  image-worship,  which  they 
think  to  be  no  crime  ;  because  they  are  not  so  stupid  as  to  style  the  image  a  god, 
or  make  it  a  supreme  object  of  worship.  This  commandment,  however,  in  forbid- 
ding false  worship,  is  directly  contrary  to  their  practice  of  worshipping  God  by 
images. 

The  method  in  which  this  commandment  is  laid  down,  is  the  same  with  that  of 
several  others  ;  we  have  an  account  of  the  duties  required,  the  sins  forbidden,  and 
the  reasons  annexed  to  enforce  it. 

The  Duties  Enjoined  in  the  Second  Commandment. 

We  shall  first  consider  the  duties  commanded.  These  are  contained  in  two 
Heads. 

1.  We  are  under  an  obligation  to  observe,  or  attend  upon,  such  religious  worship 
and  ordinances  as  God  has  appointed. "  Religious  worship  is  that  whereby  we  ad- 
dress ourselves  to  God,  as  a  God  of  infinite  perfection ;  profess  an  entire  subjection 
and  devotedness  to  him  as  our  God  ;  put  our  trust  in  him  for  a  supply  of  all  our 
wants  ;  and  ascribe  to  him  that  praise  and  glory  which  is  his  due,  as  our  chief 
good,  most  bountiful  benefactor,  and  only  portion  and  happiness.  As  for  the  or- 
dinances, our  attendance  on  them  depends  on  a  divine  command,  to  which  God  has 
annexed  a  promise  of  his  gracious  presence,  whereby  our  expectations  are  raised  that 
we  shall  obtain  some  blessings  from  him,  when  we  engage  in  them  in  a  right  man- 
ner. In  this  respect  they  are  instituted  means  of  grace,  and  pledges  of  that  special 
favour  which  he  designs  to  bestow  on  his  people.  This  is  that  which  more  espe- 
cially renders  a  duty  enjoined  an  ordinance.  Accordingly,  our  Saviour  says, 
'  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst 
of  them.'c  Now,  these  ordinances  are  either  solitary  or  social;  such  as  we  are 
obliged  to  perform,  either  in  our  closets, d  in  our  families,  or  in  those  public  assem- 
blies where  God  is  worshipped.  They  are  particularly  mentioned  in  this  Answer; 
and  they  are  prayer,  thanksgiving,  reading,  preaching  and  hearing  the  word,  the 
administration  and  receiving  of  the  sacraments,  to  which  we  may  add,  praising  God 
by  singing.  All  these  will  be  insisted  on  in  a  following  Answer,  and  therefore  we 
pass  by  them  at  present. 

Now,  as  these  are  duties  which  are  daily  incumbent  on  us,  so  there  are  other 
duties  or  ordinances,  which  are  to  be  performed  only  as  the  necessity  of  affairs  re- 
quires. One  of  these  is  religious  fasting,  whereby  we  express  public  tokens  of 
mourning  and  humiliation,  and  perform  other  duties  corresponding  with  these,  when 
God  is  provoked  by  crying  sins,  or  when  his  judgments  are  upon  us  and  our  families, 
or  the  church  of  God  in  general.  Thus  the  prophet  Joel,  when  speaking  concern- 
ing several  desolating  judgments  to  which  Israel  was  exposed,  commands  them  '  to 
sanctify  a  fast,  call  a  solemn  assembly ;  and  to  weep  between  the  porch  and  the 
altar ;  and  say,  Spare  thy  people,  0  Lord,  and  give  not  thine  heritage  to  reproach.'6 
This  is  not  to  be  done  at  all  times ;  but  only  when  the  providence  of  God  calls  for 
it.  Hence,  we  have  no  warrant  for  the  observance  of  annual  fasts,  when  that  which 
was  the  first  occasion  of  them  is  removed  ;  much  less  for  those  weeks  of  fasting 
which  the  Papists  observe,  which  they  call  Lent.  No  sufficient  reason  can  be  as- 
signed why  Lent  should  be  observed  at  the  season  fixed  on  by  the  Papists,  rather 
than  at  any  other  time  of  the  year.  Nor  can  their  fasting  on  certain  days  of  the  week 
•be  vindicated,  much  less  their  doing  so  without  joining  other  religious  duties  to 
it ;  or  their  abstaining  from  some  kinds  of  food,  while  they  indulge  themselves  in 
eating  others  which  are  equally  grateful  to  the  appetite.  This  is  a  ludicrous  and 
superstitious  way  of  fasting. — Again,  another  occasional  duty  or  ordinance,  is  our 
setting  apart  time  for  thanksgiving  to  God  for  deliverances  from  public  or  national 
calamities,  or  those  which  more  immediately  respect  ourselves  and  families.  In 
observing  this  ordinance,  those  religious  duties  are  to  be  performed  which  tend 
to  express  our  spiritual  joy  and  thankfulness  to  God,  who  is  the  Author  of  our  de- 
liverances ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  we  are  to  pray  that  he  would  enable  us  to  walk 

c  Matt,  xviii.  20.  d  Chap.  vi.  6.  e  Joel  ii.  15,  17. 

2  T 


330  THE  SECOND  COMA1ANDMENT. 

as  those  who  are  hereby  laid  under  renewed  engagements  to  be  his.  Thus  the  Jews 
observed  some  days  of  thanksgiving  for  their  deliverance  from  Hainan's  conspiracy.' 
Such  public  thanksgiving  for  providential  deliverances,  is  to  be  religiously  observ- 
ed ;  and  so  it  differs  from  that  carnal  joy  which  is  generally  expressed  by  those 
who  receive  mercies,  but  do  not  give  glory  to  God,  the  sole  author  of  them. 

But  besides  these  occasional  ordinances,  there  is  another  mentioned  in  this  An- 
swer, namely,  vowing  to  God.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  Vow  and  pay  unto  the 
Lord. '8  This  language  either,  more  especially,  respects  God's  ancient  people 
entering  into  a  solemn  obligation  or  promise  to  give  something  which  was  to  be 
applied  to  the  support  of  the  public  and  costly  worship  which  was  performed  under 
the  ceremonial  law,  on  which  account  it  is  said,  in  the  following  words,  •  Bring  pre- 
sents unto  him  ;'  or  it  may  be  considered  as  to  the  moral  reason  of  the  thing,  as 
including  our  resolution  to  set  apart  or  apply  some  portion  of  our  worldly  sub- 
stance, as  God  has  prospered  us  in  our  secular  affairs,  to  the  maintaining  and  pro- 
moting of  his  cause  and  interest  in  the  world.  But  we  ought,  at  the  same  time, 
to  devote  ourselves  to  him,  whereby  we  acknowledge  his  right  to  us,  and  all  that 
we  have.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  concerning  the  churches  of  Macedonia,  not  only 
that  they  devoted  their  substance  to  God,  but  that  they  '  gave  themselves '  also 
'  unto  the  Lord.'h  This  duty  does  not  include  our  resolving  to  do  those  things 
which  are  out  of  our  own  power,  or  that  we  will  exercise  those  graces  which  are  the 
special  gift  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  but  it  is  rather  a  dedication  of  ourselves  to  him, 
in  hope  of  obtaining  that  grace  from  him  which  will  enable  us  to  perform  those 
duties  which  are  indispensably  .necessary  to  salvation,  and  inseparably  connected 
with  it.  This  is  such  a  vowing  to  God,  as  will  not  have  a  tendency  to  ensnare  our 
consciences,  or  detract  from  his  glory  who  is  alone  the  Author  of  all  grace.  Nor 
does  it  contain  the  least  instance  of  presumption  ;  but  is  a  duty  which  we  ought 
to  perform  by  faith,  to  his  glory  and  our  own  edification. 

"We  might  notice  another  ordinance,  mentioned  in  this  Answer  ;  namely,  swear- 
ing by  the  name  of  God.  This,  as  we  have  elsewhere  expressed  it,  includes  a  swear- 
ing fealty  to  him,  and  our  consecrating  and  devoting  ourselves  to  him.  *  As  to 
swearing,  as  a  religious  duty  to  be  performed  in  subserviency  to  civil  duties,  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  it  under  the  third  commandment ;  and  therefore 
we  pass  it  over  at  present. 

2.  We  proceed  to  observe  that  the  religious  duties  or  ordinances  which  we  have 
noticed,  and  all  others  which  God  has  enjoined,  are  to  be  kept  pure  and  entire. 
As  we  are  not  to  cast  off  the  ordinances  of  God  in  general,  so  we  must  take  heed 
that  we  do  not,  while  we  perform  some,  live  in  the  neglect  of  others ;  for  that  is 
not  to  keep  them  entire.  Thus  private  duties  are  not  to  shut  out  those  which  are 
social  in  our  families  or  the  public  assemblies,  nor  intrench  on  that  time  which 
ought  to  be  allotted  for  them  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  not  sufficient  for  us  to 
worship  God  in  public,  and,  at  the  same  time,  cast  off  all  secret  duties.  This  re- 
proves the  practice  of  some  modern  enthusiasts,  who  pray  not,  unless  moved  by 
the  Spirit,  as  they  pretend ;  and  deny  their  obligation  to  observe  the  ordinances  of 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper.  Moreover,  as  we  are  to  keep  the  ordinances  of 
God  entire,  we  are  also  to  keep  them  pure,  that  is,  to  allow,  or  practise  nothing 
but  what  is  warranted  by  the  rules  which  God  has  given  us  in  his  word  ;  in  oppo- 
sition to  those  who  corrupt  his  worship,  by  intruding  those  ordinances  into  it  which 
are  of  their  own  invention,  and"  pretending  that,  though  God  has  not  commanded 
these,  yet  the  service  which  we  perform,  which  can  be  no  other  than  will-worship, 
will  be  acceptable  to  him. 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Second  Commandment. 

We  now  proceed  to  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment.  The 
general  scope  and  design  of  the  commandment,  as  to  the  negative  part  of  it,  is 
God's  prohibiting  all  false  worship,  either  in  our  hearts,  or  in  our  outward  actions 

f  Estb.  ix.  20,  et  seq.  g  ps„l.  lxxvi.  1 1.  h  2  Cor.  viii.  5. 

i  See  more  ol  this  in  Sect.  '  The  Covenant  of  Grace  as  made  with  Man,'  under  Quest,  xxxi. 


THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  331 

or  gestures,  whereby  we  adhere  to  our  own  imaginations  rather  than  his  revealed 
will,  which  is  the  only  rule  of  instituted  worship.  The  things  forbidden  in  this 
commandment  may  be  reduced  to  three  Heads. 

1.  A  not  attending  on  the  ordinances  of  God  with  that  holy,  humble,  and  becom- 
ing frame  of  spirit  which  the  solemnity  of  the  duties  themselves,  or  the  authority 
of  God  enjoining  them,  or  the  advantages  which  we  may  expect  to  receive  by  them, 
call  for.  When  we  do  not  seriously  think  what  we  are  going  about  before  we  engage 
in  holy  duties,  or  watch  over  our  hearts  and  affections,  or  when  we  worship  God  in 
a  careless  and  indifferent  manner  ;  we  may  be  said  to  draw  nigh  to  him  with  our 
lips,  while  our  hearts  are  far  from  him. 

2.  We  farther  break  this  commandment,  when  we  invent  ordinances  which  God 
has  nowhere  in  his  word  commanded  ;  or  think  to  recommend  ourselves  to  him  by 
gestures,  or  modes  of  worship,  which  we  have  no  precedent  or  example  for  in  the 
New  Testament.  This  is  what  is  generally  called  superstition  and  will-worship. 
Thus  we  read  in  the  degenerate  age  of  the  church,  that  'the  statutes  of  Omri  were 
kept,  and  all  the  works  of  the  house  of  Ahab  ;'k  referring  to  that  false  worship  which 
was  practised  by  them.  Here  we  cannot  but  observe,  that  there  are  many  things  in 
which  the  Papists  are  chargeable  with  superstition  and  will-worship,  if  not  with 
idolatry.  For  example,  they  worship  the  bread  in  the  sacrament,  supposing  it  to 
be  the  real  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  not  merely  the  sign  of  him.  They  under- 
stand the  words  of  our  Saviour  when  instituting  this  ordinance,  '  This  is  my  body,'1 
in  a  literal  sense,  though  they  ought  to  be  understood  in  a  figui'ative  sense. — Again, 
they  lift  up  the  bread  in  the  sacrament,  pretending  that  their  doing  so  is  a  real  of- 
fering of  Christ ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  people  are  obliged  to  show  all  possible 
marks  of  sorrow,  such  as  beating  their  breasts,  shaking  their  heads,  &c,  as  though 
they  really  saw  Christ  on  the  cross.  But  it  is  a  profaning  of  the  Lord's  supper,  to 
say  that  Christ  is  really  and  visibly  offered  in  it  by  the  hands  of  the  priest ;  and  is 
contrary  to  what  the  apostle  says  of  his  having  been  but  '  once  offered  to  bear  the 
sins  of  many.'m — Moreover,  they  use  several  superstitious  ceremonies  in  baptism, 
which  have,  indeed,  a  show  of  religion,  but  want  a  divine  sanction,  and  are  no  other 
than  an  addition  to  Christ's  institution.  Thus  they  use  spittle,  salt,  and  cream,  be- 
sides the  water  with  which  the  child  is  to  be  baptized  ;  and  anoint  it  with  oil,  and 
use  exorcism,  commanding  the  unclean  spirit  to  depart  out  of  it,  and  signing  it  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross  ;  at  which  they  suppose  the  devil  to  be  so  terrified,  that  he  is 
obliged  to  leave  it,  being  by  this  means,  as  it  were,  frightened  away.  The  princi- 
pal reason,  however,  which  they  give  for  their  adding  this  ceremony  to  Christ's 
institution,  is  to  signify  that  the  child  is  hereby  obliged  to  fight  manfully  under 
Christ's  banner.  But  this  ceremony  neither  increases  nor  diminishes  the  child's 
obligation ;  and  it  is  a  sign  which  Christ  makes  no  mention  of. — We  may  mention 
also  their  frequent  crossing  of  themselves,  as  a  preservative  against  sin,  and  as  a 
means  to  keep  them  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  and  to  render  their  prayers  ac- 
ceptable in  the  sight  of  God  ;  the  splendour  and  magnificence  of  their  churches,  and 
especially  the  shape  and  figure  of  them,  as  accommodated  to  that  of  Solomon's 
temple,  and  their  situation  east  and  west ;  also  their  bowing  to  the  altar,  which  is 
placed  in  the  east, — a  practice  for  which  there  is  not  the  least  shadow  of  argument 
in  scripture,  or  example  in  the  purest  ages  of  the  Church  ;  the  ludicrous  and  un- 
warrantable ceremonies  used  in  the  consecration  of  churches,  and  the  reverence 
which  every  one  must  show  to  places  thus  consecrated,  even  at  other  times  than 
that  of  divine  worship.  We  may  add,  that  there  are  many  superstitious  ceremonies 
in  consecrating  all  the  vessels  and  utensils  which  are  used  in  their  churches.  Yea, 
the  very  bells  are  baptized,  or,  as  they  express  it,  consecrated,  in  order  that  the 
devil  may  be  afraid  of  the  sound  of  them,  and  keep  his  distance  from  those  places 
of  worship  in  which  they  are  fixed.  But  such  charms  can  be  reckoned  only  the 
s-port  of  the  powers  of  darkness,  or  looked  on  by  them  with  contempt.-! — Again,  the 
Papists  ascribe  a  divine,  yea,  a  meritorious  virtue,  to  the  frequent  repeating  of  the 
Lord's  prayer  in  Latin,  commonly  called  '  Paternoster,'  and  the  angel's  salutation 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,"  called  '  Ave  Maria.'     The  words  of  this  salutation  they  put  a 

k  Micah  vi.  16.  1  Matt.  xxvi.  26.  ra  Ileb.   x.  28.  n  Mentioned  in  Luke  i.  28. 


332  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

corrupt  sense  upon,  contrary  to  their  proper  meaning  and  the  recitation  of  them ;  and 
whether  they  be  understood  or  not,  it?  is  reckoned  acceptable  service. — We  may  men- 
tion likewise  the  distinction  of  garments,  and  the  relative  holiness  of  the  persons 
who  wear  them,  as  signified  by  that  distinction.  We  may  mention,  too,  the  canoni- 
cal hours  which  are  appointed  for  the  performing  of  divine  service  ;  especially  if 
we  consider  the  reason  which  they  allege  for  the  practice,  namely,  that  there  was 
something  remarkable  done  or  suffered  by  Christ  at  those  hours  in  the  day.  These 
things  argue  them  guilty  of  superstition. — We  might  take  notice  also  of  the  many 
things  which  they  make  merchandise  of,  as  consecrated  bread,  wax-candles,  &c. 
They  ascribe  to  these  a  spiritual  virtue,  or  some  advantage  to  be  received  by  those 
who  purchase  them  ;  and  so  they  advance  the  price  of  them.  There  are  also  the 
relics  which  they  call  the  church's  treasure,  or  those  rarities  which  they  purchase 
at  a  great  rate  ;  though  some  of  the  wiser  Papists  have  made  but  a  jest  of  them. — 
We  pass  by,  for  brevity's  sake,  many  other  superstitious  ceremonies  used  by  them, 
and  observe  only  their  bowing  at  the  name  of  Jesus.  This  practice  can  hardly  be 
vindicated  from  the  charge  of  superstition,  especially  as  no  extraordinary  expres- 
sion of  reverence  is  made  at  the  mention  of  those  incommunicable  attributes  of  God 
which  are  ascribed  to  him  ;  nor,  indeed,  do  they  bow  the  knee  at  the  mentioning 
of  the  word  '  Saviour,'  •  Christ,'  or  '  Emmanuel,'  or  when  any  other  divine  characters 
are  given  him.  The  only  scripture  they  make  use  of  to  vindicate  this  practice,  is 
Phil.  ii.  10,  '  That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow.'  But  it  is  plain 
that  this  '  bowing  the  knee'  does  not  signify  a  bodily  gesture,  but  only  a  subjection 
of  soul  to  Christ,  as  'angels,  authorities,  and  powers' are  said  to  be  'made  subject  unto 
him.'°  These,  indeed,  are  a  very  considerable  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  heaven, 
but  they  have  no  knees  to  bow  ;  and  as  for  '  things  under  the  earth,'  that  is,  the 
powers  of  darkness,  they  do  not  bow  to  him  in  a  way  of  worship,  but  are  subjected 
to  him  as  conquered  enemies. 

3.  We  now  proceed  to  consider  that  they  are  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  com- 
mandment, who  frame  an  image  of  any  of  the  persons  of  the  Godhead,  or  of  any 
creature  in  heaven  or  earth,  as  a  means  or  help  made  use  of  in  order  to  their  wor- 
shipping God.  Here  it  must  be  inquired  whether  the  making  of  images,  absolutely 
or  in  all  respects,  be  unlawful.  It  is  generally  answered  that,  if  pictures  repre- 
senting creatures,  either  in  heaven  or  earth,  be  made  with  no  other  design  but,  in 
an  historical  way,  to  propagate  the  memory  of  persons  and  their  actions  to  posterity, 
the  making  of  them  seems  not  to  be  a  breach  of  this  commandment.  But  the  sin 
forbidden  in  it,  expressed  in  those  words,  '  Making  to  ourselves  the  image  or  like- 
ness of  creatures  in  heaven  or  earth,'  is  committed  when  we  design  to  worship  God 
by  the  images.  Accordingly,  the  using  of  bodily  gestures  to  them,  such  as  those 
which  were  used  in  the  worship  of  God,  as  bowing,  uncovering  the  head,  &c,  wherein 
a  person  designs  an  act  of  worship,  is  idolatry.  Even  if  nothing  else  is  intended 
but  the  worshipping  of  God  by  the  images,  the  use  of  them  can  hardly  be  excused 
from  at  least  the  appearance  of  idolatry ;  so  that,  according  to  one  of  the  rules  be- 
fore laid  down  for  understanding  the  ten  commandments,  it  is  to  be  reckoned  a 
breach  of  the  second  commandment ;  which  is  what  we  are  now  considering.? — 
Again,  it  must  be  inquired  whether  it  be  unlawful  to  represent  any  of  the  persons 
in  the  Godhead,  by  pictures  or  carved  images?  We  answer,  that,  God  being  infinite 
and  incomprehensible,  it  is  impossible  to  frame  any  image  like  him.i  Moreover,  he 
assigns  as  a  reason  why  Israel  should  make  no  image  of  him,  that  'they  saw  no 
manner  of  similitude  when  he  spake  to  them  in  Horeb,  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire  ;' 
and  adds,  '  lest  ye  corrupt  yourselves,  and  make  you  a  graven  image.'1"  And  the 
apostle  styles  the  representing  of  God  by  an  image,  an  offering  the  highest  affront  to 
him,  when  he  speaks  of  some  who  '  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into 
an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man.'8  But  there  are  some  who,  though  they 
do  not  much  care  to  defend  the  practice  of  making  pictures  of  God,  yet  plead  for 
describing  an  emblem  of  the  Trinity,  such  as  a  triangle,  with  the  name  Jehovah  in 
the  midst  of  it.     Now,  I  would  observe  concerning  this  practice,  that  if  the  design 

o  1  Pet.  iii.  22.  p  See  pnge  312.  q  Isa.  xl  18;  Chap.  xlvi.  5;  Acts  xvii.  29. 

r  Deut  iv.  15,  16.  g  Rom.  i.  23. 


THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  333 

of  it  be  to  worship  God  by  the  emblem,  it  is  idolatry  ;  but  if  not,  it  is  unwarrantable, 
and,  indeed,  unnecessary  ;  since  a  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  unity  of  the  divine 
essence,  is  to  be  understood  as  revealed  in  scripture,  and  not  brought  to  our  remem- 
brance by  an  emblem,  which  is  an  ordinance  of  our  own  invention.  It  is  farther 
inquired  whether  we  may  not  describe  our  Saviour,  as  he  sometimes  is  by  the  Pa- 
pists, in  those  things  which  respect  his  human  nature  ?  whether  we  may  not  por- 
tray him  as  an  infant  in  his  mother's  arms,  or  as  conversing  on  earth,  or  hanging 
on  the  cross?  The  Papists  not  only  describe  him  thus,  but  adore  the  image  or 
representation  of  Christ  crucified,  which  they  call  a  crucifix.  But  whatever  of 
Christ  comes  within  the  reach  of  the  art  of  man  to  delineate  or  describe,  is  only 
his  human  nature,  which  is  not  the  object  of  divine  adoration ;  so  that  the  practice 
of  describing  him  in  the  way  mentioned  tends  rather  to  debase,  than  to  give  us 
raised  and  becoming  conceptions  of  him  as  such. 

As  God  is  sometimes  represented  as  having  a  body  or  bodily  parts,  and  as  the 
prophet  Daniel  describes  God  the  Father  as  'the  Ancient  of  days  ;'*  some  suppose 
that  it  is  not  unlawful  for  them  to  make  such  representations  of  him  by  images. 
But  God's  being  described  by  the  parts  of  human  bodies,  is  in  condescension  to  the 
weakness  of  our  capacities,  or  agreeable  to  human  modes  of  speaking  ;  according  to 
which  the  eye  signifies  wisdom,  the  arm  power,  the  heart  love,  &c.  We  are,  notwith- 
standing these  modes  of  expression,  to  abstract,  in  our  thoughts,  every  thing  which 
is  carnal  or  applicable  to  the  creature,  when  conceiving  of  God ;  and  therefore  not 
to  give  occasion  to  any  to  think  that  he  is  like  ourselves,  by  describing  him  in  such 
a  way.  The  Papists  not  only  plead  for  making  such  images,  but  set  them  up  in 
churches,  calling  them  the  laymen's  books,  with  a  design  to  instruct  them  in  those 
things  which  the  images  represent.  But  such  a  method  of  instruction  is  without 
any  warrant  from  scripture,  as  well  as  contrary  to  the  practice  of  the  purest  ages 
of  the  church ;  who  always  thought  that  the  word  of  God  was  sufficient  to  lead  them 
into  the  knowledge  of  himself,  without  making  use  of  a  picture  for  that  purpose. — 
Yet  though  this  colour  is  put  on  the  practice  of  setting  up  such  images  in  churches, 
there  are  some  of  the  Papists  who  plead  for  the  worship  of  images  only  with  this 
distinction,  that  it  is  a  subordinate  or  a  relative  worship  which  they  give  to  them, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  highest  worship  is  given  to  God  only.  But  they  can- 
not thus  exculpate  themselves  from  the  charge  of  idolatry.  Indeed,  in  some  of 
their  books  of  devotion,  we  find  the  same  expressions  used  when  they  address  them- 
selves to  the  creature,  as  if  they  were  paying  divine  adoration  to  God  ;  particularly 
in  the  book,  which  is  well  known  among  them,  called  the  Virgin  Mary's  Psalter,  in 
which  her  name  is  often  inserted  instead  of  the  name  of  God,  which  is  the  highest 
strain  of  blasphemy.  Thus  when  it  is  said, '  0  come  let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord  our 
Maker,'"  instead  of  '  the  Lord,'  they  put  '  the  Virgin  Mary  ;'  and  when  it  is  said, 
'  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  God,'x  they  pray,  '  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lady,'  &c. 
These  expressions  cannot  be  read  without  detestation  ;  and  there  are  in  that  book 
many  more  of  a  similar  kind.  When  this  has  been  objected  against  them  as  a  speci- 
men of  their  idolatry,  all  the  reply  they  make  is,  that  the  book  was  written  by  a 
private  person  as  an  help  to  devotion,  but  not  established  by  the  authority  of  the 
church,  which  is  not  to  be  charged  with  every  absurdity  which  some  of  their 
communion  may  advance.  We  reply,  that  the  church  of  Rome  has  been  very  ready 
to  condemn  better  books,  written  by  those  who  were  not  in  her  communion  ;  while 
she  has  never  publicly  condemned  this  book,  but  rather  commended  it  as  written 
with  a  good  design.  Besides,  there  are  many  blasphemous  expressions  given  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  in  their  Breviaries  and  Missals,  which  are  used  by  public  authority. 
Thus  she  is  often  addressed  in  such  characters  as  these, — 'the  mother  of  mercy,' '  the 
gate  of  heaven,'  'the  queen  of  heaven,'  'the  empress  of  the  world;'  and  sometimes 
she  is  desired  not  only  to  pray  her  son  to  help  them,  but,  by  the  authority  of  a 
mother,  to  command  him  to  do  it.  At  other  times,  they  desire  her  to  help  and 
save  them  herself ;  and  accordingly  they  give  her  the  title  of  Redeemer  and  Sa- 
viour, as  well  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Sometimes  also  they  profess  to  put  their 
trust  and  confidence  in  her.  Now,  if  this  be  not  idolatry,  where  is  there  any  to  be 
found  in  the  world  ? 

t  Dan.  vii.  9.  u  Fsal.  xcv.  6.  x  Psal.  li.  1. 


334  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

We  may  notice,  likewise,  that  idolatry  which  is  practised  by  them  in  their  devo- 
tion to  the  images  of  other  saints.  Every  saint  in  their  calendar  is  called  upon 
in  his  turn.  Among  those,  indeed,  some  were  good  men,  as  the  martyrs,  who  re- 
fused to  be  worshipped  while  on  earth  ;  how  much  soever  the  Papists  worship  them 
now  that  they  are  in  heaven.  But  there  are  others  whom  the  Popes  have  canon- 
ized as  saints,  who  were  little  better  than  devils  incarnate,  while  they  were  upon 
earth  ;  and  others  were  rebels  and  traitors  to  their  king  and  country,  and  suffered 
the  just  reward  of  their  wickedness.  Such  as  these  are  found  among  those  whom 
they  pay  this  worship  to.  There  are  also  others  whom  they  worship  as  saints,  con- 
cerning whom  it  may  be  much  questioned  whether  there  ever  were  such  persons  in 
the  world.  These  may  be  called  fabulous  saints ;  yet  images  are  made  to  their 
honour,  and  prayers  directed  to  them.  There  are  also  things  worshipped  by  them 
which  never  had  life,  as  the  picture  of  the  cross,  and  many  pretended  relics  of  the 
saints.  Upon  the  whole,  therefore,  we  cannot  but  think  that  we  have,  in  this  mode 
of  worship,  a  notorious  instance  of  the  breach  of  the  second  commandment ;  and 
we  cannot  but  conclude  that,  in  rendering  this  worship,  they  have  apostatized  or 
turned  aside  from  the  purity  of  the  gospel. 

It  may  be  observed,  that  the  church,  for  the  first  three  hundred  years  after 
Christ,  had  comparatively  but  little  superstition  and  no  idolatry.  But  in  the  fourth 
century,  superstition  began  to  insinuate  itself  into  it.  Then  it  was  that  the  pic- 
tures of  the  martyrs,  who  had  suffered  in  Christ's  cause,  were  first  set  up  in  churches, 
though  without  any  design  of  worshipping  them  ;  and  the  setting  of  them  up  was 
not  universally  approved  of.  As  for  image-worship,  it  was  not  brought  into  the 
church  till  above  seven  hundred  years  after  Christ ;  and  then  there  was  a  consider- 
able opposition  made  to  it  by  some.  This  kind  of  worship  was  set  up  in  one  reign, 
and  prohibited  in  another  ;  but  afterwards  it  universally  prevailed  in  the  Romish 
church,  when  arrived  at  that  height  of  impiety  and  idolatry,  without  opposition, 
which  it  maintains  at  this  day. 

The  Reasons  annexed  to  the  Second  Commandment. 

We  now  proceed  to  observe  the  reasons  annexed  to  this  Commandment.  These 
are  taken  from  the  consideration  of  what  God  is  in  himself:  '  I  am  the  Lord,'  or 
1  Jehovah.'  This  being  a  name  never  given  to  any  creature,  is  expressive  of  all 
his  divine  perfections,  which  render  him  the  object  of  worship,  and  oblige  us  to  per- 
form that  worship  which  he  requires,  in  such  a  way  as  is  agreeable  to  his  character. 
He  also  styles  himself  a  God  to  his  people  :  '  I  am  thy  God.'  Hence,  to  set  up 
strange  gods,  or  to  worship  him  in  a  way  not  prescribed  by  him,  is  a  violation  of 
his  covenant,  as  well  as  not  performing  the  duty  we  owe  to  him,  and  would  render 
us  unfit  to  be  owned  by  him  as  his  people.  Moreover,  they  who  thus  corrupt  them- 
selves, and  pervert  his  worship,  are  styled  haters  of  him,  and  therefore  can  expect 
nothing  but  to  be  dealt  with  as  enemies.  This  he  gives  them  to  understand,  in 
his  styling  himself  '  a  jealous,'  or  sin-revenging  God,  'visiting  the  iniquities  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children.'  For  understanding  this  language,  let  it  be  considered 
that,  though  God  does  not  punish  children  with  eternal  destruction  for  the  sins  of 
their  immediate  parents,  yet  these  often  bring  temporal  judgments  on  families. 
Thus  all  the  children  of  Israel  who  murmured  and  despised  the  good  land,  so  far 
bare  their  fathers'  iniquity,  that  they  wandered  in  the  wilderness  nearly  forty  years. 
Again,  these  judgments  fall  more  heavily  on  those  children  who  make  their  parents' 
sins  their  own.  This  was  the  case  of  the  Jews.  Hence,  our  Saviour  tells  them  that 
'  all  the  blood  that  was  shed  upon  the  earth,  should  come  upon  them,  from  the  blood 
of  righteous  Abel  unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  whom  they  slew  between  the  temple 
and  the  altar,  'y  They  approved  and  committed  the  same  sins  which  their  fathers 
were  guilty  of,  and  consequently  are  said  to  have  '  filled  up  the  measure  of  their 
sins.'  Hence,  the  judgments  of  God  which  they  exposed  themselves  to,  were  most 
terrible.  Further,  whatever  temporal  judgments  may  be  inflicted  on  children  for 
their  parents'  sins,  shall  be  sanctified,  and  redound  to  their  spiritual  advantage,  as 

y  Matt,  xxiii.  35. 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  335 

well  as  end  in  their  everlasting  happiness,  if  they  do  not  follow  their  bad  example. 
Accordingly,  it  is  farther  observed  that  God  '  shows  mercy  unto  thousands  of  tlum 
that  love  him  and  keep  his  commandments.'  These  are  very  great  motives  and  in- 
ducements to  enforce  the  observance  of  all  God's  commandments,  and  this  in  par- 
ticular. 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


Question  CXI.   Wliich  is  the  third  commandment  f 

Answer.  The  third  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thj  God  in 
vain  ;  (or  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain." 

Question  CXIL   What  is  required  in  the  third  commandment  f 

Answer.  The  third  commandment  requires,  that  the  name  of  God,  his  titles,  attributes,  ordi- 
nances, the  word,  sacraments,  prayer,  oaths,  vows,  lots,  his  works,  and  whatsoever  else  there  is 
whereby  he  makes  himself  known,  be  holily  and  reverently  used  in  thought,  meditation,  word, 
writing,  by  an  holy  profession,  and  answerable  conversation,  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of 
Ourselves  and  others. 

Question  CXIII.   What  are  the  sins  forbidaen  in  the  third  commandment  t 

Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  third  commandment  are,  the  not  using  of  God's  name  as  is 
required,  and  the  abuse  of  it,  in  an  ignorant,  vain,  irreverent,  profane,  superstitious,  or  wicked 
mentioning  or  otherwise  using  his  titles,  attributes,  ordinances,  or  works  ;  by  blasphemy,  perjury  ; 
all  sinful  cursings,  oaths,  vows,  and  lots  ;  violating  our  oaths  and  vows,  if  lawful,  and  fulfilling  them, 
if  of  things  unlawful,  murmuring  and  quarrelling  at,  curious  prying  into,  and  misapplying  of  God's 
decrees  and  providences,  misinterpreting,  misapplying,  or  any  way  perverting  the  uord,  or  any  part 
of  it,  to  profane  jests,  curious  or  unprofitable  questions,  vain  jangiings,  or  the  maintaining  of  false 
doctrines,  abusing  it,  the  creatures,  or  any  thing  contained  under  the  name  of  God,  to  charms,  or  sin- 
ful lusts  and  practices,  the  maligning,  scorning,  reviling,  or  any  ways  opposing  of  God's  truth,  grace, 
and  ways,  making  profession  of  religion  in  hypocrisy,  or  for  sinister  ends  ;  being  ashamed  of  it,  or  a 
shame  to  it,  by  uncomfortable,  unwise,  unfruitful,  and  offensive  walkings,  or  backsliding  from  it. 

Question  CX1V.   What  are  the  reasons  annexed  to  the  third  commandment  f 

Answer.  The  reasons  annexed  to  the  third  commandment  in  these  words,  "  the  Lord  thy  God," 
and  '*  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain,"  are,  because  he  is  the 
Lord  and  our  God,  and  therefore  his  name  is  not  to  be  profaned,  or  any  way  abused  by  us,  espe- 
cially, because  he  is  so  far  from  acquitting  and  sparing  the  transgressors  of  this  commandment,  as 
that  be  will  not  suffer  them  to  escape  his  righteous  judgment,  albeit  many  such  escape  the  cen- 
sures and  punishments  of  men. 

General  View  of  the  Third  Commandment. 

As  the  second  commandment  respects  the  manner  in  which  God  is  to  be  worshipped, 
agreeably  to  his  revealed  will ;  in  this  we  are  commanded  to  worship  him  with  that 
frame  of  spirit  which  is  suitable  to  the  greatness  of  the  work,  and  the  majesty  of 
him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.  By  the  name  of  God  we  are  to  understand  all 
those  things  whereby  he  is  pleased  to  make  himself  known ;  and  these  are  his 
names,  titles,  attributes,  words,  and  works.  The  attributes  of  God  have  been 
largely  insisted  on  under  the  Question,  '  What  is  God  ?' z  His  names  and  titles 
have  also  been  considered,  as  belonging  to  all  the  persons  in  the  Godhead,  in  prov- 
ing that  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  God  equal  with  the  Father.3  His  word 
is  that  in  which  the  glory  contained  in  his  names,  titles,  and  attributes,  is  set  forth 
in  the  most  glorious  manner.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  Thou  hast  magnified  thy 
word  above  all  thy  name  ;'b  or,  thou  hast  given  a  brighter  discovery  of  thyself  in 
thy  word,  than  thou  hast  done  in  any  thing  else  by  which  thou  hast  made  thyself 
known  to  thy  creatures.  As  for  the  works  of  God,  whether  of  nature  or  of  grace, 
they  are  designed  to  lead  us  into  the  knowledge  of  his  power,  wisdom,  goodness, 
holiness,  and  faithfulness,  which  are  eminently  glorified  in  all  that  he  does.  Now, 
this  commandment  respects  our  having  a  due  regard  to  all  those  ways  whereby  he 

s  Quest,  iv.  a  Quest,  xi.  b  Psal.  cxxxviii.  2. 


336  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

makes  himself  known  ;  and  contains  a  prohibition  of  every  thing  which  may  tend 
tc  cast  the  least  dishonour  upon  them. 

The  Duties  Enjoined  in  the  Third  Commandment. 

Agreeably  to  the  method  in  which  we  are  led  to  discuss  the  commandments,  we 
shall  first  observe  the  duties  enjoined.  The  third  commandment  supposes  that  it 
is  an  indispensable  duty  for  us  to  make  mention  of  the  name  of  God.  Since  he 
has  given  us  some  discoveries  of  himself,  by  what  means  soever  he  has  done  it,  it 
would  be  an  instance  of  the  highest  contempt  of  the  greatest  privilege  for  us  to 
express  no  regard  to  them.  But  this  those  may  be  said  practically  to  do,  who  make 
no  profession  of  religion,  and  desire  not  to  be  instructed  in  those  things  which  re- 
late to  the  name  and  glory  of  God.  Such  conduct  argues  a  person  to  be  abandoned 
to  the  greatest  wickedness,  and  to  live  without  God  in  the  world. 

Now  there  are  several  duties  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  in  which  we  are  said 
to  make  use  of  God's  name.  These  duties  are  performed,  in  particular,  when  we 
attend  on  his  ordinances,  namely,  the  word,  sacraments,  and  prayer  ;  and  when 
we  take  religious  oaths,  and  make  solemn  vows  ;  and  these  duties  are,  doubtless, 
to  be  performed  with  the  utmost  reverence.  We  have  many  instances,  in  scripture, 
of  holy  men  who,  when  they  have  drawn  nigh  to  him  in  prayer,  have  adored  his 
divine  perfections  with  a  becoming  humility.  Thus  Solomon,  at  the  dedication  of 
the  temple,  addresses  himself  to  God:  '  There  is  no  God  like  thee,  in  heaven  above, 
or  on  earth  beneath,  who  keepest  covenant  and  mercy  with  thy  servants,  that  walk 
before  thee  with  all  their  heart.'0   Jacob,  when  wrestling  with  God  in  prayer,  says, 

*  0  God  of  my  father  Abraham,  and  God  of  my  father  Isaac,  the  Lord  which  saidst 
unto  me,  Return  unto  thy  country,  and  to  thy  kindred,  and  I  will  deal  well  with 
thee  ;  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and  of  all  the  truth,  which 
thou  hast  showed  unto  thy  servant.'*1  Hezekiah  expresses  himself  thus  in  prayer, 
'  0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  dwellest  between  the  cherubims,  thou  art  the  God, 
even  thou  alone,  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  thou  hast  made  heaven  and 
earth. 'e  Daniel,  in  prayer,  styles  him,  'the  great  and  dreadful  God,  keeping  the 
covenant  and  mercy  to  them  that  love  him,  and  to  them  that  keep  his  command- 
ments.^ Abraham,  when  standing  before  the  Lord,  and  pleading  in  behalf  of 
Sodom,  says,  '  Behold,  now  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the  Lord,  which 
am  but  dust  and  ashes.  '8  And  the  inhabitants  of  heaven,  who  are  nearest  the 
throne  of  God,  are  represented  as  worshipping  him  with  the  greatest  reverence, 

*  casting  their  crowns  before  the  throne,'  in  token  of  their  being  unworthy  of  the 
honour  that  they  are  advanced  to,  and  saying,  '  Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  re- 
ceive glory,  and  honour,  and  power  ;'h  which  is  to  be  understood  of  him,  exclusive 
of  all  others.  Now,  as  this  reverence  is  to  be  expressed  when  we  ask  any  thing  at 
the  hand  of  God,  by  a  parity  of  reason  it  ought  to  be  expressed  in  any  other  reli- 
gious duty,  on  which  he  has  made  some  impressions  of  his  glory. 

It  may  be  inquired  whether  this  reverence  is  consistent  with  that  boldness  which 
believers  are  said  to  have  in  prayer,  when  they  are  exhorted  to  '  come  boldly  unto 
the  throne  of  grace, ' '  and  to  '  have  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  of  all,  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus. 'k  But  the  word  there  translated  'boldness,'1  may  be  rendered  a 
liberty  of  speech.  Though  he  is  infinitely  above  us,  and  a  God  of  infinite  holiness 
and  purity,  and  therefore  has  the  utmost  abhorrence  of  sin,  which  we  have  reason 
to  charge  ourselves  with  ;  yet  we  are  encouraged  to  come  to  him,  as  sitting  on  a 
throne  of  grace,  whence  he  displays  his  glory  as  a  sin-pardoning  God,  who  other- 
wise appears  in  his  jealousy,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge.  This  'boldness,'  then, 
is  nothing  else  but  our  making  use  of  that  liberty  which  God  gives  us  to  come  into 
his  presence  with  hope  of  being  accepted  in  his  sight,  in  and  through  a  Mediator. 

We  might  farther  observe  that,  as  we  are  to  express  an  holy  reverence  in  draw- 
ing nigh  to  God  in  all  religious  duties,  so  we  ought  not  to  think  of  any  of  his  works, 

c  1  Kings  viii.  23.  <]  Gen.  xxxii.  9.  10.  e  2  Kings  xix.  15. 

f  Dun.  ix.  *.  g  Gen.  xviii.  27.  h  Rev.  iv.  10,  11. 

i  Heb.  iv.  16.  k  Chap.  x.  19.  1  Xtmffnrm. 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  337 

but  with  a  due  regard  to,  and  the  highest  veneration  of,  his  glory,  shining  forth  in 
them.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Remember  that  thou  magnify  his  work,  which  men  be- 
hold.'111 This  reverence  is  to  be  expressed  in  our  meditations,  words,  and  writings  ; 
so  that  we  should  never  think  or  treat  of  divine  subjects,  but  in  an  holy  manner, 
— we  should  never  speak  of  any  thing  by  which  God  manifests  his  glory,  but  with 
a  design  to  beget  in  ourselves  and  others  a  reverential  fear  of  him,  and  the  highest 
esteem  for  him. 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Third  Commandment. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment.  In  general, 
we  violate  it  by  not  using  the  name  of  God  in  such  a  way  as  is  required.  This 
includes  various  particulars.  • 

I.  Persons  break  this  commandment  by  not  making  any  profession  of  religion, 
being  afraid  or  ashamed  to  own  that  in  which  the  name  of  God  is  so  much  con- 
cerned. Persons,  indeed,  do  not  usually  arrive  at  this  height  of  wickedness  at 
once  ;  but  the  mind  is  alienated  from  God  and  his  worship  by  degrees.  There  is 
first  a  great  deal  of  lukewarmness,  formality,  and  hypocrisy,  reigning  in  the  heart 
of  man  ;  so  that  if  they  attend  on  the  ordinances  of  God's  worship,  it  is  with  great 
indifference,  with  many  prejudices,  and  with  such  a  frame  of  spirit  as  savours  more 
of  profaneness  than  true  religion.  Afterwards  they  are  ashamed  of  Christ  and  his 
cause,  being  influenced  by  the  reproach  which  is  cast  on  it  in  the  world.  Thus  the 
Jews  pretended,  concerning  Christianity,  that  it  was  '  a  sect  everywhere  spoken 
against.'11  And  '  Demas  forsook'  the  apostle,  'having  loved  this  present  world;'0 
being  more  concerned  for  his  reputation  in  it,  than  for  Christ's  interest.  Eventu- 
ally such  persons  cast  off  all  public  worship  ;  and  their  doing  so  is  generally  attended 
with  a  seared  conscience,  and  running  into  all  excess  of  riot. 

II.  Persons  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  when,  though  they  make  a  profession 
of  religion,  yet  it  is  not  in  such  a  way  as  God  has  required.  This  is  done  by  treat- 
ing in  an  unbecoming  manner  his  titles,  attributes,  or  any  ordinances  or  works  in 
which  he  makes  himself  known.  It  is  done  when  we  speak  of  the  divine  perfec- 
tions, and,  at  the  same  time,  have  no  just  ideas  of  what  is  intended  by  them  ;  or 
when  we  use  the  name  of  God  with  a  vanity  or  levity  of  spirit,  and  mention  sacred 
things  in  a  common  way,  whereby  we  may  be  said  to  profane  them  ;  or  when  we 
superstitiously  pay  a  kind  of  veneration  to  the  sound  of  words,  relating  to  divine 
matters,  but  regard  not  the  thing  signified  by  them.  This  is  using  the  name  of 
God  in  such  a  way  as  he  has  not  required,  and  consequently  taking  it  in  vain. 

III.  The  name  of  God  is  taken  in  vain  by  blasphemy.  This  is  a  thinking  or 
speaking  reproachfully  of  him,  as  though  he  had  no  right  to  the  glory  which  be- 
longs to  his  name  ;  and  is,  in  effect,  a  cursing  him  in  our  hearts,  and  offering  the 
greatest  injury  which  can  be  done  to  a  God  of  infinite  perfection.  This,  though  it 
is  not  a  real  lessening  of  his  essential  glory,  yet  argues  the  greatest  malignity,  and 
the  highest  degree  of  impiety  in  those  who  are  guilty  of  it.  It  was  so  great  a  crime, 
that,  by  God's  command,  it  was  punished  with  death.? 

IV.  This  commandment  is  broken  by  not  using  religious  oaths  in  a  right  man- 
ner, or  by  violating  them  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  by  all  sinful  and  profane  oaths 
and  cursing. 

I.  By  not  using  religious  oaths  in  a  right  manner.  It  is  certain,  that  we  are, 
upon  extraordinary  occasions,  to  make  mention  of  the  name  of  God  by  solemn 
oaths  ;  in  which  we  appeal  to  him  as  a  God  of  truth,  the  searcher  of  hearts,  and 
the  avenger  of  falsehood.  That  this  is  a  duty,  appears  from  the  fact  that  we  have 
various  instances,  in  scripture,  of  God's  condescending  to  confirm  what  he  has 
spoken  by  an  oath  ;  wherein  he  appeals  to  his  own  perfections  for  the  confirmation 
of  our  faith.  Thus  he  is  represented  as  'swearing  by  himself,'  and  '  by  his  holi- 
ness.'^ Again,  there  are  several  examples  and  commands,  in  scripture,  which 
make  it  our  duty  to  appeal  to  God,  on  some  occasions,  by  solemn  oaths.     Thus  it 

m  Job  xxx vi.  24.  n  Acts  xxviii.  22.  o  2  Tim.  iv.  10. 

p  Levit.  xxiv.  16-  q  Gen.  xxii.  16,  17"  Psal.  lxxxix.  35. 

II.  2  V 


338  THF  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

is  said,  '  Thou  shalt  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  serve  him,  and  shalt  swear  by  his 
name  ;'r  and  '  To  me  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  shall  swear.'8  But 
we  must  observe  that  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  God's  swearing  by  himsejf, 
or  by  any  of  his  perfections,  and  man's  swearing  by  him.  When  God  swears  by 
himself,  his  doing  so  is  a  display  of  the  glory  of  his  perfections,  as  a  God  that  can- 
not lie  ;  but  when  man  swears  by  him,  his  doing  so  is  an  act  of  religious  worship, 
containing  an  acknowledgment  of  God's  perfections,  and  an  appeal  to  him  as  a 
God  of  truth,  and  as  the  avenger  of  a  lie.  Hence,  an  oath  is  not  to  be  taken  but 
in  matters  "Of  great  importance,  which  cannot  be  decided  without  it ;  and  being  an 
act  of  religious  worship,  it  ought  to  be  performed  in  the  most  solemn  manner  ; 
otherwise  we  profane  the  name  of  God,  and  so  violate  this  commandment.  This 
respects  not  so  much  the  form  used  in  swearing,  as  the  levity  of  spirit  with  which 
the  act  is  done,  or  our  pretending  to  confirm  by  our  oath  that  which  is  false. 

The  form  used  in  solemn  oaths  has  been  various.  We  read  of  some  ceremonies 
used  in  swearing  which  were  only  occasional.  Thus  when  Jacob  and  Laban  took  a 
solemn  oath  to  each  other  at  their  parting,  a  pillar  was  erected,  and  a  heap  of  stones 
gathered  together  ;  and  they  both  eat  upon  the  heap,  and  '  sware  by  the  God  of 
Abraham  and  Nahor,  and  the  Fear  of  Isaac,'  that  they  would  do  no  injury  to  each 
other.*  Also  we  read  that,  when  Abraham  made  his  servant  swear  that  he  would 
take  a  wife  for  Isaac  from  among  his  kindred,  and  not  out  of  the  land  where  he 
dwelt,  he  ordered  him  to  '  put  his  hand  under  his  thigh. 'u  This  form  of  swearing 
seemed  to  be  an  appeal  to  God,  as  having  promised  that  his  seed  should  be  in- 
creased and  multiplied,  and  that  in  his  seed  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed  ;  which  was  a  circumstance  well-adapted  to  the  matter  and  occasion  of  the 
oath,  namely,  that  he  should  provide  such  a  wife  for  Isaac  as  God  approved  of. 
The  common  form  of  swearing  used  of  old,  seems  to  have  been  by  lifting  up  the 
hand  to  heaven,  thereby  signifying  an  appeal  to  God,  whose  throne  is  there.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  lifting  up  of  the  hand  to  heaven  imports  the  same  thing  as  to  swear, 
according  to  the  scripture-mode  of  speaking.1  In  this  manner  Abraham  sware,y 
and  the  angel  which  appeared  to  John  ;z  and  this  is,  undoubtedly,  a  very  good  and 
justifiable  form  of  swearing,  and  is  used  in  some  Protestant  countries  even  at  this 
day.  As  to  the  form  used  by  us  in  public  solemn  oaths,  namely,  laying  the 
hand  on  the  bible,  or  on  the  gospels,  and  kissing  the  book,  it  is  nowhere  warranted 
by  scripture,  and  therefore  is  not  so  eligible  as  that  of  lifting  up  the  hand.  Yet 
because  it  is  the  common  legal  form  used  among  us,  it  is  rather  to  be  complied 
with  than  that  the  duty  should  be  neglected  ;  because,  as  has  been  but  now  ob- 
served, some  forms  of  swearing  are  said  to  have  been  used  in  scripture,  and  not  re- 
proved, which  were  of  men's  invention.  The  thing  principally  to  be  looked  at  in 
an  oath,  is  the  solemn  appeal  made  in  it  to  God.  Hence,  it  is  the  frame  of  spirit 
with  which  this  is  done,  which  is  chiefly  to  be  regarded ;  and  what  we  have  pro- 
mised to  do,  is  religiously  to  be  observed,  that  so  our  oaths  may  not  be  violated. 

The  objections  against  the  use  of  religious  oaths,  are  principally  taken  from 
two  or  three  scriptures,  not  rightly  understood,  in  which  they  seem  to  be  for- 
bidden. Thus  our  Saviour  says,  *  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not  at  all  ;'a  and  the 
apostle  James  speaks  to  the  same  purpose.b  It  is  farther  objected  that  the  prophet 
speaks  of  swearing  as  a  national  sin,  when  he  says,  '  Because  of  swearing  the  land 
mourneth.'c  But  in  these  scriptures  it  is  profane  swearing  which  is  forbidden, 
whereby  persons  make  use  of  the  name  of  God  in  a  light  and  trifling  manner  to 
confirm  what  they  say,  or  it  is  swearing  by  creatures,  as  the  heaven,  the  earth,  or 
any  creature  in  them.  The  texts  in  question  do  not  forbid  swearing  as  a  religious 
appeal  to  God  in  a  solemn  manner,  for  the  confirming  of  what  we  assert.  When  the 
prophet  speaks  of  'the  land  mourning  because  of  swearing,'  his  words  may  be  ren- 
dered, as  in  the  margin  of  our  bibles,  '  because  of  cursing  the  land  mourneth  ;'  in- 
timating that  it  was  a  custom  among  them  to  imprecate  the  wrath  of  God  against 
one  another,  which  was  a  sin  highly  provoking  to  the  Majesty  of  heaven.    Besides, 

r  Deut.  vi.  13.  s  Isa.  xlv.  23.  t  Gen.  xxxi.  45—53.  u  Chap.  xxiv.  2,  3,  4. 

x  Deut.  xxxii.  40.         y  Gen.  xiv.  22,  23.         z  Rev.  x.  5.  a  Matt.  v.  34. 

b  James  v.  12.  c  Jer.  xxiii.  10. 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  339 

it  appears  by  what  is  said  in  the  words  immediately  following,  that  the  prophet  is 
speaking  of  profane  cursing  or  swearing,  '  for  both  prophet  and  priest  are  profane.' 
The  people  of  all  ranks  and  degrees  were  profane  ;  the  prophets  and  priests,  by 
abusing  the  sacred  mysteries  ;  and  the  people,  in  their  common  discourse,  usinw 
oaths  and  curses  ;  for  which  things  the  land  mourned.  This  is  the  plain  sense  of 
that  scripture ;  so  that  no  argument  can  be  drawn  from  it  to  prove  that  solemn  and 
religious  oaths  are  unlawful.  It  is,  indeed,  unlawful  to  swear  by  creatures,  as  is 
observed  in  the  scriptures  just  mentioned  ;  for  they  are  not  omniscient,  and  there- 
fore not  to  be  appealed  to  for  the  deciding  of  matters  which  are  known  to  none 
but  ourselves  and  the  searcher  of  hearts.  Nor  are  they  to  be  reckoned  avengers 
of  the  cause  of  injured  truth  ;  for  they  have  not  a  sovereignty  over  man,  or  a  right 
to  judge  and  punish  him  in  such  a  way  as  God  has,  and  to  whom  alone  belongs  the 
work  of  judging  and  punishing.  Hence,  to  swear  by  their  name,  is  to  give  them  a 
branch  of  his  glory,  and  consequently  to  take  his  name  in  vain. 

2.  This  commandment  is  broken  by  violating  religious  oaths,  either  those  which 
are  assertory  or  those  which  are  promissary.     When  men  assert  that  for  truth  which 
is  uncertain,  especially  if  they  know  it  to  be  false,  and  so  design  to  deceive,  they 
break  this  commandment.     As  for  promissary  oaths,  they  contain  an  appeal  to  God 
concerning  some  things  to  be  done  by  us,  conducive  to  the  good  of  others.     Now, 
we  are  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  commandment  when  we  assert  a  thing,  without 
implying  the  condition  which  ought  to  be  contained  in  it,  that  if  God  will,  or  he  be 
pleased  to  enable  us,  we  will  do  it.     This  the  apostle  particularly  mentions,  when 
he  blames  those  who  say,  '  To-day  or  to-morrow  we  will  go  into  such  a  city,  and 
continue  there  a  year,  and  buy,  and  sell,  and  get  gain  ;  whereas  they  know  not 
what  shall  be  on  the  morrow  ;'  and  therefore,  they  'ought  to  say,  If  the  Lord  will, 
we  shall  live,  and  do  this,  or  that.'d — Again,  we  break  this  commandment  when 
we  promise  a  thing  which  is  out  of  our  power  to  perform  ;  and,  much  more,  when 
we  do  not  design  to  perform  it. — Further,  we  break  it  when  we  promise  a  thing 
which  is  in  itself  unlawful ;  as  the  Jews  did,  who  '  bound  themselves  under  a  curse, 
that  they  would  not  eat  nor  drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul.'e     If  we  have  obliged 
ourselves  by  an  oath  to  perform  that  which  is  unlawful,  as  we  sin  in  making  the 
promise,  so  we  should  sin  in  fulfilling  it.     There  are,  however,  some  cases  in  which 
persons  may  not  perform  what  they  have  sworn  to  do,  and  yet  not  be  guilty  of  per- 
jury, or  violation  of  their  oaths.     One  of  these  cases  is  when  they  have  used  their 
utmost  endeavours  to  fulfil  what  they  have  promised  to  do,  but  cannot  accomplish 
it.     It  must  be  observed,  indeed,  that  if  the  thing  promised  was  absolutely  out  of 
their  power  when  the  promise  was  made,  the  oath,  as  we  just  now  observed,  was 
unlawful.     But  suppose  that  the  thing  was  in  their  power  when  they  promised  it, 
and  that  an  unforeseen  providence  has  put  it  out  of  their  power  at  present  to  per- 
form it,  though  they  have  used  their  utmost  endeavours  to  do  so,  they  are  not 
chargeable  with  the  guilt  of  perjury.     If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  have  promised  to 
do  a  thing  which  is  for  the  advantage  of  another,  but  now  see  reason  to  alter  our 
mind,  apprehending  that  some  detriment  will  accrue  to  ourselves  ;  we  must,  not- 
withstanding, fulfil  our  promise.    Thus  the  psalmist  says,  *  He  sweareth  to  his  own 
hurt,  and  change  ill  not.'f     Yet  if  the  person  to  whom  we  made  the  promise,  who 
is  to  receive  the  advantage  by  our  fulfilling  it,  is  willing  to  discharge  us  from  our 
obligation,  we  may  omit  to  do  it,  and  not  be  guilty  of  perjury.     Here  it  might  be 
inquired  whether  we  are  always  obliged  to  fulfil  a  promise  extorted  from  us  by  violence. 
It  is  generally  supposed  by  divines  that  we  are  not.     Yet  the  person  can  hardly  be 
excused  from  sin  in  making  such  a  promise,  when  he  designs  not  to  perform  it, 
though  some  small  degree  of  force  or  threatening  were  used  ;  especially  as  the  will 
cannot  be  obliged  to  consent,  or  the  tongue  to  utter  the  promise.     We  may  add, 
that  they  are  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  commandment,  how  much  soever  they 
may  think  themselves  guiltless,  who  use  equivocations,  or  mental  reservations, 
in  taking  solemn  and  religious  oaths.     Thus  the  Papists  make  no  scruple  of  swear- 
ing to  support  the  government  under  which  they  live,  and  yet  take  the  first  oppor- 
tunity which  offers  to  subvert  it,  pretending  that  they  swore  to  support  it  as  it  srood 

d  James  iv.  13,  15.  Acts  xxii.  12.  f  Psal.  xv.  4. 


340  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

before  the  Reformation.  Or  they  swear  allegiance  to  their  sovereign,  and  yet  do 
what  they  can  to  dethrone  him,  and  have  this  mental  reservation,  that  they  intended 
only  to  do  it  for  the  present,  till  they  should  have  a  convenient  opportunity  to  join  in  a 
successful  rebellion.  By  this  means  they  break  through  the  solemn  tie  of  religious 
oaths,  elude  the  law,  and  impose  upon  the  common  sense  of  mankind,  in  such  a 
way  as  even  the  heathen  themselves  are  afraid  and  ashamed  to  do. 

3.  This  farther  leads  us  to  consider  this  commandment  as  broken  by  swearing 
profanely  ;  namely,  when  we  make  use  of  the  name  of  God,  and  pretend  to  confirm 
what  we  assert  by  an  appeal  to  him,  and,  at  the  same  time,  are  far  from  doing  so 
in  a  religious  manner.  This  many  do  who  give  vent  to  their  passions  by  profane 
swearing,  by  invoking  the  name  of  God  upon  light  and  trifling  occasions,  without 
that  due  regard  which  ought  always  to  be  paid  to  his  divine  majesty.  Under  this 
Head  we  may  observe,  that  cursing  is  a  vile  sin,  whether  a  man  imprecates  the 
wrath  of  God  on  himself  or  on  others.  They  who  curse  themselves  do,  in  effect, 
pray  that  God  would  hasten  their  everlasting  destruction  ;  as  though  their  damna- 
tion slumbered,  or  as  if  it  were  a  thing  to  be  wished  for.  They  do  that  which  the 
devils  themselves  would  not  venture  to  do.  And  to  curse  others  is  to  put  up  a  pro- 
fane wicked  prayer  to  God,  to  pour  out  his  vengeance  upon  them.  This  is  the 
highest  affront  to  him  ;  as  though  the  vials  of  his  wrath  were  to  be  emptied  on  their 
fellow-men  when  they  pleased,  to  satisfy  their  passionate  revenge  against  them. 
It  also  includes  vile  uncharitableness  towards  those  whom  we  are  commanded  to 
love  as  ourselves.^  And  how  contrary  is  it  to  that  golden  rule  laid  down  by  our 
Saviour,  '  All  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even 
so  to  them?'h  Thus  we  break  this  commandment  by  perjury  or  profane  swear- 
ing. We  may  add,  that  it  is  notoriously  broken  by  sinful  vows  ;  either  when  we 
resolve  or  determine  to  do  what  is  unlawful,  or  bring  ourselves  under  solemn  en- 
gagements to  do  that  which  is  lawful,  in  our  own  strength,  without  dependence  on 
the  grace  of  God  in  Christ. 

4.  It  is  farther  observed  in  this  Answer,  that  men  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain, 
by  sinful  lots.  This  subject,  however,  needs  explanation.  Let  it  be  considered, 
then,  that  when  lots  were  an  ordinance,  by  which  God  in  an  extraordinary  manner 
determined  things  which  were  before  unknown,  they  being  an  instituted  means  of 
appealing  to  him  for  that  end,  as  in  the  case  of  Achan  and  others,'  were  not  to  be 
used  in  a  common  way ;  for  to  have  used  them  so  would  have  beeji  a  profaning  of 
a  sacred  institution.  But  as  this  extraordinary  ordinance  has  now  ceased,  it  does 
not  seem  unlawful,  so  as  to  be  an  instance  of  profaneness,  to  make  use  of  lots  in 
civil  matters  ;  provided  we  do  not  consider  them  as  an  ordinance  which  God  has 
appointed,  in  which  we  think  we  have  ground  to  expect  his  immediate  interposition, 
and  to  depend  upon  it  as  if  it  were  a  divine  oracle.  In  this  view  it  would  be  un- 
lawful, at  present,  to  use  lots  in  any  respect  whatsoever. 

5.  Persons  are  said  to  break  this  commandment  by  murmuring,  quarrelling  at, 
curiously  prying  into,  and  misapplying  God's  decrees  or  providences,  or  perverting 
what  he  has  revealed  in  his  word.  In  other  words,  we  break  it  when  we  apply 
things  sacred  to  profane  uses,  and  have  not  a  due  regard  to  the  glory  of  God  con- 
tained in  them  ;  or  when  we  pervert  scripture,  by  making  use  of  its  sacred  expres- 
sions in  our  common  discourse,  as  some  make  the  scripture  the  subject  of  their 
profane  wit  and  drollery.  This  conduct  is  certainly  a  taking  of  God's  name  in 
vain.  It  is  added,  that  we  are  guilty  of  this  sin  by  maintaining  false  doctrines, 
that  is,  when  we  pretend  that  any  doctrine  is  from  God,  when  it  is  not,  or  that  he 
makes  himself  known  by  it,  when  it  is  altogether  disowned  by  him. 

6.  This  commandment  is  farther  broken,  by  making  use  of  God's  name  as  a 
charm  ;  as  when  the  writing,  or  pronouncing  of  some  name  of  God,  is  pretended  to 
be  an  expedient  to  heal  diseases,  or  drive  away  evil  spirits.  This  is  a  great  in- 
stance of  profaneness,  and  that  which  he  abhors. 

7.  This  commandment  is  farther  broken,  by  reviling  or  opposing  God's  truth, 
grace,  and  ways  ;  whereby  we  cast  contempt  on  that  which  is  most  sacred,  and 
lightly  esteem  that  which  he  sets  such  a  value  on,  and  makes  himself  known  by. 

g  Matt.  xxii.  39.  h  Chap.  vii.  12.  i  Jo»h.  vii.  13,  14  ;  Acts  i.  26. 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  341 

We  may  add,  that  this  is  done  by  hypocrisy  and  sinister  ends  in  religion,  whereby 
we  walk  so  as  to  be  an  offence  to  others,  and  backslide  from  the  ways  of  God,  This 
is  an  abuse  of  that  which  ought  to  be  our  glory,  and  a  disregarding  of  that  whereby 
God  manifests  his  name  and  glory  to  the  world. 

The  Reasons  Annexed  to  the  Third  Commandment. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  reasons  annexed  to  the  third  commandment.  These 
are  taken  from  the  consideration  of  what  God  is  in  himself,  as  he  is  the  Lord,  whose 
name  alone  is  Jehovah  ;  whereby  he  puts  us  in  mind  of  his  sovereignty  over  us, 
and  his  undoubted  right  to  obedience  from  us  ;  and  intimates  that  his  excellency 
should  fill  us  with  the  greatest  reverence  and  humility,  when  we  think  or  speak  of 
any  thing  by  which  he  makes  himself  known.  Moreover,  he  reveals  himself  to  his 
people  as  their  God,  that  so  his  greatness  should  not  confound  us,  or  his  dread,  as 
an  absolute  God  whom  we  have  offended,  make  us  despair  of  being  accepted  in  his 
sight.  Hence,  we  are  to  look  upon  him  as  our  reconciled  God  and  Father  in 
Christ ;  which  is  the  highest  motive  to  obedience. 

Again,  the  observance  of  this  commandment  is  farther  enforced  by  a  threatening 
denounced  against  those  who  break  it ;  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  that  '  the  Lord 
will  not  hold  them  guiltless  that  take  his  name  in  vain.'  This  implies  that  there 
will  be  a  judgment,  a  reckoning  day,  when  all  shall  be  called  to  an  account ;  and 
that  it  shall  be  known  whether  they  are  guilty,  or  not  guilty.  It  is  farther  observed, 
that  the  profaning  of  God's  name  is  a  sin  which  includes  a  great  weight  of  guilt,  and 
renders  the  sinner  liable  to  punishment  in  proportion  to  it.  Accordingly,  God  is  said 
not  to  hold  them  guiltless,  or  they  shall  not  escape  punishment  from  him,  though 
they  may,  and  often  do,  escape  punishment  from  men.  There  are  many  instances 
of  the  profanation  of  the  name  of  God,  which  no  laws  of  man  can  reach  ;  as  when 
we  attend  on  his  ordinances  without  that  inward  purity  of  heart,  and  those  high 
and  becoming  thoughts  of  him,  which  we  ought  always  to  entertain.  On  the  other 
hand,  human  laws  against  the  open  profaning  of  the  name  of  God  are  not  severe 
enough  to  deter  men  from  it ;  and  if  they  are,  they  are  seldom  put  in  execution. 
This  is  one  reason  why  we  behold  the  name  of  God  so  openly  blasphemed,  while 
this  iniquity  goes  unpunished  by  men.  Yet  such  as  are  guilty  of  it  are  to  expect 
that  God  will  follow  them  with  the  tokens  of  his  displeasure,  sometimes  with  tem- 
poral, at  other  times  with  spiritual  judgments.  And  that  he  will  do  so  is  assigned 
as  a  reason  why  we  ought  to  make  mention  of  the  name  of  God,  or  of  every  thing 
whereby  he  makes  himself  known  in  such  a  way  that  we  may  glorify  him. 


THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

Question  CXV.  Which  is  the  fourth  commandment  t 

Answer.  The  fourth  commandment  is,  "Remember  the  sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days 
shalt  thou  labour,  and  do  all  thy  work;  but  the  seventh  day  is  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God. 
In  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  manservant,  nor  thy 
ma'd-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates.  For  in  six  days  the  Lord 
imde  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh  day ;  wherefore  the 
Lord  blessed  the  sabbath  day,  and  hallowed  it." 

Question  CXVI.   What  is  required  in  the  fourth  commandment  f 

Answer.  The  fourth  commandment  requireth  of  all  men,  the  sanctifying,  or  keeping  holy  to 
God,  such  set  time  as  he  hath  appointed  in  his  word  ;  expressly  one  whole  day  in  seven,  which  was 
the  seventh  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the  first  day  of  the 
week  ever  since,  and  so  to  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  which  is  the  Christian  sabbath,  and 
in  the  New  Testament,  called  the  Lord's  day. 

General  Import  of  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

In  this  commandment  it  is  supposed,  that  God  is  the  sovereign  Lord  of  our  time  ; 
which  is  to  be  improved  by  us,  to  the  best  purposes,  as  he  shall  direct.     As  there 


342  THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

are  some  special  seasons  which  he  has  appointed  for  the  exercise  of  religious 
worship,  these  are  called  holy  days ;  and  as  we  are  to  abstain  from  our  secular  em- 
ployments in  them  and  engage  in  religious  duties,  they  are  called  sabbaths ;  and 
that  more  especially,  because  they  are  sanctified  by  God  for  his  service.  These 
are  considered,  more  generally,  as  including  all  those  set  times  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed in  his  word ;  and  that  they  include  these  is  implied  in  the  moral  reason  of 
this  commandment.  Hence,  if  he  was  pleased  to  institute,  as  he  did  under  the  cere- 
monial law,  various  sabbaths,  or  days  appointed  for  rest,  and  the  performance  of 
religious  worship,  his  people  were  obliged  to  observe  them.  I  take  the  meaning  of 
this  commandment,  then,  to  be,  '  Remember  a  sabbath  day,  or  every  sabbath  day, 
or  every  day,  which  God  hath  sanctified  for  that  end,  to  keep  it  holy;'  and  then 
follows  the  particular  intimation  of  the  weekly  sabbath.  This,  as  is  observed  in 
the  Answer  we  are  explaining,  was  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  to  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the  first  day  of  the  week  ever 
since.  The  latter  is  the  Christian  sabbath,  and,  in  the  New  Testament,  is  called 
the  Lord's  day. 

The  Nature  of  the.  Sabbatic  Institution. 

We  shall  here  inquire — since  the  fourth  commandment  is  contained  in  the 
decalogue,  which  is  an  abstract  of  the  moral  law — whether  we  are  obliged  to 
observe  the  sabbath  by  the  law  of  nature,  or  by  some  positive  law.  For  un- 
derstanding this,  let  it  be  premised  that  some  laws  are  moral  by  way  of  eminence, 
or,  in  the  highest  sense,  as  distinguished  from  all  positive  laws  ;  and  that  others 
may  be  called  moral-positive,  that  is,  the  laws  are  positive,  while  there  is,  at  the 
same  time,  some  moral  reason  annexed  to  enforce  our  obedience  to  them.  This 
moral  reason  is  either  what  is  founded  in  the  sovereignty  of  God  commanding,  as 
is  the  case  in  all  positive  laws,  which,  in  this  respect,  are  moral,  though  they  could 
not  be  known  without  a  divine  revelation ;  or  else  positive  laws  may  have  a  moral 
circumstance  annexed  to  them  to  engage  us  to  obedience,  taken  from  some  glory 
which  redounds  to  God -or  good  to  ourselves  by  the  observance  of  them,  or  from 
some  other  reason  assigned  by  God.  For  example,  the  reason  annexed  to  the  fourth 
commandment  is  taken  from  God's  resting  from  the  work  of  creation  on  the  seventh 
day,  and  its  being  sanctified  for  our  performing  religious  duties. 

1.  We  shall  consider  first  in  what  respects  the  sabbath  is  moral  in  the  highest  and 
most  proper  sense  of  the  word.  Here  we  shall  lay  down  the  following  propositions, 
which  may  be  considered  in  their  respective  connection. — First,  it  is  a  branch  of 
the  moral  law,  that  God  should  be  worshipped.  This  is  founded  in  his  divine  per- 
fections, in  the  relation  we  stand  in  to  him,  and  in  the  consideration  of  our  being 
intelligent  creatures,  capable  of  worship. — Again,  the  moral  law  obliges  us  to  per- 
form social  worship.  This  appears  from  the  fact  that  man,  as  a  creature,  is  capa- 
ble of  society,  and  is  naturally  inclined  and  disposed  to  it.  That  he  is  so,  we  can- 
not but  know,  when  we  look  into  ourselves,  and  consider  the  disposition  of  all  in- 
telligent creatures,  leading  them  together  with  ourselves  to  this  end  ;  so  that  with- 
out any  positive  law  to  direct  us,  we  should  be  naturally  inclined  to  converse  with 
one  another. — Further,  as  man  is  a  creature  designed  to  worship  God,  as  the  law 
of  nature  suggests ;  so  it  appears,  from  the  same  law,  that  he  is  obliged  to  perform 
social  worship.  For,  if  we  are  obliged  to  converse  with  one  another,  and  thereby  to  be 
helpful  to  one  another,  in  other  respects  ;  certainly  we  are  obliged  by  the  same  law, 
to  converse  with  one  another  about  divine  matters,  to  be  helpful  to  one  another  in 
them,  and  to  express  our  united  concurrence  in  those  things  which  relate  to  the 
glory  of  God. — Again,  the  law  of  nature  farther  suggests  that  as  the  whole  of  our 
business  in  this  world  is  not  included  in  that  of  society,  which  is  rather  to  be  occa- 
sional than  stated ;  and  as  there  are  other  secular  employments  which  we  are  to 
be  engaged  in,  in  which  we  do  not  converse  with  others  ;  so  we  are  not  to  spend 
our  whole  time  in  public  or  social  worship.  From  these  premises,  then,  it  follows 
that  some  stated  times  are  to  be  appointed  for  public  and  social  worship.  Now,  it 
is  agreeable  to  the  law  of  nature,  that  God,  who  is  the  sovereign  Lord  of  our  time, 
as  well  as  the  object  of  social  worship,  should  appoint  these  times  ;  that  is,  that  he 


THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION.  343 

should  ordain  a  sabbath,  or  what  proportion  of  time  he  pleases,  for  us  to  perform 
those  religious  duties  which  he  enjoins.  These  considerations  relating  to  our  obser- 
vance of  the  sabbath,  are  purely  moral  and  not  positive. 

2.  We  shall  now  show  in  what  respects  the  sabbath  is  positive,  and  not  moral 
in  the  highest  and  most  proper  sense  of  the  word.  Here  let  it  be  considered  that 
it  is  the  result  of  a  positive  law,  that  one  proportion  of  time  should  be  observed  for 
a  sabbath  rather  than  another  ;  namely,  that  it  should  be  a  seventh,  rather  than 
a  third,  fourth,  fifth,  or  sixth  part  of  our  time.  For  this  point  could  not  have  been 
known  by  the  light  of  nature,  any  more  than  the  other  branches  of  instituted  wor- 
ship that  are  to  be  performed.  Hence,  whether  it  be  the  seventh  day  in  the  week, 
or  the  first,  which  we  are  to  observe,  the  appointment  of  it  being  founded  in  the 
divine  will,  we  conclude  it  to  be  a  positive  law.  This  we  are  obliged  to  assert  that 
we  may  guard  against  two  extremes,  namely,  that  of  those  who  deny  the  sabbath 
to  have  any  thing  of  a  moral  nature  contained  in  it ;  and  that  of  others  who  sup- 
pose that  there  is  no  idea  of  a  positive  law  in  it.  That,  in  some  respects,  the 
fourth  commandment  is  a  branch  of  the  moral  law,  may  be  proved  by  various  argu- 
ments.— In  particular,  it  is  inserted,  among  other  commandments  which  are  moral, 
and  which  were  proclaimed  by  the  voice  of  God  from  mount  Sinai.  But  the  cere- 
monial and  judicial  laws  were  not  so  proclaimed  ;  they  were  given  by  divine  in- 
spiration :  '  These  words  the  Lord  spake  unto  all  your  assembly  in  the  mount,  out 
of  the  midst  of  the  fire,  of  the  cloud,  and  the  thick  darkness,  with  a  great  voice  ; 
and  he  added  no  more,'k  namely,  at  that  time.  Moreover,  they  were  written  on 
two  tables,  with  the  finger  of  God,  which  none  of  the  other  laws  were  ;  and  were 
laid  up  in  the  ark  before  the  Lord.  l  Now,  these  circumstances  denote  the  dignity 
and  perpetuity  of  these  laws,  above  all  which  were  ceremonial,  judicial,  or  merely 
positive. — Again,  the  sabbath  was  not  only  enjoined  to  be  observed  by  the  Israel- 
ites, who  were  in  covenant  with  God,  together  with  their  servants,  who  were  made 
proselytes  to  their  religion,  and  were  obliged  to  observe  the  ceremonial  and  other 
positive  laws  ;  but  it  was  also  to  be  observed  by  the  stranger  within  their  gates, 
namely,  the  heathen,  who  dwelt  among  them,  who  were  not  in  covenant  with  God, 
and  did  not  observe  the  ceremonial  law.  These  were  obliged  to  obey  the  sabbath, 
it  being,  in  many  respects,  a  branch  of  the  moral  law. — Further,  if  the  observance 
of  the  sabbath  had  been  a  duty  of  the  ceremonial,  and  in  no  respects  of  the  moral 
law,  it  would  have  been  wholly  abolished  at  the  death  of  Christ.  But,  though  then 
the  day  was  altered,  yet  there  was  still  a  sabbath  observed  after  his  resurrection, 
even  when  the  ceremonial  law  was  no  longer  in  force. — Moreover,  the  weekly  sab- 
bath is  distinguished  from  all  the  ceremonial  festivals,  which  are  also  called  sab- 
baths ;  for  God  lays  a  special  claim  to  it,  as  his  own  day.  Hence,  it  is  called,  in  this 
commandment,  '  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God  ;'  and  it  is  styled,  '  his  holy  day,'" 
by  way  of  eminence,  to  distinguish  it  from  other  days  which  he  has  appointed  to  be,  in 
other  respects,  devoted  to  his  service  ;  and,  when  changed,  it  is  called  '  the  Lord's 
day,'n  which  is  a  peculiar  honour  put  upon  it.  For  these  reasons,  we  conclude  that 
the  sabbath  has  in  it  something  moral,  and  is  not  a  part  of  the  ceremonial  law. 

It  is  objected  that  the  sabbath  is  included,  by  the  apostle,  among  the  ceremonial 
laws,  which  were  designed  to  be  abrogated  under  the  gospel-dispensation  ;  and 
therefore  he  says,  '  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat  or  in  drink,  or  in 
respect  of  an  holy  day,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath  days  ;  which  are 
a  shadow  of  things  to  come  ;  but  the  body  is  of  Christ.'0  But  by  '  the  sabbath- 
days,'  which  are  'a  shadow  of  things  to  come,'  we  are  to  understand  the  Jewish 
festivals,  such  as  the  new-moons,  the  passover,  pentecost,  the  feast  of  tabernacles, 
«fcc,  which  are  often  called  sabbaths  ;  wherein  holy  convocations  were  held.  Hence, 
when  the  apostle  says,  '  Let  no  man  judge  you'  in  respect  of  this  matter,  he  means, 
let  none  have  occasion  to  reprove  you  for  your  observing  those  days  which  were 
merely  ceremonial,  and  the  design  of  which  was  to  typify  the  gospel-rest.  That 
the  apostle  does  not  mean  the  weekly  sabbath,  is  plain  ;  for  if  he  did  he  would 
contradict  his  own  practice,  and  that  of  the  churches  in  his  day,  who  observed 

k   Deut.  v.  22.  1  Exod.  xxxi.  18.  m  Isa.  lviii.  13. 

n  Rev.  i.  10.  o  Col.  ii.  16,  17. 


344  THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

it.  The  other  sabbaths,  however,  were  abolished,  together  with  the  ceremonial 
law.  Moreover,  that  he  intends  no  more  than  the  ceremonial  sabbaths,  or  Jewish 
festivals,  is  evident  from  what  follows,  '  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in 
meat,  or  in  drink,'  as  well  as  'in  respect  of  an  holy  day,'  &c.  Here  he  does  not 
mean,  let  no  one  have  reason  to  judge  or  condemn  you  for  gluttony  or  drunkenness ; 
but  he  means,  let  no  man  judge  or  condemn  you  for  your  abstaining  from  several 
sorts  of  meat,  forbidden  by  the  ceremonial  law  ;  and  he  thus  intimates  that  the 
distinction  of  meats  is  removed  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  Now,  it  follows 
that  the  ceremonial  sabbaths,  or  holy  days,  are  taken  away  ;  which  are  intended 
by  '  the  sabbath  day, '  in  that  place,  and  not  the  weekly  sabbath.  Hence,  our 
translation  rightly  renders  it,  'the  sabbath  days,'  not  the  sabbath  day.  Or  if  it 
ought  to  be  rendered  '  the  sabbath  day,'  or  the  weekly  sabbath,  because  it  is  distin- 
guished from  the  holy  days  previously  mentioned  ;  then  he  means  the  seventh- 
dav-sabbath,  which  was  abolished,  together  with  the  ceremonial  law,  in  opposition 
to  the  Lord's  day.  How  far  this  seventh-day-sabbath  was  a  sign  or  shadow  of 
good  things  to  come,  will  be  considered  in  our  reply  to  the  next  objection. 

It  is  farther  objected  by  those  who  pretend  that  the  sabbath  is  a  branch  of 
the  ceremonial  law,  that  it  is  said,  '  The  children  of  Israel  shall  keep*  the  sabbath 
throughout  their  generations,  for  a  perpetual  covenant.  It  is  a  sign  between  me 
and  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever,'P  <fec.  But  whenever  the  weekly  sabbath  has 
any  idea  annexed  to  it  corresponding  to  that  of  the  ceremonial  law,  as  when,  in 
this  scripture,  it  is  said  to  be  '  a  sign'  between  God  and  Israel,  we  are  to  understand 
only  that  there  was  a  ceremonial  accommodation  annexed  to  it,  as  an  ordinance  for 
their  faith  in  particular,  signifying  the  gospel  rest.  This  signification  was  annexed 
to  it,  not  from  the  beginning,  but  when  it  was  given  to  Israel.  From  the  begin- 
ning, it  was  not  a  type ;  but  when  God  gave  the  ceremonial  law,  it  was  made  a  type. 
So  the  rainbow,  which  proceeds  from  natural  causes,  was,  doubtless,  set  in  the  hea- 
vens before  Noah's  time  ;  yet  it  was  not  ordained  to  be  a  sign  of  the  covenant  be- 
tween God  and  him,  till  God  ordered  it  to  be  so  in  his  time.  Thus  God  ordained 
the  sabbath  to  be  a  type  or  sign  to  Israel,  when  he  gave  them  the  ceremonial  law, 
though  it  was  not  so  before.  And  at  Christ's  resurrection  it  ceased  to  be  an  ordi- 
nance for  their  faith  in  the  gospel-rest,  or  to  be  observed  ;  when  another  day  was 
substituted  in  the  room  of  it,  namely,  the  first  day  of  the  week. 

It  is  farther  objected  that,  when  the  observance  of  the  sabbath  was  enjoined, 
God  bade  the  Israelites  '  remember  that  they  were  servants  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  that  the  Lord  their  God  brought  them  out  thence  through  a  mighty  hand,  and 
by  a  stretched-out  arm ;'  and  '  therefore  commanded  them  to  keep  the  sabbath  day.'^ 
But  God's  bringing  his  people  out  of  Egypt,  is  no  argument  that  this  command- 
ment is  a  part  of  the  ceremonial  law,  which  was  given  soon  after  that  time.  For, 
in  the  preface  to  the  ten  commandments,  his  bringing  his  people  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt  is  assigned  as  a  reason  why  they  should  observe  all  the  commandments. 
Hence,  it  might  as  well  be  inferred  that  they  are  all  a  part  of  the  ceremonial  law, 
as  that  the  fourth  commandment  is  so ;  since  they  are  all  enforced  by  the  same 
motive.  Again,  though  this  particular  reason  is  given  to  induce  the  Israelites  to 
observe  this  commandment,  and  it  is  in  a  more  especial  manner  applied  to  that  dis- 
pensation of  providence  which  they  were  lately  under  ;  yet  it  could  not  be  said  to 
apply  to  the  first  institution  of  the  sabbath,  if  we  suppose,  as  we  shall  endeavour 
to  prove  under  a  following  Head,  that  it  was  instituted  before  Moses'  time.  Fur- 
ther, the  particular  reason  taken  from  their  having  been  '  servants  in  Egypt, '  is 
added  to  enforce  the  obligation  laid  on  masters,  to  let  their  servants  rest  on  the 
sabbath  day,  namely,  because  they  themselves  were  once  servants  in  Egypt ;  with- 
out any  reference  being  made  to  the  matter  of  the  commandment,  or  any  intima- 
tion that  it  is  a  branch  of  the  ceremonial  law. 

The  Date  of  the  Sabbatic  Institution. 
We  shall  now  consider  when  this  law,  relating  to  the  observation  of  the  sabbath, 
p  Exod.  xxxi.  16,  17-  q  Deut.  v.  15. 


THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION.  345 

was  first  given.  There  are  various  opinions  about  this  matter.  Some  think  that 
the  sabbath  was  first  instituted  when  God  spake  to  Israel  from  mount  Sinai ;  in- 
asmuch as  it  is  one  of  the  ten  commandments  which  God  gave  them  from  that 
place.  But  we  may  remark  that  the  sabbath  was  observed  some  days  before  Israel 
came  into  the  wilderness  of  Sinai,  namely,  when  they  were  in  the  wilderness  of 
Sin.  Thus  Moses,  when  speaking  concerning  their  gathering  twice  as  much  manna 
as  was  usual,  the  day  before  the  sabbath,  assigns  as  a  reason  for  it,  '  To-morrow 
is  the  rest  of  the  holy  sabbath  unto  the  Lord.'1  And  that  this  was  before  they 
encamped  at  mount  Sinai,  appears  from  its  being  said  that  '  they  came  into  the 
wilderness  of  Sin  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  second  month,'8  whereas  they  did  not 
come  into  the  wilderness  of  Sinai,  till  the  third  month.*  Others,  therefore,  fix  the 
epoch  of  the  giving  this  law,  from  their  coming  into  the  wilderness  of  Sin  ;  this 
being  the  first  time  in  which  the  sabbath  is  expressly  said  in  scripture  to  have  been 
observed.  Nothing,  however,  can  be  justly  inferred  to  this  effect  from  the  mode 
of  expression  used  by  Moses  in  this  scripture  ;  for  it  argues,  not  the  giving  of  a 
new  law,  which  had  not  been  before  observed,  but  only  the  putting  them  in  mind 
of  the  observance  of  that  day  which  had,  for  some  time,  been  disregarded.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  approach  of  the  sabbath  is  assigned  as  a  reason  of  their  gathering 
twice  the  quantity  of  manna  on  the  sixth  day  ;  which  supposes  that  they  knew  be- 
forehand, that  they  were  to  rest  on  the  seventh.  It  is  highly  probable,  indeed, 
that  the  observance  of  this  commandment  had  been  neglected,  for  some  years  be- 
fore, while  they  were  in  Egypt ;  and  it  may  be,  they  were  not  suffered  by  those 
who  held  them  there  in  bondage  to  observe  it,  and  many  other  of  the  divine  laws. 
Yet  the  memory  of  the  sabbath  was  not  wholly  lost  among  them  ;  and  Moses  now 
puts  them  in  mind  of  it. 

The  most  probable  opinion  therefore  relating  to  the  institution  of  the  sabbath, 
is,  that  it  was  given  to  man  from  the  beginning.  This  may  be  argued  from  the 
reason  annexed  to  the  commandment,  namely,  God's  resting  from  his  work  of  crea 
tion  ;  and  it  immediately  follows,  that  when  he  rested  from  his  work,  he  blessed 
and  sanctified  the  seventh  day  ;  that  so  man  might  celebrate  and  commemorate  his 
power  and  glory  which  had  been  displayed."  It  is  objected,  however,  that  God's 
blessing  and  sanctifying  the  seventh  day,  may  be  understood  proleptically,  as  denoting 
that  at  first  he  sanctified  or  ordained  that  it  should  be  a  sabbath  to  his  people  in 
following  ages  ;  and  that  it  did  not  become  so  till  Moses'  time.  Accordingly,  the 
objectors  suppose  that  Moses,  having  been  speaking  of  the  creation  of  the  world, 
and  God's  resting  from  his  work,  gives  them  to  understand  that  this  was  the  rea- 
son of  the  law  which  was  now  given  them,  concerning  the  observance  of  the  sab- 
bath, which  they  never  heard  of  before.  But  this  sense  of  the  text  will  appear 
very  absurd  to  any  unprejudiced  person.  For  if  God's  resting  from  his  work,  which 
is  mentioned  immediately  before,  as  the  reason  of  his  sanctifying  the  seventh  day, 
is  to  be  taken  literally,  why  must  his  sanctifying  the  sabbath  be  taken  figuratively  ? 
If  the  one  be  an  account  of  what  was  just  done,  why  should  the  other  be  an  account 
of  what  was  not  to  take  place  till  two  thousand  and  five  hundred  years  after  ? 

Again,  if  God  had  a  church  in  the  world,  and  public  worship  was  performed  by 
them  from  Adam  to  Moses'  time,  then  there  were  set  times  in  which  they  were  to 
meet  together  for  that  end,  and  consequently  a  sabbath.  This  stated  season  of 
sacred  rest  was  equally  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  church  in  foregoing  as  in  fol- 
lowing ages  ;  and  therefore  we  cannot  suppose  that  it  should  have  been  denied  that 
privilege  then  which  has  been  granted  it  ever  since,  or  that  from  Moses'  time  the 
church  should  be  obliged  to  celebrate  the  glory  of  God,  as  their  Creator,  sovereign 
Ruler,  and  bountiful  Benefactor,  and  by  his  express  command,  devote  a  seventh 
part  of  time  to  this  service,  and  yet  that  he  should  loss  the  glory,  and  his  people  the 
advantage  arising  from  it,  before  that  time. — We  are  told,  however,  that  the  scrip- 
ture is  wholly  silent  as  to  this  matter  ;  so  that  nothing  can  be  concluded  in  favour 
of  the  argument  we  are  maintaining.  But  some  think  that  the  scripture  is  not 
wholly  silent  as  to  this  matter  ;  but  that  it  may  be  inferred  from  what  we  read  in 
Gen.  iv.  3,  4,  where  it  is  said  that  '  in  process  of  time  it  came  to  pass,  that  Cain 

i  Exod.  xvi.  23.  8  Ver.  1.  t  Chap.  xix.  1.  u  Gen.  ii.  1,  2,  3. 

li  2x 


346  THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

brought  an  offering  unto  the  Lord,'  which  was,  doubtless,  an  instance  of  public  wor- 
ship. We  render  the  words  '  in  process  of  time  ;'  but  they  may,  with  equal  justice, 
be  rendered,  as  is  observed  in  the  margin,  f  at  the  end  of  days  ;'  that  is,  at  the  end 
of  that  cycle  of  days  which  we  generally  call  a  week,  or  on  the  seventh  day.  Then 
the  offering  was  brought,  and  the  solemn  worship  performed  ;  and  hereby  the  sab- 
bath was  sanctified  according  to  God's  institution.  But  if  this  argument  be  not 
allowed,  it  does  not  follow  that  the  scripture's  not  mentioning  their  observing  a 
sabbath,  gives  us  just  ground  to  suppose  that  they  did  not  observe  any.  It  might 
as  well  be  argued  that,  because  the  scripture  speaks  very  little  of  any  public  wor- 
ship performed  before  the  flood,  there  was  then  none  in  the  world  ;  or  that  as  we 
do  not  read  of  the  church's  observing  a  sabbath,  and  many  other  parts  of  instituted 
worship  all  the  time  of  the  Judges,  which  is  said  to  have  been  •  about  the  space  of 
four  hundred  and  fifty  years, 'x  it  follows  that  a  sabbath  was  not  observed  during 
the  whole  of  that  interval,  and  all  instituted  worship  was  wholly  neglected. 

The  next  thing  to  be  inquired  into  is,  whether  the  sabbath  was  instituted  before 
or  after  the  fall  of  our  first  parents.  Now  it  appears  to  have  been  instituted  before 
the  fall  ;  because  the  reason  of  its  institution  was  God's  resting  from  his  work  of 
creation,  of  which  we  read  before  the  account  of  their  fall.  It  is  objected,  however, 
that  Adam,  in  innocency,  had  no  man-servants,  nor  maid-servants,  nor  stranger 
within  his  gate  ;  and  therefore  was  not  in  a  capacity  to  observe  this  commandment. 
But  before  the  world  was  increased,  our  first  parents  might  observe  the  principal 
thing  contained  in  the  commandment,  by  setting  apart  a  day  for  religious  worship ; 
and,  when  the  world  was  increased,  the  other  part  of  the  commandment,  which  is 
only  circumstantial,  might  also  be  observed.  Indeed,  this  objection  might  be  as 
much  alleged  against  Adam's  being  obliged  to  yield  obedience  to  the  fifth,  seventh, 
and  eighth  commandments,  as  against  his  obeying  the  fourth. 

The  Change  of  the  Sabbath. 

It  is  farther  observed,  in  this  Answer,  that  the  day  which  we  call  a  seventh  part 
of  time,  was  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  till  the 
resurrection  of  Christ ;  and  that  it  has  been  the  first  day  of  the  week  ever  since, 
and  will  continue  to  be  so  till  the  end  of  the  world.  The  latter  is  the  Christian 
sabbath,  or  the  Lord's  day.  That  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  was  observed  as  a 
sabbath  at  first,  is  taken  for  granted.  Nor  do  we  find  that  it  was  abolished  by  a 
positive  law,  so  that  there  should  be  no  sabbath  ;  but  the  day  was  changed,  by 
substituting  another  in  its  room.  If,  according  to  the  fourth  commandment,  there 
is  to  be  but  one  sabbath  in  the  week,  and  the  other  six  days  are  allowed  for  our  own 
lawful  employments,  and  if  we  can  prove,  as  we  shall  attempt  to  do,  that  the  first 
day  of  the  week  is  the  Christian  sabbath,  then  it  follows  that  the  seventh  day  ceases 
to  be  a  sabbath.  It  may  be  observed,  indeed,  from  several  ecclesiastical  writers, 
that  some,  in  the  three  first  centuries,  observed  both  the  seventh  and  the  first  day 
of  the  week.  As  for  the  apostles,  they  often  assembled  with  the  Jews,  in  their 
synagogues,  on  the  seventh  day  •/  but  they  did  so  with  a  design  to  propagate  the 
Christian  religion  among  them,  which  could  not,  with  equal  conveniency,  be  done 
on  other  days.  The  church  afterwards  met  together  on  that  day,  as  well  as  the 
Lord's  day,  apprehending  that,  though  it  was  not  now  to  be  reckoned  God's  holy  day, 
or  the  Christian  sabbath,  yet  the  observance  of  it  was  expedient  in  order  that  they 
might  keep  up  the  memory  of  his  having,  on  that  day,  finished  the  work  of  creation. 
Others  kept  it  as  a  day  of  fasting,  accompanied  with  other  religious  exercises,  in 
memory  of  Christ's  lying  that  day  in  the  grave.  But  this  practice  can  hardly  be 
justified.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  they  did  not  pay  the  same  regard  to  it  as  to 
the  Lord's  day,  nor  style  it  God's  holy  day,  or  the  Christian  sabbath,  by  way  of 
eminence.  Some  expressly  intimated  that,  whatever  regard  they  paid  to  the  seventh 
day,  or  what  assemblies  soever  they  held  on  it  for  worship,  they  did  not  observe  it 
in  the  same  way  the  Jews  did.z  Nor  were  they  obliged  to  hold  meetings  on  that 
day,  as  they  were  on  the  Lord's  day,  the  matter  being,  in  part,  left  to  their  discre- 

X  Acts  xiii.  20.  v  Acts  xiii.  14.  and  xvii.  2.  z  Vid.  Athanas.  Hom.  de  Semente. 


THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION.  .  347 

tion.  It  was  supposed  that  they  had  sufficient  leisure  from  their  secular  callings, 
and  therefore  might  attend  to  the  worship  of  God  on  that  day,  as  an  opportunity 
offered  itself ;  though  they  did  not  count  it  equally  holy  with  the  Lord's  day,  nor 
were  obliged,  when  the  worship  was  over,  to  abstain  from  their  secular  employ- 
ments.* I  mention  these  facts  only  occasionally,  in  order  to  obviate  an  objection 
taken  from  the  practice  of  some  of  the  ancient  church,  in  observing  the  seventh 
day  of  the  week ;  an  argument  which  does  not  much  affect  the  cause  we  are  main- 
taining, our  design  being  to  prove  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  ordained  to  be 
the  Christian  sabbath.  But  before  we  enter  on  that  subject,  it  may  be  necessary 
to  premise  some  considerations. 

It  does  not  in  the  least  derogate  from  the  honour  and  glory  of  God,  to  change 
the  sabbath  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week.  It  would,,  indeed,  dero- 
gate from  the  glory  of  God  if  he  should  take  away  one  sabbath  and  not  institute 
another  in  its  room  ;  for  then  he  would  lose  the  honour  of  that  public  worship  which 
he  has  appointed  to  be  performed  to  him  on  that  day.  Moreover,  if  there  be  a 
greater  work  than  that  of  creation  to  be  remembered  and  celebrated,  it  tends  much 
more  to  the  advancing  of  the  glory  of  God,  to  appoint  a  day  for  the  solemn  remem- 
brance of  that  work  than  if  no  such  appointment  should  be  made.  We  may  add, 
that  if  all  men  must  honour  the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father,  it  is  expe- 
dient that  a  day  should  be  set  apart  for  his  honour,  namely,  the  day  on  which  he 
rested  from  the  work  of  redemption,  or,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  ceased  from  it,  as 
God  did  from  his.'b  On  the  following  grounds,  then,  it  was  expedient  that  God 
should  alter  the  sabbath  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week. — Hereby 
Christ  took  occasion  to  give  a  display  of  his  glory,  and  in  particular  of  his  sover- 
eign authority,  to  enjoin  what  time  he  would  have  us  set  apart  for  his  worship 
under  the  gospel-dispensation,  as  well  as  what  worship  he  will  have  performed  in  it, 
and  to  discover  himself  to  be,  as  he  styles  himself,  '  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath  day.'c — 
Again,  we,  in  the  observance  of  the  Christian  sabbath,  signify  our  faith,  in  a  public 
manner,  that  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  that  the  work  of  our  redemption  is  brought 
to  perfection,  and  consequently  that  there  is  a  way  prepared  for  our  justification 
and  access  to  God,  as  our  God,  in  hope  of  finding  acceptance  in  his  sight. — Fur- 
ther, all  the  ordinances  of  gospel-worship  have  a  peculiar  relation  to  Christ ;  and 
it  is  accordingly  expedient  that  the  time  in  which  they  are  to  be  performed  under 
the  gospel-dispensation,  should  likewise  have  relation  to  him.  Hence,  that  day  in 
which  he  finished  his  work  of  redemption  must  be  set  apart  in  commemoration  of 
it ;  and  that  was  the  first  day  of  the  week. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  ground  we  have  to  conclude  that  the  sabbath 
was  changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  after  the  resurrection 
of  Christ. 

1.  This  change  of  the  sabbath  appears  from  the  example  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
who  celebrated  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  a  sabbath,  after  his  resurrection.  Thus 
we  read  that  '  the  same  day  at  evening,  being  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the 
doors  were  shut,  where  the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  came 
Jesus  and  stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said,  Peace  be  unto  you.'d  And  'after 
eight  days,'  or  the  eighth  day  after  inclusive,  '  again  his  disciples  were  within  ;  then 
came  Jesus,  the  doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the  midst  and  said,  Peace  be  unto 
you.'6  Here  we  may  observe,  that  the  meeting  spoken  of  was  not  merely  an  occa- 
sional meeting,  but  a  fixed  one,  which  returned  weekly.  Hence,  they  met  eight 
days  after,  or  the  following  first  day  of  the  week  ;  which  was  the  second  Christian 
sabbath.  Again,  on  both  these  days  of  their  meeting  together  ior  public  worship, 
Christ  appeared  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  spake  peace  to  them.  He  thus  owned 
the  day,  and  confirmed  their  faith  in  the  observance  of  it  as  a  sabbath,  for  the 
future. 

It  is  objected  that  the  reason  of  the  apostles  meeting  together  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  was  for  iear  of  the  Jews ;  and  not  because  that  day  was  substituted  in 

a  V«l.  Ipnat.  Epist.  ad  Mttgn.  And  much  more  to  the  same  purpose  may  be  seen  in  a  learned 
book,  entiled,  Dies  Dominica,  in  cap.  iii.  et  alibi  passim. 

b  lieu.  iv.  10.  c  Alatt.  xii.  8.  d  John  xx.  19.  '  e  Verse  26. 


348  THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

the  room  of  the  seventh  day,  as  a  sabbath  perpetually  to  be  observed.  But  it  is 
not  said  that  they  met  together  for. fear  of  the  Jews  ;  but  that  when  they  were  as- 
sembled, the  doors  were  shut  for  fear  of  them.  Besides,  the  fear  of  persecution 
would  have  been  no  warrant  for  them,  not  to  keep  the  seventh-day  sabbath,  or  to 
substitute  another  day  in  the  room  of  it.  We  may  add,  too,  that  they  might  have 
more  securely  met  together  on  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  than  on  any  other 
day,  if  they  had  been  afraid  of  disturbance  from  the  Jews  ;  for  then  the  Jews 
were  engaged  in  worship  themselves,  and  it  is  probable,  would  be  inclined  to  let 
them  alone,  for  want  of  leisure  to  give  them  disturbance  in  their  worship. 

2.  That  the  sabhath  was  changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
farther  appears  from  the  fact  that  this  was  a  day  in  which  the  church  met,  together 
vith  the  apostles,  for  solemn  public  worship.  Thus  we  read  that  '  upon  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  when  the  disciples  came  together  to  break  bread,  Paul  preached 
unto  them.'f  Now  this  was  not  a  private,  but  a  public  meeting  of  the  church  ;  for 
it  is  said,  that  the  disciples,  that  is,  the  church,  met  together.  Nor  was  the  day 
occasionally  appointed  by  the  apostle  ;  but  it  was  the  stated  usual  time  of  their 
meeting.  For  it  is  said,  not  that  Paul  designed  to  preach  to  them  on  that  day, 
and  therefore  they  met  together ;  but  that  when  they  came  together,  '  on  the  first  day 
of  the  week,'  that  is,  on  the  day  of  their  usual  meeting,  '  Paul  preached  unto  them.' 
Again,  the  apostle  had  been  with  them  some  days  before ;  for  it  is  said  in  the  fore- 
going verse,  that  '  he  abode  there  seven  days.'  Now,  why  did  they  not  meet 
together,  and  he  preach  to  them  the  day  before,  namely,  the  seventh  day  of  the 
week,  on  which  day  he  was  with  them  ;  but  because  that  was  no  longer  a  sabbath, 
but  changed  to  the  first  day?  Further,  the  object  of  their  meeting  was  to  break 
bread.  Now,  though  the  word  is  to  be  preached  in  season  and  out  of  season  ;  yet 
no  day  is  so  proper  to  break  bread  on,  or  celebrate  the  Lord's  supper,  as  that  on 
which  he  rose  from  the  dead.  Besides,  when  a  day  is  particularly  described  as 
that  which  is  set  apart  for  solemn  worship,  such  as  preaching  and  breaking  of  bread 
is  supposed  to  be,  that  day  must  be  understood  to  be  the  sabbath.  Moreover,  the 
disciples  could  not  be  said  now  to  meet  together  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  as  was  before 
objected  to  their  observing  the  first  sabbath  ;  for  the  meeting  in  this  case  was  at 
Troas,  where  the  Jews  had  no  influence,  and  could  not  persecute  them,  the  church 
consisting  of  converted  Gentiles. 

It  is  objected  that  the  word  which  we  render  'the  first  day  of  the  week,'s  might 
be  rendered  '  one  day  of  the  week,'  or  a  certain  day.  But  our  translation  of  the 
Greek  word  is  by  far  the  most  proper,  as  all  know  who  understand  that  language. 
Besides,  the  same  words  are  used  in  John  xx.  1,  and  Luke  xxiv.  1,  in  both  of 
whiclr  scriptures  Christ's  resurrection  is  said  to  have  occurred  '  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week.'  How  preposterous  would  it  be,  to  render  the  words  there,  '  on  a  cer- 
tain day  of  the  week?'  And  if  fhey  are,  in  these  scriptures,  and  in  others  which 
might  be  referred  to,  to  be  rendered  *  the  first  day  of  the  week,'  as  all  allow  they 
must,  why  should  they  be  rendered  otherwise  in  the  text  under  present  considera- 
tion ? — It  is  farther  objected,  that  their  meeting  together  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  to  break  bread,  does  not  argue  the  day  to  have  been  a  sabbath  ;  because  in 
the  early  ages  the  Lord's  supper  used  to  be  administered  whenever  the  word  was 
preached,  and  that  was  on  other  days,  besides  the  first  day  of  the  week  ;  yea,  we 
read,  that  in  some  ages  of  the  church  the  word  was  preached,  and  the  Lord's 
supper  administered,  every  day.  But  though  the  Lord's  supper  may  be  adminis- 
tered on  another  day,  yet,  as  has  been  already  observed,  the  occasion  mentioned 
in  the  passage  in  question  is  said  to  have  been  the  day  more  especially  appointed 
for  the  observance  of  this  solemn  ordinance,  or  for  public  worship.  Besides,  though 
the  Lord's  supper  was  administered  on  other  days  after  this  ;  it  will  be  hard  to 
prove  that  it  was  administered  on  any  other  day  than  the  Lord's  day  in  the  apos- 
tles' time. 

3.  The  change  of  the  sabbath,  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  may 
be  farther  argued  from  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,  2,  in  which  the  apostle  says,  'As  I  have 
given  order  to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  even  so  do  ye.     Upon  the  first  day  of  the 

f  Acts  XX.  7«  g  E»  tii  fit*,  rut  r*£°&Twt. 


THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION.  349 

week,  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store,  as  God  hath  prospered  him  ;  that 
there  be  no  gatherings  when  I  come.'  Here  we  may  observe  that  there  is  a  work 
of  charity  recommended, — a  duty  most  proper  for  the  sabbath,  as  a  testimony  of 
our  thankfulness  to  God  for  spiritual  blessings  held  forth  to  or  received  by  us  on 
that  day  ;  and  it  is  a  day  in  which  our  hearts  are  most  likely  to  be  enlarged  to 
others,  when  most  affected  with  the  love  of  God  to  us.  Those  duties  which  the 
prophet  recommends  as  suitable  to  a  fast  which  God  had  chosen,  are  very  suitable 
to  all  public  ordinances,  and  in  particular  to  sabbaths,  namely,  '  to  loose  the  bands 
of  wickedness,  to  undo  the  heavy  burdens,  and  to  deal  forth  bread  to  the  hungry. 'h 
If  the  poor  of  the  church  were  to  be  provided  for,  this  was  to  be  done  not  by  a 
private  but  by  a  public  collection,  whereby  more  might  be  raised,  and  no  burden 
laid  on  particular  persons.  It  is  said,  moreover,  that  they  were  to  'lay  by  as  God 
had  prospered  them ;'  that  is,  not  only  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  their  worldly 
substance,  or  the  success  which  attended  their  secular  employments  on  other  days, 
but  in  proportion  to  the  spiritual  advantage  they  received  from  Christ  under  his 
ordinances.  Again,  this  work  of  charity  was  to  be  done,  not  on  one  first  day  of  the 
week,  but  on  the  return  of  every  first  day  ;  as  all  who  read  this  scripture  impar- 
tially must  understand  it.'  Hence,  the  first  day  of  the  week  was  a  day  in  which 
the  church  met  together  for  solemn,  public,  and  stated  worship.  Further,  the  work 
was  not  only  commanded  to  the  church  at  Corinth,  but  was  agreeable  to  what  had 
been  commanded  to  '  all  the  churches  of  Galatia.  •  It  follows  that  the  churches  of 
Galatia  were  obliged  to  observe  the  first  day  of  the  week,  as  well  as  that  at  Corinth. 
And  inasmuch  as  this  epistle  is  directed  to  '  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ, 'k  it  may,  by  a  parity  of  reason,  be  applied  to  them.  Ac- 
cordingly, it  may  be  argued  that  it  was  a  universal  practice  of  the  church  at  that 
time,  to  meet  together  for  religious  worship  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  This 
argument  cannot  but  have  some  weight  to  prove  the  doctrine  which  we  are  main- 
taining, as  to  the  change  of  the  sabbath  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the 
week. 

4.  The  change  of  the  sabbath,  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  far- 
ther appears  from  the  fact  that  there  is  a  day,  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament, 
which  is  styled  'the  Lord's  day.'  Thus  it  is  said,  '  I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the 
Lord's  day.'1  Here  it  may  be  observed,  that  there  is  a  peculiar  claim  which  Christ 
lays  to  this  day  as  his  own,  distinct  from  all  other  days.  As  the  seventh  day  of 
the  week  was  formerly  called,  as  in  this  commandment,  '  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord 
thy  God,'  and  elsewhere,  '  his  holy  day  ;'m  so  there  is  a  peculiar  day  which  our  Sa- 
viour, who  is  the  Lord  here  spoken  of,  claims  as  his  holy  day.  And  what  can  this 
be,  but  that  day  which  he  instituted  in  commemoration  of  his  having  finished 
the  work  of  our  redemption?  It  may  be  farther  observed  that,  when  God  is  said 
to  lay  claim  to  things  in  scripture,  the  meaning  is  that  they  are  of  his  appointment, 
and  for  his  glory.  Thus  the  bread  and  the  wine  in  that  ordinance  which  Christ 
has  appointed  in  remembrance  of  his  death,  is  called  'the  Lord's  supper,'  or  'the 
Lord's  table,'  denoting  that  it  is  an  ordinance  of  his  own  appointment.  In  like 
manner,  '  the  Lord's  day'  may  be  fitly  so  called  for  the  reason  that  it  is  instituted 
by  him. 

The  arguments  which  have  hitherto  been  brought  to  prove  that  the  sabbath  was 
changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  are  principally  such  as  are 
founded  on  a  scripture  consequence.  We  shall  now  proceed  to  prove  that  this  con- 
sequence is  just,  namely,  that  because  the  first  day  of  the  week  was  observed  by 
our  Saviour,  his  apostles,  and  the  church  in  general,  as  the  Lord's  day,  that  is,  a 
day  instituted  by  him  in  commemoration  of  his  having  finished  the  work  of  our  re- 
demption, therefore  we  ought  to  observe  it  for  that  end.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  this  day  was  universally  observed  by  the  church  at  random,  or  by  accident, 
without  some  direction  given  them.  For  as  the  apostles  were  appointed  to  erect 
the  gospel  church,  and,  as  God's  ministers,  to  give  laws  to  it,  relating  to  the  insti- 
tuted worship  which  was  to  be  performed  in  it,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they 
gave  direction  concerning  the  time  in  which  public  solemn  worship  should  be  per- 
il Isa.  lviii.  6,  7.        i  K«n  pi**  s«C£ara».        k  I  Cor.  i.  2.        1  Rev.  i.  10.        m  Isa.  lviii.  13. 


350  THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

formed.  Now,  whatever  the  apostles  ordered  the  church  to  observe,  in  matters  be- 
longing to  religious  worship,  they  did  it  by  divine  direction  ;  otherwise  the  rules 
they  laid  down  for  instituted  worship  could  not  be  much  depended  on,  and  they 
would  doubtless  have  been  blamed,  as  not  having  fulfilled  the  commission  which 
they  received  from  Christ,  to  '  teach  '  the  church  '  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
he  had  commanded  them.'  Nor  could  the  apostle  have  made  this  appeal  to  the 
church:  '  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God  ;'n  and 
elsewhere,  '  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you;'° 
and,  '  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all  that  which  I  also  received,  'p  Nor  would  he 
have  acted  agreeably  to  the  character  he  gave  of  himself  and  the  rest  of  the  apos- 
tles, concerning  whom  ho  says,  '  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us  as  of  the  ministers  of 
Christ,  and  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  Moreover,  it  is  required  in  stewards, 
that  a  man  be  found  faithful,  'i  And  he  says  concerning  himself,  '  I  have  obtained 
mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful;'1-  and  elsewhere,  '  If  any  man  think  himself  to 
be  a  prophet,  or  spiritual,  let  him  acknowledge  that  the  things  that  I  write  unto 
you  are  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.'8  Hence,  whatever  directions  he  gave 
about  the  time  as  well  as  mode  of  worship,  were  stamped  with  divine  authority ; 
so  that  an  apostolic  intimation  relating  to  this  matter  contained  a  divine  command. 

Those  things  which  were  delivered  to  the  church  by  persons  under  divine  inspir- 
ation, are  not  to  be  reckoned  among  the  traditions  which  the  Papists  plead  for, 
which  took  their  rise  in  those  ages  when  inspiration  had  ceased.  The  apostle  uses 
the  word  '  tradition '  in  the  same  sense  in  which  we  are  to  understand  a  divine 
oracle;  or  a  command  given  by  those  who  were  divinely  inspired.  Accordingly,  he 
says  '  I  praise  you,  brethren,  that  you  remember  me  in  all  things,  and  keep  the 
ordinances,'  or,  as  it  is  in  the  margin,  'traditions,  as  I  delivered  them  to  you.'* 
And  elsewhere  he  exhorts  them  to  '  hold  the  traditions  which  they  had  been  taught, 
whether  by  word  or  his  epistle  ;'u  that  is,  all  those  things  which  had  been  commu- 
nicated to  them  by  divine  inspiration,  in  whatever  form  they  were  transmitted  to 
them,  whether  by  word  or  writing;  which  different  circumstances  of  imparting 
them,  do  not  in  the  least  detract  from  their  divine  authority.  The  laws  which 
God  gave  to  his  church,  were  either  immediately  from  himself,  as  the  ten  com- 
mandments, or  were  given  by  those  who  were  inspired  for  that  purpose.  Indeed, 
the  greater  part  of  what  related  to  gospel  worship  was  in  the  latter  way.  This  was 
either  verbal  or  real ;  the  former  containing  an  intimation  of  what  the  apostles  had 
received  of  the  Lord,  and  the  latter  being  enforced  by  their  example  and  practice. 
Now,  their  example  and  practice,  supposing  them  under  divine  inspiration,  was  a 
sufficient  warrant  for  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  church,  whether  relating  to  the 
mode  or  to  the  time  of  worship  ;  and  consequently,  the  practice  and  example  of  the 
apostles  and  church,  in  their  day,  in  observing  the  first  day  of  the  week,  is  a  sufficient 
argument  to  convince  us  concerning  the  change  of  the  sabbath  from  the  seventh  to 
the  Lord's  day,  which  was  to  be  observed  by  the  church  in  all  succeeding  ages. 

A  question  is  proposed  by  some,  When  was  it  that  Christ  gave  instructions  to 
the  apostles  concerning  the  change  of  the  sabbath  ?  But  this  is  an  over-curious 
inquiry.  It  is  enough  for  us  to  conclude  that  this,  together  with  other  laws  given 
by  them  relating  to  the  gospel-dispensation,  were  given  by  him  during  that  interval 
of  time  in  which  *■  he  showed  himself  alive  after  his  passion,  by  many  infallible 
proofs,  being  seen  of  them  forty  days,  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the 
kingdom  of  God  ;'x  of  which,  we  may  reasonably  suppose  this  to  have  been  one. 
But  if  this  consideration  be  not  reckoned  sufficient  for  confirming  our  faith,  we  have 
the  highest  reason  to  conclude  that  it  was  given  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit, 
concerning  whom  Christ  promised  to  the  apostles  that  he  would  guide  'them  ir.to 
all  truth,'  and  that  he  should  '  show  them  things  to  them.'?  By  this  we  are  to 
understand  that  he  was  to  lead  them,  not  only  into  those  truths  which  were  neces- 
sary for  them  to  know  as  Christians,  but  into  those  things  which  it  was  necessary 
for  them  as  ministers  to  impart  to  the  churches  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 
This,  I  think,  may  give  us  sufficient  satisfaction,  as  to  the  divine  origin  of  the 

n  Acts  xx.  27.  o  1  Cor.  xi.  23.         p  Chap.  xv.  3.  q  Chap.  iv.  1.         r  Chap.  vii.  25. 

»  1  Cor.  xiv.  37.         t  Chap.  xi.  2.  u  2  Thess.  ii.  15.      x  Acts  i.  3.  y  John  xvi.  13. 


THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION.  351 

Lord's  day  ;  without  our  being  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  an  ecclesiastical  estab- 
lishment, without  a  divine  institution,  a  device  which  would  very  much  detract 
from  the  dignity  and  glory  of  the  Christian  sabbath,  and  from  the  regard  which  we 
ought  to  pay  to  it,  as  the  Lord's  holy  day.  We  have  considered  that  it  was  in- 
stituted by  the  apostles  ;  that  they  had  instructions  in  all  things  relating  to  the 
edification  of  the  church  ;  and  that  they  were  so  faithful,  in  what  they  imparted, 
that  they  cannot  be,  in  the  least,  suspected  of  intruding  any  invention  of  their  own 
into  the  worship  of  God,  in  this  any  more  than  any  other  branch  of  that  worship, 
— to  suppose  which,  would  leave  us  in  the  greatest  uncertainty  as  to  matters  of  the 
highest  importance.  Thus,  concerning  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  as 
founded  on  a  divine  warrant  given  to  the  church  by  the  ministry  of  the  apostles, 
who  were  appointed  by  God  to  make  known  those  laws  to  them  which  respect  the 
manner  and  time  in  which  he  will  be  worshipped,  under  the  gospel-dispensation. 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered,  is  that  the  church,  in  and  after  the  apostles' 
time,  universally  attended  to  the  religious  observance  of  the  Lord's  day ;  which 
was  celebrated  as  a  sabbath  in  all  succeeding  ages.  This  is  so  evident  from  his- 
tory that  it  needs  no  proof.  That  the  apostles  and  the  church  in  their  day  observed 
it,  has  been  already  considered  ;  and  that  the  observance  of  it  was  continued  in  the 
church  after  their  death,  appears  from  the  writings  of  most  of  the  Fathers,  who 
speak  of  it  as  a  day  in  which  the  church  met  together  for  public  worship,  and  to  which 
they  paid  a  much  greater  deference  than  to  any  of  the  other  days  of  the  week  in 
which  they  occasionally  attended  on  the  exercise  of  religious  duties.  Thus  Igna- 
tius, who  lived  in  the  beginning  of  the  second  century,  advises  every  one  who 
loved  Christ  to  celebrate  the  'Lord's  day,  which  was  consecrated  to  his  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  he  calls  it  '  the  queen,  and  chief  of  all  days.'2  Justin  Martyr,  also,  who 
lived  about  the  middle  of  the  same  century,  in  one  of  his  apologies  for  the  Chris- 
tians, says,  "  On  that  day,  which  they,"  namely,  the  heathen,  ''call  Sunday,  all 
who  live  in  cities  or  villages,  meet  together  in  the  same  place,  where  the  writings 
of  the  apostles  and  prophets  are  read,  and  we  all  assemble  ;  it  being  the  day  in  which 
God  finished  the  creation,  and  Jesus  Christ,  our  Saviour,  rose  from  the  dead.  For 
the  day  before  Saturday  he  was  crucified  ;  and  the  day  after  it,  that  is,  Sunday, 
he  appeared  to  his  apostles  and  disciples,  and  instructed  them  in  those  things  which 
we  propose  to  your  consideration. "a  In  the  third  century,  when  persecution  so 
much  raged  against  the  church,  it  is  well-known  that  Christians  distinguish  them- 
selves, by  the  character  of  observers  of  the  Lord's  day,  which  they  reckon  a  badge 
of  Christianity.1*  I  need  not  descend  any  lower,  to  prove  that  the  Lord's  day  was 
universally  observed  by  the  church,  in  commemoration  of  Christ's  resurrection,  in 
all  succeeding  ages  ;  for  that  is  generally  allowed.  I  shall  therefore  add  only  a 
simple  thought  or  two  to  illustrate  this  argument,  taken  from  the  practice  of  the 
Christian  church,  from  our  Saviour's  resurrection  to  this  day.  It  cannot  reason- 
ably be  supposed  that  God  would  suffer  his  church  universally  to  run  into  so  great 
a  mistake,  as  to  keep  a  wrong  day  as  a  weekly  sabbath  ;  and  that  not  only  in  one 

z  Vid.  Ignat.  Epist.  ad  Magnes. 

a  Vid.  Just.  Mart.  edit,  a  Grab.  Apol.  i.  §  87,  and  89.  It  may  be  observed,  that  that  Father  is 
not  alone  in  his  calling  it  Sunday.  Tertullian  [Adv.  Gent.  cap.  xvi.]  calls  it  so;  and  Jerome  says 
it  may  be  so  called,  because  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  arose  with  healing  in  bis  wings.  But  it  is 
generally  called  '  the  Lord's  day  ;'  not  only  by  others,  but  by  the  same  Fathers,  except  when,  in 
their  apologies  for  the  Christian  religion  against  the  heathen,  they  used  the  word  in  compliance 
with  their  mode  of  speaking.  But  that  which  is  more  strange,  and  savours  a  little  of  affectation, 
is  that  Justin,  and  some  others  of  the  Fathers,  should  choose  to  use  a  circumlocution,  and  instead  of 
Friday,  say  '  the  day  before  Saturday.'  Ignatius,  in  Epist.  ad  Trail,  calls  it  parasceva,  or,  the 
preparation  for  the  sabbath,  as  the  Jews  did  ;  and  Irenaeus  calls  it  the  day  before  the  sabbath,  in 
lib.  v.  adv.  Her.  cap.  xxiii.  The  learned  Grabe  supposes  the  reason  of  this  to  have  been  that  they 
might  show  how  much  they  detested  the  name  of  Venus,  to  whom  Friday  was  dedicated  by  the 
heathen.  But  they  ought  to  have  been  as  cautious  of  using  the  word  Sunday;  for  not  only' was 
that  day  dedicated  to  the  Sun,  but  some  took  occasion  from  the  name  given  to  it,  to  asperse  the 
Christians  as  if  they  worshipped  the  Sun,  a  charge  irom  which  Tertullian,  in  Apol.  adv.  Gent.  cap. 
xvi.  is  obliged  to  exculpate  them. 

b  Dominicum  agere,  or  celebrare,  was  a  phrase  well  known  in  that  age,  in  which  many  Christians 
were  put  to  death,  upon  their  being  examined,  and  boldly  professing  that  they  observed  the  Loin's 
day.  The  assemblies  in  which  all  the  parts  of  public  worship  were  performed  on  that  oay,  woe 
generally  called  Synaxes. 


352  THE  SABBATIC  INSTITUTION. 

or  two,  but  in  all  ages,  since  our  Saviour's  time.  Whatever  error  particular 
churches  have  been  suffered  to  imbibe,  God  has  not  left  them  all,  before  the  cor- 
ruption and  apostasy  of  the  church  of  Rome,  as  well  as  since  the  Reformation,  to  be 
deceived  ;  yet  they  must  have  been  so  left,  had  they  esteemed  that  to  be  God's  holy 
day  which  he  has  neither  instituted  nor  owned  as  such.  Again,  God  has  not  only 
suffered  all  his  churches  to  go  on  in  this  error,  if  it  be  an  error,  and  not  undeceived 
them  ;  but  he  has,  at  the  same  time,  granted  them  many  signal  marks  of  his  favour, 
and  has,  to  this  day,  in  many  instances,  owned  the  strict  and  religious  observance 
of  the  Christian  sabbath.  Now,  we  can  hardly  suppose  him  to  have  done  this,  or 
to  have  given  a  sanction  to  it,  by  being  present  with  his  people  when  attending  on 
him  in  it,  in  the  ordinances  of  his  appointment,  if  the  day  had  not  been  of  his  own 
institution. 

The  Relative  Time  of  the  Sabbath. 

"We  now  come  to  observe  the  proportion  of  time  which  is  to  be  observed  as  a 
weekly  sabbath.  It  is  said  in  this  Answer,  we  are  to  keep  holy  to  God,  one  whole 
day  in  seven.  A  day  is  either  artificial  or  natural.  The  former  is  the  space  of 
time  from  the  sun's  rising  to  its  setting  ;  the  latter  includes  the  space  of  twenty- 
four  hours.  Now,  the  Lord's  day  must  be  supposed  to  continue  longer  than  the 
measure  of  an  artificial  day ;  otherwise  it  would  fall  short  of  a  seventh  part  of  time. 
But  this  point  has  not  so  many  difficulties  attending  it,  as  that  has  which  relates 
to  the  time  of  the  day  when  the  sabbath  begins.  Yet  we  have  some  direction  as 
to  this  matter,  from  the  intimation  given  us  that  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  '  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  very  early  in  the  morning,  while  it  was  yet  dark.'c  Hence, 
the  Lord's  day  begins  in  the  morning,  before  sun-rising ;  or,  according  to  our  usual 
way  of  reckoning,  we  may  conclude,  that  it  begins  immediately  after  midnight, 
and  continues  till  midnight  following.  This  is  our  common  method  of  computing 
time,  beginning  the  day  with  the  morning,  and  ending  it  with  the  evening  ;  and  it 
is  agreeable  to  the  psalmist's  observation,  '  Man  goeth  forth  to  his  work,  and  to 
his  labour  '  in  the  morning,  'until  the  evening.'"1  Rest,  in  the  order  of  nature, 
follows  labour ;  and  the  night  follows  the  day.  Hence,  the  Lord's  day  evening 
follows  the  day  ;  and  on  this  account,  the  day  must  be  supposed  to  begin  in  the 
morning.  Again,  if  the  sabbath  begins  in  the  evening,  religious  worship  ought  to 
be  performed  some  time  in  the  evening ;  and  then,  soon  after  it  is  begun,  it  will  be 
interrupted  by  the  succeeding  night,  and  it  must  be  revived  the  following  day. 
Besides,  as  to  the  design  of  the  sabbath,  it  seems  not  agreeable  to  it  that,  when 
we  have  been  engaged  in  the  worship  of  God  in  the  day,  we  should  spend  the 
evening  in  secular  employments  ;  yet  our  doing  so  cannot  be  judged  unlawful,  if 
the  sabbath  be  then  at  an  end.  It  is  much  more  expedient  that  the  whole  work 
of  the  day  should  be  continued  as  long  as  our  worldly  employments  are  on  other 
days  ;  and  that  our  beginning  and  ending  the  performance  of  religious  duties, 
should,  in  some  measure,  correspond  with  the  nature  of  them.  Again,  that  the 
sabbath  begins  in  the  morning  may  be  proved  from  what  is  said  in  Exod.  xvi.  23, 
'  To-morrow  is  the  rest  of  the  holy  sabbath  unto  the  Lord ;'  whereas,  if  the  sabbath 
had  begun  in  the  evening,  it  would  rather  have  been  said,  '  This  evening  begins 
the  rest  of  the  holy  sabbath.'  Another  scripture  generally  brought  to  prove  this 
argument,  is  John  xx.  19,  '  The  same  day  at  evening,  being  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  when  the  doors  were  shut,  where  the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the 
Jews,  came  Jesus,  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said  unto  them,  Peace  be  unto  you.' 
Here  the  evening  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  called  '  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  ;'  so  that  the  worship  which  was  performed  that  day  was  continued  in  the 
evening.  It  is  not  called  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  but  of  the  same  day  in 
which  Christ  rose  from  the  dead ;  which  was  the  first  Christian  sabbath. 

It  is  objected  that  the  ceremonial  sabbaths  under  the  law,  began  at  evening. 
Thus  it  is  said,  '  In  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first  month,  at  even,  is  the  Lord's 
passover  ;'e  and,  speaking  concerning  the  feast  of  expiation,  which  was  on  the 

c  John  xx.  1 ;  Luke  xxiv.  1.  d  Psal.  civ.  23.  e  Lev.  xxiii.  5. 


THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  353 

tenth  day  of  the  seventh  month,  it  is  said,  '  It  shall  be  unto  you  a  sabbath  of  rest; 
and  ye  shall  afflict  your  souls  in  the  ninth  day  of  the  month,  at  even.  From  even 
unto  even  shall  ye  celebrate  your  sabbath. 'f  We  reply,  that  the  beginning  of 
sacred  days  is  to  be  at  the  same  time  with  that  of  civil ;  and  the  date  of  the  former 
was  governed  by  the  custom  of  nations.  The  Jews'  civil  day  began  at  evening,  and 
therefore  it  was  ordained  that  from  evening  to  evening  should  be  the  measure  of 
their  sacred  days.  Our  days  have  another  beginning  and  ending.  This  differ- 
ence, however,  is  only  circumstantial.  The  principal  thing  enjoined,  is  that  one 
whole  day  in  seven  be  observed  as  a  sabbath  to  the  Lord. 


THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CXVII.  How  is  the  sabbath,  or  Lord's  day,  to  be  sanctified  ? 

Answer.  The  sabbath,  or  Lord's  day,  is  to  be  sanctified,  by  an  holy  resting  all  the  day,  not  only 
from  such  works  as  are,  at  all  times,  sinful,  hut  even  from  such  worldly  employments  and  recrea- 
tions as  are  on  other  days  lawful,  and  making  it  our  delight  to  spend  the  whole  time  (except  so 
much  of  it  as  is  to  be  taken  up  in  works  of  necessity  and  mercy)  in  the  public  and  private  exercise! 
of  God's  worship;  and  to  that  end,  we  are  to  prepare  our  hearts,  and  with  such  foresight,  diligence, 
and  moderation  to  dispose,  and  seasonably  to  despatch  our  worldly  business,  that  we  may  be  the 
more  free  and  fit  for  the  duties  of  that  day. 

Question  CXVIII.  Why  is  the  charge  of  keeping  the  sabbath  more  specially  directed  to  gover- 
nors of  families,  and  other  superiors  ? 

Answer.  The  charge  of  keeping  the  sabbath  is  more  specially  directed  to  governors  of  familiei 
and  other  superiors,  because  they  are  bound  not  only  to  keep  it  themselves,  but  to  see  that  it  be 
observed  by  all  those  that  are  under  their  charge  ;  and  because  they  are  prone  ofttimes  to  hinder 
them  by  employments  of  their  own. 

Preparatory  Duties  to  Sabbath-  Sanctification. 

The  former  of  these  Answers  more  especially  respects  the  manner  in  which  the 
sabbath  is  to  be  sanctified.  The  first  thing  in  reference  to  it  which  requires  our 
attention,  is  that  we  are  to  prepare  our  hearts,  and,  with  such  foresight,  diligence, 
and  moderation,  to  dispose  of  and  seasonably  to  despatch  our  worldly  business,  that 
we  may  be  more  free  and  fit  for  the  business  of  that  day.  We  do  not  read,  indeed, 
that  there  is  any  time  sanctified,  or  set  apart  by  God,  in  order  to  our  preparing  for 
the  sabbath  ;  but  this  matter  is  left  to  our  Christian  prudence.  Yet  we  read  in 
the  New  Testament  of  the  day  of  preparation  for  the  sabbath  ;  that  is,  the  day 
before  the  Jewish  sabbath.  Persons  who  had  any  sense  of  the  importance  of  the 
work  to  be  performed  on  the  following  day,  thought  it  their  duty  to  prepare  for  it 
beforehand,  at  least  by  giving  despatch  to  their  worldly  business,  that  their 
thoughts  might  be  fixed  on  the  duties  in  which  they  were  to  engage.  Thus  we 
read  that  '  that  day  was  the  preparation,  and  the  sabbath  drew  on.  And  they  re- 
turned and  prepared  spices  and  ointments,  and  rested  the  sabbath  day,  according 
to  the  commandment,  's  The  mixing  of  ointments  and  spices,  which  were  com- 
pounded, according  to  the  custom  of  those  times,  for  the  embalming  of  the  dead, 
was  a  work  of  labour,  and  not  fit  to  be  done  on  the  sabbath.  They  therefore  did 
this  work  the  day  before,  that  they  might  not  be  brought  under  any  necessity  of 
performing  that  on  the  sabbath  which  might  be  done  on  another  day.  This  prac- 
tice of  despatching  worldly  business,  in  order  to  their  being  prepared  for  the  sacred 
employment  of  the  sabbath,  seems  to  have  been  inculcated  when  the  observance  of 
that  day  was  revived  by  Moses  in  the  wilderness  of  Sin.  On  that  occasion  he  says, 
1  To-morrow  is  the  rest  of  the  holy  sabbath  unto  the  Lord.  Bake  that  which  ye 
will  bake,  and  seethe  that  ye  will  seethe  ;  and  that  which  remaineth  over,  lay  up 
for  you  to  be  kept  until  the  morning. 'h  The  meaning  of  this  is,  that  they  were  to 
gather  the  manna, — work  which  would  take  up  a  considerable  time, — and  to  grind 
or  prepare  it  for  baking  or  seething.     This  was  a  servile  or  laborious  work,  and 

f  Lev.  xxiii.  32.  g  Luke  xxiii.  54,  56.  h  Exod.  xvi.  23. 

n.  2  y 


354  THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN 

might  as  well  be  done  the  day  before.  Accordingly,  they  were  commanded  then  to 
despatch  or  finish  it,  that  they  might  rest  in  and  sanctify  the  sabbath  immediately 
following.  As  to  the  time  which  the  more  religious  Jews  took,  in  preparing  for  the 
sabbath  before  it  came,  something  may  be  learned  from  the  practice  of  holy  Nehe- 
miah  ;  whereby  it  appears  that,  in  order  to  their  preparing  for  the  sabbath  the  day 
before,  they  laid  aside  their  worldly  business  at  sunset,  or  when  it  began  to  be  dark. 
Thus  it  is  said,  '  When  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  began  to  be  dark  before  the  sabbath, 
he  commanded  that  the  gates  should  be  shut,  and  charged  that  they  should  not  be 
opened  till  after  the  sabbath.''  This  matter,  however,  was  discretionary  ;  and  some 
Jewish  writers  observe  that  many  of  them  began  to  prepare  for  the  sabbath  the  even- 
ing before,  at  six  o'clock,  and  some  at  three  ;  and  that  others  spent  the  whole  day 
before  in  the  despatch  of  their  secular  business,  that  they  might  be  better  prepared 
for  the  sabbath.  Now,  this  practice  as  to  what  is  equitable  or  moral  in  it,  is,  doubt- 
less, an  example  to  us  ;  so  that  we  many  say  as  Hezekiah  did  in  his  prayer,  '  The 
good  Lord  pardon  every  one  that  prepareth  his  heart  to  seek  God,  the  Lord 
God  of  his  fathers,  though  he  be  not  cleansed  according  to  the  purification  of  the 
sanctuary. 'k 

This  leads  us  to  consider  the  duties  to  be  performed  preparatory  to  the  right  ob- 
serving of  the  Lord's  day.  Now,  we  ought,  the  evening  before,  to  lay  aside  our  care 
and  worldly  business,  that  our  thoughts  may  not  be  encumbered,  diverted,  or  taken 
up  with  unseasonable  or  unlawful  concerns  about  it.  This  is  a  duty  very  much 
neglected  ;  and  the  omission  of  it  is  one  reason  of  our  unprofitable  attendance  on 
the  ordinances  of  God  on  the  Lord's  day.  Thus,  many  keep  their  shops  open  till 
midnight ;  and  by  this  means  make  encroachments  on  part  of  the  morning  of  the 
Lord's  day,  by  indulging  in  too  much  sleep, — a  practice  which  occasions  drowsiness 
under  the  ordinances,  as  well  as  their  thoughts  being  filled  with  worldly  concerns 
and  business  while  attending  on  them.  We  may  add,  that  all  envyings,  contentions, 
evil  surmising  against  our  neighbour,  are  to  be  laid  aside  ;  since  these  will  tend  to 
defile  our  souls  and  deprave  our  minds,  when  we  ought  to  be  wholly  taken  up  about 
divine  things.  Thus  the  apostle  advises  those  to  whom  he  writes,  to  '  lay  aside  all 
malice,  and  all  guile,  and  hypocrisies,  and  envies,  and  all  evil-speakings,  and  as  new- 
born babes  to  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  they  might  grow  thereby.'1 
Moreover,  we  are,  the  evening  before,  to  endeavour  to  bring  our  souls  into  a  pre- 
pared frame  for  the  duties  of  the  Lord's  day,  by  having  our  thoughts  engaged  in 
those  meditations  which  are  suitable  to  these  duties.  In  particular,  we  are  to  con- 
sider the  many  lost  sabbaths  we  have  to  account  for  or  repent  of,  as  also  the  won- 
derful patience  of  God,  who  has,  notwithstanding,  spared  us  to  the  approach  of 
another  sabbath  ;  and  what  precautions  are  necessary  to  be  used,  that  we  may  not 
profane  or  trifle  it  away.  It  would  also  be  expedient  for  us  to  meditate  on  the 
vanity  of  worldly  things,  which  we  have  laid  aside  all  care  about,  and  think  how 
contemptible  the  gain  of  them  is,  if  compared  with  communion  with  God,  which  is 
our  great  concern.  Hence,  we  are  to  consider  ourselves  as  having  a  greater  work 
to  transact  with  God  on  his  own  day,  and  desire  to  have  then  no  disturbance 
from  the  world.  To  these  meditations  we  ought  to  join  our  fervent  prayers  to  God, 
that  the  sins  committed  by  us  in  former  sabbaths  may  be  forgiven,  that  he  may 
not  be  provoked  to  withdraw  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  on  the  approaching  day, 
and  that  the  world,  with  its  cares,  may  not  then  be  a  snare  to  us,  through  the 
temptations  of  Satan,  together  with  the  corruption  of  our  own  hearts,  whereby  our 
converse  with  God  would  be  interrupted.  We  ought  to  pray  also  that  he  would 
assist  his  ministers  in  preparing  a  seasonable  word,  which  may  be  blessed  to  our- 
selves and  others.  Thus  the  apostle  exhorts  the  church,  to  '  pray  always  with  all 
prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and  to  watch  thereunto  with  all  perseverance, 
and  supplication  for  all  saints  ;  and  for  him,  that  utterance  might  be  given  unto 
him,  that  he  might  open  his  mouth  boldly,  to  make  known  the  mystery  of  the  gos- 
pel.'m  We  ought  to  be  very  importunate  with  God,  that  he  would  sanctify  and  fill 
our  thoughts,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Lord's  day,  which  he  has  con- 
secrated for  his  immediate  service  and  glory. 

i  Neh.  xiii.  19.  k  2  Cbron.  xxx.  18,  19.  11  Pet.  ii.  1,  2.  m  Eph.  vi.  18,  19. 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  355 


The  Sabbatic  Best. 


We  are  now  to  consider  what  we  are  to  rest  and  abstain  from  on  the  Lord's  day. 
This  is  included  in  two  general  Heads,  namely,  not  only  from  things  sinful,  but 
from  what  is  in  itself  lawful  on  other  days. 

As  to  those  things  which  are  sinful  on  other  days,  they  are  much  more  so  on 
the  sabbath  ;  for  when  we  do  them  then  we  contract  double  guilt,  not  only  in  com- 
mitting the  sin,  but  in  breaking  the  sabbath.  Such  sins  are,  for  the  most  part, 
presumptuously  committed,  and  greatly  tend  to  harden  the  heart  ;  and  they  not 
only  hinder  the  efficacy  of  the  ordinances,  but,  if  allowed,  and  persisted  in,  are  a 
sad  step  to  apostasy. 

We  break  the  sabbath  also  by  engaging  in  things  which  would  be  lawful  on  other 
days,  whether  these  be  worldly  employments  or  recreations.  We  are  wholly  to  lay 
aside  or  abstain  from  worldly  employments,  particularly  buying  and  selling  or  en- 
couraging those  who  do  so.  We  have  a  noble  instance  of  zeal  in  Nehemiah,  relat- 
ing to  this  matter.  He  says,  '  In  those  days  saw  I  in  Judah,  some  treading  wine- 
presses on  the  sabbath,  and  bringing  in  sheaves,  and  lading  asses  ;  as  also  wine, 
grapes,  and  figs,  and  all  manner  of  burdens,  which  they  brought  into  Jerusalem  on 
the  sabbath  day.  And  I  testified  against  them  in  the  day  wherein  they  sold  vic- 
tuals. There  dwelt  men  of  Tyre  also  therein,  which  brought  fish,  and  all  manner 
of  ware,  and  sold  on  the  sabbath  unto  the  children  of  Judah,  and  in  Jerusalem. 
Then  I  contended  with  the  nobles  of  Judah,  and  said  unto  them,  What  evil  thing  is 
this  that  ye  do,  and  profane  the  sabbath  day  ?'n  The  prophet  Jeremiah  also  speaks 
to  the  same  purpose,  when  he  prohibits  '  carrying  burdens  on  the  sabbath  day,  or 
doing  any  work '  therein,  and  exhorts  the  people  to  '  hallow  the  sabbath  day  as 
God  commanded  their  fathers.'0  These  texts  may  tend  to  reprove  those  trades- 
men who,  on  the  sabbath,  post  their  books,  state  their  accounts,  or  prepare  their 
goods,  which  are  to  be  exposed  to  sale  on  the  following  day.  And  if  we  do  not  run 
these  lengths  in  profaning  the  sabbath,  yet  we  are  highly  guilty  when  our  thoughts 
and  discourse  run  after  our  covetousness,  which  is,  in  effect,  a  saying  as  they  did 
who  complained,  '  When  will  the  new  moon  be  gone,  that  we  may  sell  corn,  and 
the  sabbath  that  we  may  set  forth  wheat?'?  This  conduct  the  prophet  reproves  when 
he  says,  '  They  come  unto  thee  as  the  people  cometh,  and  they  sit  before  thee  as 
my  people,  and  they  hear  thy  words,  but  they  will  not  do  them.  For  with  their 
mouth  they  show  much  love,  but  their  heart  goeth  after  their  covetousness. 'i 

Again,  the  sabbath  is  violated  by  recreations.  We  are  therefore  to  abstain  from 
these  ;  otherwise  we  spurn  at  the  sabbath.  Accordingly,  the  prophet  Isaiah  speaks 
of  those  who  sanctify  the  sabbath,  as  '  turning  away  their  foot  from  doing  their 
pleasure  on  God's  holy  day,  and  calling  the  sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the 
Lord,  honourable,  honouring  him,  not  doing  their  own  ways,  nor  finding  their  own 
pleasure,  nor  speaking  their  own  words. 'r  The  recreations  we  are  to  abstain  from, 
on  the  Lord's  day,  are  unnecessary  visits  ;  by  which  the  worship  of  God  in  families 
is  interrupted,  the  minds  of  men  perverted  and  filled  with  vanity,  the  motions  of 
the  Spirit  quenched,  and  the  advantage  of  public  worship  greatly  hindered,  if  not 
wholly  lost.  We  are  to  abstain  also  from  walking  in  the  fields  ;  whereby,  instead 
of  meditating  on  the  word,  the  mind  is  diverted  from  it.  We  may  add,  that  we  are 
to  abstain  from  taking  unnecessary  journeys.  These  will  appear  to  be  no  other 
than  finding  our  own  pleasure  and  doing  our  own  works  on  God's  holy  day.  We 
read,  indeed,  of  •  a  sabbath  day's  journey  ;'s  a  phrase  which  seems  to  argue  that 
it  was  not  unlawful  to  travel  on  the  Lord's  day.  But,  that  we  may  not  mistake 
this  matter,  let  it  be  considered  that  'a  sabbath  day's  journey,'  according  to  Jew- 
ish writers,  contained  the  length  of  two  thousand  cubits,  or  about  a  mile ;  which 
was,  ordinarily  speaking,  the  length  of  their  cities,  together  with  their  respective 
suburbs.  Now,  as  this  is  the  measure  of  a  sabbath  day's  journey,  the  phrase  im- 
plies that  they  were  not  to  go  out  of  their  cities  to  divert  themselves,  or  to  under- 

n  Neh.  xiii.  15,  16,  17.  o  Jer.  xvii.  21,  22.  p  Amos  viii.  5. 

q  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.  r  Isa.  lviii.  13.  s  Acts  i.  12. 


356  THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN 

take  journeys  under  a  pretence  of  business.  Accordingly,  they  were  commanded 
to  4  abide  every  man  in  his  place  on  the  seventh  day  ;'1  that  is,  not  to  wander  out 
of  their  tents  to  take  the  air,  though  they  were  obliged  to  go  out  of  their  tents  to 
the  tabernacle,  the  place  of  public  worship,  which  was  pitched  in  the  midst  of  them 
for  the  conveniency  of  their  coming  to  it.  Hither,  indeed,  they  went,  from  their 
respective  tents  ;  and  their  going  to  it  was  the  only  journey  they  took,  unless  in 
case  of  necessity,  on  the  sabbath  day.  We  may  add,  that  it  is  not  lawful,  on  the 
sabhath  day,  for  persous  to  divert  themselves  by  talking  of  news  or  common  affairs. 
Such  unseasonable  discourse  often  gives  a  check  to  those  lively  frames  of  spirit  we 
have  had  under  the  word  preached  ;  and  by  indulging  it,  we  not  only  break  the 
sabbath  ourselves,  but,  by  our  example,  induce  others  to  do  the  same.  I  do  not 
deny  that  it  may  be  seasonable  to  meditate  on  the  providence  of  God  towards  the 
church  and  the  world,  on  the  Lord's  day,  as  well  as  at  other  times  ;  but  then  we 
must  take  heed  that  his  glory,  and  not  merely  our  own  diversion,  is  the  great  induce- 
ment to  such  meditation. 

Works  of  Necessity  and  Mercy. 

When  it  is  said,  in  this  fourth  commandment,  '  Thou  shalt  do  no  manner  of 
work  on  the  sabbath  day,'  there  is  an  exception  made,  or  an  intimation  that  works 
of  necessity  and  mercy,  though  they  include  something  servile  or  laborious,  may, 
notwithstanding,  be  done  on  the  Lord's  day.  Some  things  are  necessary,  as  they 
tend  to  the  support  of  nature,  such  as  eating  and  drinking.  Hence,  the  providing 
of  food  for  that  end,  is  doubtless,  lawful ;  especially  if  too  much  time  be  not  spent 
in  it,  too  many  servants  or  others  detained  by  it  from  the  worship  of  God,  or  enter- 
tainments and  splendid  feasts  made,  in  which  variety  of  things  are  prepared  to 
please  the  appetite,  and  all  this  attended  with  vain  and  trifling  conversation,  un- 
becoming the  holiness  of  the  day.  There  are  also  other  works  of  necessity  which 
may  be  done  on  the  sabbath  day,  namely,  such  as  are  subservient  to  the  worship  of 
God  ;  without  which  it  is  impossible  that  the  public  exercises  of  that  worship  should 
be  performed.  Under  the  ceremonial  law,  there  were  many  laborious  services 
which  attended  public  worship, — particularly  the  killing  of  those  beasts  which  were 
appointed  for  sacrifice  on  the  sabbath  day  ;  though  we  are  exempted  from  such 
services  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  To  these,  it  is  probable,  our  Saviour  refers 
when  he  says,  '  Have  ye  not  read  in  the  law,  how  that  the  priests  in  the  temple 
profane  the  sabbath,  and  are  blameless  ?'u  that  is,  perform  those  servile  works, 
subservient  to  public  worship,  which,  according  to  your  method  of  reasoning,  would 
be  a  profaning  of  the  sabbath. 

Here  it  is  inquired  by  some,  whether  it  be  lawful  to  kindle  a  fire  on  the  sabbath 
day,  since  this  seems  to  have  been  forbidden  to  the  Israelites  ;  to  whom  Moses 
says,  ■  Ye  shall  kindle  no  fire  throughout  your  habitations  upon  the  sabbath  day.'x 
Some  are  of  opinion,  that  if  this  be  lawful  at  present,  agreeably  to  what  we  gen- 
erally practise,  its  being  so  is  a  peculiar  privilege  attending  the  gospel-dispensa- 
tion. We  may  hence  take  occasion  to  explain  what  is  meant  by  this  prohibition. 
Now,  it  could  not  have  been  hereby  forbidden  to  kindle  a  fire  for  refreshment  in 
cold  weather  ;  for  that  was  as  necessary  as  any  of  the  other  conveniences  of  life, 
such  as  eating,  drinking,  sitting  down  when  we  are  weary,  <fcc.  It  was  done,  too,  with 
very  little  pains  or  difficulty  ;  so  that  it  would  not  much  hinder  the  religious  ex- 
ercises of  the  sabbath.  On  the  other  hand,  the  not  making  a  fire,  provided  the 
season  of  the  year  was  extremely  cold,  would  indispose  men  for  the  worship  of  God. 
It  is  most  probable,  therefore,  that  the  meaning  of  the  text  in  question  is  this,  that 
as  at  the  time  when  this  law  was  given,  many  of  the  Israelites  were  employed  in 
the  work  of  building  and  adorning  the  tabernacle,  a  work  which,  as  all  artificers 
know,  required  the  kindling  of  fires  for  the  melting  of  metals,  heating  of  iron  tools, 
&c,  and,  as  the  people  might  be  apt  to  think  that,  because  the  building  of  the 
tabernacle  required  expedition,  they  might  kindle  fires  and  therewith  employ  them- 
selves in  the  work  of  it,  on  the  sabbath  day  ;  Moses  tells  them,  that  it  was  not  a 

t  Exod.  xvi.  29.  u  Matt.  xii.  5.  x  Exod.  xxxv.  3. 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  357 

work  so  absolutely  necessary  that  it  required  that  they  should  attend  to  it  on  that 
day.  This  seems  to  be  the  reason  of  the  law  which  prohibited  the  kindling  of  a  tire 
on  the  sabbath  day.  But  there  was  an  application  of  that  law  to  the  dressing  of 
food,  which  seems  to  be  prohibited  in  the  passage,  '  Bake  that  ye  will  bake  to-day, 
and  seethe  that  which  ye  will  seethe  ;  and  that  which  remaineth  over,  lay  it  up  to 
be  kept  for  you  until  the  morning.  'J  Now,  the  meaning  of  this  seems  to  be,  '  Bake 
or  seethe  that  which  is  necessary  for  your  food,  the  day  before  the  sabbath,  and  lay 
up  the  rest,  to  be  baked  or  seethed  on  the  sabbath.'  The  command  more  especially 
prohibits  the  gathering  of  manna  on  the  sabbath,  and  preparing  it  for  baking  or 
seething  ;  which  would  have  taken  up  too  great  a  part  of  the  day,  and  have  been  a 
diversion  from  religious  worship.  But  the  baking  or  seething  which  would  have 
afforded  but  a  small  interruption  to  the  work  of  the  sabbath,  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  forbidden. 

We  are  now  led  to  inquire  what  judgment  we  may  pass  on  the  '  stoning  of  the 
man  who  gathered  sticks  on  the  sabbath  day.'2  The  gathering  of  sticks  for  the 
making  of  a  fire  on  the  sabbath  day,  seems  to  be  a  work  of  necessity.  Hence,  some 
may  be  ready  to  conclude  that  the  punishment  inflicted  on  him  was  too  severe. 
But,  instead  of  excepting  against  the  greatness  of  the  punishment  inflicted,  I  would 
rather  infer  that  the  crime  was  very  great.  For  he  might  have  gathered  sticks  on 
other  days,  and  so  have  provided  a  sufficient  quantity  for  his  necessary  use  on  the 
sabbath  day  ;  or  else  he  should  have  been  content  to  have  been  without  a  fire  on 
that  day,  rather  than  give  so  ill  a  precedent  of  the  breach  of  the  sabbath.  Again, 
it  is  probable  that  he  gathered  the  sticks,  not  to  supply  his  present  necessities,  but 
to  increase  his  store  ;  and,  that  he  did  not  gather  a  few  sticks,  but  a  large  quantity. 
But  his  acting  thus  cannot  be  pretended  to  be  a  work  of  necessity.  Nor  is  it  un- 
likely, that  the  man  made  a  practice  of  it,  for  several  sabbaths  together  ;  and  so 
lived  in  a  total  contempt  and  neglect  of  God's  public  ordinances.  Moreover,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  persisted  in  this  practice  presumptuously,  publicly, 
and  in  defiance  of  the  divine  command,  after  having  been  reproved  for  it ;  and  he 
might  obstinately  vindicate  it,  and  resolve,  for  the  future,  to  persist  in  it ;  for  to 
do  so  is  the  nature  of  a  presumptuous  sin.  It  is  plain,  indeed,  that  he  sinned  pre- 
sumptuously. For,  in  the  verses  immediately  foregoing,  God  had  threatened  that 
'  the  soul  that  doth  ought  presumptuously, '  or,  as  it  is  in  the  margin.  '  with  an  high 
hand,'  who  'reproached  the  Lord '  herein,  ' should  be  cut  off;'  and  then  the  account 
of  the  man's  being  stoned  for  gathering  sticks  on  the  sabbath  day,  is  brought  in  as 
an  instance  of  a  just  punishment  of  a  presumptuous  sinner. 

These  things  being  duly  considered,  we  cannot  take  occasion  to  conclude,  as 
many  do,  that  there  is  this  difference  between  the  legal  and  the  gospel-dispensa- 
tion, that  the  sabbath  was  formerly  to  be  observed  more  strictly  than  now  ;  and 
that  the  more  strict  observance  of  it  was  a  part  of  the  yoke  which  neither  they 
nor  their  fathers  were  able  to  bear,  the  relaxation  of  which  is  reckoned  a  branch  of 
that  liberty  which  we  have  under  the  gospel.  This  sounds  very  ill  in  the  ears  of 
all  serious  Christians,  who  think  the  duties  of  religion,  and  the  strictness  of  our 
obligation  in  regard  to  them,  a  privilege  rather  than  a  burden.  Thus  concerning 
the  lawfulness  of  our  performing  works  of  necessity  on  the  sabbath  day. 

We  proceed  farther  to  consider  that  works  of  mercy  ought  to  be  done  on  that 
day  ;  such  as  visiting  and  preparing  medicines  for  the  sick,  relieving  the  poor, 
providing  food  and  water  for  cattle  and  other  brute  creatures.  This  our  Saviour 
vindicates  by  his  practice,  and  illustrates  by  asse'rting  the  necessity  of  '  lifting  out 
a  sheep,'  that  has  '  fallen  into  a  pit,'  on  the  sabbath  day.a 

When,  however,  we  maintain  the  lawfulness  of  performing  works  of  necessity 
and  mercy  on  the  sabbath  day,  some  cautions  ought  to  be  attended  to.  First,  let 
the  necessity  be  real,  not  pretended  ;  of  which,  God  and  our  own  consciences  are  the 
judges. — Again,  if  we  think  that  we  have  a  necessary  call  to  omit  or  lay  aside  our 
attendance  on  the  ordinances  of  God  on  the  sabbath  day,  let  us  take  heed  that  the 
necessity  be  not  brought  on  us  by  some  sin  committed,  which  gives  occasion  to  the 
judicial  hand  of  God.     Let  us  observe  also  that  providence,  which  renders  it  neces- 

y  Exod.  xvi.  23.  z  See  Numb.  xv.  32,  &c.  a  Matt.  xii.  10—13. 


358  THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN 

sary  for  us  to  absent  from  ordinances,  should  be  rather  submitted  to,  than  esteemed 
a  matter  of  choice  or  delight. — Further,  if  necessity  obliges  us  to  engage  in  secular 
employments  on  the  Lord's  day,  as  in  the  instances  of  those  whose  business  is  to 
provide  physic  for  the  sick,  let  us,  nevertheless,  labour  to  possess  a  spiritual  frame, 
becoming  the  holiness  of  the  day,  so  far  as  may  consist  with  what  we  are  imme- 
diately called  to  do. — Again,  as  we  ought  to  see  that  the  work  we  are  engaged  in  is 
necessary  ;  so  we  must  not  spend  more  time  in  it  than  what  is  needful. — Finally, 
if  we  have  a  necessary  call  to  engage  in  worldly  matters,  and  so  be  detained  from 
public  ordinances,  we  must  endeavour  to  satisfy  others  that  the  providence  of  God 
obliges  us  to  act  as  we  do  ;  that  so  we  may  not  give  offence  to  them,  or  they  take 
occasion,  without  just  reason,  to  follow  their  own  employments,  to  do  which  would 
be  a  sin  in  them. 

The  Sanctifying  of  the  Sabbath. 

"We  are  to  sanctify  the  sabbath,  by  spending  the  whole  day  in  the  public  and 
private  exercises  of  God's  worship,  and  by  maintaining  a  becoming  holy  frame  of 
spirit,  from  the  beginning  of  the  day  to  the  end  of  it. 

1.  In  the  beginning  of  the  day,  let  not  sleep  make  encroachments  on  more  of 
the  morning  than  what  is  needful,  particularly,  more  than  what  we  allow  ourselves 
before  we  begin  our  employments  on  other  days.  Let  us  begin  the  day  with  spiri- 
tual meditations,  and  carefully  watch  against  worldly  thoughts,  as  what  will  give 
us  great  interruption  and  hinderance  in  the  work  of  the  sabbath.  Let  us  be  ear- 
nest with  God  in  prayer,  that  he  would  prepare  our  hearts  for  the  solemn  duties 
we  are  to  engage  in.  Let  us  consider  the  sabbath  as  a  very  great  talent  that  we 
are  intrusted  with  ;  and  that  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  for  us  to  improve  it, 
to  the  glory  of  God  and  our  spiritual  advantage. 

2.  While  we  are  engaged  in  holy  duties,  especially  in  the  public  ordinances  of 
God's  worship,  let  us  endeavour  to  maintain  a  becoming  reverence  and  filial  fear 
of  God,  in  whose  presence  we  are,  and  a  love  to  his  holy  institutions,  which  are 
stamped  with  his  authority.  Let  us,  moreover,  watch  and  strive  against  the  first 
motions  and  suggestions  of  Satan,  and  our  corrupt  hearts,  endeavouring  to  divert 
us  from  or  disturb  us  in  holy  duties.  Let  us  often  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God,  by 
spiritual,  short  ejaculatory  prayers,  for  help  from  him,  to  enable  us  to  improve 
the  word,  and,  at  the  same  time,  endeavour,  to  our  utmost,  to  affect  our  hearts 
with  a  sense  of  the  great  worth  of  gospel  opportunities.  Let  us  also  cherish,  im- 
prove, and  bless  God  for  all  the  influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  which  he  is  pleased, 
at  any  time,  to  grant  to  us  ;  or  bewail  and  lament  the  want  of  these,  when  they 
are  withheld. 

3.  In  the  intervals  between  our  attendance  on  the  ordinances  of  God's  public 
worship,  we  are  to  engage  in  private  duties,  and  worship  God  in  and  with  our  fam- 
ilies. In  order  to  this,  we  are  to  call  to  mind  what  we  have  heard,  impress  it  on  our 
own  souls,  recommend  it  to  those  whom  we  converse  with  and  are  concerned  for,  and 
take  heed  that  we  do  nothing,  between  one  public  ordinance  and  another,  which 
may  unfit  us  for  the  remaining  duties  of  the  day,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  that  we 
strive  against  and  give  a  check  to  the  least  motions  of  corruption  in  our  own  souls. 

4.  The  sabbath  is  to  be  sanctified  in  the  evening,  when  the  public  ordinances  are 
over.  We  are  then  to  call  to  mind  with  thankfulness,  what  we  have  received  from 
God,  and  how  we  have  behaved  ourselves  in  all  the  parts  of  divine  worship,  in  which 
we  have  been  engaged.  We  ought  to  inquire  whether  the  sabbath  was  welcome  to 
us,  and  we  rejoiced  in  it  as  a  blessing,  as  well  as  set  about  the  observing  of  it  as  a 
duty  ;  as  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me,  Let  us  go  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord.'b  Moreover,  we  ought  to  inquire  whether  our  aim  was  right 
in  all  the  duties  we  performed ;  whether  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  our  own 
souls,  was  our  great  concern  ;  or  whether  we  were  influenced  only  by  custom,  and 
rested  in  a  form  of  godliness  without  regarding  the  power  of  it,  and  loved  the  opin- 
ion and  praise  of  men  more  than  that  of  God.     We  ought  to  inquire  whether  our 

b  Psal.  cxxii.  I. 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  359 

minds,  our  affections,  and  outward  gestures  were  grave,  sedate,  and  composed,  and 
we  were  ready  to  receive  whatever  God  was  pleased  to  impart  in  his  word ;  whether 
we  had  a  due  sense  of  the  divine  perfections  impressed  on  our  spirits,  and  of  the 
infinite  distance  which  there  is  between  the  great  God  and  us ;  whether  we  saw  our 
need  of  the  word,  as  Job  says  that  '  he  esteemed  the  words  of  God's  mouth  more 
than  his  necessary  food  ;'c  and  whether  we  have  not  only  attended  to  every  truth, 
but  applied  it  to  our  own  souls,  as  desiring  to  retain  and  improve  it,  and  to  make  it 
the  rule  of  our  conversation.  We  are  also  to  consider  what  we  have  received  from 
God  under  his  ordinances  ;  whether  we  have  had  any  sensible  communion  with 
him,  any  experiences  of  his  love,  or  impressions  of  his  power  on  our  hearts  ;  whether 
we  have  had  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  whether, 
as  we  have  gone  from  one  ordinance  to  another,  we  have  gone  from  strength  to 
strength,  our  faith  being  more  lively,  our  love  to  God  increased,  and  our  spiritual 
joy  enlarged  by  every  duty.  We  ought  to  inquire  whether  we  have  learned  some 
doctrine  from  the  word,  which  we  understood  not,  or,  at  least,  have  been  more  con- 
firmed in  it,  after  some  degree  of  wavering,  or  have  been  affected  with  some  truth 
which  we  never  saw  such  a  beauty  and  glory  in  before ;  whether  we  have  been 
melted  under  the  word;  whether  it  has  been,  as  the  prophet  says,  'like  fire,'  or  as 
'  the  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces  ;'d  or  whether  we  can  adopt  the  lan- 
guage of  the  disciples,  '  Did  not  our  heart  burn  within  us  while  he  talked  with  us 
by  the  way,  and  while  he  opened  to  us  the  scriptures  ?'e  Now,  we  may  comfort- 
ably conclude  that  we  have  received  good  under  the  ordinances,  if  we  have  been 
brought  into  an  holy  and  lively  frame  of  spirit ;  if  the  more  we  attend  on  them, 
the  more  our  hearts  are  drawn  forth  to  desire  and  delight  in  them  ;  and  especially 
if  public  duties  fit  us  for  private,  and  if,  from  the  advantage  that  we  receive  from 
such  opportunities,  we  are  more  disposed  to  walk  with  God  in  all  the  affairs  and 
businesses  of  life,  so  that  our  whole  conversation  in  this  world  receives  a  tincture 
from  the  benefit  which  we  gain  by  that  communion  which  we  enjoy  with  God  in 
his  ordinances  on  his  own  day.  Thus  we  are  to  take  a  view  of  our  behaviour  when 
engaged  in  public  worship  ;  and  if  we  have  received  any  spiritual  advantage,  the 
glory  of  it  is  to  be  given  to  God.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  upon  a  strict  and  im- 
partial inquiry  into  the  frame  of  our  spirits  under  the  ordinances,  we  have,  as  too 
often  happens,  reason  to  complain  of  our  deadness  and  stupidity  under  them ;  if  we 
have  not  experienced  that  sensible  communion  with  God  which  we  have  at  other 
times  enjoyed,  or  have  reason  to  say  that  we  wax  worse,  rather  than  better,  under 
them  ;  let  us  dread  the  consequence  of  this  experience,  lest  it  should  issue  in  a  judi- 
cial hardness  of  heart,  and  habitual  unprofitableness,  under  the  means  of  grace. 
We  ought,  in  this  case,  to  search  out  that  secret  sin  which  is  as  a  root  of  bitterness 
springing  up  within  us  and  troubling  us,  and  to  be  humbled  before  God  for  it.  We 
ought  also  to  be  still  pressing  after  that  special  presence  of  God  in  his  ordinances 
which  will  have  a  tendency  to  promote  the  life  and  power  of  religion  in  our  souls. 

We  may  add  that,  besides  our  dealing  thus  with  ourselves  in  our  private  retire- 
ments, after  having  attended  public  worship,  we  are  to  endeavour  to  sanctify  the 
sabbath  in  our  families  in  the  evening.  Family  worship  is  to  be  neglected  no  day ; 
but  on  the  sabbath  it  is  to  be  engaged  in  with  a  particular  relation  to  the  duties 
which  we  have  been  performing  in  public.  Accordingly,  it  is  said,  in  one  of  the  An- 
swers we  are  explaining,  that  the  charge  of  keeping  the  sabbath  is  directed  to  the 
governors  of  families,  and  other  superiors  ;  inasmuch  as  they  are  bound  not  only 
to  keep  it  themselves,  but  to  see  that  it  be  observed  by  all  those  who  are  under 
their  charge,  and  not  to  hinder  them,  as  many  are  prone  to  do,  by  employing  them 
in  those  works  which  are  foreign  to  the  duties  of  the  day.  Masters  of  families  are 
not  only,  on  the  sabbath  day,  to  restrain  immoralities  in  those  who  are  under  their 
care,  but  to  lay  their  commands  on  them  to  engage  with  thein  in  the  worship  of 
God,  as  they  expect  a  blessing  from  him  in  all  their  undertakings.  Thus  Joshua 
resolves  that  'he  and  his  house  would  serve  the  Lord  ;?f  and  God  speaks  to  the 
honour  of  Abraham,  when  he  says,  '  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children 
and  his  household  after  him  ;  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord.'g     Superiors 

c  Job  xxiii.  12.        d  Jer.  xxiii.  '29.        e  Luke  xxiv.  32.      f  Josh.  xxiv.  15.      g  Gen.  xviii.  19* 


360  THE  PROHIBITIONS  AND  MOTIVES  OF 

have  no  power  to  dispense  with  any  of  God's  commandments,  or  disengage  their 
dependents  from  yielding  obedience  to  them.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are 
obliged  to  see  that  all  under  their  care  perform  their  duty  to  God,  as  well  as  to 
them,  and  particularly  that  of  sanctifying  the  sabbath.  They  are  hence  to  restrain 
them  from  taking  their  own  diversions,  or  finding  their  own  pleasure  in  sinful  re- 
creations on  the  Lord's  day  ;  and  to  impress  on  them  those  suitable  exhortations 
which  may  have  a  tendency  to  promote  religion  in  their  families  ;  by  which  means 
they  may  hope  for  a  peculiar  blessing  from  God,  in  every  relation  and  condition 
of  life. 


THE  PROHIBITIONS  AND  MOTIVES  OF  THE  FOURTH  COM- 
MANDMENT. 

Question  CXIX.   What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  fourth  commandment  7 
Answer.   The  sins  forbidden   in  the   fourth   commandment,  are,  all  omissions  of  the  duties  re- 
quired, all  careless,  negligent,  and  unprofitable  performing  of  them,  and  being  weary  of  them,  all 
profaning  the  day  by  idleness,  and  doing  that  which  is  in  itself  sinful,  and  by  all  needless  works, 
words,  and  thoughts  about  our  worldly  employments  and  recreations. 

Question  CXX.  What  are  the  reasons  annexed  to  the  fourth  commandment,  the  more  to  en- 
force it  ? 

Answer.  The  reasons  annexed  to  the  fourth  commandment,  the  more  to  enforce  it,  are  taken 
from  the  equity  of  it,  God  allowing  us  six  days  of  seven  for  our  own  affairs,  and  reserving  but  one 
for  himself,  in  these  words,  "Six  days  shalt  thou  labour,  and  do  all  tby  work;''  from  God's  chal- 
lenging a  special  propriety  in  that  day,  ••  The  seventh  day  is  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God;" 
from  the  example  of  God,  who,  'in  six  days  made  heaven  and  eaith,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them 
is,  and  rested  the  seventh  day  ;"  and  from  that  blessing  which  God  put  upon  that  day,  not  only 
in  sanctifying  it  to  be  a  day  for  bis  service,  but  in  ordaining  it  to  be  a  means  of  blessing  to  us  in 
our  sanctifying  it;  "  wherefore  the  Lord  blessed  the  sabbath  day  and  hallowed  it." 

Question  CXXI.   Why  is  the  word  "  remember  "  set  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  commandment  t 

Answer.  The  word  "  remember  "  is  set  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  commandment,  partly  tie- 
cause  of  the  great  benefit  of  remembering  it;  we  being  thereby  helped,  in  our  preparation  to  keep 
it;  and  in  keeping  it  better,  to  keep  all  the  rest  of  the  commandments,  and  to  continue  a  thankful 
remembrance  of  the  two  great  benefits  of  creation  and  redemption,  which  contain  a  short  abridg- 
ment of  religion  ;  and  partly  because  we  are  very  ready  to  forget  it  ;  for  that  there  is  less  light  of 
nature  for  it,  and  yet  it  restraineth  our  natural  liberty  in  things  at  other  times  law  (til ;  that  it  com- 
eth  but  once  in  seven  days,  and  many  worldly  businesses  come  between,  and  too  often  take  off 
our  minds  from  thinking  of  it,  either  to  prepare  for  it.  or  to  sanctify  it;  and  that  Satan,  with  his 
instruments,  much  labour  to  blot  out  the  glory,  and  even  the  memory  of  it,  to  bring  in  all  irreligion 
and  impiety. 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

Ik  discussing  these  Answers,  we  shall  first  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  com- 
mandment. 

1.  The  first  of  these  are  the  omission  of  the  duties  required.  Sins  of  omission 
are  exceedingly  prejudicial ;  because,  though  they  have  a  tendency  to  harden  the 
heart  and  stupify  the  conscience,  yet  they  are,  of  all  others,  least  regarded.  As 
to  the  omission  of  holy  duties  on  the  sabbath  day,  it  is  a  slighting  and  casting  away 
of  a  great  prize,  put  into  our  hands.  Hence,  in  such  a  case,  it  will  be  said,  '  Where- 
fore is  there  a  price  put  into  the  hands  of  a  fool  to  get  wisdom,  seeing  he  hath  no 
heart  to  it?'h  It  may  be  observed  also  that  the  omission  of  holy  duties  on  the  sab- 
bath is  generally  attended  with  the  neglect  of  secret  duties,  and  is  an  inlet  to  all 
manner  of  sins,  and  to  a  total  apostacy  from  God. 

2.  The  next  thing  forbidden  in  this  commandment,  is  the  careless  performance  of 
holy  duties.  We  commit  this  sin  when  our  hearts  are  not  engaged  in  them,  or 
when  we  content  ourselves  with  a  form  of  godliness,  denying  the  power  of  it,  and 
have  no  sense  of  God's  all-seeing  eye,  or  dread  of  spiritual  judgments,  being  given 
up  to  barrenness  and  unprofitableness  under  the  means  of  grace.     Such  a  frame 

fa  Prov.  xvii.  16. 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  361 

of  spirit  as  this,  is  always  attended  with  a  declining  state  of  religion  ;  especially  if 
we  do  not  lament  and  strive  against  it.  We  may  add,  that  we  greatly  sin  when 
we  profane  the  day  by  idleness  ;  either  by  sleeping  away  a  great  part  of  the  morn- 
ing of  the  day  as  though  it  were  a  day  of  sloth,  and  not  of  spiritual  rest,  designed 
for  religious  exercises  ;  or  by  drowsiness  under  the  ordinances,  as  though  we  had 
no  concern  in  them,  whereby  we  give  all  about  us  to  understand  that  we  do,  as  it 
were,  withdraw  our  thoughts  from  the  work  in  which  we  pretend  to  be  engaged. 
In  some,  indeed,  this  drowsiness  proceeds  very  much  from  the  weakness  of  their 
natural  constitution.  Such  may  be  heavy  and  weary  in  duty,  though  they  are  not 
weary  of  it ;  and  they  lament  it,  and  are  far  from  giving  way  to  it,  though  they  are, 
sometimes,  unavoidably  overtaken  with  it.  In  this  case,  though  it  cannot  be  excused 
from  being  a  sin  ;  yet  it  is  such,  as,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  our  Saviour  will  cover  with 
the  mantle  of  his  love,  or  at  least  not  charge  upon  them  for  their  condemnation, 
though  he  may  reprove  them  for  it  to  bring  them  under  conviction.  Thus  he  dealt 
with  his  disciples,  when  he  '  came  to  them,  and  found  them  asleep.'1  Though  he 
tacitly  reproves  them,  yet  he  does  not  infer  that  they  were  wholly  destitute  of  laith  ; 
but  he  charges  their  unbecoming  carriage  on  the  weakness  of  faith,  and  on  their 
being  overpowered  by  the  infirmities  of  nature,  when  he  says,  '  The  spirit  indeed  is 
willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak.' 

3.  There  are  other  sins  forbidden  in  the  fourth  commandment,  which  are  particu- 
larly mentioned  in  this  Answer.  But  these  were  insisted  on,  in  considering  how 
the  sabbath  is  to  sanctified  ;  where  we  showed  that,  as  we  are  not  to  do  that  which 
is  in  itself  sinful,  so  we  are  to  abstain  from  our  worldly  employments  and  recrea- 
tions, and  endeavour  to  guard  against  that  vanity  of  thoughts  which  will  have  a 
tendency  to  alienate  our  affections  from  God,  or  hinder  the  success  of  ordinances. 

The  Reasons  Annexed  to  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

We  proceed  now  to  consider  the  reasons  annexed  to  this  commandment. 

1.  It  is  highly  reasonable  that  we  should  sanctify  the  Lord's  day  ;  since  God  is 
pleased  to  allow  us  six  days  out  of  seven,  for  attending  to  our  worldly  affairs,  and 
reserves  but  one  to  himself.  This  supposes  that  we  are  allowed  to  engage  in  our 
secular  callings  on  other  days.  Hence,  though  it  is  brought  in  occasionally  in  this 
commandment,  the  duty  which  it  implies  belongs  rather  to  the  second  table  than 
to  the  first.  In  particular,  it  seems  to  be  a  branch  of  the  eighth  commandment. 
It  is  alleged,  however,  as  a  reason  of  our  observing  this  commandment.  Now,  six 
days  in  seven  is  a  very  large  allowance  which  God  has  made  for  our  own  employ- 
ments. If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  had  allowed  us  but  one  day  in  seven  for  them, 
and  laid  claim  to  six  days  to  be  set  apart  for  religious  worship,  none  would  have 
had  reason  to  complain  ;  since  he,  being  the  absolute  Lord  of  our  time,  may  demand 
what  proportion  of  it  he  pleases.  And  they  who  are  truly  sensible  of  the  real  ad- 
vantage which  there  is  in  attendance  on  all  God's  holy  institutions,  and  consider 
the  sabbath  as  a  privilege  and  blessing,  would  think  it  not  only  reasonable,  but  a 
great  instance  of  the  kindness  of  God  to  man,  had  this  earth  so  much  resembled 
heaven,  that  there  should  be  a  perpetual  sabbath  celebrated  here,  as  there  is  there, 
where  the  saints  count  it  their  happiness  to  be  engaged  without  interruption,  in  the 
immediate  service  of  God. 

It  is  objected  by  some  that  they  cannot  spare  out  of  their  worldly  business  a  seventh 
part  of  time  for  religious  duties,  and  that  it  is  very  hard  for  them  to  get  bread 
for  their  families  by  all  their  diligence  and  industry.  Others  allege  that  the  sab- 
bath is  their  market-day,  by  selling  things  on  which  they  get  more  than  they  do 
on  other  days.  As  to  the  former  part  of  the  objection,  taken  from  the  difficulty 
of  persons  subsisting  their  families,  it  may  be  replied  that  God  is  able  to  make  up 
the  loss  of  the  seventh  part  of  time,  so  that  their  not  working  in  it  shall  not  be  a 
real  detriment  to  those  who  are  in  the  lowest  circumstances  in  the  world.  God 
has  ordered  it  so,  that  our  observing  his  holy  institutions  shall  not,  in  the  end, 
prove  detrimental  to  us.  Thus  when  Israel  was  commanded  to  rest,  and,  every 
seventh  year,  not  to  cultivate  their  land  for  a  whole  year  together,  providence  so 

i  Matt,  xx  vi.  40.  41. 

ii.  2z 


362  THE  PROHIBITIONS  AND  MOTIVES  OF 

ordered  it  that  they  were  not  sufferers  by  this  institution,  inasmuch  as  the  year 
before  brought  forth  enough  for  three  years  ; k  and  when  they  were  not  to  gather 
manna  on  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  there  was  a  double  quantity  rained  upon 
them,  which  they  gathered,  the  day  before.1  Why,  then,  may  we  not  conclude 
that,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  what  is  lost  by  our  not  attending  to  our  secular  call- 
ings on  the  Lord's  day,  may  be  abundantly  made  up,  by  his  blessing  giving  suc- 
cess to  our  endeavours  on  other  days?  As  to  that  part  of  the  objection  in  which 
persons  pretend  that  the  Lord's  day  is  their  market-day,  in  which  they  expect  more 
advantage  than  on  other  days,  it  may  be  replied  that  if  this  be  true  it  arises  from 
the  iniquity  of  the  times  ;  and  it  should  be  a  caution  to  us,  not  to  encourage  those 
who  expose  their  wares  to  sale  on  the  sabbath  day,  since,  if  there  were  no  buyers, 
there  would  be  no  sellers,  and  this  public  and  notorious  sin  would  be  prevented. 
We  have  a  noble  instance  of  this  in  Nehemiah,  whose  wisdom,  zeal,  and  holy  re- 
solution, put  an  effectual  stop  to  this  practice,  in  his  dealing  with  those  who  '  sold 
fish  on  the  sabbath  day.'m  First,  'he  shut  the  gates  of  the  city  against  them  ;' 
and  when  he  saw  that  they  continued  without  the  walls,  hoping,  by  some  means  or 
other,  to  get  into  the  city,  or  to  entice  some  to  come  out  to  buy  their  merchandise, 
then  he  '  testified  against  them, '  and  commanded  them  not  to  continue  without  the 
walls,  and  by  this  means  gave  a  check  to  their  scandalous  practice.  Moreover, 
this  gain  of  iniquity  is  not  to  be  pretended  as  a  just  excuse  for  the  breach  of  a 
positive  commandment  ;  since,  what  is  gotten  in  a  way  of  presumptuous  rebellion 
against  God,  is  not  likely  to  prosper,  whatever  pretence  of  poverty  may  be  alleged 
to  give  countenance  to  it. 

2.  Another  reason  annexed  to  enforce  our  observance  of  the  sabbath  day,  is  taken 
from  God's  challenging  a  special  propriety  in  it.  Thus  it  is  called  'the  sabbath  of 
the  Lord  thy  God  ;'  a  day  which  he  has  consecrated  or  separated  to  himself,  and 
to  which  accordingly  he  lays  claim.  Hence,  it  is  no  less  than  sacrilege,  or  a  rob- 
bing of  him,  to  employ  it  in  any  thing  but  what  he  requires  to  be  done  in  it. 

3.  God  sets  his  own  example  before  us  for  our  imitation.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  In 
six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  rested  the  seventh  day,  and  hallowed 
it.'  It  is  observed  that  God  was  six  days  in  making  the  world  ;  whereas,  had  he 
pleased,  he  could  have  created  all  things  with  the  same  beauty  and  perfection  in 
which  they  are  at  present,  in  an  instant.  But  he  performed  this  work  by  degrees, 
that  he  might  teach  us  that  whatever  our  hand  finds  to  do,  we  should  do  in  the 
proper  season  allotted  for  it.  And  as  he  ceased  from  his  work  on  the  seventh  day, 
he  requires  that  we  should  rest  from  ours,  in  conformity  to  his  own  example. 

4.  The  last  reason  assigned  for  our  sanctifying  the  sabbath,  is  taken  from  God's 
blessing  and  sanctifying  it,  or  setting  it  apart  for  an  holy  use.  To  bless  a  day,  is 
to  give  it  to  us  as  a  particular  blessing  and  privilege.  Accordingly,  we  ought  to 
reckon  the  sabbath  a  great  instance  of  God's  care  and  compassion  to  men,  and  a 
very  great  privilege,  which  ought  to  be  highly  esteemed  by  them.  Again,  for 
God  to  sanctify  a  day,  is  to  set  it  apart  from  a  common  to  an  holy  use.  Accord- 
ingly, we  ought  to  reckon  the  sabbath  a  day  signalized  above  all  others,  with  the 
character  of  God's  holy  day ;  and  as  such,  we  ought  to  employ  it  in  holy  exercises, 
answerable  to  the  end  for  which  it  was  instituted. 

Import  of  the  Word  '  Remember '  in  the  Fourth  Commandment, 

It  is  observed  in  the  last  Answer  we  are  explaining,  that  the  word  'remember' 
is  set  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  commandment.  From  this  circumstance  we 
may  observe  our  great  proneness,  through  worldly  business,  and  Satan's  tempta- 
tions, to  forget  the  sabbath.  We  may  learn  also  the  importance  of  our  observing 
the  sabbath,  without  which  irreligion  and  profaneness  would  universally  abound  in 
the  world  ;  and  that,  on  the  other  hand,  in  our  observing  this  day  as  we  ought  to 
do,  we  may  hope  for  grace  from  God,  whereby  we  may  be  enabled  to  keep  his  other 
commandments.— Again,  the  word  'remember,'  prefixed  to  this  commandment, 
imports,  not  only  that  we  are  to  call  to  mind  that  this  particular  day  which  God 

k  Lev.  xxv.  20—22.  1  Exod.  xvi.  22—24.  m  Neh.  xiii.  16—21. 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  363 

Las  sanctified  is  a  sabbath,  or  to  know  what  day  it  is  in  the  order  of  the  days  of 
the  week,  but  that  we  ought  to  endeavour  to  have  a  frame  of  spirit  becoming  the 
holiness  of  the  day,  or  to  remember  it  so  as  to  keep  it  holy.  It  is  certain  that  it  is 
an  hard  matter,  through  the  corruption  of  nature,  to  get  our  hearts  disengaged 
from  the  vain  amusements  and  entanglements  of  the  present  world  ;  in  consequence 
of  which,  we  lose  the  advantage  which  would  redound  to  us,  by  our  conversing 
with  God  in  holy  duties.  We  are  therefore  to  desire  of  him  that  he  would  impress 
on  our  souls  a  sense  of  our  obligation  to  duty,  and  of  the  advantage  which  we  may 
hope  to  gain  from  it.  To  induce  us  to  act  thus,  let  it  be  considered  that  the  pro- 
fanation of  the  sabbath  is  generally  the  first  step  to  all  manner  of  wickedness,  and 
a  making  great  advances  to  a  total  apostasy  from  God.  Again,  the  observing  of  it 
is  reckoned  as  a  sign  between  God  and  his  people.  With  respect  to  him,  it  is  a 
sign  of  his  favour ;  and  with  respect  to  man,  it  is  a  sign  of  their  subjection  to  God, 
as  their  King  and  Lawgiver,  in  all  his  holy  appointments.  Moreover,  we  cannot 
reasonably  expect  that  God  should  bless  us  in  what  we  undertake  on  other  days,  if 
we  neglect  to  own  him  on  his  day,  or  to  devote  ourselves  to  him,  and  by  doing  so 
discover  our  preferring  him  and  the  affairs  of  his  worship  before  all  things  in  the 
world. 

Inferences  from  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

1.  What  has  been  said  in  explaining  this  commandment  may  serve  to  confute 
those  who  think  that  the  observance  of  days  in  general,  or  that  the  keeping  of  the 
first  day  of  the  week  as  a  sabbath,  is  a  setting  up  of  the  ceremonial  law,  without 
distinguishing  aright  between  a  ceremonial  and  a  moral  precept.  For,  how  much 
soever  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day,  might  have  a  ceremonial  signification  as 
it  was  enjoined  to  Israel  from  mount  Sinai,  it  is  possible  for  the  typical  reference 
of  it  to  cease,  and  yet  the  moral  reason  of  it  to  remain  in  force  to  us  ;  as  the  sab- 
bath is  a  day  appointed  by  God  in  which  he  is  to  be  worshipped,  so  that  we  may 
have  ground  to  expect  his  presence  and  blessing,  while  attending  on  him  in  his  holy 
institutions. 

2.  Others  are  to  blame  who  think  that  every  day  is  to  be  kept  as  a  sabbath,  pre- 
tending that  such  a  practice  is  most  agreeable  to  a  state  of  perfection.  It  is  contrary, 
however,  to  God's  allowing  us  six  days  for  our  own  employment.  Indeed,  none 
who  make  use  of  this  argument,  do,  in  reality,  keep  any  day  as  a  sabbath,  at  least 
in  such  a  way  as  they  ought. 

3.  Others  are  guilty  of  a  great  error  who  think  that  the  sabbath  is,  indeed,  to  be 
observed  ;  but  that  there  is  no  need  of  that  strictness  which  has  been  inculcated,  or 
of  its  being  kept  holy  from  beginning  to  end.  Some  suppose  that  the  only  design 
of  God  in  instituting  it,  was,  that  public  worship  should  be  maintained  in  the  world; 
and  that,  therefore,  it  is  sufficient  if  they  attend  on  it,  without  endeavouring  to  con- 
verse with  him  in  secret. 

4.  What  has  been  said,  is  directly  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  those  who  think  that 
the  Lord's  day  was  a  mere  human  institution  ;  without  considering,  as  has  been 
hinted,  that  what  the  apostles  prescribed  respecting  it,  was  by  divine  direction. 
This  opinion,  if  it  should  prevail,  would  open  a  door  to  great  carelessness  and  for- 
mality in  holy  duties,  and  would  be  an  inducement  to  us  to  profane  the  day  in  vari- 
ous instances. 


-  -^""i 


THE  SUM  OF  THE  SECOND  TABLE  OF  THE  LAW. 


Question  OXX1I.  What  is  the  sum  of  the  six  commandments,  which  contain  our  duty  io  ttUmf 
Answer.  The  sum  of  the  six  commandments,  which  contain  our  duty  to  man,  is,  toloVfrfbt 
neighbour  as  ourselves,  and  to  do  to  others  what  we  would  have  them  do  to  us.  bn£ 

As  the  first  table  of  the  ten  commandments  respects  our  duty  to  God,  so  the  ot^ier 
contains  our  duty  to  our  neighbour.     This  is  comprised  in  the  general  idea  of 


364  THE  SUM  OF  THE  SECOND  TABLE  OF  THE  LAW. 

love  ;  which  therefore  is  styled  the  sum  of  the  following  six  commandments.  It  is 
included  in  our  Saviour's  words,  '  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself;'"  and 
elsewhere,  '  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to 
them.'0 

Love  to  our  Neighbour. 

We  are  commanded  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves.  This  implies  a  cau- 
tion against  a  selfish  temper  ;  as  though  we  were  born  only  for  ourselves,  or  were 
obliged  to  do  good  to  none  else.  Such  selfishness  is  what  the  apostle  reproves, 
when  he  says,  '  Men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own  selves  ;'p  that  is,  they  shall  study 
and  consult  the  happiness,  ease,  and  comfort  of  none  but  themselves. — Moreover, 
our  loving  our  neighbour  as  ourselves,  implies  our  using  endeavours  to  promote  the 
good  of  all  whom  we  converse  with ;  and  thereby  rendering  ourselves  a  blessing  to 
mankind.  It  does  not,  indeed,  exclude  self-love,  which  it  supposes  to  be  a  duty  ; 
but  obliges  us  to  love  others  as  well  as  ourselves,  in  things  which  relate  to  their 
spiritual  and  temporal  good. 

Here  we  may  inquire  whether  we  ought  to  love  others  better  than  ourselves ;  or 
what  the  apostle  intends  when  he  says,  '  Let  each  esteem  other  better  than  them- 
selves ?'i  Now,  it  cannot  be  hereby  meant  that  they  who  have  attained  a  great 
measure  of  the  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  God,  should  reckon  themselves  as  igno- 
rant of  or  unstable  in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  as  those  who  never  made  them 
the  subject  of  their  study  and  inquiry ;  or  that  they  who  have  had  large  experience 
of  the  grace  of  God,  should  conclude  that  they  have  no  more  experience  of  it  than 
those  who  are  unregenerate,  and  have  not  taken  one  step  heavenward.  But  the  mean- 
ing is,  that  the  greatest  saint  should  not  think  himself  better  than  the  least,  any 
otherwise  than  as  he  has  received  more  from  the  discriminating  grace  of  God  ;  as 
the  apostle  says,  '  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another  ?  and  what  hast  thou, 
that  thou  didst  not  receive  Vr  Indeed,  such  an  one  may  see  more  sin  in  himself 
than  he  can  see  in  any  other ;  and,  therefore,  may  have  reason  to  reckon  himself, 
as  the  apostle  says,  '  the  chief  of  sinners.'8  The  best  saints  would  have  been  as 
bad  as  the  vilest  of  men,  had  they  been  left  to  themselves  ;  and  it  may  be,  some  of 
those  who  have  had  less  grace,  have  had  fewer  talents  and  opportunities  of  grace 
than  the  former  have  had,  which  they  have  improved  better  in  proportion  to  what 
they  have  received,  than  the  others  have  the  many  advantages  which  God  has 
been  pleased  to  bestow  on  them. 

Our  next  inquiry  may  be,  whether  our  love  to  our  neighbour  should  extend  so  far 
that  we  should  be  willing,  were  it  needful,  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  them  ;  as  it  is 
said,  ■  We  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren  ;**  and,  •  Peradventure  for 
a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to  die.  'u  But  by  '  laying  down  our  lives, '  in 
these  scriptures,  is  principally  intended  hazarding  our  lives,  or  exposing  ourselves 
to  the  utmost  danger,  even  of  death  itself,  for  others.  Yet  we  are  not  to  do  this 
rashly,  and  at  all  times  ;  but  only  when  God,  who  is  the  sovereign  Lord  of  our 
lives,  calls  us  to  it.  Nor  ought  this  to  be  done  for  every  one,  but  '  the  brethren  ;' 
especially  for  those  who  are  more  eminently  useful  in  the  church  of  God  than  our- 
selves or  others.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  '  for  a  good  man,'  that  is,  one  who 
is  a  common  good,  or  a  blessing  to  many  others,  •  one  would  even  dare  to  die.' 
Moreover,  our  obeying  this  precept  must  be  at  times  when,  in  exposing  ourselves 
for  the  sake  of  others,  we  give  our  testimony  to  the  gospel ;  and,  in  defending  them, 
plead  the  injured  cause  of  Christ  and  religion. 

Doing  as  we  would  be  done  by. 

Loving  our  neighbour  as  ourselves  is  farther  illustrated  in  this  Answer,  by  doing 
to  others  what  we  would  have  them  do  to  us.  This  is  one  of  the  most  undeniable 
and  self-evident  truths  contained  in  the  law  of  nature.     Whatever  disputable  mat- 

n  Matt.  xxii.  39.  o  Chap.  vii.  12.  p  2  Tim.  iii.  2.  q  PhiL  ii.  3. 

r  1  Cor.  iv.  7.  b  1  Tim.  i.  15.  t  1  John  iii.  16.  u  Rom.  v.  7. 


THE  SUM  OF  THE  SECON©  TABLE  OF  THE  LAW.  365 

ters  there  may  be  as  to  other  duties,  this  rule  is  allowed  bj  all  mankind.  Many, 
indeed,  do  not  conform  their  practice  to  it ;  and  their  acting  so  gives  occasion  to 
the  injuries  done  between  man  and  man.  Yet  the  vilest  of  men,  when  they  deli- 
berate on  their  own  actions,  cannot  but  blame  themselves  for  acting  contrary  to  it. 
This  Saul  did  when  he  said  to  David,  '  Thou  art  more  righteous  than  I ;  for  thou 
hast  rewarded  me  good,  whereas  I  have  rewarded  thee  evil.'x  We  conclude,  then, 
that  it  is  one  of  the  first  principles  of  the  law  of  nature,  and  may  well  be  called, 
as  it  is  in  this  Answer,  the  sum  of  the  commandments  of  the  second  table,  or  that 
to  which  they  are  all  reduced.  There  are  two  things  which  we  shall  lay  down, 
relating  to  this  golden  rule  of  doing  to  others  as  we  would  that  they  should  do  to  us. 

1.  It  is  miserably  neglected  by  a  great  part  of  the  world.  It  is  neglected  by 
those  who  turn  away  their  hearts  from  the  afflicted  ;  so  as  not  to  pity,  help,  or 
endeavour  to  comfort  them  in  their  distress.  The  psalmist  was  of  another  mind 
than  these  persons,  when  he  said,  '  As  for  me,  when  they  were  sick,  my  clothing 
was  sackcloth.  I  humbled  my  soul  with  fasting,  and  my  prayer  returned  into  mine 
own  bosom.  I  behaved  myself  as  though  he  had  been  my  friend  or  brother.  I 
bowed  down  heavily,  as  one  that  mourneth  for  his  mother. 'y  Moreover,  this  rule 
is  broken  by  those  who  deny  to  others  those  natural,  civil,  or  religious  liberties 
which,  by  God's  appointment,  they  have  a  right  to,  or  envy  them  the  possession  of 
these. 

2.  We  are  farther  to  inquire  how  this  rule,  of  doing  to  others  what  we  would 
have  them  do  to  us,  may  be  of  use  in  order  to  our  right  observing  the  command- 
ments of  the  second  table.  The  fifth  commandment,  which  requires  the  perfor- 
mance of  all  relative  duties,  would  be  better  observed,  did  superiors  put  themselves 
in  the  place  of  inferiors,  and  consider  what  they  would  then  expect  from  them ; 
and  the  same  they  ought  to  do  to  them.  The  same  thing  may  be  said  with  regard 
to  the  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  commandments  ;  which  respect  the  life,  the  honour, 
and  the  wealth  of  others.  If  these  are  dear  to  us,  ought  we  not  to  consider  that 
they  are  so  to  others  ?  And  if  we  would  not  be  deprived  of  them  ourselves,  how  un- 
reasonable is  it  for  us  to  do  any  thing  which  may  tend  to  deprive  others  of  them  ? 
Again,  if,  according  to  the  ninth  commandment,  our  good  name  be  so  valuable, 
that  we  ought  to  maintain  it,  should  not  defamers,  slanderers,  and  backbiters  reflect 
that  they  do  that  to  others  which  they  would  not  have  done  to  themselves  ?  As 
to  the  tenth  commandment,  it  forbids  our  uneasiness  at,  or  being  discontented  with, 
the  good  of  others,  or  our  endeavouring  to  divest  them  of  the  possession  of  what 
God  has  given  them  in  this  world.  Now,  these  things  cannot  be  done  by  any  per- 
sons who  duly  consider,  how  unwilling  they  would  be  to  have  what  they  possess 
taken  away,  to  satisfy  the  covetousness  or  lust  of  others. 

x  1  Sam.  zxiv.  17-  y  Psal.  xxxv.  13—15. 


■  66  THE    RELATIONS  OF  LIFE. 


THE  RELATIONS  OF  LIFE. 

Question  CXXIII.   Which  is  the  fifth  commandment? 

Answer.  The  fifth  commandment  is,  "  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother  ;  that  thy  days  m;iy 
be  long  upon  the  land,  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee." 

Question  CXXIV.    Who  are  meant  by  father  and  mother,  in  the  fifth  commandment  ? 

Answer.  By  father  and  mother,  in  the  fifth  commandment,  are  meant  not  only  natural  parents, 
but  all  superiors  in  age  and  gifts,  and  especially  such  as,  by  God's  ordinance,  are  over  us  in  place  of 
authority,  whether  in  family,  church,  or  commonwealth. 

Question  CXXV.   Why  are  superiors  styled  father  and  mother? 

Answer.  Superiors  are  styled  father  and  mother,  both  to  teach  them  in  all  duties  towards  their 
inferiors,  like  natural  parents,  to  express  love  and  tenderness  to  them,  according  to  their  several 
relations,  and  to  work  inferiors  to  a  greater  willingness  and  cheerfulness  in  performing  their  duties 
to  their  superiors,  as  to  their  parents. 

Question  CXXVI.   Wltat  is  the  general  scope  of  the  fifth  commandment? 

Answer.  The  general  scope  of  the  fifth  commandment  is,  the  peiformance  of  those  duties  which 
we  n.utually  owe  in  our  several  relations,  as  inferiors,  superiors,  equals. 

The  Meaning  of  'Father  and  Mother '  in  the  Fifth  Commandment. 

In  the  fifth  commandment,  no  other  relations  are  mentioned  hut  father  and  mother ; 
yet  it  may  be  observed  that  by  these  all  superiors  in  general  are  intended.  Many 
are  called  fathers  in  scripture  besides  our  natural  parents.  Superiors  in  age  are 
so  called.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Rebuke  not  an  elder,  but  entreat  him  as  a  father,  and 
the  younger  men  as  brethren  ;  the  elder  women  as  mothers,  the  younger  as  sisters, 
with  all  purity.' z  They  also  are  called  fathers  who  are  superior  in  gifts  ;  and  ac- 
cordingly have  been  inventors  of  arts  which  have  been  useful  to  the  world.  Thus 
Jabal  is  said  to  be  '  the  father  of  such  as  dwell  in  tents,  and  have  cattle,' a  that  is,  the 
first  who  made  considerable  improvements  in  the  art  of  husbandry ;  and  Jubal  is 
said  to  be  '  the  father, '  that  is,  the  instructor  '  of  all  such  as  handle  the  harp  and 
organ, 'b  or  the  first  who  made  improvements  in  the  art  of  music.  Moreover,  those 
are  called  fathers  to  whom  we  owe,  under  God,  our  outward  prosperity  and  happi- 
ness. In  this  sense  Joseph,  though  a  subject,  a  young  man,  and,  a  little  before,  a 
prisoner,  is  called  '  a  father  to  Pharaoh  ;c  that  is,  he  was  an  instrument  to  support 
his  greatness,  and  preserve  him  from  the  inconveniences  of  a  seven  years'  famine. 
Again,  princes,  great  men,  and  heads  of  families,  are  called  fathers.  Thus  Naaman 
was  so  called  by  his  servants.*1  Further,  men  of  honour  and  usefulness  in  the 
church  are  so  called.  Thus  when  Elisha  saw  Elijah  ascend  into  heaven,  he  cried 
out,  '  My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen  thereof.'0 
Joash,  the  king  of  Israel,  used  the  same  expression  to  Elijah,  '  when  fallen  sick.'f 
The  apostle  also  takes  by  implication  the  name  father  to  himself  when  he  styles 
those  to  whom  he  had  been  made  useful  for  their  conviction,  and  enlightening  in  the 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  '  My  little  children.  '•  Finally,  good  kings  and  governors 
are  called  fathers.  Thus  it  is  said, '  Kings  shall  be  thy  nursing-fathers,  and  queens 
thy  nursing-mothers. 'h 

Why  Superiors  are  styled  Father  and  Mother. 

We  have  an  account,  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining,  of  the  reason 
why  superiors  are  styled  father  and  mother.  This  is,  that  they  should  behave  to- 
wards their  inferiors  with  the  same  love  and  tenderness  as  if  they  were  natural 
parents.  Authority  is  not  only  consistent  with  such  love  ;  but  it  ought  to  be  exer- 
cised, by  superiors  towards  inferiors,  under  the  influence  of  this  love.  Thus  Job, 
when  in  his  prosperity,  was,  as  it  were,  a  common  father  to  all  who  were  under  him. 

z  1  Tim.  v.  1,  2.  a  Gen.  iv.  20.  b  Ver.  21.  c  Chap.  xlv.  8.  d  2  Kings  v.  13. 

»■  2  Kings  ii.  12.  f  Chap.  xiii.  14.         g  Gal.  iv.  19.        h  La.  xlix.  23. 


THE  RELATIONS  OF  LIFE.  367 

Accordingly,  he  says,  '  I  delivered  the  poor  that  cried,  and  the  fatherless,  and  him 
that  had  none  to  help  him  ;'*  and  '  I  was  a  father  to  the  poor.'k  Ministers,  also, 
who,  in  some  respects,  are  superior  in  office  to  others,  when  their  reproofs  are  mixed 
with  tenderness  and  compassion  towards  the  souls  of  men  under  their  care,  are 
compared  to  '  the  nurse  that  cherisheth  her  children  ;'  as  '  heing  affectionately  de- 
sirous, and  willing  to  impart  to  them,  not  the  gospel  of  God  only,  but  also  their 
own  souls,  as  being  dear  to  them.'1 

The  Bases  and  Nature  of  the  Social  Relations. 

We  have,  in  another  of  the  Answers  under  our  consideration,  an  account  of  the 
general  scope  of  the  fifth  commandment ;  and,  as  it  requires  the  duties  to  be  per- 
formed by  every  one  in  their  several  relations,  these  are  considered  either  as 
superiors,  inferiors,  or  equals.  There  are  several  sorts  of  relations  in  which  per- 
sons are  styled  superior  or  inferior  to  one  another.  There  are  relations  founded  in 
nature,  as  that  of  parents  and  children.  There  are  such  relations  as  are  political, 
designed  for  the  good  of  mankind,  living  together  as  members  of  the  same  com- 
monwealth, in  which  every  one  has  a  right  to  his  civil  liberties,  which  are  to  be 
enjoyed  by  the  one  party,  and  defended  by  the  other.  Of  this  sort  is  the  relation  of 
magistrates  and  subjects.  There  is  also  a  relation  founded  in  mutual  compact  and 
agreement,  respecting  things  to  be  done  on  the  one  side,  and  gratifications  to  be 
allowed  on  the  other.     Of  this  kind  is  the  relation  between  master  and  servant. 

The  only  difficulty  which  arises  from  the  account  we  have  of  the  obligation  of 
persons  to  give  honour  to  others,  respects  superiors  honouring  inferiors.  Now,  let 
it  be  considered  that  superiors  are  not  obliged  to  show  the  same  marks  of  honour 
to  their  inferiors,  as  inferiors  are  bound,  by  the  laws  of  God  and  nature,  to  express 
to  them.  Yet  there  is  a  duty  which  the  greatest  men  owe  to  the  least.  There  is 
also  a  degree  of  honour  which  the  lowest  of  men,  as  reasonable  creatures  or  Chris- 
tians, have,  and  which  is  put  upon  them  by  God  ;  and  this  is  to  be  regarded  by  those 
who  are,  as  to  their  condition  in  the  world,  superior  to  them.  Besides,  the  mean- 
est and  lowest  part  of  mankind,  are,  in  many  respects,  necessary  and  useful  to 
those  who  are  much  their  superiors ;  and  are  to  be  regarded  by  them  in  proportion 
to  their  being  useful  and  necessary.  Now,  the  performing  of  the  duties  which 
superiors  owe  to  them,  is  called  honouring  them. 

i  Job  xxix.  12.  k  Verse  16.  1  1  Thess.  ii.  7,  8. 


368  RELATIVE  DUTIES. 


RELATIVE  DUTIES. 

Question  CXXVII.     What  is  the  honour  that  inferiors  owe  to  their  superiors? 

Answer.  The  honour  which  inferiors  owe  to  their  superiors,  is,  all  due  reverence,  in  heart, 
word,  and  behaviour;  prayer,  and  thanksgiving  for  them;  imitation  of  their  virtues  and  graces, 
willing  obedience  to  their  lawful  commands  and  counsels,  due  subm  ssion  to  their  corrections, 
fidelity  to,  defence,  and  maintenance  of  their  persons  and  authority,  according  to  their  several 
ranks,  and  the  nature  of  their  places;  bearing  with  their  infirmities,  and  covering  them  in  love, 
that  so  they  may  be  an  honour  to  them  and  to  their  government. 

Question  CXXVIII.   What  are  the  sins  of  inferiors  against  their  superiors? 

Answer.  The  sins  of  inferiors  against  their  superiors  are,  all  neglect  of  the  duties  required  to- 
ward them,  envying  at,  contempt  of,  and  rebellion  against  their  persons  and  places,  in  their  lawful 
counsels,  commands,  and  corrections,  cursing,  mocking,  and  all  such  refractory  and  scandalous 
carriage  as  proves  a  shame  and  dishonour  to  them  and  their  government. 

Question  CXXIX.   What  is  required  of  superiors  towards  their  inferiors? 

Answer.  It  is  required  of  superiors,  according  to  that  power  they  receive  from  God,  and  that 
relation  wherein  they  stand,  to  love,  pray  for,  and  bless  their  inferiors;  to  instruct,  counsel, 
and  admonish  them  ;  countenancing,  commending,  and  rewarding  such  as  do  well ;  discountenanc- 
ing, reproving,  and  chastising  such  as  do  ill;  protecting  and  providing  for  them  all  things  necessary 
for  soul  and  body;  and  by  grave,  wise,  holy,  and  exemplary  cairiage,  to  procure  glory  to  God, 
honour  to  themselves,  and  so  to  preserve  that  authority  which  God  hath  put  upon  them. 

Question  CXXX.  What  are  the  sins  of  superiors  ? 

Answer.  The  sins  of  superiors  are,  beside  the  neglect  of  the  duties  required  of  them,  and  inor- 
dinate seeking  of  themselves,  their  own  glory,  ease,  profit,  or  pleasure;  commanding  things  un- 
lawful, or  not  in  the  power  of  inferiors  to  perform;  counselling,  encouraging,  or  favouring  them 
in  that  which  is  evil;  dissuading,  discouraging,  or  discountenancing  them  in  that  which  is  good; 
correcting  them  unduly,  careless  exposing,  or  leaving  them  to  wrong,  temptation,  and  danger; 
provoking  them  to  wrath;  or  any  way  dishonouring  themselves,  or  lessening  their  authority,  by  an 
unjust,  ind  street,  rigorous,  or  remiss  behaviour. 

Question  CXXXI.  What  are  the  duties  of  equals? 

Answer.  The  duties  of  equals  are,  to  regard  the  dignity  and  worth  of  each  other,  in  giving 
honour  to  go  one  before  another,  and  to  rejoice  in  each  others'  gifts  and  advancement,  as  in  iiuir 
own. 

Question  CXXXII.   What  are  the  sins  of  equals  ? 

Answer.  The  sins  of  equals  are,  beside  the  neglect  of  the  duties  required,  the  Hlrn'eruil;ring  of 
the  worth,  envying  the  gifts,  grieving  at  the  advancement  or  prosperity  one  of  another,  and  usurp- 
ing pre-eminence  one  over  another. 

The  Duties  of  Inferiors  to  Superiors. 

We  have  in  the  first  of  these  Answers  an  account  of  the  honour  which  inferiors 
owe  to  their  superiors.  Here  it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  premise  some  things 
concerning  the  measure  of  submission  and  obedience  which  inferiors  owe  to  su- 
periors, of  what  kind  soever  the  relation  be.  When  the  authority  with  which  God 
has  invested  superiors  is  abused,  and  the  highest  end  of  all  sort  of  government, 
namely,  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  mankind,  can  never  be  attained,  nor  is, 
indeed,  designed  ;  or  when  the  commands  of  superiors  contradict  the  commands  of 
God  ;  we  are  then  to  obey  him  rather  than  men.m  Again,  if  we  cannot  obey  the 
commands  of  superiors,  as  being  unjust,  we  must  pray  that  God  would  interpose, 
and  would  direct  and  overrule  their  authority,  that  it  may  not  be  abused  by  them, 
or  become  a  snare  or  an  occasion  of  sin  to  us.  Though,  however,  we  cannot  yield 
obedience  to  them,  in  those  things  which  are  contrary  to  the  laws  of  God,  we  are 
not  discharged  from  our  obligation  to  obey  their  commands,  in  other  things  which 
are  agreeable  to  these  laws  ;  for  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  the  abuse  of  their 
authority  in  some  instances,  divests  them  of  it  in  all  respects. 

1.  In  now  proceeding  to  consider  the  duties  which  inferiors  owe  to  their  superiors, 
we  notice  first  that  of  children  to  parents.  This  is  founded  on  the  law  of  nature. 
Under  God,  children  derive  their  being  from  their  parents  ;  and  they  are  obliged 

m  Acts  iv.  19. 


RELATIVE  DUTIES.  3(39 

to  honour  them  from  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  that  love,  tenderness,  and  compassion 
which  they  have  shown  to  them.  The  apostle  says  that  this  duty  '  is  right,'11  that 
is,  equitable  and  highly  reasonable;  and  that  it  is  'well-pleasing  unto  the  Lord.'0 
This  duty  includes  several  things. 

Children  are  sometimes  to  show  the  regard  they  have  to  their  parents  by  out- 
ward tokens  of  respect.  Thus  Solomon,  though  his  character,  as  a  king,  rendered 
him  superior  to  all  his  subjects,  expressed  a  great  deal  of  honour  by  outward  ges- 
tures to  his  mother.  When  she  went  to  him  to  speak  in  the  behalf  of  Adonijah,  it  is 
said  that  '  the  king  rose  up  to  meet  her,  and  bowed  himself  unto  her,  and  sat  down 
on  his  throne,  and  caused  a  seat  to  be  set  for  the  king's  mother ;  and  she  sat  on 
his  right  hand.'P — Again,  children  ought  to  be  ready  to  do  their  parents  any  acts  of 
service  which  are  not  unlawful  or  impossible,  when  commanded  by  them.  Thus 
Joseph  obeyed  Jacob,  when  he  sent  him  to  see  where  his  brethren  were,  and  what 
they  were  engaged  in  ;i  and  David  obeyed  Jesse,  when  he  sent  him  to  his  brethren 
to  the  camp  of  Israel.1"  This  service  is  required  more  especially  of  children  while 
they  live  with  their  parents,  are  maintained  by  them,  and  have  not,  by  mutual  com- 
pact, become  servants  to  others. — Another  duty  which  they  owe,  is,  patient  sub- 
mission to  their  just  reproofs,  designed  for  their  good.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  'We 
have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected  us,  and  we  gave  them  reverence.'8 — 
Further,  they  are  to  attend  to  and  comply  with  their  parents'  wholesome  advice  and 
instruction.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  A  wise  son  heareth  his  father's  instruction  ;'*  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  he  is  branded  with  the  character  of  '  a  fool'  who  '  despiseth  it;'n 
— and  it  is  added,  •  He  that  regardeth  reproof  is  prudent.' — Moreover,  children  are 
to  express  their  duty  to  their  parents,  by  a  thankful  acknowledgment  of  past  fa- 
vours ;  and  accordingly  ought  to  relieve  them,  if  they  are  able,  when  their  indigent 
circumstances  call  for  it,  and  endeavour  to  be  a  staff,  comfort,  and  support  to  them, 
in  their  old  age.  This  conduct  is  exemplified  in  the  message  which  Joseph  sent  to 
Jacob,  when  he  invited  him  to  come  down  to  him  into  Egypt.*  So  when  Ruth 
bare  a  son  to  Boaz,  her  mother  Naomi's  companions  blessed  her,  and  said,  '  He 
shall  be  unto  thee  a  restorer  of  thy  life,  and  a  nourisher  of  thine  old  age.'* 

Children  are  also  to  pay  deference  to  their  parents'  wishes,  and,  so  far  as  it  con- 
cerns the  glory  of  God  and  their  own  future  good,  be  advised  by  them  in  disposing 
of  themselves  in  marriage,  or  any  other  important  change  of  their  condition  and 
circumstances  in  the  world.  By  this  conduct  they  acknowledge  their  authority  as 
superiors,  and  the  care  and  concern  which  it  is  supposed  they  naturally  have  for 
their  welfare  as  a  part  of  themselves.  Moreover,  by  this  they  pay  a  deference  to 
their  wisdom  and  judgment,  as  being  superior  in  age,  and  probably,  in  wisdom,  as 
well  as  relation.  And  this  ought  to  be  done  out  of  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  past  fa- 
vours received.  Prudence  too  will,  for  the  most  part,  dictate  as  much  ;  especially 
when  they  depend  on  them  for  present  comforts,  or  expect  future  advantages  from 
them.  This  is  also  an  expedient  to  maintain  love  and  peace  in  families  ;  which  is 
often  broken  by  the  contrary  practice.  It  may  be  recommended,  likewise,  from  the 
laudable  examples  of  it  in  good  men.  Thus  Isaac  submitted,  as  to  his  marriage, 
to  the  direction  of  his  father  Abraham  ;  and  Jacob z  was  determined  by  the  con- 
sent of  Laban.a  Many  more  instances  might  be  given  to  the  same  purpose.  On 
the  other  hand,  Esau's  contrary  practice  is  recorded  in  scripture  as  a  vile  instance 
of  disobedience,  'which  was  a  grief  of  mind  unto  Isaac  and  to  Rebekah;'b  and  it* 
was,  doubtless,  an  evidence  that  he  had  no  regard  to  God  or  religion. — Nevertheless, 
this  obligation  is  not  without  some  exceptions.  For  we  do  not  speak  of  parents  who 
are  so  far  deprived  of  judgment  that  they  are  not  fit  to  determine  this  matter  ;  nor 
of  such  as  have  divested  themselves  of  the  natural  affection  of  parents,  and,  enter- 
taining an  ungrounded  prejudice  against  some  of  their  children,  endeavour  to  ex- 
pose them  to  ruin,  that  they  may  show  more  kindness  to  others.  These  forfeit 
that  right  which  is  otherwise  founded  in  nature.  Again,  if  parents,  by  refusing  to 
comply  with  the  desire  of  their  children,  plainly,  in  the  judgment  of  the  wisest  of 

n  Ephes.  vi.  1.  o  Col.  iii.  20.  p  1  Kings  ii.  19.  q  Gen.  xxxvii.  13- 

r  1  Sam.  xvii.  17,  20.  s  Heb.  xii.  9.  t  Prov.  xiii.  1.  u  Chap.  xv.  5. 

x  Gen.  xlv.  9 — II.  y  Ruth  iv.  15.  s  Gen.  xxix.  a  Chap.  xxix. 

b  Gen.  xxvi.  35.  _ 

3   A 


370  RELATIVE  DUTIES. 

men,  obstruct  their  happiness,  and  the  glory  of  God  ;  or  if  thej  give  no  reason  for 
their  not  complying,  or  the  reason  given  is  contrary  to  the  laws  of  God,  or  the  com- 
mon sense  of  all  impartial  judges  ;  especially  if  the  affair  took  its  rise  from  them, 
and  afterwards  they  changed  their  mind,  without  sufficient  ground  ;  these  circum- 
stances, without  doubt,  lessen,  or,  it  may  be,  wholly  take  away  the  charge  of  sin  in 
the  child,  in  acting  contrary  to  the  will  of  his  parents,  and  fasten  the  guilt  on  them. 
Further,  the  case  is  peculiar  when  children  are  so  far  from  being  dependent  on  their 
parents,  that  they  depend  on  them.  In  this  case,  some  deference  and  respect 
ought  to  be  paid  to  them  ;  and  as  it  is  the  children's  duty,  it  may  be  their  interest 
to  render  them.  For  we  can  hardly  suppose  that  parents  who  depend  on  their  chil- 
dren, would  oppose  their  happiness  in  an  affair  which  is  apparently  contrary 
to  their  own  interest,  if  they  did  not  think  that  they  had  sufficient  reason  for 
doing  so.  Their  opposition,  therefore,  ought  to  be  duly  weighed,  that  it  may 
be  known,  whether  their  advice  is  expedient  to  be  complied  with  or  not. 
And  if,  in  this  or  any  other  instance,  children  are  obliged  to  act  contrary  to 
the  will  of  their  parents,  they  ought  to  satisfy  them  that  their  choice  is  made,  not 
out  of  any  contempt  of  their  authority,  but  from  a  conscientious  regard  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  that,  in  the  opinion  of  the  wisest  and  best  of  men,  it  is  conducive  to 
their  happiness. 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  the  duty  of  servants  to  their  masters.  This  depends 
upon  and  is  limited  by  the  contract,  which  brought  them  into  that  relation,  the 
hot  fulfilling  of  which  renders  them  guilty  of  unfaithfulness.  Nor  is  it  less  an  in- 
stance of  immorality  for  them  to  rob  their  masters  of  that  time  which  they  have 
engaged  to  serve,  than  it  is  to  take  away  any  part  of  their  estate.  But  more  par- 
ticularly, servants  ought  to  behave  themselves  in  their  calling  with  industry,  being 
as  much  concerned  for  their  master's  interest  as  their  own.  In  this  manner  Joseph, 
though  a  foreigner,  and  one  who  does  not  appear  to  have  expected  any  reward  for 
his  service,  but  a  maintenance,  served  Potiphar.  In  this  manner  also  Jacob  served 
Laban,  though  an  unjust,  severe,  and  unrighteous  master. 

This  may  lead  us  to  inquire  concerning  the  duty  of  servants,  when  their  masters 
are  froward,  passionate,  and  unreasonable  in  their  demands, — a  circumstance  which 
renders  their  service  very  irksome  and  unpleasant.  But  let  it  be  considered  that 
the  master's  passion,  which  is  his  sin,  ought  not  to  draw  forth  the  corruption  of  his 
servant;  for,  sin  indulged  by  one,  is  no  excuse  for  its  being  committed  by  another. 
The  apostle  Peter  supposes  the  case  under  consideration,  and  gives  this  advice  : 
'  Servants,  be  subject  to  your  masters  with  all  fear ;  not  only  to  the  good  and  gen- 
tle, but  also  to  the  froward.'0  Again,  if  the  master's  demands  are  unreasonable, 
the  servant  must  know  the  extent  of  his  contract  and  obligation ;  and  this  he  must, 
injustice,  fulfil  'as  unto  Christ.'d  As  for  those  services  which  are  reckoned  un- 
reasonable, and  not  agreeable  to  the  contract,  these,  if  demanded,  are  rather  to  be 
referred  to  the  determination  of  others,  since  persons  are  apt  to  be  partial  in  judg- 
ing in  their  own  cause. 

There  seems,  indeed,  to  be  an  exception  to  what  we  have  stated,  in  some  instances 
which  we  find  in  scripture  of  the  unlimited  obedience  of  servants  under  the  cere- 
monial law  ;  which  was  not  founded  in  nor  the  result  of  any  contract  between  their 
masters  and  them.  Accordingly,  we  read  that  persons  became  servants  through 
poverty  ;  by  reason  of  which,  they  sold  themselves  for  the  payment  of  debts.  In 
this  case,  indeed,  there  was  a  kind  of  contract ;  and  .the  service  to  be  performed 
ought,  agreeably  to  the  law  of  God  and  nature,  to  have  corresponded  with  and  been 
adjusted  by  the  value  of  the  debt  contracted.  Again,  prisoners  taken  in  war,  were 
treated  as  servants,  and,  as  such,  sold  to  others.  In  this  case,  all  the  children  that 
were  born  to  them  during  their  servitude,  were  the  property  of  the  master.  These 
are  called  home-born  servants,  and  had  not  so  much  liberty  allowed  them  as  those 
who  were  servants  by  mutual  compact.  Engagement  by  mutual  compact  is  the 
method  most  common  among  us  in  which  persons  become  servants ;  and  in  this  case 
both  parties  are  bound  by  the  terms  of  agreement. 

3.  We  proceed  to  consider  the  duty  of  the  members  of  a  commonwealth  or  body 

c  1  Pet.  ii.  18.  d  Eph.  vi.  5—8. 


RELATIVE  DUTIES.  371 

politic,  to  their  lawful  magistrates.  The  apostle  says,  '  Let  every  soul  be  subject 
unto  the  higher  powers.'6  Here  we  may  observe  the  necessity  of  civil  government. 
This  will  appear  if  we  consider  mankind  in  general  as  prone  to  be  influenced  by 
passions  which  are  not  entirely  under  the  conduct  of  reason,  and  which,  if  no  check 
were  given  to  them,  would  prove  injurious  to  societies.  We  observe  also  that  God 
has,  in  his  law,  ordained  certain  punishments  to  be  inflicted,  with  a  design  to  re- 
strain these  corruptions,  and  to  keep  the  world  in  order.  Now,  that  this  end  may 
more  effectually  be  answered,  it  is  necessary  that  some  should  be  set  over  others, 
to  administer  justice,  in  chastising  the  guilty,  and  defending  the  innocent.  Without 
such  an  institution,  the  world  would  be  filled  with  confusion,  and  men  would  commit 
sin  with  impunity,  and  more  resemble  brute  creatures  than  beings  who  are  endowed 
with  reason,  and  are  capable  of  moral  government.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  When  there 
was  no  king  in  Israel,  every  man  did  that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes.'f 

We  proceed  now  to  consider  the  advantage  of  civil  government.  It  is  in  itself  a 
blessing  to  mankind,  when  it  does  not  degenerate  into  tyranny.  Hence,  good 
magistrates  are  a  great  instance  of  divine  favour  to  a  nation  ;  as  the  queen  of  Sheba 
said  to  Solomon,  '  Happy  are  thy  men,  and  happy  are  these  thy  servants,  which  stand 
continually  before  thee,  and  hear  thy  wisdom.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  thy  God  which 
delighted  in  thee  to  set  thee  on  his  throne,  to  be  king  for  the  Lord  thy  God  :  be- 
cause thy  God  loved  Israel,  to  establish  them  for  ever,  therefore  made  he  thee  king 
over  them,  to  do  judgment  and  justice. '&  And  it  is  included  among  the  blessings 
of  the  gospel-state,  that  'kings  should  be  their  nursing-fathers,  and  their  queens 
their  nursing-mothers. 'h  Such  are  said,  as  David  was,  to  be  'raised  up  to  fulfil 
the  will  of  God.'1  Nevertheless,  civil  government  may  be  so  administered  that  it 
may  cease  to  be  a  blessing  to  the  subjects.  Thus  Samuel  describes  the  miserable 
state  of  a  people,  whose  kings  endeavour  to  establish  their  own  greatness  by  en- 
slaving and  plundering  their  subjects,  '  taking  their  sons  and  daughters '  by  force 
to  be  their  servants,  seizing  their  'fields,  their  vineyards  and  olive-yards,  and 
the  tenth  of  their  increase;'  an  expression  which  would  oblige  them  to  'cry  unto 
the  Lord,  because  of  their  oppression. 'k  We  have  an  instance  of  this  in  Rehoboam, 
who  was  as  remarkable  for  his  want  of  conduct  as  his  father  was  for  his  excelling 
wisdom.  His  rough  and  ill-timed  answer  to  his  subjects,  in  which  he  gave  them 
to  expect  nothing  else  but  oppression  and  slavery,  issued  in  the  revolt  of  ten  tribes 
from  his  government.1 

From  this  different  method  of  the  administration  of  civil  government,  whereby  it 
is  rendered  either  a  blessing  or  an  affliction  to  the  subjects,  we  may  infer  some  im- 
portant lessons.  When  that  which  is  in  itself  a  blessing,  is  turned  into  a  curse, 
the  event  may  be  looked  upon  as  a  punishment  inflicted  by  God  for  the  iniquity  of 
a  people.  Thus  he  says,  '  I  gave  thee  a  king  in  mine  anger,  and  took  him  away 
in  my  wrath. 'm — Again,  we  have  great  reason  to  be  well-pleased  with  the  govern- 
ment we  are  under,  and  to  bless  God  for  it.  We  are  not  exposed  to  the  slavery 
which  some  other  nations  are  ;  who  have  no  laws  but  what  result  from  the  arbitrary 
will  of  their  prince,  and  who  can  call  nothing  they  have  their  own.  This  should 
make  us  prize  the  liberties  which  we  enjoy  ;  and  be  a  strong  motive  to  us  to  give 
due  and  cheerful  obedience  to  our  rightful  and  lawful  sovereign,  and  all  magistrates 
under  him,  who  rule  in  righteousness,  and  are  a  terror  to  evil-doers,  but  a  praise 
to  them  that  do  well. — Further,  there  is  matter  of  reproof  to  the  restless  tempers 
of  those  who  are  under  the  mildest  government ;  which  is  administered  beyond  all 
reasonable  exception,  our  enemies  themselves  being  judges.  Indeed,  they  would 
confess  this,  were  they  not  blinded  with  prejudice  ;  which  puts  them  upon  betaking 
themselves  to  raillery,  instead  of  better  arguments.  These  are  reproved  by  the 
apostle,  who  says,  '  Some  walk  after  the  flesh,  in  the  lust  of  uncleanness,  and  de- 
spise government.  Presumptuous  are  they,  self-willed,  they  are  not  afraid  to  speak 
evil'  even  'of  dignities.'11 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  honour  which  subjects  owe  to  their  lawful  magis- 
trates.    They  are  highly  to  resent,  and  endeavour,  in  their  several  stations  and 

e  Rom.  xiii.  I.  f  Judges  xxi.  25.  g  2  Chron.  ix.  7,  8.  h  Isa.  xlix.  23. 

i  Acts  xiii.  22.  k  1  Sam.  viii.  11 — 18.  1  I  Kings  xii.  13,  14.  m  Hosea  xiii.  11. 

n  2  Pet.  ii.  10.  ,: 


372  •  RELATIVE  DUTIES. 

capacities,  to  check  the  insolence  of  those  who  make  bold  with  the  character  of 
their  magistrates  and  take  the  liberty  to  reproach  them  in  common  conversation. 
Such  conduct  is  directly  contrary  to  the  law  of  God ;  which  says,  '  Curse  not  the 
king,  no,  not  in  thy  thought,  and  curse  not  the  rich  in  thy  bed-chamber.  For  a 
bird  of  the  air  shall  carry  the  voice  ;  and  that  which  hath  wings  shall  tell  the  mat- 
ter.'0— Again,  we  are  to  support  the  honour  of  government,  by  paying  those  tri- 
butes which  are  lawfully  exacted.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  Render  to  all  their  due ; 
tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due,  custom  to  whom  custom,  fear  to  whom  fear,  honour 
to  whom  honour. 'p — Further,  we  are  to  pray  for  a  blessing  from  God  on  the  admin- 
istration of  our  civil  governors,  that  it  may  be  under  the  divine  direction,  and  tend 
to  answer  the  great  ends  of  government,  namely,  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  welfaro 
of  the  subject. 

Here  I  cannot  but  observe,  that  no  one  on  earth  has  a  power  of  discharging  sub- 
jects from  their  obedience  to  their  lawful  governors,  who  endeavour  to  rule  them 
according  to  the  laws  of  God  and  nature,  and  those  fundamental  constitutions  that 
are  agreeable  to  these.  Hence,  it  is  a  most  detestable  position  advanced  by  the 
papists,  that  the  pope  has  a  power  to  excommunicate  and  depose  sovereign  princes ; 
though  it  does  not  appear  that  he  has  received  any  such  authority  from  Christ,  but 
herein  intermeddles  with  a  province  which  does  not  belong  to  him.  For  princes 
do  not  receive  their  crowns  from  the  pope  ;  and  therefore  are  not  to  be  deposed  by 
him.  The  assumption  of  such  power  by  him  is  directly  contrary  to  the  temper  of 
the  blessed  Jesus,  and  of  the  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  ;  who  did  not  en- 
courage their  followers  to  depose  heathen  kings  and  emperors  ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  exhorted  them  to  '  submit  to  them  in  all  things '  consistent  with  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  good  of  mankind,  'not  only  for  wrath,  but  for  conscience'  sake.,q 
The  church  has  no  temporal  sword  committed  to  her,  all  her  censures  being  spirit- 
ual. Temporal  punishments  are  left  in  the  hands  of  the  civil  magistrate  ;  con- 
cerning whom,  the  apostle  says,  '  He  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for  good. 
But  if  thou  do  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid ;  for  he  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain ; 
for  he  is  the  minister  of  God,  a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth 
evil.'1"  On  the  other  hand,  when  speaking  concerning  those  who  have  the  govern- 
ment of  ecclesiastical  matters  committed  to  them,  he  %says,  '  The  weapons  of  our 
warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong 
holds.'8 

The  arguments  generally  used  by  the  papists,  to  support  the  cause  of  rebellion, 
and  their  usurped  power  to  depose  magistrates  who  are  not  of  their  communion,  are 
very  weak,  and,  most  of  them,  such  as  may  easily  be  answered.  They  allege  the 
commission  given  by  Christ,  to  Peter,  *  Feed  my  sheep. '  ■  They  pretend,  that  to 
'feed,'  is  the  same  as  to  govern,  and  that  this  implies  a  power  of  punishing;  which 
they  suppose  to  be  extended  so  far  that  the  bishop  of  Rome  may  depose  sovereign 
princes,  as  occasion  offers  ;  and  they  say  that  this  power  was  given  to  Peter  and 
his  successors,  which  the  popes  of  Rome  pretend  to  be.  But  this  commission  given 
by  Christ  to  Peter,  to  '  feed  his  sheep,'  imports  his  feeding  them  with  knowledge 
and  understanding,  and  not  lording  it  over  God's  heritage.  Thus  our  Saviour 
says,  '  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  lordship  over  them  ;  and  they  that  exer- 
cise authority  upon  them  are  called  benefactors.  But  ye  shall  not  be  so  ;  but  he 
that  is  greatest  among  you,  let  him  be  as  the  younger  ;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as  he 
that  doth  serve. 'u  Moreover,  their  pretence  that  the  bishops  of  Rome  are  Peter's 
successors,  contains  a  claim  of  what  they  have  not  the  least  shadow  of  right  to ;  and 
is,  indeed,  to  place  those  in  Peter's  chair  who  are  the  greatest  opposers  of  his 
doctrine. 

Another  argument  they  bring,  tending  to  overthrow  the  power  of  the  civil  magis- 
trate, is  that,  as  the  soul  is  more  excellent  than  the  body,  and  its  welfare  to  be 
preferred  in  proportion  ;  so  the  church  is  to  take  care  of  the  spiritual  concerns  of 
mankind,  to  which  all  temporal  concerns  are  to  give  place  ;  and  hence  its  power  is 
greater  than  that  of  the  civil  magistrate.     But  this  similitude  does  not  prove  the 

o  Eecles.  x.  20.  p  Rom.  xiii.  7.  q  Verge  5.  r  Verae  4. 

•  2  Cor.  x.  4.  t  John  xxi.  17.  u  Luke  xxii.  25,  26. 


RELATIVE  DUTIES.  373 

thing  for  which  it  is  Drought.  Though  it  is  allowed  that  the  soul  is  more  excellent 
than  the  body,  yet  its  welfare  is  not  to  be  secured  by  inflicting  corporal  punish- 
ments, such  as  persecutions  and  massacres  ;  to  abet  and  encourage  which,  is  to 
cast  a  reproach  on  religion,  and  will  tend  very  much  to  weaken  the  interest  of 
Christ  in  the  world.  Moreover,  the  magistrate  is  ordained  by  God  to  defend  the 
religious  as  well  as  the  civil  liberties  of  his  subjects.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  ex- 
horts that  prayers  be  made  '  for  kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in  authority ;  that  we 
may  lead  a  peaceable  and  quiet  life,  in  all  godliness  and  honesty  ;x  and  elsewhere 
we  are  exhorted  to  '  submit  to  governors,  as  unto  them  who  are  sent  by  the  Lord, 
for  the  punishment  of  evil-doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well.'? 

There  is  another  argument  which  they  make  use  of,  taken  from  Azariah  the 
priest's  opposing  king  Uzziah,  for  intruding  himself  into  the  priest's  office,  in  burn- 
ing incense  in  the  temple.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  When  he  was  strong,  his  heart  was 
lifted  up  to  his  destruction.  For  he  transgressed  against  the  Lord  his  God,  and 
went  into  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  to  burn  incense  upon  the  altar  of  incense.  And 
Azariah  the  priest  went  in  after  him,  and  with  him  fourscore  priests  of  the  Lord, 
that  were  valiant  men.  And  they  withstood  Uzziah  the  king,  and  said  unto  him, 
It  appertaineth  not  unto  thee,  Uzziah,  to  burn  incense  unto  the  Lord,  but  to  the 
priests  the  sons  of  Aaron,  that  are  consecrated  to  burn  incense.  Go  out  of  the 
sanctuary,  for  thou  hast  trespassed,  neither  shall  it  be  for  thine  honour  from  the 
Lord  God.'z  To  support  their  argument  taken  from  this  scripture;  they  observe 
that  the  priests  who  went  in  with  Azariah  are  said  to  be  •  valiant  men,'  and  so 
ready  to  commit  any  hostilities  against  the  king.  Azariah  also  threatens  the  king, 
when  he  tells  him,  '  it  should  not  be  for  his  honour  ;'  and  peremptorily  commands 
him  to  be  gone  out  of  the  temple.  This,  they  suppose,  is  a  flagrant  instance  of 
the  power  of  the  church  over  the  civil  magistrate,  in  all  those  things  which  inter- 
fere with  what  is  sacred.  Uzziah 's  sin,  according  to  the  law  of  that  dispensation, 
was  very  great,  and  against  an  express  command  of  God  ;  who  had  ordered  that 
none  should  officiate  in  the  priest's  office,  but  those  who  were  of  the  family  of 
Aaron.  Again,  Azariah  and  the  rest  of  the  priests  did  not  attempt  to  depose  him, 
but  to  prevent  his  going  on  in  this  sin  ;  which  would  not  be  for  his  honour,  as  the 
high  priest  tells  him.  Nor  does  Azariah  say  this  in  a  menacing  way,  as  signifying 
that  he  would  inflict  some  punishment  on  him,  but  as  declaring  what  God  would 
do  against  him,  which  would  tend  to  his  dishonour  for  this  sin.  Further,  though 
the  high  priest,  in  God's  name,  commanded  him  to  go  out  of  the  sanctuary  ;  yet 
he  did  not  lay  violent  hands  on  him,  at  least,  till  the  leprosy  was  seen  upon  him. 
'  And  Azariah  the  chief  priest,  and  all  the  priests  looked  upon  him,  and  behold,  he 
was  leprous  in  his  forehead,  and  they  thrust  him  out  from  thence  ;  yea,  himself 
hasted  also  to  go  out,  because  the  Lord  had  smitten  him.'a  This  they  did,  because 
a  leper  was  not,  according  to  the  law  of  God,  to  enter  into  the  congregation,  inas- 
much as  he  would  defile  it.  Finally,  he  was  not  properly  deposed ;  but,  by 
this  plague  of  leprosy,  rendered  incapable  of  reigning.  Hence,  '  he  dwelt  in  a 
several  house,  being  a  leper  ;  for  he  was  cut  off  from  the  house  of  the  Lord.  And 
Jotham  his  son  was  over  the  king's  house,  judging  the  people  of  the  land.'b  This 
arrangement  was  agreeable  to  the  law  of  God,  touching  the  leper  ;  in  which  it  is 
said,  '  All  the  days  wherein  the  plague  shall  be  in  him,  he  shall  be  defiled  ;  he  is 
unclean.  He  shall  dwell  alone  ;  without  the  camp  shall  his  habitation  be.'c  It 
may  be  observed,  too,  that  his  son  managed  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  for  him. 
The  use,  therefore,  which  is  made  by  the  papists  of  this  scripture,  to  give  counte- 
nance to  their  doctrine  of  deposing  princes,  is  foreign  to  its  true  sense. 

There  is  one  more  scripture  example  which  the  papists  bring,  whereby  they  de- 
fend their  practice,  not  only  of  deposing,  but  of  murdering  princes  ;  and  that  is 
2  Kings  xi.  15,  '  But  Jehoiada  the  priest  commanded  the  captains  of  the  hun- 
dreds, the  officers  of  the  host,  and  said  unto  them,  Have  her  forth  without  the 
ranges  ;  and  him  that  followeth  her,  kill  with  the  sword.  For  the  priest  had  said, 
Let  her  not  be  slain  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.'     But  Athaliah  was  plainly  an 

x  1  Tim.  ii.  2.  y  1  Pet  ii.  14.  z  2  Chron.  xxvi.  16—18. 

a  2  Chron.  xxvi.  20.  b  Ver.  21.  c  Lev.  xiii.  46. 


374  RELATIVE  DUTIES. 

usurper.  Not  only  was  she  so  by  reason  of  her  sex,  since  a  woman  was  not  to 
reign  over  Israel  or  Judah  ;  but,  to  establish  herself  in  the  throne,  she  killed  all 
the  seed  royal,  except  Joash,  who  escaped,  being  hid  from  her  fury  in  an  apart- 
ment belonging  to  the  temple.d  Again,  what  Jehoiada  did  in  deposing  her,  was 
not  only  with  a  good  design  to  set  up  the  lawful  heir,  but  was  done  by  an  ex- 
press command  from  the  Lord.6  Further,  Joash  was  proclaimed,  and  anointed, 
and  universally  owned  as  king  by  the  people,  before  Athaliah  was  slain. f 

The  Sins  of  Inferiors  against  their  Superiors. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  sins  of  inferiors  against  their  superiors.  These  are 
expressed  in  general  terms,  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining  ;  namely, 
**  neglecting  the  duties  we  owe  to  them,  envying  at,  and  contempt  of  their  persons, 
places,  and  lawful  counsels  and  commands,  and  all  refractory  carriage,  that  may 
prove  a  shame  and  dishonour  to  their  government."  But,  more  particularly,  in- 
feriors sin  against  their  superiors  in  divulging  their  secrets, — and  that  either  as  to 
what  respects  the  affairs  of  their  families,  or  their  secular  callings  in  the  world ;  in 
mocking,  reproaching,  or  exposing  their  infirmities, — as  it  is  said,  '  The  eye  that 
mocketh  at  his  father,  and  despiseth  to  obey  his  mother,  the  ravens  of  the  valley 
shall  pick  it  out,  and  the  young  eagles  shall  eat  it; '8  or  in  endeavouring  to  make 
disturbance  or  disorders  in  families  or  the  commonwealth,  through  discontent  with 
their  station  as  inferiors,  or  a  desire  to  rule  over  those  to  whom  they  ought  to  be 
in  subjection.  Servants  sin,  in  neglecting  to  fulfil  their  contract  or  do  the  service 
which  they  engaged  to  perform,  when  they  entered  into  that  relation  ;  or  in  being 
disposed  to  perform  the  duties  incumbent  on  them,  only  when  they  are  under  their 
master's  eye,  having  no  sense  of  common  justice,  or  their  obligation  to  approve 
themselves  to  God,  in  performing  the  duties  they  owe  to  man.  Thus  the  apostle 
exhorts  servants  to  '  be  obedient  to  them  which  are  their  masters,  with  fear  and 
trembling,  in  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  Christ ;  not  with  eye-service,  as  men- 
pleasers,  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart. 'h 
Children  sin,  by  being  unnatural  to  their  parents,  refusing  or  neglecting  to  main- 
tain them  if  they  need  it,  especially  when  they  are  aged.  By  this  conduct  they 
appear  to  have  no  sense  of  gratitude  for  past  favours,  nor  regard  to  that  duty 
which  nature  obliges  them  to  perform. 

The  Duties  of  Superiors  to  Inferiors. 

We  are  to  consider  the  duties  which  superiors  owe  to  their  inferiors.  Whatever  cir- 
cumstance of  advancement  one  has  above  another  in  the  world,  is  a  peculiar  gift  of 
God,  and  should  not  give  occasion  to  that  pride  of  heart  which  is  natural  to  fallen 
man,  which  puts  him  upon  casting  contempt  on  those  who  are  below  him.  Much 
less  should  those  who  have  advancement  in  the  world  oppress  others  who  are  in  a 
lower  station  of  life  than  themselves ;  but  they  should  endeavour  to  do  good  to  them, 
and  thereby  glorify  God.  Indeed,  as  every  relation  is  mutual,  and  calls  for  its  re- 
spective duties  ;  so  while  superiors  expect  the  duty  which  belongs  to  them  from  in- 
feriors, it  is  equally  just  and  reasonable  that  they  should  not  neglect  those  duties 
which  they  themselves  are  obliged  to  perform  in  return,  though  these  are  of  a  dif- 
ferent nature  from  those  which  they  demand  from  them. 

1.  We  shall  first  consider  the  duty  of  parents  to  children.  This  not  only  in- 
cludes the  using  of  their  utmost  endeavours  to  promote  their  children's  worldly  ad- 
vantage, as  to  their  present  or  future  condition  in  life  ;  but  they  ought  to  have  a 
just  concern  for  their  spiritual  welfare.  The  latter  is  a  duty  very  much  neglected, 
though  it  is  incumbent  on  all  parents  who  have  a  sense  of  God  and  religion  upon 
their  spirits.  The  apostle  calls  it '  bringing  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord.'1  When  children  are  first  capable  of  being  instructed,  or  when  they 
first  take  in  the  knowledge  of  common  things  ;  then  it  is  the  parent's  duty  to  instil 

d  2  Chron.  xxii.  11.  e  Chap,  xxiii.  3.       .  f  2  Kings  xi.  12—14. 

g  Pro\.  xx*.  17.       •  >  h  Ejib.  vi.  5,  &  ■'*    J  i  Eph.  vi.  4. 


RELATIVE  DUTIES.  375 

into  them  those  things  which  are  spiritual.  It  is,  indeed,  a  difficult  matter  to  speak 
to  them  about  divine  things,  so  as  to  lead  them  into  the  knowledge  of  them,  and 
requires  a  great  measure  of  wisdom  and  faithfulness.  One  of  the  first  duties  which 
they  owe  to  their  children,  is  acknowledging  God's  right  to  them,  putting  them  un- 
der his  care,  giving  them  up  to  him,  hoping  and  trusting  in  Christ  that  he  will  be- 
stow on  them  the  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  that  in  their  early 
life.  Moreover,  as  children  soon  discover  themselves  to  have  a  corrupt  nature, 
this  ought  to  be  checked  and  guarded  against,  as  much  as  is  in  our  power.  All 
habits  of  sin  are  of  an  increasing  nature,  and  though  it  is  difficult  to  prevent  them, 
we  shall  find  it  much  more  difficult  to  root  them  out. 

Now,  that  we  may  instil  into  the  minds  of  children  the  principles  of  religion,  as 
soon  as  they  are  capable  of  receiving  instruction,  various  things  are  to  be  observed. 
First,  parents  must  take  great  care  that  they  neither  speak  nor  act  any  thing  before 
their  children,  which  may  tend  to  corrupt  their  minds,  or  which  may  afford  a  bad 
example  of  pernicious  consequence  for  them  to  follow  ;  nor  ought  they  to  suffer 
those  passions  to  break  forth  which  may  render  them  mean  and  contemptible  in  the 
eyes  of  their  children,  or  give  them  occasion,  by  example,  to  indulge  the  same  pas- 
sions.— Again,  they  must  take  heed  that  they  do  not,  on  the  one  hand,  exercise 
severity  for  trifles,  or  for  those  inadvertencies  which  children  are  chargeable  with, 
or,  on  the  other,  too  much  indulge  them  in  that  incorrigibleness  and  profaneness 
which  they  sometimes  see  in  them. — Further,  they  must  separate  from  them  all 
companions  or  servants  from  whom  they  may  imbibe  the  principles  of  sin,  and 
oblige  those  who  have  the  immediate  care  of  their  education  to  instil  into  them  the 
principles  of  religion,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  recommend  to  them  the  pleasure, 
beauty,  and  advantage  of  holiness  in  all,  but  especially  in  young  ones. — Further, 
the  examples  which  we  have,  either  in  scripture,  or  our  own  observation  in  the 
world,  of  those  who  have  devoted  themselves  to  God  and  been  early  religious,  are  to 
be  frequently  inculcated  for  their  imitation,  with  all  the  affecting  and  moving  ex- 
pressions which  it  is  possible  for  the  parents  to  use,  and  with  a  particular  applica- 
tion of  these  examples  to  their  children's  case.  On  the  other  hand,  the  miserable 
consequences  which  have  attended  persons  neglecting  to  embrace  the  ways  of  God 
in  the  days  of  their  youth,  and  the  sore  judgments  which  have  often  followed,  are 
also  to  be  set  before  them ;  as  it  is  said,  '  His  bones  are  full  of  the  sin  of  his  youth.'  k 
— Again,  reproofs  for  sin  are  to  be  given,  with  a  zeal  and  concern  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  yet  with  such  affection  as  may  convince  children  that,  in  those  things  in 
which  they  are  ready  to  think  their  parents  their  enemies,  they  appear  to  be  their 
greatest  friends. — Moreover,  they  who  have  the  care  of  children,  ought,  on  the  one 
hand,  to  take  heed  that  they  do  not  lead  them  into,  or  give  them  occasion  to  rest 
in,  a  formal  or  external  appearance  of  religion  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are 
not  to  use  any  methods  which  may  induce  them  to  think  that  a  burden  or  a  re- 
proach which  they  ought  to  esteem  their  delight  and  honour. — Further,  those  op- 
portunities are  more  especially  to  be  embraced,  in  which  instructions  are  most  likely 
to  be  regarded  by  them  ;  as  when  they  are  inquisitive  about  divine  things.  An 
inquisitive  state  of  mind  should  give  the  parent  occasion  to  be  particular  in  ex- 
plaining to  them  matters  about  which  they  make  inquiry.  Thus  God  commands 
Israel,  '  When  thy  son  asketh  thee  in  time  to  come,  What  mean  the  testimonies  and 
the  statutes,  and  the  judgments,  which  the  Lord  thy  God  commanded  you  ?  say 
unto  him,  we  were  Pharaoh's  bondsmen  ;n  and  so  they  were  to  relate  to  their  chil- 
dren those  dispensations  of  providence  towards  them  which  gave  occasion  to  these 
statutes  which  he  had  appointed. — Finally,  parents  should  let  their  children  know 
that  their  obedience  to  God's  commands  will  always  entitle  them  to  the  greatest 
share  in  their  affection,  that  this  may  be  a  motive  and  inducement  to  their  per- 
forming it. 

2.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  duty  which  masters  owe  to  their  servants.  They 
ought  to  recommend  the  good  ways  of  God  to  them,  endeavouring  to  persuade  them 
to  be  religious  ;  and,  by  their  exemplary  conversation  in  their  families,  whereby 
they  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things,  afford  them  an  additional 

k  Job  xx.  11.  1  Deut.  vi.  20,  21. 


\ 

376  RELATIVE  DUTIES. 

motive  to  become  so.  They  ought  likewise  to  encourage  religion  in  their  servants, 
as  well  as  diligence  and  industry.  For,  as  the  one  tends  to  the  advantage  of  those 
to  whom  their  service  is  due  ;  the  other  tends  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good 
of  tho  souls  of  those  who  are  found  in  the  practice  of  it.  Masters  should  also  en- 
deavour to  instruct  their  servants  in  the  principles  of  religion,  especially  if  igno- 
rant. Moreover,  they  should  allow  them  sufficient  time  for  religious  duties ;  which, 
if  needful,  ought  to  be  taken  out  of  that  time  in  which  they  would  otherwise  be 
employed  in  their  service.  This  they  ought  to  do,  considering  that  the  best  Chris- 
tians are  likely  to  make  the  most  faithful  servants. 

3.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  duty  of  magistrates  towards  their  subjects.  They 
ought  to  endeavour  to  promote  their  liberty,  safety,  and  happiness,  by  the  justice 
and  clemency  of  their  administration.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  He  that  ruleth  over  men 
must  be  just,  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God.'m  By  this  means  thev  will  lay  their  sub- 
jects under  the  highest  obligation  to  duty  and  obedience  ;  and  the  respect  which 
they  have  from  them,  will  render  the  station  in  which  they  are  more  agreeable. 
They  ought  also  to  defend  the  rights  of  subjects,  when  injured,  against  their  op- 
pressors ;  that  they  may  appear  to  be,  as  it  were,  their  common  fathers,  to  whom 
they  have  recourse  in  all  difficulties,  and  from  whom  they  find  redress.  They 
ought  farther  to  encourage  and  support  the  common  design  of  Christianity,  by  sup- 
pressing irreligion  and  profaneness,  and  every  thing  which  is  a  scandal  to  the  Chris- 
tian name,  or  a  reproach  to  a  well-ordered  government. 
4 

The  Sins  of  Superiors  against  Inferiors. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  sins  of  superiors.  One  sin  in  their  behaviour 
towards  their  inferiors,  is  pride  and  haughtiness.  They  commit  this  when  they 
treat  those  who  are  below  them  with  contempt  and  disdain  ;  as  though,  because 
they  are  not,  in  many  respects,  their  equals,  they  were  not  their  fellow-creatures. 
This  sin  discovers  itself  either  in  reproachful  words  or  actions.  Thus  the  Phari- 
sees treated  those  whom  they  apprehended  inferior  to  them  in  gifts  or  station  in  the 
church,  with  contempt ;  so  that  they  often  made  use  of  that  aphorism,  •  This  people, 
who  knoweth  not  the  law,  are  cursed.'11 — Another  sin  of  superiors  is,  when  masters 
exact  severe  and  unmerciful  labour,  beyond  what  is  reasonable,  of  their  servants. 
This  is  little  better  than  the  oppression  of  the  Egyptian  task-masters  ;  who  com- 
manded the  Israelites  to  make  brick  without  straw,0  and  beat  them,  and  dealt  severely 
with  them,  because  they  could  not  fulfil  their  unreasonable  exactions. 

Sin  is  committed  by  those  who,  being  princes  or  generals,  exercise  inhuman 
cruelty,  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature  and  nations,  towards  their  conquered  enemies, 
when  they  have  them  in  their  power.  This  David  seems  to  have  been  charged 
with,  as  a  blemish  in  his  reign ;  when  he  put  the  men  of  Rabbah,  after  he  had  con- 
quered them,  '  under  saws,  and  under  harrows  of  iron,  and  made  them  pass  through 
the  brick-kilns.  Thus  did  he  unto  all  the  cities  of  the  children  of  Ammon.'  Such 
conduct  seems  hardly  justifiable  by  martial  law,  and  therefore  must  be  reckoned  a 
failing  in  him  ;  unless  indeed  the  Ammonites  had  done  something  extraordinary  to 
deserve  it,  or  had  used  Israel  in  a  similar  manner  ;  for  in  that  case  it  might  be 
reckoned  a  just  reprisal  upon  them.P  We  may  add,  that  magistrates  do  not  behave 
to  their  subjects  as  they  ought,  and  therefore  commit  sin,  when  they  inflict  punish- 
ment beyond  what  the  law  directs,  or  the  crime  deserves.  Small  offences  are  not 
to  be  punished  with  death,  as  capital  crimes  are  ;  since  the  punishment  must  be 
greater  or  less,  in  proportion  to  the  crime.  Thus  God  enjoined  a  certain  number 
of  stripes  for  some  crimes  committed ;  and  if  the  rulers  inflicted  a  greater  number, 
*  their  brother  would  seem  vile  unto  them,  'i  that  is,  they  would  treat  him  with 
greater  severity  than  the  nature  of  the  crime  demanded. 

Again,  superiors  sin,  when  they  take  advantage  of  the  necessities  of  the  poor,  in 
buying  or  selling.  This  is  called  a  'grinding  the  faces  of  the  poor.'1" — Further, 
masters  or  parents  sin,  in  giving  undue  correction  to  their  servants  or  children  for 

m  2  Sam.  xxiii.  3.  n  John  vii.  49.  o  Exod.  v.  15,  16. 

p  2  Sam.  xii.  31.  q  Deut.  xxv.  2,  3,  r  Isa.  iii.  14,  15. 


RELATIVE  DUTIES.  377 

small  faults  ;  as  when  they  punish  the  neglect  of  some  punctilios  of  respect  which 
are  due  to  them,  with  greater  severity  than  they  do  open  sins  against  God  ;  or 
when  they  are  transported  with  unreasonable  passion  for  trifles.  By  this  conduct 
they  render  themselves  hated  by  their  dependents,  and  provoke  them  to  wrath, 
rather  than  promote  the  end  of  chastisement,  which  is  the  glory  of  God  and  their 
good.  This  the  apostle  forbids  parents  to  do  ;8  and  he  also  speaks  of  '  the  fathers 
of  our  flesh  chastising  us  after  their  own  pleasure,  **  as  being  disagreeable  to  the 
divine  dispensations,  and  consequently  not  to  be  justified  in  those  who  practise  it.— 
Again,  superiors  sin,  when  they  command  those  things  of  their  inferiors  which  are 
in  themselves  sinful,  which  they  cannot  in  their  consciences  comply  with ;  or  when 
they  demand  those  things  which  are  impossible,  and  are  enraged  against  them  for 
not  doing  them. — Finally,  superiors  sin,  when  they  surmise  that  their  inferiors 
have  committed  a  fault,  which  they  resent  and  punish,  without  suffering  them  to 
vindicate  themselves,  though  they  request  this  favour  in  the  most  submissive  way. 
This  is  to  extend  their  authority  beyond  the  bounds  of  reason. 

The  Duties  of  Equals. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  duties  of  equals.  They  ought  to  encourage  and 
strengthen  the  hands  of  one  another  in  the  ways  of  God  ;  which  is  the  great  end 
and  design  of  Christian  societies.  They  ought  to  sympathize  with  one  another 
in  their  weakness,  warning  and  helping  each  other,  when  exposed  to  temptations 
or  overcome  by  them.  They  ought  to  defend  one  another  when  reproached  by 
the  enemies  of  God  and  religion.  They  ought  to  love  one  another,  and  rejoice  in 
each  other's  welfare.  Finally,  they  ought  to  withdraw  from  the  society  of  those 
who  are  a  reproach  to  the  good  ways  of  God,  or  endeavour  to  turn  them  aside  from 
them. 

The  Sins  of  Equals. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  sins  of  equals.  One  sin  is  to  entertain  unjust  and 
unfriendly  quarrels,  contrary  to  that  love  which  ought  to  be  amongst  brethren. — 
Another  sin  is  to  affect  or  usurp  pre-eminence  over  one  another  ;  as  Diotrephes 
did,  whom  the  apostle  speaks  of,  who  '  loved  to  have  the  pre-eminence  amongst 
them.'u  Christ's  disciples  themselves  were  sometimes  liable  to  this  charge ;  especially 
when  'there  was  a  strife  among  them,  which  of  them  should  be  accounted  greatest.* 
This  our  Saviour  is  so  far  from  commending  in  them,  that  he  reproves  them  for 
it. — Again,  it  is  a  great  sin,  when  equals  endeavour  to  make  breaches  amongst 
those  who  are  otherwise  inclined  to  live  peaceably  with  one  another.  This  is  the 
wretched  employment  of  tale-bearers,  busy-bodies,  make-bates,  and  slanderers,  who 
delight  to  raise  and  propagate  false  reports ;  as  the  psalmist  supposes  some  inclined 
to  do,  who  are  distinguished  from  those  who  '  do  not  backbite  with  their  tongue, 
nor  take  up  a  reproach  against  their  neighbour,  '*  &c.  This  sin  is  reckoned  one  of 
those  things  which  the  Lord  hates.z — Further,  equals  are  guilty  of  sin,  when  they 
insult  and  take  occasion  to  expose  their  brethren,  for  those  weaknesses  and  infir- 
mities which  they  see  in  them,  not  considering  that  they  also  are  liable  to  the  same 
themselves. — Finally,  they  are  guilty  when  they  endeavour  to  ensnare  and  entice 
others  to  sin.  This  vile  practice  Solomon  takes  notice  of  ;a  and  he  cautions  those 
who  are  tempted,  against  consenting  to  or  complying  with  those  who  entice  them. 

g  Eph.  vi.  4.  t  Heb.  xii.  10.  u  3  Jobn  9. 

x  Luke  xxii.  24.  y  Psal.  xv.  8.  z  Prov.  vi.  19.  a  Chap.  i.  10, 15. 

u.  3b 


378  THE  REASONS  ANNEXED  TO 


THE  REASONS  ANNEXED  TO  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CXXXIII.  What  is  the  reason  annexed  to  the  fifth  commandment  the  more  to  enforce  it  f 
Answer.  The  reason  annexed  to  the  fifth  commandment,  in  these  words,  "  That  thy  days  may 
be  long  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee,"  is  an  express  promise  of  long  life  and 
prosperity,  as  far  as  it  shall  serve  for  God's  glory,  and  their  own  good,  to  all  such  as  keep  his  com- 
mandment. 

The  reasons  annexed  to  the  fifth  commandment  are  included  in  the  promise  of  long 
life  to  such  as  keep  it.  It  is  inquired  by  some,  whether  this  promise  is  to  be  ap- 
plied to  none  but  the  Israelites ;  since  there  is  mention  of  the  land  which  the  Lord 
gave  them,  namely,  Canaan.  Now,  though  the  Israelites  might  make  a  particular 
application  of  it  to  themselves  ;  yet  it  extends  to  men  in  all  ages  and  places.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  apostle  Paul,  mentioning  this  commandment,  and  the  promise  an- 
nexed to  it,  instead  of  those  words,  '  That  thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land  which 
the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee,'  uses  a  mode  of  expression  which  is  applicable  to  us 
as  well  as  them,  '  That  thou  mayest  live  long  on  the  earth. 'b 

1.  Here  we  may  inquire  whether  this  promise  be  made  good  as  to  the  letter  of  it, 
to  all  who  keep  this  commandment ;  especially  as  we  find,  that,  according  to  the 
common  methods  of  providence,  some  good  men  live  but  a  short  time  in  this  world, 
while  the  wicked  often  live  to  a  great  age.  That  the  lives  of  some  good  men  have 
been  short,  needs  not  be  proved.  Abijah,  the  best  of  Jeroboam's  family,  in  whom 
some  good  thing  was  found  towards  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  died  when  a  child.0 
Josiah,  who  was  one  of  the  best  of  the  kings  that  reigned  over  Judah,  lived  but 
thirty-nine  years ;  for  it  is  said  that  '  he  was  eight  years  old  when  he  began  to 
reign;  and  he  reigned  thirty  and  one  years. 'd  Enoch  excelled  all  the  patriarchs 
who  lived  before  the  flood,  and  was  more  honoured  than  they  in  being  translated 
to  heaven,  without  dying  ;  yet  he  continued  but  a  little  while  in  this  world,  if  we 
compare  the  time  he  lived  here  with  the  time  which  men  generally  lived  before  the 
deluge.  He  lived  but  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  years ;  while  several  others  are 
said  to  have  lived  above  nine  hundred  years.  Joseph,  also,  who  was  the  most  re- 
markable for  showing  honour  to  parents,  and  performing  the  duties  belonging  to 
other  relations,  of  any  we  read  of  in  scripture,  lived  but  an  hundred  and  ten  years ; e 
while  Levi,  who  had  been  a  reproach  to  his  father,  and  a  dishonour  to  the  family 
in  general,  lived  an  hundred  thirty  and  seven  years. f 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  how  such  dispensations  of  providence  may  be  accounted 
for,  consistently  with  the  promise  annexed  to  this  commandment.  Now,  it  may  be 
observed  that,  when  God  takes  his  saints  out  of  the  world  when  young,  his  doing 
so  is  sometimes  a  peculiar  instance  of  compassion  to  them,  in  taking  them  from  the 
evil  to  come.  Thus  Josiah  died,  as  was  but  now  hinted,  when  young ;  but  death  was 
in  mercy  to  him,  that  he  might  not  see  the  evil  which  God  would  bring  on  Judah 
for  their  sins.s  Again,  God's  people  are,  at  their  death,  possessed  of  a  better 
world,  which  is  the  best  exchange ;  so  that,  were  the  matter  referred  to  their  own 
choice,  they  would  choose  heaven  before  the  longest  life,  and  the  best  advantages 
they  can  enjoy  in  this  world.  Further,  old  age  is  not  a  blessing,  unless  it  be 
adorned  with  grace.  '  The  hoary  head  is,'  indeed,  'a  crown  of  glory,  if  it  be  found 
in  the  way  of  righteousness;'11  but  not  otherwise.  Good  men  are  not  destroyed 
by  the  blast  of  God's  wrath  ;  but  gathered,  like  a  shock  of  corn,  when  fully  ripe. 
They  are  meet  for,  and  then  received  into,  a  better  world.  Hence,  '  the  child ' 
dying  in  Christ  is  said  'to  die  an  hundred  years  old;'1  while  ■  the  sinner,  being  an 
hundred  years  old,  is  accursed.' 

3.  We  shall  now  inquire  how  far,  or  in  what  respects,  we  are  to  hope  for  and  de- 
sire the  accomplishment  of  the  promises  of  temporal  good  things.  Temporal  good 
things  are  to  be  desired,  not  ultimately  for  themselves,  but  as  subservient  to  the 
glory  of  God.     And  long  life  in  particular  is  a  blessing,  so  far  as  it  affords  more 

b  Eph.  vi.  2,  3.  c  1  Kings  xiv.  12,  13.  d  2  Kings  xxii.  1.  e  Gen.  1.  26. 

i  Exod.  vi.  16.  g  2  Kings  xxii.  20.  h  Prov.  xvi.  31.  i  Isa.  lxv.  20. 


THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT.  379 

space  to  do  service  to  the  interest  of  Christ  in  the  world.  They  are  to  be  desired, 
also,  with  an  entire  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  and  with  a  resolution  to  acknow- 
ledge that  he  is  righteous,  and  to  magnify  his  name  though  he  deny  them  to  us, 
considering  that  he  knows  what  is  best  for  us,  and  may  do  what  he  will  with  his 
own.  We  are  further  to  desire  that  God  would  give  us  temporal  good  things  in 
mercy,  as  pledges  of  eternal  happiness,  and  not  in  wrath.  Thus  the  psalmist  says, 
'  There  be  many  that  say,  Who  will  show  us  any  good  ?  Lord,  lift  thou  up  the 
light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us.'k 

4.  We  shall  now  inquire  with  what  frame  of  spirit  we  ought  to  bear  the  loss  of 
temporal  good  things,  which  we  have  been  encouraged  by  God's  promise  to  hope 
for.  Here  let  it  be  considered  that,  if  God  does  not  fulfil  his  promise  in  the  way 
and  manner  which  we  expect,  in  granting  us  temporal  good  things  ;  yet  we  must 
justify  him,  and  condemn  ourselves  ;  for  none  can  say  that  he  does  no^  forfeit  all 
blessings  daily.  We  are  hence  to  say,  '  Let  God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar. 
He  is  a  God  of  infinite  faithfulness  ;  but  we  are  unfaithful,  and  not  steadfast  in  his 
covenant.'  Again,  we  are  not  to  conclude  that  our  being  deprived  of  temporal 
good  things  which  we  expected,  is  a  certain  sign  that  we  have  no  right  to  or  inter- 
est in  those  better  things  which  accompany  salvation  ;  as  the  wise  man  says,  '  No 
man  knoweth  either  love  or  hatred  by  all  that  is  before  him.'1  Further,  we  are 
to  reckon  the  loss  of  temporal  good  things  as  a  trial  of  our  faith  and  patience  ;  and 
endeavour,  under  such  disappointments,  to  make  it  to  appear  that  the  world  was 
not  the  main  thing  we  had  in  view,  but  that  Christ  and  spiritual  blessings  in  him 
were  the  spring  of  all  our  religion. 

5.  It  may  farther  be  inquired  what  those  things  are  which  tend  to  make  a  long 
life  happy,  and  for  which  alone  it  is  to  be  desired.  Life  is  sometimes  attended  with 
miseries  which  induce  a  believer  to  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  as  the 
weary  traveller  desires  rest.  Now,  though,  in  the  promise  annexed  to  the  fifth 
commandment,  we  have  no  mention  of  any  thing  bu^  long  life  ;  yet  the  apostle, 
when  explaining  it,  adds  that  those  who  keep  it  shall  have  a  prosperous  life,  with- 
out which  long  life  would  not  be  so  great  a  blessing.  Thus  he  says,  '  That  it  may 
be  well  with  thee,  and  thou  mayest  live  long  upon  the  earth.'™  Now,  there  are  three 
things  which  tend  to  make  a  long  life  happy.  First,  experience  of  growth  in 
grace,  in  proportion  to  our  advances  in  age,  according  to  that  promise, '  They  shall 
bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  ;  they  shall  be  fat  and  flourishing.'11  Secondly,  a  re- 
taining of  our  natural  abilities,  and  of  that  strength  and  vigour  of  mind  which  we 
formerly  had.  This  some  are  deprived  of,  through  the  infirmities  of  old  age  ;  and 
so  they  may  be  said  to  outlive  themselves.  It  was  a  peculiar  blessing  which  God 
granted  to  Moses,  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  '  He  was  an  hundred  and  twenty 
years  old  when  he  died,'  and  yet  'his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abat- 
ed.'0 Thirdly,  old  age  is  a  blessing  when  our  usefulness  to  others,  in  our  day  and 
generation,  is  continued.  Thus  Joshua  died  an  old  man  ;  but  it  was  a  peculiar 
blessing  that  he  was  useful  to  the  end.  For  in  the  very  close  of  his  life  *  he  made 
a  covenant  with  the  people  in  Shechem  ;'p  and  laid  strict  commands  on  them  to 
behave  themselves  towards  God  as  they  ought  to  do. 

k  Psal.  iv.  6.  1  Eccl.  ix.  1.  m  Eph.  vi.  3. 

n  Psal.  xcii.  14.  o  Deut.  xxxiv.  7«  p  Josh.  xxiv.  25.  compared  with  29. 


380  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CXXXIV.   Which  is  the  sixth  commandment  t 
Answer.  The  sixth  commandment  is,  "Thou  shalt  not  kill." 

Question  CXXXV.   What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  sixth  commandment? 

Answer.  The  duties  required  in  the  sixth  commandment  are,  all  careful  studies,  and  lawful  en- 
deavours to  preserve  the  life  of  ourselves,  and  others,  by  resisting  all  thoughts  and  purposes,  sub- 
duing all  passions,  and  avoiding  all  occasions,  temptations,  and  practices,  which  tend  to  the  unjust 
taking  away  the  life  of  any ;  by  just  defence  thereof  against  violence,  patient  bearing  of  the  hand 
of  God,  quietness  of  mind,  cheerfulness  of  spirit,  a  sober  use  of  meat,  drink,  physic,  sleep,  labour, 
and  recreations,  by  charitable  thoughts,  love,  compassion,  meekness,  gentleness,  kindness,  peace- 
able, mild,  and  courteous  speeches  and  behaviour,  forbearance,  readiness  to  be  reconciled,  patient 
bearing  and  forgiving  of  injuries,  and  requiting  good  for  evil,  comforting  and  succouring  the  dig- 
tressed,  and  protecting  and  defending  the  innocent. 

Question  CXXXVI.  What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  sixtk  commandment  f 
Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  sixth  commandment  are,  all  taking  away  the  life  of  ourselves, 
or  of  others,  except  in  case  of  public  justice,  lawful  war,  or  necessary  defence ;  the  neglecting  or 
withdrawing  the  lawful  and  necessary  means  of  preservation  of  life  ;  sinful  anger,  hatred,  envy,  de- 
sire of  revenge,  all  excessive  passions,  distracting  cares,  immoderate  use  of  meat,  drink,  labour,  and 
recreations;  provoking  words,  oppressing,  quarrelling,  striking,  wounding,  and  whatsoever  else  tends 
to  the  destruction  of  the  life  of  any. 

The  Duties  Enjoined  in  the  Sixth  Commandment. 

In  explaining  this  commandment,  we  shall  first  consider  the  positive  part  of  it,  or 
the  duties  required  in  it.  We  should  use  all  lawful  endeavours  to  preserve  our 
own  life,  and  the  life  of  others  ;  and  consequently  we  should  avoid  all  those  pas- 
sions, and  other  things,  which  maj  afford  an  occasion  to  take  it  away,  and  live  in 
the  constant  exercise  of  the  duties  of  temperance  and  sobriety,  as  to  what  respects 
ourselves,  and  of  meekness,  gentleness,  and  forgiveness  of  injuries,  as  to  what  con- 
cerns others.  In  this  commandment  it  is  supposed  that  life  is  the  most  valuable 
blessing  of  nature.  Hence,  to  take  it  away,  is  to  do  the  utmost  injury  which  can 
be  attempted  against  us.  The  valuableness  of  the  life  of  man  appears  in  four 
things.  First,  it  is  the  result  of  the  union  of  the  soul  with  the  body  ;  which  is  the 
principle  of  those  actions  that  are  put  forth  by  us  as  intelligent  creatures.  Hence, 
life  is  to  be  esteemed  in  proportion  to  the  excellency  of  the  soul ;  which  is  the  no- 
blest part  of  the  creation,  angels  excepted.  Again,  nothing  can  compensate  or 
satisfy  for  the  taking  away  of  the  life  of  man,  how  much  satisfaction  soever  may  be 
given  for  the  loss  of  other  things.  Further,  man  is  the  subject  of  the  divine  image ; 
which  supposes  us  to  have  a  more  excellent  life  than  any  other  creatures  in  this 
lower  world,  and  is  assigned  as  a  reason  of  our  obligation  to  preserve  life.**  Fi- 
nally life  is  given  and  continued  to  us,  in  order  that  the  most  valuable  ends  may 
be  attained,  conducive  to  the  glory  of  God,  the  advancement  of  religion  in  the 
world,  and  the  promoting  of  our  everlasting  happiness.  We  may  hence  take  an 
estimate  of  its  excellency  ;  and  it  contains  the  highest  motive  to  us,  to  yield  obe- 
dience to  this  commandment. 

This  leads  us  to  consider  the  means  whioh  we  are  to  use,  to  preserve  our  own 
lives,  and  the  lives  of  others.  As  to  the  preservation  of  our  own  lives,  we  are  not 
to  rush  presumptuously  into  danger  of  death,  without  a  divine  warrant ;  for  to  do 
so  is  to  be  prodigal  of  life.  We  are  also  to  exercise  sobriety  and  temperance,  avoid- 
ing gluttony,  drunkenness,  lust,  and  all  exorbitant  passions  ;  which  tend  to  impair 
the  health,  as  well  as  defile  the  conscience.  Moreover,  when  occasion  requires  it, 
we  are  to  have  recourse  to  the  skill  of  physicians,  and  make  use  of  those  medicines 
which  may  conduce  to  repair  the  weakness  and  decays  of  nature.  As  to  our  en- 
deavours to  preserve  the  lives  of  others,  we  are  to  caution  them  against  those  things 
which  would  tend  to  destroy  their  health,  and,  by  degrees,  their  lives.  We  must 
also  discover  and  detect  all  secret  plots  and  contrivances  which  may  be  directed 

q  Gen.  ix.  6.  _, 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  381 

against  them ;  and  we  are  to  support  and  relieve  those  who  are  ready  to  perish  by 
extreme  poverty,  yea,  though  they  were  our  enemies.1"  We  are  also  to  defend 
those  who  are  in  imminent  danger  of  death.8  Nevertheless,  we  must  not  use  un- 
warrantable means,  though  it  were  to  save  our  own  lives.  In  times  of  persecution, 
for  example,  we  are  not  to  renounce  the  truths  of  God,  or  give  occasion  to  the  com- 
mon enemy  to  revile  them,  or  speak  evil  of  them,  by  avoiding  to  suffer  for  the  cause 
of  Christ.  Preferring  a  profession  of  the  truth  to  the  preservation  of  life,  was  that 
noble  principle  by  which  the  martyrs  whom  the  apostle  speaks  of  were  actuated. 
1  They  were  tortured,  not  accepting  deliverance  ;'*  that  is,  when  they  were  exposed 
to  the  most  exquisite  torments,  and  their  lives  offered  them  if  they  would  deny  Christ, 
they  would  not  accept  of  deliverance  on  so  dishonourable  terms.  Neither  are  we, 
at  any  time,  to  tell  a  lie,  or  do  that  which  is  contrary  to  truth,  though  it  were  to 
save  our  lives. 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Sixth  Commandment. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment.  These  are 
either  the  taking  away  of  life,  or  the  doing  of  that  which  has  a  tendency  to  take  it 
away. 

1.  It  is  unlawful  to  take  away  the  life  of  another.  But  this  is  to  be  considered  with 
some  exceptions  or  limitations.  Life  may  be  taken  away  in  lawful  wars.  Thus  we  read 
of  many  wars  begun  and  carried  on,  and  much  blood  shed  in  them,  by  God's  direc- 
tion, and  with  his  approbation  and  blessing  ;  on  which  account,  it  is  said  that  '  the 
war  was  of  God. ' u  Yet,  when  wars  are  proclaimed  merely  to  satisfy  the  pride  and 
avarice  of  princes,  as  in  Benhadad's  war  against  Ahab,x  or  in  the  war  of  the  Romans 
on  the  countries  round  about  them,  merely  to  enlarge  their  own  dominions  by  ruin- 
ing others,  or  in  those  which  the  devil  excites  and  antichrist  carries  on  against  the 
church,  for  their  faithfulness  to  the  truth  ;?  the  law  of  God  is  broken,  and  all  the 
blood  shed  in  them  is  a  breach  of  this  commandment. — Again,  it  is  no  violation 
of  this  commandment,  to  take  away  the  life  of  offenders,  guilty  of  capital  crimes, 
by  the  hand  of  the  civil  magistrate  ;  for  the  doing  of  this  is  elsewhere  commanded, 
and  magistrates  are  appointed  for  that  end.2  [See  Note  T,  page  386.] — Further, 
it  is  no  breach  of  this  commandment,  when  a  person  kills  another  without  design, 
or  the  least  degree  of  premeditated  malice.  Yet  the  utmost  caution  ought  to  be 
used,  that  persons  may  not  lose  their  lives  through  the  carelessness  and  inadver- 
tency of  others.— Moreover,  in  some  instances,  a  person  may  kill  another  in  his 
own  defence,  without  being  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  commandment.  But  this 
is  to  be  considered  with  certain  limitations.  If  there  be  only  a  design  or  conspiracy 
against  our  lives,  but  no  immediate  attempt  made  to  take  them  away  ;  we  are  to 
defend  ourselves,  by  endeavouring  to  put  him  who  designed  the  execrable  act  out 
of  a  capacity  of  hurting  us  ;  and  we  are  to  do  this  by  having  recourse  to  the  protec- 
tion of  the~  law,  whereby  he  may  be  restrained,  or  we  secured.  This  was  the 
method  which  Paul  took,  when  the  Jews  had  bound  themselves  with  an  oath  to 
slay  him.  He  informed  the  chief  captain  of  their  conspiracy,  and  had  recourse  to 
the  law  for  his  safety.3  If,  again,  there  be  a  present  attempt  made  against  our 
lives,  we  should  rather  choose  to  disarm  the  enemy,  or  flee  from  him,  than  take 
away  his  life.  But  if  this  cannot  be  done,  so  that  we  must  either  lose  our  own 
life  or  take  away  his,  we  do  not  incur  the  least  guilt,  or  break  this  commandment, 
if  we  take  away  his  life  to  preserve  our  own ;  especially  if  we  were  not  first  in  the 
quarrel,  nor  gave  occasion  to  it  by  any  injurious  or  unlawful  practices. 

Here  it  may  be  inquired  whether  it  be  lawful  for  two  persons  to  fight  a  duel, 
upon  a  set  challenge  or  provocation  given.  Now,  when  a  war  between  two  armies 
may  be  terminated,  and  the  shedding  of  much  blood  prevented  by  a  duel,  it  is  not 
unlawful ;  provided  it  be  by  mutual  consent,  and  with  the  approbation  of  those  on 
both  sides  who  have  a  right  of  making  war  and  peace  ;  and  if  the  matter  in  con- 

r  Rom.  xii.  20 ;  Job  xxxi.  19,  20,  22.  s  Psal.  Ixxx'u  3,  4;  Prov.  xxiv.  11,  12. 

t  Heb.  xi.  35.  u  I  Chron.  v.  22.  x  1  Kings  xx.  1,  et  seq.^ 

y  Rev.  xii.  17;  Chap.  xiii.  7»  *  Deut.  xvii.  8—10;  Rom.  xiii.  4. 
a  Acts  xxiii.  21. 


382  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

troversy  may  be  thus  decided,  without  tempting  providence.  We  have  a  remark- 
able instance  of  this,  in  the  duel  fought  between  David  and  Goliah.b  It  is  unlaw- 
ful, however,  for  two  persons,  each  seeming  too  prodigal  of  his  life,  to  give  and  accept 
a  challenge,  and  in  prosecution  of  it  to  endeavour  to  put  an  end  to  each  other's  life, 
merely  to  gratify  their  own  passion  or  pride.  This,  though  falsely  called  honour, 
will,  in  reality,  render  them  vile  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and  notoriously  guilty  of  the 
breach  of  this  commandment. 

Here  we  may  consider  the  wicked  practice  of  those  who  have  obliged  the  poor 
wretches,  who  were  under  their  command,  to  murder  one  another  for  their  diver- 
sion. This  Joab  and  Abner  did,  when  they  said,  '  Let  the  young  men  arise  and 
play  before  us  ;  and  every  one  thrust  his  sword  in  his  fellow's  side.'0  There  is  also 
an  unlawful  diversion,  which,  though  not  altogether  so  barbarous  and  cruel,  is,  in 
some  respects,  a  breach  of  this  commandment,  namely,  when  persons  fight  with 
and  wound  one  another,  without  design  of  killing,  merely  to  get  a  little  money, 
while  entertaining  a  number  of  unthinking  persons  with  their  folly.  In  this  case 
they  that  fight,  and  they  that  look  on,  are  equally  guilty.d  Thus  concerning  the 
•  sin  of  killing  one  another. 

We  shall  now  explain  two  or  three  difficulties  which  occur  in  scripture,  relating  to 
the  actions  of  some  good  men,  who  seem  to  have  been  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  com- 
mandment, but  really  were  not  so.  It  is  inquired,  whether  Elijah  was  chargeable 
with  the  breach  of  it  in  destroying  Baal's  prophets,  when  '  he  ordered  that  none  of 
them  should  escape  ;  and  he  brought  them  down  to  the  brook  Kishon,  and  slew  them 
there.'6  Now,  it  may  be  observed  that  it  was  not  a  small  inoffensive  error  which 
these  prophets  of  Baal  were  punished  for  ;  but  apostacy  from  God.  That  the  per- 
sons deserved  the  punishment  they  received  appears  from  various  considerations. 
They  were  the  advisers  and  ringleaders  of  all  Israel's  idolatry,  and  the  abettors 
and  principal  occasion  of  the  violent  persecution  which  then  raged  against  the  Lord's 
prophets  and  true  worshippers.  Again,  had  they  only  been  false  prophets,  and 
not  persecutors,  they  were,  according  to  the  law  of  God,  to  be  put  to  death/  Fur- 
ther, their  punishment  was  inflicted  after  a  solemn  appeal  to  God,  and  an  answer 
from  heaven  by  fire,  which  determined,  not  only  who  was  the  true  God,  but  who 
were  his  prophets,  and  consequently  whether  Elijah  deserved  death  as  an  impostor, 
or  Baal's  prophets.  Moreover,  Ahab  himself  was  present,  and  all  his  ministers  of 
state,  who  had  a  right  to  execute  justice  on  false  prophets  ;  and,  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable, that  they  consented  to  their  death,  and  that  many  of  them  had  an  imme- 
diate hand  in  it.  Their  acting  thus  might  be  occasioned  by  a  sudden  conviction  in 
their  consciences,  proceeding  from  the  miracle  which  they  had  just  before  observed, 
or  from  the  universal  cry  of  the  people  against  the  false  prophets.  The  occurrence, 
therefore,  was  plainly  of  the  Lord,  to  whom  Elijah  brought  a  great  deal  of  honour, 
and  was  far  from  being  chargeable  with  the  breach  of  this  commandment. 

It  is  farther  inquired  whether  Abraham's  offering  Isaac  was  a  breach  of  this 
commandment.  This  is  proposed  as  a  difficulty  by  those  who  do  not  pay  that  defer- 
ence to  divine  revelation  which  they  ought,  nor  consider  that  God  cannot  command 
any  thing  which  is  contrary  to  his  periections,  and  that  his  people  do  not  sin  in 
obeying  any  command  which  is  given  by  him. — However,  that  this  matter  may  be 
set  in  a  just  light,  let  it  be  considered  that  God,  who  is  the  sovereign  Lord  of  life, 
may  take  it  away  when  and  by  whom  he  pleases.  Hence,  Isaac  had  no  more  rea- 
son to  complain  of  any  wrong  or  injury  done  him  by  God,  in  ordering  his  father  to 
sacrifice  him,  than  any  one  else  has  who  dies  by  his  immediate  hand,  in  the  com- 
mon course  of  providence.— Again,  Abraham  could  not  be  said  to  act  with  the 
temper  and  disposition  of  a  murderer ;  which  those  have  who  are  guilty  of  the 
breach  of  this  commandment,  who  kill  persons  in  a  passion  or  out  of  envy  or  malice, 
being  void  of  all  natural  affection  and  brotherly  love.  Abraham  acted  plainly  in 
obedience  to  God's  command.  His  hand  was  lifted  up  against  one  whom  he  loved 
as  well  as  his  own  life,  and  it  may  be  better  ;  and,  doubtless,  he  would  rather  have 
been,  had  God  so  ordered  it,  the  sacrifice  than  the  offerer. — Further,  he  acted,  as 

b  1  Sam.  xvi*  c  2  Sam.  ii.  14—16.  .  d  Prov.  xxvi.  18,  19. 

e  1  Kings  xviii.  40.  *  Deut.  xiii.  6—9. 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  383 

is  more  than  probable,  with  Isaac's  full  consent.  Hence  some  think  that  Isaac's 
faith  was  no  less  remarkable  in  the  affair  than  that  of  Abraham.  His  willingness 
to  be  offered,  evidently  appears,  from  the  fact  that  Abraham  was  in  his  feeble  and 
declining  age,  and  Isaac  in  his  full  strength  ;  for  it  was  not  a  little  strength  which 
was  sufficient  to  carry  wood  enough  to  answer  this  occasion,  which  we  read  Isaac 
did>'  Besides,  if  Isaac  had  resisted,  none  was  at  hand  to  assist  Abraham  against 
him  ;  and,  doubtless,  he  would  have  striven  in  this  matter  as  one  who  desired  to 
be  overcome.  We  must  suppose,  therefore,  that  the  transaction  was  so  far  from 
being  a  breach  of  this  commandment,  that  it  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in- 
stances of  faith  in  scripture  ;  and  that  God's  design  in  ordering  it  was,  that  it 
might  be  a  type  whereby  he  would  lead  Abraham  into  the  glorious  mystery  of  his 
not  sparing  his  own  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  Christ's  willingness  to  lay 
down  his  life  a  ransom  for  his  people. 

Some  charge  Moses  with  having  been  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  commandment, 
in  killing  the  Egyptian.11  But  to  vindicate  him  from  this  charge,  let  it  be  con- 
sidered that  the  Egyptian  whom  he  slew,  not  only  smote  an  Hebrew,  but  did  so 
wrongfully.  As  is  observed  in  Acts  vii.  24,  there  was  no  offence  given  or  just  rea- 
son for  this  injurious  treatment ;  and  to  oppress  or  abuse  one  who  is  in  a  miserable 
condition,  as  the  Hebrews  were  at  that  time,  is  an  heinous  crime  in  God's  ac- 
count.— Moreover,  to  '  smite,'  in  scripture,  is  often  taken  for  to  'slay ;'  so  that  it  is 
not  improbable,  that  the  Egyptian  slew  the  Hebrew  ;  or  if  he  did  not,  the  injury 
he  inflicted  might  be  such  as  deserved  death.  Now,  this  punishment  would  have 
been  executed  in  another  manner,  had  not  Israel  been  denied,  at  that  time,  the 
protection  of  the  law. — Again,  Moses  was,  at  this  time,  raised  up  and  called  by 
God,  to  be  a  ruler  and  a  judge,  to  defend  the  cause  of  his  oppressed  people  ;  and 
in  this  action  he  first  began  to  fulfil  his  commission.  The  people,  indeed,  refused 
to  own  him,  and  seemed  to  join  with  those  who  designed  him  evil  for  his  interfer- 
ence ;  but  for  this  reason  their  deliverance  was  put  off  forty  years  longer,  while  he 
was  an  exile  in  the  land  of  Midian.1  Now,  to  slay  a  public  enemy  and  oppressor, 
and,  as  is  probable,  one  who  had  forfeited  his  life,  and  to  do  this  with  a  commis- 
sion from  God  to  act  as  a  ruler  and  a  judge  over  his  people,  cannot  be  reckoned  a 
breach  of  this  commandment.  Thus  concerning  the  violation  of  this  command- 
ment, as  including  the  murdering  of  our  neighbour. 

2.  This  commandment  is  notoriously  broken  by  those  who  lay  violent  hands  on 
themselves.  We  have  in  scripture  an  account  of  no  good  man  who  was  ever  suf- 
fered to  do  this,  but  only  of  men  of  the  most  infamous  character,  such  as  Saul, 
Ahithophel,  Judas,  and  others.  This  is  a  sin  which  is  attended  with  many  aggra- 
vations. It  is  to  act  as  though  our  lives  were  at  our  own  disposal.  But  they  are  to 
be  considered  as  a  talent  which  we  are  intrusted  with  by  God  to  improve  for  his 
glory  ;  and  he  alone  has  a  right  to  dispose  of  them  at  his  pleasure. — Again,  self- 
murder  argues,  and  arises  from,  the  highest  discontent  and  impatience  under  the 
hand  of  God  ;  which  is  contrary  to  that  temper  which  we  ought  to  exercise  as 
Christians,  who  profess  subjection  to  him. — Further,  it  is  contrary  to  nature  and 
that  principle  of  self-preservation  which  God  has  implanted  in  us.  Indeed,  he  who 
does  it,  not  only  acts  below  the  reason  of  a  man,  but  does  that  which  even  brutes 
themselves  are  not  inclined  to. — Moreover,  it  is  a  giving  place  to  and  a  gratifying  of 
the  devil,  who  acts  agreeably  to  his  character,  as  a  murderer  from  the  beginning, 
when  he  tempts  men  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  at  once. — Again,  it  is  a  pre- 
sumptuous and  bold  resolving  that,  whatever  measure  of  duty  God  has  prescribed 
for  us  to  fill  up  in  this  world,  we  will  serve  him  no  longer.  If  martial  law  punishes 
deserters  with  death,  is  there  not  a  severe  punishment  due  to  those  who  do,  as  it 
were,  desert  the  service  of  God  by  self-murder?  Nothing  is  more  certain  than  this, 
that  if  duty  be  enjoined  by  God,  the  time  in  which  it  is  to  be  performed  is  also  fixed 
by  him,  and  not  left  to  our  own  determination. — Further,  self-murder  is  a  rushing 
hastily  into  eternity,  not  considering  the  consequence,  nor  the  awful  tribunal  of 
Christ,  before  which  they  must  immediately  appear,  and  give  an  account  of  this,  as 
well  as  other  sinful  actions  of  life. — Finally,  self-murder  is  done  with  such  a  frame 

g  Gen.  xxii.  6.  b  Exod.  ii.  11,  12.  i  Acts  vii.  24,  25,  compared  with  30. 


384  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

of  spirit,  that  a  person  cannot  by  faith  commit  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  to  do  so  requires  a  better  temper  of  mind  than  any  one  can  be  supposed 
to  have  who  murders  himself. 

Here  it  may  be  inquired,  since,  as  was  before  observed,  no  good  man  was  ever 
guilty  of  this  crime,  whether  Samson  did  not  break  this  commandment  in  pulling 
down  the  house  upon  his  own  head,  as  well  as  upon  the  Philistines.  Now,  Samson's 
life,  at  this  time,  was  a  burden  to  himself,  useless  to  his  brethren,  a  scorn  to  the  open 
enemy,  and  an  occasion  of  their  ascribing  their  deliverance  to  their  idol,  and  pro- 
bably would  soon  have  been  taken  away  by  them.  These  circumstances,  though 
they  would  not,  in  themselves,  have  been  sufficient  to  justify  this  action ;  yet  might 
justify  his  desire  that  God  would  put  an  end  to  his  life,  and  release  him  out  of  this 
miserable  world  ;  especially  if  the  event  would  redound  more  to  his  glory  than  any 
thing  he  could  do  for  the  future,  or  had  done  in  the  former  part  of  his  life.  Be- 
sides, it  plainly  appears  that  God,  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  not  only  gave  him  leave 
to  take  away  his  own  life,  together  with  the  lives  of  his  enemies,  but  also  wrought 
a  miracle  to  enable  him  to  do  it.  It  was  therefore  a  justifiable  action,  and  no 
breach  of  this  commandment.k 

3.  We  shall  now  consider  the  heinous  aggravation  of  the  sin  of  taking  away  the 
life  of  another  unjustly,  and  the  terrible  judgments  which  those  who  are  guilty  of  it 
have  ground  to  expect.  According  to  the  divine  law,  this  sin  is  to  be  punished  with 
death,  by  the  hand  of  the  civil  magistrate.1  Thus  Joab,  who  had  deserved  to  die  for 
murders  formerly  committed,  was  slain  according  to  David's  order  by  Solomon  ; 
though  he  sought  protection  by  taking  hold  of  the  horns  of  the  altar.m  Many  other 
crimes  might  be  expiated  by  sacrifices,  which  God  ordained  should  be  offered  for 
that  end  ;  but  no  satisfaction  was  to  be  accepted  for  this  sin  but  the  blood  of  the 
murderer.11  And  it  is  a  matter  of  dispute  with  some  whether  kings,  who  may  par- 
don many  crimes  by  virtue  of  their  prerogative,  can,  according  to  the  laws  of  God, 
pardon  murder,  without  being  supposed  to  extend  their  clemency  beyond  its  due 
bounds  ? — Again,  God  often  gives  up  those  who  are  guilty  of  the  sin  of  murder  to 
the  terrors  of  a  guilty  conscience,  which  is  a  kind  of  hell  upon  earth  ;  as  in  the  in- 
stances of  Cain,  Lamech,  and  others.0 — Further,  such  are  followed  with  many  re- 
markable instances  of  divine  vengeance  ;  so  that  the  blast  of  providence  attends  all 
their  undertakings.  Thus  David,  after  he  had  killed  Uriah,  was  followed  with  such 
rebukes  of  providence,  that  the  latter  part  of  his  life  was  rendered  very  uneasy  ; 
and  what  the  prophet  foretold  was  fulfilled,  that  '  the  sword  should  never  depart 
from  his  house,'  that  is,  as  long  as  he  lived.? — Again,  the  judgments  of  God  for 
this  sin  are  often  transmitted  to  posterity.  Thus  Simeon  and  Levi's  murder  of 
the  Shechemites  was  punished  in  the  tribes  that  descended  from  them  ;  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  patriarch's  prediction,  were  '  divided  in  Jacob,  and  scattered  in  Israel.  '* 
Saul's  slaying  the  Gibeonites  was  punished  in  David's  time  by  a  famine  which  it 
occasioned.1"  And  the  murders  which  the  Jews  had  committed  on  the  prophets  in 
former  ages,  were  punished  in  the  destruction  of  their  state  and  nation  ;  when  '  all 
the  righteous  blood  that  had  been  shed  upon  the  earth,  came  upon  them.'s — Fur- 
ther, the  lives  of  murderers  are  often  shortened,  and  they  brought  to  the  grave 
with  blood.  Thus  Absalom  perished  by  the  just  judgment  of  God,  for  the  murder 
of  his  brother,  as  well  as  his  other  crimes.  And  in  this  the  psalmist's  observation 
holds  true,  that  '  bloody  and  deceitful  men  shall  not  live  out  half  their  days.'* 

4.  This  commandment  may  be  broken  otherwise  than  by  the  taking  away  of  the 
life  of  our  neighbour.  A  breach  of  it  may  be  committed  by  a  person  in  his  heart, 
when  he  has  not  an  opportunity  to  execute  his  malicious  designs,  or  is  afraid  to  exe- 
cute them  on  account  of  the  punishment  from  men  which  will  follow.  Thus  the 
apostle  says,  '  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer.'"  Of  this  we  have  an 
instance  in  wicked  Ahab,  who  '  hated  Micaiah,  because  he  prophesied  not  good 
concerning  him,  but  evil.'1  It  is  more  than  probable  that  his  hatred  would  have 
broken  forth  into  murder,  could  he  have  laid  hold  on  the  least  shadow  of  pretence 

k  Judges  xvi.  28— 30.  1  Deut.  xix.  11,  12.         m  1  Kings  ii.  28,  29.  n  Numb.  xxxv.  31. 

o  Gen.  iv.  18 — 15.  and  23,  24.         p  2  Sam.  xii.  9,  10.         q  Gen.  xlix.  7.  r  2  Sam.  xxi.  1. 

8  Matt,  xxiii.  35.  t  Psal.  Iv.  23.  u  1  Jobn.iii.  15.  x  1  Kings  xxii.  9. 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  385 

which  might  have  put  a  colour  on  so  vile  an  action.  Jezebel  also  was  guilty  of  this 
sin,  who  threatened  to  murder  the  prophet  Elijah.?  The  Jews,  likewise,  were  guilty 
of  it  who  were  filled  with  malice  against  our  Saviour  ;  for  which  reason,  they  would 
have  put  him  to  death  at  that  time,  but  they  feared  the  people.7- — Moreover,  while 
this  sin  reigns  in  wicked  men,  there  are  some  instances  of  it  even  in  good  men. 
Thus  David  carried  his  resentment  too  far  against  Nabal,  though  a  churlish  and  un- 
grateful man,  when  he  resolved  in  his  passion,  not  only  to  take  away  his  life,  which 
was  an  unjustifiable  action,  but  to  destroy  the  whole  family,  the  innocent  with  the 
guilty. a  He  was  afterwards  sensible  of  his  sin  in  this  passionate  resolution  ;  and 
blessed  God  for  his  preventing  it,  by  Abigail's  prudent  management.  There  is 
another  instance  of  sinful  and  unaccountable  passion  which  cannot  be  excused  from 
a  degree  of  heart-murder,  in  Jonah  ;  who  was  very  angry  because  God  was  gra- 
cious, and  spared  Nineveh,  on  their  repentance.  In  this  fit  of  passion  he  desires 
that  God  would  take  away  his  life,  justifies  his  anger,  and,  as  it  were,  dares  him 
to  cut  hirn  off;  which  was  as  bad  a  frame  as  ever  any  good  man  was  in.  All  this, 
too,  took  its  rise  from  pride,  lest  some  should  think  him  a  false  prophet,  who  did 
not  rightly  distinguish  between  what  God  might  do  and  would  have  done  had  they 
not  repented,  and  what  he  determined  to  do,  namely,  to  give  them  repentance,  and 
so  to  spare  them :  I  say,  rather  than  be  counted  a  false  prophet,  which  it  may  be 
was  a  groundless  surmise,  he  was  angry  with  God  .for  sparing  it. b 

Here  it  will  be  inquired  whether  all  anger  is  sinful,  or  a  breach  of  this  command- 
ment? Now,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  Be  angry  and  sin  not  ;'c  the  words  imply  that  there 
may  be  anger  which  is  not  sinful,  but  which,  on  the  other  hand,  may  rather  be 
styled  a  zeal  for  God.  Of  this  kind  was  that  anger  which  our  Saviour  expressed 
against  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  when  he  calls  them  'serpents,  a  generation  of 
vipers  ;'d  and  when  he  whipped  the  buyers  and  sellers  out  of  the  temple,  on  which 
occasion  it  is  said,  '  The  zeal  of  thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up.'e  The  apostle  also 
reproved  Elymas  the  sorcerer,  who  endeavoured  to  '  turn  away  the  deputy  from  the 
faith,'  with  words  that  seemed  full  of  anger,  when  he  addressed  himself  to  him  in 
this  manner,  '  0  full  of  all  subtilty,  and  all  mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou 
enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the 
Lord  ?'f  And  Peter  could  not  reprove  that  vile  hypocrite,  Simon  Magus,  when  he 
offered  to  purchase  the  conferring  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  without  expressing  some  anger 
and  resentment,  as  the  cause  required,  when  he  said,  '  Thy  money  perish  with 
thee,'s  &c.  Yet,  that  he  might  let  him  know  that  it  was  only  zeal  for  God  that  pro- 
voked his  anger,  he  gave  him  friendly  advice  to  repent  of  his  wickedness.h 

We  may  hence  take  occasion  to  inquire  what  the  difference  is  between  sinful 
anger  or  passion,  and  an  holy  zeal  for  God.  Now,  an  holy  zeal  for  God  leads  us 
rightly  to  distinguish  between  the  person  reproved,  and  his  actions  which  give  us 
occasion  for  reproof;  so  that  we  hate  the  sin,  but  not  the  person  who  commits  it. 
Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  hate  the  work  of  them  that  turn  aside.''  But  sinful 
anger  is  principally  directed  against  the  person  with  whom  we  are  offended. — Again, 
the  honour  of  God  is  the  only  motive  which  excites  holy  zeal ;  but  pride  or  evil 
surmise  is  generally  the  occasion  of  sinful  anger.  Thus  Jehu's  executing  the  ven- 
geance of  God  in  cutting  off  Ahab's  wicked  family,  was  right,  as  to  the  matter  of 
it ;  yet  it  had  a  great  mixture  of  ambition,  pride,  and  private  hatred  of  them,  as 
those  who  he  thought  would  stand  in  competition  with  him  for  the  crown.  Besides, 
he  desired  the  applause  and  esteem  of  the  people  for  the  action,  and  therefore 
said  to  Jonadab,  'Come  with  me,  and  see  my  zeal  for  the  Lord.'k  Hence,  true 
zeal  for  God  is  attended  with  many  other  graces ;  and  sinful  anger  with  many  sins. 
— Further,  holy  zeal  for  God  inclines  us  to  express  anger  against  his  enemies  with 
sorrow  and  reluctance,  being  grieved  for  their  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  desiring 
their  reformation  and  salvation ;  but  sinful  anger  meditates  revenge,  is  restless  till 
it  has  accomplished  it,1  and  is  pleased  with  having  opportunities  of  executing  it.— 
Moreover,  holy  zeal  sets  aside  or  is  not  much  concerned  about  injuries,  as  directed 

v  1  Kings  xix.  2.  z  Mark  xi.  18.  a  1  Sam.  xxv.  21,  22.  b  Jonah  iv.  1 4. 

c  Eph.  iv.  26.  d  Matt,  xxiii.  33.  e  John  ii.  15,  17.  f  Acts  xiii.  10. 

g  Acts  viii.  20  21.  h  Verse  22.         i  Psal.  ci.  3.  k  2  Kings   x.  16.  1  Prov.  iv.  16. 

n.  3c 


3S6  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

against  ourselves  ;  but  considers  them  as  they  reflect  dishonour  on  the  name  of 
God,  or  are  prejudicial  to  his  interest  in  the  world.  Thus  David  said  concerning 
Edom,  '  Happy  shall  he  be  that  dasheth  thy  little  ones  against  the  stones  ;'m  when, 
at  the  same  time,  he  professed  that  it  was  tor  Jerusalem's  sake  that  he  desired  the 
ruin  of  his  enemies,  and  not  his  own  ;  tor  he  says,  that  he  '  preferred  Jerusalem 
above  his  chief  joy. 'n  Sinful  anger,  however,  designs  or  wishes  evil  to  others,  to 
promote  our  own  interest  and  advantage. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  aggravations  of  sinful  passion.  It  unfits  a  soul  for 
holy  duties.  Accordingly,  our  Saviour  advises  his  people,  first  to  '  be  reconciled 
to  their  brethren,  and  then  come  and  offer  their  gift. '°  If  we  attempt  to  reprove 
sin,  or  persuade  to  duty,  in  a  passion,  it  will  tend  to  take  away  the  force  and  hinder 
the  success  of  the  arguments  we  use.  Sinful  anger  will  occasion  sorrow  and  shame, 
when  reflected  on  in  our  most  serious  thoughts.  It  will  expose  us  to  Satan's  temp- 
tations, and  occasion  a  multitude  of  sins  ;  and  accordingly  is  called  by  the  apostle, 
a  'giving  place  to  the  devil. 'p  It  magnifies  the  smallest  injuries,  and  excites  our 
resentments  beyond  their  due  bounds.  We  do  not  consider,  as  we  ought  to  do,  that 
the  injuries  done  against  us  are  very  small  when  compared  with  the  sins  we  com- 
mit, whereby  we  dishonour  God.  Further,  sinful  anger  is  opposite  to  a  Christian 
temper,  very  much  unlike  that  frame  of  spirit  which  our  Saviour  has  recommended 
concerning  loving  our  enemies, i  and  is  also  contrary  to  his  example,  '  who  when  he 
was  reviled,  reviled  not  again.'1*  Finally,  as  it  is  a  stirring  up  of  our  own  corrup- 
tions ;  so  it  tends  to  stir  up  the  corruptions  of  others,  and  provoke  them  to  sin,  as 
one  flame  kindleth  another,  and  so  increaseth  itself.8 

We  shall  further  inquire  how  we  are  to  deal  with  those  whom  we  converse  with, 
who  are  addicted  to  passion  or  anger.  We  are  to  exercise  a  calm,  meek,  and  hum- 
ble disposition,  bearing  reflections  with  patience,  and  replying  to  them  with  gen- 
tleness ;  especially  when  it  is  more  immediately  our  own  cause,  and  not  the  cause 
of  God,  which  is  concerned.  '  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath.'1  'He  that  is 
slow  to  wrath,  is  of  great  understanding.'11  Let  us  take  heed,  also,  that  we  do  no- 
thing which  tends  to  stir  up  the  passions  of  any.  If  a  superior  is  disposed  to  be 
angry,  let  us  prudently  withdraw  from  him.  If  it  be  an  inferior,  let  us  reprove  him 
with  faithfulness.  If  it  be  an  equal,  let  us  take  away  the  edge  of  his  anger,  by 
meekness,  love,  and  tenderness  towards  him,  having  compassion  on  his  weakness. 
Let  us  bear  injuries  without  revenging  them,  and  'overcome  evil  with  good.'x 

m  Psal.  cxxxvii.  9.  n  Verse  6.  o  Matt.  v.  23,  24.  p  Eph.  iv.  27. 

q  Matt.  v.  44.  r  1  Pet.  ii.  23.  s  Prov.  xxvii.  17-  t  Chap.  xv.  1. 

u  Prov.  xiv.  29.  x  Rom.  xii.  19,  21. 

[Note  T.  The  Judicial  Law. —  The  Civil  Punishment  of  Death. — Are  Christians — men  who  live 
under  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  and  recognise  the  doctrines  and  principles  of  the  gospel — 
warranted,  in  any  circumstances,  to  take  away  a  man's  life  in  punishment  of  his  crimes  ?  Most  per- 
sons reply  in  the  affirmative  ;  yet  they  are  exceedingly  divided  in  opinion  as  to  the  circumstances  or 
kinds  of  offence  which  warrant  the  infliction  of  death.  All  of  them,  however,  who  maintain 
any  appearance  of  consistency  in  their  reasonings,  are  of  two  classes, — those  who  regard  the  ju- 
dicial law  of  Moses  as  a  permanent  model  for  every  criminal  code,  and  those  who  regard  every  pe- 
culiar part  of  the  Mosaic  legislation  as  having  been  abolished  by  Christ,  and  who  place  their  opinions 
on  the  authority  of  the  permanent  statements  of  revelation.  The  former  plead  for  the  civil  penalty 
of  death  in  connexion  with  several  crimes  ;  while  the  latter  plead  for  it  in  connexion  chiefly,  if  not 
solely,  with  the  crime  of  wilful  murder. 

Dr.  Ridgeley  is  of  the  class  who  appeal  to  the  enactments  of  the  judicial  law ;  and  he  even  seems 
to  maintain  that  these  enactments,  just  in  the  state  in  which  they  were  made  for  the  Israelites,  are 
still  in  force.  He  does  not  anywhere  say,  in  as  many  words,  that  the  judicial  law  is  permanently  and 
universally  binding ;  but,  in  several  instances,  when  expounding  the  decalogue,  and  especially  when 
treating  of  the  results  of  transgression  in  the  present  life,  he  quotes  its  provisions  in  the  same 
manner,  and  with  the  same  drift,  as  if  they  were  precepts  of  the  moral  law.  In  the  passage,  for 
example,  to  which  this  Note  is  appended,  and  in  another  about  the  middle  of  the  section  in  which 
it  occurs,  he  refers  to  the  enactments  recorded  in  Deut.  xvii.  8 — 10,  and  xix.  11,  12,  on  the  subject 
of  wilful  murder,  and  exhibits  them  as  permanent  and  universal  authority  for  the  civil  magistrate 
inflicting  on  the  perpetrator  of  that  crime  the  punishment  of  death.  Similar  appeals  he  makes 
also  on  the  subject  of  theft,  and  in  other  parts  of  his  exposition  of  crime  as  affecting  civil  society. 
He  probably — we  may  almost  say,  he  certainly — would  not  have  pronounced  the  entire  judicial  law 
to  be  of  .the  same  permanent  and  universal  authority  as  the  law  of  the  ten  commandments,  had  he 
'ooked  the  subject  in  the  face,  or  proposed  it  to  himself  for  investigation  ;  yet,  by  the  course  he 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  387 

pursues  in  the  instances  in  which  he  appeals  to  it,  he  fairly  assumes  the  principle  of  its  entire  au- 
thority, and  its  binding:  power  upon  the  conscience.  No  reason  can  be  assigned  for'appealing  to  its 
enactments  on  the  subject  of  murderers  and  thieves,  which  will  not  fully  and  equally  apply  to  its 
enactments  on  all  subjects  whatever.  Hence,  to  interweave  any  portion  of  its  provisions  with  the 
precepts  of  the  moral  law.  or  to  represent  them  as  bearing  with  the  same  force  on  the  general  con- 
science as  the  permanent  revelations  of  the  divine  will,  is  just  in  principle  to  contend  that  the  ju- 
dicial law,  in  its  own  proper  nature,  was  not  designed  to  be  peculiar  to  the  Israelites,  but  is  of 
universal  and  enduring  obligation. 

Now,  it  will  not,  I  think,  be  difficult  to  show,  both  that  the  judicial  law  was  framed  exclusively 
for  the  Israelites,  and  that  it  was  actually  abolished  by  the  introduction  of  the  New  Testament 
dispensation.  Not  a  few  statutes  were,  in  their  very  nature,  adapted  or  applicable  only  to  the 
Israelites.  A  king  was  ineligible  unless  he  was  a  descendant  of  Jacob,  and  was  forbidden  to  mul- 
tiply horses,  or  to  cause  his  people  to  return  to  Egypt,  Deut.  xvii.  15,  16.  Daughters  who  pos- 
sessed any  inheritance  were  prohibited  from  allying  themselves  in  marriage  to  any  man  who  was 
not  of  the  same  tribe  as  their  father,  Numb,  xxxvi  6 — 13.  Certain  cities  were  appointed  within 
the  Israelitish  territory,  as  sanctuaries  for  the  manslayer,  and  were  placed  under  peculiar  regula- 
tions for  his  protection,  Deut.  xix.  1 — 10.  Every  seventh  year  was  made  a  year  of  release  or  of 
cancelling  of  all  debt  between  Israelite  and  Israelite  ;  strangers,  however,  or  those  who  did  not 
belong  to  the  Israelitish  commonwealth,  being  excluded  from  the  benefits  of  the  statute,  Deut.  xv. 

1 3.    A  man  who  had  two  wives  was  enjoined,  if  he  hated  the  mother  of  his  eldest  son,  and  loved 

the  mother  of  a  younger  son,  to  preserve  the  rights  of  the  son  of  the  hated- wife,  and  not  to  allow 
the  son  of  the  loved  wife  to  usurp  the  place  of  the  first-born,  Deut.  xxi.  15 — 17.  Garments  of  va- 
rious sorts  of  stuff,  as  of  woollen  and  linen,  were  forbidden  to  be  used,  Deut.  xxii.  1 1 .  When  a 
woman  taken  captive  in  war,  was  thought  by  any  man  to  be  a  desirable  wife,  she  was  enjoined  to 
be  carried  to  his  house,  to  have  her  head  shaven  and  her  nails  pared,  to  put  off  the  raiment  of  her 
captivity,  to  bewail  her  father  and  her  mother  a  full  month,  and  then,  if  he  should  be  pleased  with 
her,  to  become  permanently  the  man's  wife,  but  if  not,  to  be  allowed  to  go  whithersoever  she 
chose,  only  not  to  be  sold  by  him  as  a  captive,  Deut  xxi.  10—18  When  the  Israelites  made  war 
against  a  city,  they  were  commanded,  if  an  answer  of  peace  were  made  to  them,  to  make  the 
people  tributaries  and  bondsmen,  and,  if  an  answer  of  defiance  were  given,  to  besiege  them,  and 
afterwards  smite  all  the  males  with  the  sword*  and  they  were  commanded  also  to  carry  on  a  war 
of  extermination  against  the  people  inhabiting  the  territory  assigned  them  for  an  inheritance, — to 
'  save  alive  nothing  that  breathed,'  but  '  utterly  to  destroy'  the  Hittites  and  the  Amorites,  the  Ca- 
naanites  and  the  Perizzites,  the  Hivites  and  the  Jebusites,  so  that  they  might  not  learn  from  them  the 
abominations  of  their  idolatry,  Deut.  xx.  10 — 18.     Such  are  some  of  the  enactments  of  the  judicial 

law, similar,  in  their  peculiar  nature,  and  in  the  individuality  of  their  adaptation,  to  others  which 

might  be  quoted.  Now,  who  will  say  that  these  enactments,  and  such  as  these,  are  of  permanent 
and  universal  authority,  or  that  they  were  made  with  reference  to  any  other  people  than  the 
Israelites,  or  to  any  other  time  than  the  duration  of  the  Israelitish  commonwealth  ?  Yet  they  stand 
on  the  same  basis,  and  possess  the  same  economical  character,  and  are  part  of  the  same  code,  as 
those  laws  respecting  retaliation,  and  theft,  and  murder,  which  are  quoted  in  support  of  the 
opinion,  that  the  civil  magistrate  is  warranted  in  inflicting  the  punishment  of  death.  Either,  there- 
fore, that  opinion,  as  based  on  the  provisions  of  the  judicial  law,  must  be  abandoned,  or  the  enact- 
ments which  I  have  quoted,  and  others  of  a  similar  complexion,  so  manifestly  adapted  to  the  pecu- 
liar circumstances,  and  polity,  and  geographical  position  of  the  Israelites,  ought  to  be  embodied  in 
the  civil  and  criminal  codes  of  every  land.    ■  . 

For  proof  that  the  judicial  law  was  abolished  by  the  introduction  of  the  Christian  dispensation, 
we  do  not  need  to  go  farther  than  to  one  of  the  two  chapters  whence  Dr.  Ridgeley  draws  his  autho- 
rity for  the  civil  magistrate  putting  a  murderer  to  death.  The  nineteenth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy, 
after  having  stated  the  enactments  respecting  the  cities  of  refuge,  the  inflicting  of  capital  punish- 
ment upon  wilful  murderers,  and  the  circumstances  which  should  affect  the  validity  of  testimony, 
states,  with  particular  reference  to  the  injury  done  by  a  false  witness,  and  with  comprehensive 
allusion  to  all  cases  of  murder,  killing,  and  maimir.g,  the  doctrine  of  retaliation, — concluding  with 
the  words,  '  Thine  eye  shall  not  pity  ;  but  life  shall  go  for  life,  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  hand 
for  hand,  foot  for  foot.'  The  same  doctrine  of  retaliation,  in  nearly  the  same  words,  is,  in  two  other 
passages,  (Exod.  xxi.  23;  Lev.  xxiv.  20,)  taupht  as  a  general  principle  of  the  judicial  law,  and  in  im- 
mediate connexion  with  statements  respecting  the  capital  punishment  of  murder,  and  the  appropriate 
penalty  for  various  bodily  injuries  inflicted  by  men  or  by  brutes.  Now,  by  turning  to  our  Lord's 
sermon  on  the  mount,  we  find  that  he  quoted  the  words  in  which  this  doctrine  is  stated,  with  the 
express  design  of  announcing  that  the  principle  which  they  inculcate,  and,  in  consequence,  all  the 
enactments  with  which  it  was  connected,  or  the  entire  judicial  code  in  which  it  was  engrossed,  had 
"eased  to  be  authoritative,  and  were  now  superseded  by  the  benign  influence  of  principles  which 
ire  of  universal  obligation.  '  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth 
for  a  tooth  :  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  ye  resist  not  evil:  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy 
right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.  And  if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away 
thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloke  also.  And  whosoever  shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him 
twain.     Give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and  from  him  that  would  borrow  of  thee  turn  not  thou  away,' 

Matth.  v.  38 42.   His  design,  from  the  seventeenth  verse  to  the  end  of  the  fifth  chapter,  seems  to  be  to 

show  that  the  law  in  all  its  parts,  or  all  the  revelation  made  of  the  divine  will,  has  its  fulfilment  in 
connexion  with  his  mediatorial  work.  '  Think  not,'  he  said,  '  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law 
or  the  prophets  ;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy  but  to  fulfil.'  He  then  intimates,  by  allusion  to  the 
righteousness  on  which  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  depended,  compared  with  the  righteousness  which 
qualifies  for  entering  into  that  '  reign  of  heaven,'  fcastXua.  -rev  cv^avov,  which  is  '  within  men,'  and 
which  is  'peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,'  (Luke  xvii.  21  ;  Rom.  xiv.  17  ;   1  Cor.  iv.  20     that 


388  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

the  ceremonial  law  derived  all  its  significancy  from  its  foreshadowing  his  priestly  work  ;  so  that  it 
was  necessarily  abolished  when  he  actually  entered  his  priestly  office.  He  next,  by  three  examples, 
taken  from  the  laws  respecting  murder,  alultery,  and  divorce,  shows  that  the  moral  law  is  to  be 
understood  so  spiritually  and  comprehensively  as  to  have  cognizance  of  the  thoughts  and  the  affec- 
tions ;  so  that  it  maintains  its  authority  and  accomplishes  its  design  in  our  world,  only  in  connexion 
with  his  mediatorial  administration.  He  then,  by  examples  on  the  subjects  of  making  oaths,  of 
retaliating  injuries,  and  of  treatment  of  enemies,  exhibits  the  notions  which  the  Jews  entertained 
of  the  judicial  law,  and  shows  that  our  manner  of  giving  testimony,  and  our  conduct  toward  those 
who  injure  or  hate  us,  are  to  be  regulated,  not  as  they  supposed  by  principles  connected  with  the 
policy  of  the  Israelitish  commonwealth,  but  by  principles  which  are  applicable  to  all  the  nations 
and  individuals  of  the  earth,  and  which  recognise  the  whole  human  race  as  a  family  of  brethren, 
every  one  of  whom  is  bound  to  love  and  cherish  his  fellows;  so  that  the  judicial  law  possesses  signi- 
ficance, and  fulfils  its  ulterior  design,  only  when  beheld  in  the  retro-pect  as  part  of  that  peculiar 
system  which  prefigured  the  work  of  the  Messiah  for  the  benefit  of  the  human  family,  and  the  dis- 
tinguishing constitution  of  his  spiritual,  separated  church.  He  thus  teaches  that  the  three  depart- 
ments of  the  law  are  all,  in  the  highest  sense,  fulfilled  in  connexion  with  his  administration, — that 
the  moral  law  is  understood  only  when  its  precepts  are  written  on  the  heart  and  put  in  the  mind,  in 
establishing  with  men  who  believe  on  him  the  covenant  which  was  ratified  with  his  blood, — that 
the  ceremonial  law  is  understood  only  when  it  is  seen  pointing,  in  all  its  rites,  to  '  the  everlasting 
righteousness  which  he  brought  in,'  and  the  one  offering  which  he  made  once  for  all  for  man's  trans- 
gression,— and  that  the  judicial  law  is  understood,  not  when  interpreted,  as  among  the  Jews  of  his 
day,  to  be  a  literal  rule  of  moral  duty,  but  when  regarded,  in  its  institutions  and  in  the  polity  with 
which  it  was  connected,  as  teaching  lessons  quite  as  typical  in  their  nature,  or  as  peculiar  and  tem- 
porary in  their  character,  as  the  economical  and  privileged  condition  of  the  people  over  whom  it  was 
established.  Connected,  too,  as  the  particular  enactment,  '  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a 
tooth,'  is,  in  all  the  three  places  in  the  Pentateuch  where  it  occurs,  with  the  statutes  respecting 
the  punishment  of  injuries  and  murder,  our  Lord's  language,  '  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said, 
An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,  but  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  resist  not  evil,'  bears  with 
direct  force  upon  just  that  part  of  the  judicial  law  which  is  quoted  in  defence  of  the  civil  magis- 
trate's inflicting  capital  punishment. 

Either,  in  fact,  the  judicial  must  be  viewed  as  having  been  abolished  by  the  introduction  of  the 
Christian  dispensation,  or  it  must  be  regarded,  not  merely  as  a  model  for  Christian  legislators,  but 
as  part  of  the  moral  law,  or  as  obligatory  upon  man  simply  as  an  accountable  being.  The  whole 
of  what  was  strictly  or  distinctively  the  law  of  Moses,  originated  after  the  exodus  from  Egypt,  and 
■■■  as  superseded  at  the  advent  of  our  Lord.  Its  institutes  were  a  shadow  of  which  the  mediatorial 
dispensation  is  the  substance ;  and  they  are  exhibited  as  in  themselves  mere  form  or  letter,  the 
spirit  of  which  is  to  be  found  in  the  work  and  lessons  of  the  Redeemer.  '  The  law  was  given  by 
Moses  ;  but  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ.'  Whatever  was  set  up  by  the  Jewish  legislator 
belonged  to  a  state  of  things  which  was  oidy  introductory  to  the  truth  or  reality  set  up  by  the 
Saviour.  The  law,  as  given  by  Moses,  or  that  portion  of  divine  revelation  which  was  given  in  the 
organizing  of  the  Jewish  economy,  was  'the  pedagogue  of  the  church  until  Christ,'  i  v»ftm  *•«/«- 
yays  hp*>*  yfyonDi  tt{  ~K^i<rrov.  but  'after  faith  came' — after  the  substance  was  introduced  which 
the  shadow  prefigured — the  church  was  no  longer  under  the  pedagogue, — she  was  released  from 
his  power,  and  brought  away  from  his  authority,  tXfavtris  St  rtn  irtirrtui,  evxtrt  l*t>  railayuyo*  arftu. 
The  law,  as  given  by  Moses,  then,  or  what  constituted  distinctively  and  properly  the  Mosaic  law, 
was  all  abolished  at  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  What  is  usually  termed  the  moral  law,  however, 
or  the  law  summed  up  in  the  ten  commandments,  formed  no  part  of  the  abolished  law  ;  nor,  on  the 
other  hand,  did  it  firm  a  distinctive  part  of  the  law  as  given  by  Moses,  but  was  in  force  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  and  continued  to  be  of  universal  obligation,  and  was  merely  reduced  to  a 
written  form  and  repromulged  with  special  solemnity  after  the  exodus  of  the  Israelites.  Can  the 
same  thing  be  said  respecting  the  judicial  law  ?  Were  its  enactments  known  from  the  beginning  ? 
were  they  obligatory  upon  all  men  ?  were  they  merely  repromulged,  and  not  originated,  at  the 
organization  of  the  Israelitish  commonwealth  ?  No  man  will  say  that  they  were,  or  will  pretend 
that,  as  to  at  least  the  period  of  their  origin  and  the  design  of  their  original  adaptation,  they  were 
other  than  a  portion  of  the  distinctive  law  of  Moses.  What  follows,  then,  but  that,  along  with 
the  enactments  of  the  ceremonial  law,  they  were  divested  of  their  authority  by  the  glorious  event 
which  gave  the  whole  Mosaic  institute  its  significancy — which  'brought  forth  judgment  unto 
truth?'  (Comp.  Isa.  xlii.  I — 3;  Matt.  xii.  14 — 21.)  To  argue,  therefore,  from  any  statement  of 
the  judicial  law  in  support  of  opinions  respecting  a  Christian  country's  criminal  code,  or  respecting 
the  propriety  of  the  civil  magistrate  inflicting  the  punishment  of  death,  is  just  as  inconclusive  as  to 
argue,  from  statements  of  the  ceremonial  law,  in  support  of  opinions  respecting  the  proper  manner, 
or  the  concomitant  circumstances,  of  performing  the  duties  of  the  Christian  ministry. 

We  come  now  to  glance  at  the  opinion  which  vindicates  the  infliction  of  capital  punishment  on 
the  principles  of  general  revelation,  apart  from  the  authority  of  the  judicial  law.  This  opinion, 
with  reference  chiefly  if  not  solely  to  the  punishment  of  wilful  murder,  is  based  almost  entirely  on 
the  text,  '  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed.'  So  concentratedly  is 
evidence  made  to  rest  on  this  text,  that,  if  it  can  be  satisfactorily  explained  in  a  way  not  to  support 
the  permanent  right  of  punishing  wilful  murder  with  death,  any  other  texts  which  are  appealed  to 
will,  almost  certainly,  be  surrendered. 

Before  remarking  on  the  text  itself,  I  would  ask  whether,  among  the  institutions  of  divine  ap- 
pointment which  existed  in  the  patriarchal  ages,  or  in  the  times  before  the  giving  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  there  were  any  which — incorporated,  in  modified  forms,  in  that  law — were  abolished  at  the 
introduction  of  the  New  Testament  dispensation?  The  offering  of  animals  in  sacrifice,  the  holding 
of  the  priestly  office,  the  observance  of  the  seventh-day  Sabbath, — were  not  these  institutions  of 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  3R9 

divine  appointment,  as  ancient  as  the  days  of  Adam,  and  yet  abolished  at  the  advent  of  the  Mes- 
siah ?  Particular  reasons,  indeed,  may  be  assigned  for  their  abolition, — reasons  perfectly  clear  and 
convincing;  yet  to  what  do  these  reasons  amount,  but  that  the  institutions  were  specifically 
adapted  to  a  state  of  things  which  was  precurrent  to  the  light  and  spirituality  and  fulness  of  the 
Christian  dispensation?  Nor  were  institutions  specifically  adapted  to  that  precurrent  state  of 
things,  such  only  as  directly  prefigured  the  work  of  the  Messiah,  but  did  not  affect  man's  social 
conduct, — or  such  only  as  corresponded  with  the  institutions  of  the  ceremonial  law,  but  did  not 
correspond  with  those  of  the  judicial.  The  law  of  the  seventh-day  Sabbath  was  not  a  ceremonial 
institution ;  and,  as  to  some  details  of  its  observance  and  the  penalties  of  its  violation,  it  became  as 
truly  incorporated  with  the  judicial  law,  as,  in  its  basis,  or  in  its  embodying  abstractly  the  doctrine 
of  a  sabbatic  rest,  it  was  an  integral  part  of  the  moral.  In  connexion,  too,  with  the  very  text, 
'  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed,'  there  is  recorded  a  divine  institution 
which  would  seem  to  class  with  neither  the  moral  law  nor  the  ceremonial :  '  And  surely  your  blood 
of  your  lives  will  I  require  ;  at  the  hand  of  every  beast  will  I  require  it,'  Gen.  ix.  5.  This  statute 
was  afterwards  repromulged,  in  an  enlarged  or  more  detailed  form,  as  an  enactment  of  the  judicial 
law  :  '  If  an  ox  gore  a  man  or  a  woman,  that  they  die  :  then  the  ox  shall  be  surely  stoned,  and  his 
flesh  shall  not  be  eaten  ;  but  the  owner  of  the  ox  shall  be  quit.  But  if  the  ox  were  wont  to  push 
with  his  horn  in  time  past,  and  it  hath  been  testified  to  his  owner,  and  he  hath  not  kept  him  in, 
but  that  he  hath  killed  a  man  or  a  woman  ;  the  ox  shall  be  stoned,  and  his  owner  also  shall  be  put 
to  death.  If  there  be  laid  on  him  a  sum  of  money,  then  he  shall  give  for  the  ransom  of  his  life 
whatsoever  is  laid  upon  him.  Whether  he  have  gored  a  son,  or  have  gored  a  daughter,  according 
to  this  judgment  shall  it  be  done  unto  him.  If  the  ox  shall  push  a  man-servant  or  maid-servant ; 
he  shall  give  unto  their  master  thirty  shekels  of  silver,  and  the  ox  shall  be  stoned,'  Exod.  xxi. 
28 — 32.  No  one  can  doubt — especially  if  he  take  the  trouble  to  examine  the  connection  with  a 
series  of  judicial  enactments  in  which  it  occurs — that  this  enactment  belonged  to  that  distinctive 
or  peculiar  polity  which  perished  with  the  Israelitish  commonwealth.  Nor  can  there  be  reasonable 
question  that  the  prior  enactment  made  to  Noah  was  of  the  same  temporary  character.  The  very 
incorporation  of  it  afterwards  with  the  judicial  law,  is  presumptive  evidence  that  it  was  so.  But, 
even  apart  from  that  fact,  who  will  say  that  the  penal  infliction  of  death  upon  every  brute  which 
sheds  human  blood,  is  of  permanent  and  universal  obligation?  There  are,  then,  at  least  two  insti- 
tutions of  a  prefigurative  character — the  institution  of  priesthood  and  the  institution  of  sacrifice — 
prior  in  date  to  the  Mosaic  law,  and  there  are  also  at  least  two  institutions  not  of  a  prefigurative 
character — the  institution  of  the  seventh-day  Sabbath,  and  the  institution  of  penally  treating  brutes 
which  took  away  human  life — likewise  prior  in  date  to  the  Mosaic  law,  which  were  superseded  by 
the  altered  arrangements  and  the  fuller  revelations  of  the  New  Testament  dispensation. 

Now,  since  other  institutions  besides  those  of  the  judicial  and  the  ceremonial  law  were  abolished, 
a  question  is  fairly  raised  whether  one  of  these  was  not  the  institution  of  man's  inflicting  capital 
punishment  upon  a  wilful  murderer?  The  ante-Mosaic  institutions  which  became  abolished,  were, 
in  all  the  instances  we  have  noticed,  such  as,  after  the  exodus  from  Egypt,  became  incorporated 
with  the  Mosaic  law.  But  the  institution  of  capital  punishment  for  murder  was  just  as  really  an:l 
characteristically  incorporated  with  that  law,  as  the  institutions  of  priesthood,  sacrifice,  and  the 
seventh-day  Sabbath.  Does  not  this  fact  afford  somewhat  strong  presumptive  evidence  that,  like 
them,  it  partook  of  the  distinctive  or  differential  character  of  the  Mosaic  law,  as  precurrent  and  intro- 
ductory to  another  state  of  things,  and,  in  consequence,  shared  in  the  temporariness  of  its  duration  ? 
Let  us  remark,  however,  the  connexion  in  which  the  institution  was  established  : — '  And  surely 
your  blood  of  your  lives  will  I  require  ;  at  the  hand  of  every  beast  will  I  require  it,  and  at  the  hand 
of  man ;  at  the  hand  of  every  man's  brother  will  I  require  the  life  of  man.  Whoso  sheddeth  man's 
blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed  :  for  in  the  image  of  God  made  he  man,'  Gen.  ix.  5,  6.  Who 
does  not  see  that  the  enactment  here  has  a  twofold  reference, — that,  while  the  punishment  of 
shedding  human  blood  is  the  subject  of  it,  that  punishment  is  viewed  in  reference  both  to  man  and 
to  beast  ?  The  same  statute  which  enacts  that  the  man  guilty  of  shedding  human  blood  should  be 
put  to  death,  enacts  also  that  the  beast  guilty  of  shedding  human  blood  should  be  put  to  death  ; 
and  it  clearly  speaks  in  reference  to  both,  in  the  summary  statement,  '  Whoso  sheddeth  man's 
blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed.'— To  be  consistent,  therefore,  every  person  who  regards  it 
as  authority  for  the  civil  magistrate  inflicting  capital  punishment  on  a  murderer,  ought  to  insist  on 
his  equally  inflicting  penal  death  on  any  ox  or  other  beast  which  gores  or  kills  a  man.  The  Mosaic 
law,  accordingly,  when  incorporating  the  one  part  of  the  statute,  incorporated  al>o  the  other ;  and 
so,  in  common  consistency,  ought  every  code  which  is  framed  on  the  assumption  that  the  statute 
continues  to  be  authoritative.  Or  if  any  party  believe  that  the  obligation  has  passed  away  to  in- 
flict penal  death  upon  a  brute  which  has  shed  human  blood,  he  is  bound,  on  his  own  principles,  to 
believe  also  that  the  authority  has  passed  away  for  inflicting  capital  punishment  on  a  murderer. 

But  does  the  statute  in  question  refer,  after  all,  to  the  punishment  of  wilful  murder  ?  Does  it 
not  refer  rather  to  the  simple  killing  of  a  man  without  divine  sanction,  be  the  quality  or  aggravations 
of  the  action  what  they  may  ?  The  statute  has  certainly  one  limitation ;  and  expresses  it  with 
great  distinctness  :  '  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed.'  Here  is  explicit 
divine  sanction  for  man  putting  the  slayer  of  man  to  death,  and  consequent  exemption  of  the  former 
from  the  scope  of  the  statute  which  he  executes :  the  enactment,  in  its  very  terms,  exempts  the 
judicial  slayer  of  one  who  slays.  But  is  there  any  other  limitation  ?  Do  not  the  terms  employed 
distinctly  include — with  the  exception  of  judicial  executioners,  or  persons  acting  under  divine  sanc- 
tion  all  slayers  of  man  whatever,— the  slayer  by  inadvertence,  the  slayer  through  carelessness,  and 

the  slayer  who  intended  to  do  no  more  than  maim  or  wound,  as  well  as  the  slayer  from  malice  and 
murderous  rage  ?  No  reason  is  found  either  in  the  language  employed,  or,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  in 
any  known  ante-Mosaic  institution,  for  exempting  any  of  the  classes.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  the 
statute  be  viewed  in  the  light  which  is  thrown  upon  it  by  its  subsequent  incorporation  with  the 


390  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Mosaic  law,  it  will  lie  seen  to  have  distinctly  included  all,  or,  at  the  least,  to  have  admitted  limita- 
lions  in  reference  to  unintentional  slaying  which  come  far  short  of  its  being  directed  only  against 
wilful  murder.  An  Israelite  who  had  undesignedly  taken  away  human  life,  no  matter  by  how  mere  an 
accident  or  with  how  much  freeness  soever  from  carelessness  or  culpable  oversight,  was  not  protected 
from  the  legal  'avenger  of  blood  '  unless  he  fled  to  a  city  of  refuge,  and  obtained  a  public  verdict 
declaring  him  entitled  to  protection  within  its  walls  ;  and  even  after  he  reached  the  city,  and  was 
pronounced  by  •  the  congregation '  free  from  the  guilt  of  intentional  murder,  he  could  not,  till  the 
time  of  the  high  priest's  death,  pass  to  the  outside  of  the  city's  gates,  even  for  the  shortest  period 
or  the  shortest  distance,  without  incurring  the  hazard  of  the  legal  loss  of  his  life  :  see  Numb.  xxxv. 
9_34,  compared  with  Lev.  xxiv.  17 — 22;  Exod.  xxi.  12 — 14;  Deut.  xix.  4 — 13.  Thus  any  slayer 
of  man,  however  different  in  character,  and  however  removed  in  degree  of  guilt,  from  a  wilful  mur- 
derer, was  obnoxious,  even  under  the  detailed  and  extended  jurisprudence  of  the  Israelitish  com- 
monwealth, to  penal  death,  and  was  able  to  escape  it  only  by  instantly  and  carefully  availing  himself 
of  a  special  means  of  protection.  Would  not  the  inference,  then,  appear  clearly  to  follow,  that  the 
original  or  ante-Mosaic  statute  respecting  the  shedding  of  human  blood,  had  reference,  not  to  murder 
only,  but  to  killing  of  every  inferior  degree  of  aggravation  ?  This  inference  is  greatly  strengthened 
by  what  the  Mosaic  enactment  says  respecting  the  avenger  of  blood.  The  whole  scope  of  the  lan- 
guage as  to  the  cities  of  refuge,  and  the  unintentional  manslayer,  and  the  mutual  and  legal  position 
of  parties  concerned  in  an  act  of  shedding  human  blood,  seems  to  assume  that  the  avenger  of  blood,  or 
near  kinsman  of  the  person  slain,  possessed  a  legal  right,  without  waiting  any  public  verdict,  or  institut- 
ing himself  any  inquiry  into  motives  or  degrees  of  guilt,  to  inflict  upon  the  culprit,  whether  murderer, 
culpable  homicide,  or  accidental  manslayer,  the  penalty  of  death.  Now,  whence  could  this  right 
have  been  derived,  or  on  what  authority  could  it  have  been  pleaded,  except  the  original  statute, 
'  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed?'  We  are  once  more  to  remember, 
too,  that  this  statute  was  directed,  not  only  against  every  man,  but  also  against  every  beast,  who 
shed  human  blood.  But  surely  no  pretence  will  be  made  to  distinguish  degrees  of  guilt  in  the  bite 
of  dogs,  the  goring  of  oxen,  or  the  kick  of  horses, — to  distinguish  between  murder  and  manslaughter 
on  the  part  of  creatures  which,  if  not  destitute  of  what  is  or  resembles  reason,  are  altogether  desti- 
tute at  least  of  a  moral  sense  ?  Yet  if  a  distinction  cannot  be  made  in  reference  to  brutes  which 
shed  human  blood,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  a  statute  which  applies  alike  to  them  and  men,  or  which 
makes  provision  in  the  same  language  for  both,  can  allow  it  to  be  made  in  reference  to  men  who 
shed  human  blood.  Just  as  we  interpret  the  statute  with  regard  to  brutes  which  kill,  so  should  we 
interpret  it  with  regard  to  men  who  kill.  It  would,  therefore — somewhat  obviously,  I  think — ap- 
pear to  have  been  enacted  against  all  shedding  of  human  blood  whatever,  manslaughter  as  well  as 
wilful  murder;  and  as,  if  quoted  to  support  the  doctrine  of  permanent  authority  to  inflict  capital 
punishment,  it  would  prove  too  much,  it  must  be  regarded  as  having  been  adapted  simply  to  an 
elementary  'state  of  society, — as  having  probably  had  connexion  with  the  peculiar  circumstances  of 
the  patriarchal  dispensation, — or  more  probably  still,  as  having  concurred  with  the  minor  enactment 
against  eating  the  blood  of  animals,  to  exhibit  the  value  of  '  blood  in  which  is  the  life,'  and  inculcate 
indirectly  the  great  doctrine  of  sacrifice,  —  and  as  having,  through  the  medium  of  subsequent  incor- 
poration with  the  Mosaic  law,  passed  down  the  current  of  temporary  but  significant  institutions 
which  were  precurrent  and  introductory  to  the  full  revelations  of  the  Christian  dispensation. 

I  cannot,  without  writing  matter  which  might  fill  a  pamphlet  or  a  small  volume,  attempt  to  do 
justice  to  the  question  of  capital  punishment;  and — forbearing  either  to  notice  subordinate  argu- 
ments in  favour  of  the  practice,  or  to  state  and  illustrate  any  of  some  reasons  which  might  be  urged 
against  it — must  content  myself  with  having  examined  the  chief  defence  of  it  in  the  case  of  wilful 
murderers,  as  founded  on  the  provisions  of  the  Mosaic  law,  and  on  the  enactment  communicated  to 
Noah.     Yet  before  concluding  this  note,  I  may  add  one  or  two  general  remarks. 

If  the  principal  arguments  in  defence  of  punishing  murder  with  death  under  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation, have  been  proved  to  be  inconclusive,  or  built  on  mistaken  premises,  the  subordinate  argu- 
ments which  are  sometimes  made  to  follow  in  their  wake  may  fairly  be  expected  to  admit  of  easy 
refutation.  If,  too,  the  grand  authority  usually  pleaded  for  capital  punishment  in  the  case  of  mur- 
der, have  been  proved  peculiar  to  an  age  whose  characteristic  or  distinctive  institutions  were  super- 
seded by  the  full  revelation  attending  and  following  the  Messiah's  advent,  it  will  hardly  be  pleaded 
in  favour  of  capital  punishment  for  other  crimes.  If,  further,  the  chief  of  those  defences  of  capital 
punishment  for  murder  which  are  founded  on  the  divine  word,  have  been  shown  to  rest  on  mistaken 
views  or  mistaken  interpretation,  other  defences  of  the  practice  which  are  founded  on  mere  expe- 
diency will  scarcely  be  allowed  to  possess  soundness  or  influence.  An  overthrow,  or  even  a  serious 
shaking,  of  the  strongest  arguments  founded  on  appeal  to  the  Bible  for  punishing  wilful  murder 
with  death,  will  be  felt,  by  every  philanthropist  and  every  cautious  jurist,  sufficient  reason  for  his 
solemnly  pausing  before  he  commit  himself  to  the  advocacy  or  the  continued  sanction  of  capital 
punishment  in  any  shape,  or  for  any  offence  whatever. 

One  principle  clearly  and  very  frequently  stated  in  the  New  Testament  is,  '  Avenge  not  your- 
selves :  vengeance  is  mine — I  will  recompense,  saith  the  Lord.'  Under  the  old  economy,  men  were 
employed,  both  upon  ordinary  and  upon  extraordinary  occasions,  as  ministers  of  the  divine  anger, 
and  were  furnished  with  special  oracles  for  direction  in  their  work  ;  but,  under  the  new  economy, 
they  are  no  longer  employed  in  the  same  way,  or  at  least  are  not  employed  by  receiving  a  commis- 
sion or  command,  and  can  become  instruments  of  vengeance  only  by  that  controlling  administration 
which  makes  even  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  God,  and  brings  good  out  of  evil.  Duty,  or  obligation 
to  obey,  or  a  command  of  heaven,  now,  in  no  case,  calls  upon  man  to  take  vengeance  or  to  retaliate, 
but.  in  every  case,  binds  him  to  show  mercy,  to  practise  kindness,  to  exercise  placability,  to  cherish 
love  to  all  persons,  even  to  private  and  inveterate  enemies.  Nor  does  the  association  or  incorporation 
of  men  into  communities,  churches,  or  states,  affect,  in  any  degree,  the  character  of  the  law  under 
which  they  are  placed  as  individuals.     Man,  be  he  situated  how  he  may,  is  not  removed  from  under 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  391 

the  law  which  is  established  over  him  as  an  accountable  being,  and  as  a  subject  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment dispensation.  A  civil  magistrate,  or  an  administrator  of  equity  in  civil  affairs,  or  a  speculator 
in  jurisprudence,  either  will  entirely  shut  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  revelation,  and  act  essentially  in  the 
same  way  as  a  practical  infidel  does  in  private  life';  or  he  will  acknowledge  the  principles,  and  bow 
to  the  authority,  and  yield  to  the  guidance  of  revelation,  and  act  in  essentially  the  same  way,  or  at 
least  in  the  same  spirit,  as  a  sincere  Christian  does  in  the  domestic  circle.  Benevolence,  or  an 
enlightened  regard  to  the  best  interests  or  the  only  true  welfare  of  those  toward  whom  he  acts,  will 
oblige  him,  indeed,  to  practise  as  really  physical  severity  upon  offenders  as  amenity  towards  the 
unoffending  ;  but,  for  just  the  same  reason,  it  also  obliges  a  private  Christian  in  the  domestic  circle 
as  really  to  lift  the  rod  against  a  naughty  child  or  to  inflict  privation  upon  an  unfaithful  servant,  as 
to  distribute  smiles  and  encouragements  among  the  obedient  and  the  gentle  Transition  from  a 
private  to  a  magisterial  or  civil  sphere,  does  not  and  cannot  alter  the  nature  of  a  man's  moral  re- 
sponsibilities •  it  can,  at  the  utmost,  do  no  more  than  multiply  or  enlarge  his  occasions  for  exercising 
the  benevolence,  which  is  in  all  circumstances  unqualifiedly  incumbent  upon  him,  in  the  way  of 
privation  and  restraint  upon  its  object,  rather  than  in  the  way  of  encouragement  and  sympathy. 
The  civil  magistrate  is  warranted  or  empowered  to  inflict  punishment,  therefore,  not  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  retaliation  or  of  taking  vengeance,  but  on  the  principle  of  benevolence  or  of  doing  good. 
His  work  is  not  to  award  retribution  for  actions,  but  to  maintain  equity  among  men,  and  promote 
the  benefit  of  all  Punishment,  in  his  hands,  is  chiefly  if  not  solely  a  means  of  preventing  and 
eradicating  evil.  Even  mere  jurists,  accordingly,  or  men  who  discuss  the  question  of  civil  legisla- 
tion on  principles  entirely  apart  from  those  of  revelation,  are  somewhat  unanimous  in  the  opinion 
that  the  magistrate's  office  is  simply  to  prevent  crime  and  reclaim  the  criminal ;  and,  when  any  of 
them  ascribe  to  him  a  power  of  inflicting  capital  punishment,  they,  for  the  most  part,  suppose  it  to 
exist  or  to  be  legitimate,  only  in  instances  in  which  either  the  criminal  is  so  hardened  as  to  be  past 
reclamation,  or  the  crime  is  of  such  a  nature  as  to  render  his  death  a  necessary  or  most  effective 
means  of  deterring  others  from  committing  it.  Some  condemn  capital  punishment  in  every  case 
whatever  ;  and  others  approve  it  only  when,  in  their  opinion,  both  ends  of  punishment — the  pre- 
venting of  crime  and  the  reclaiming  of  the  criminal — cannot  be  attained,  and  when,  for  the  sake  of 
securing  one  of  them,  the  other  must  be  sacrificed.  But  even  the  latter  class  of  jurists  have,  in 
many  instances,  been  recently  brought  to  doubt,  whether  one  end  of  punishment  ought  ever  to  give 
way  wholly  to  the  other,  or  whether,  even  in  cases  of  robbery  and  murder,  the  prevention  of  crime 
and  the  public  benefit  may  not  be  secured  in  perfect  consistency  with  the  preservation  of  the 
criminal's  life  ;  and  whenever  they  have  arrived  at  conviction  or  even  at  hesitancy  on  this  point, 
they  have  lifted  their  voices  against  the  expediency  of  capital  punishment.  Not  a  few  inductions, 
too,  have  been  made  from  facts  as  to  the  absence,  the  infrequency,  or  the  diminution  of  capital  pun- 
ishment in  Bavaria,  in  the  United  States  of  America,  in  Britain,  and  in  other  countries,  on  which 
conditions  have  been  built,  respecting  influence  upon  the  prevention  of  crime,  the  public  good, 
and  the  reclaiming  of  offenders,  altogether  unfavourable  to  the  practice  of  capital  punishment. 
Now,  if  a  movement  so  decided  in  favour  of  reclaiming  great  criminals  rather  than  putting  them  to 
death,  have  been  made  on  grounds  of  mere  expediency  or  of  mere  calculation  of  beneficial  results, 
it  ought  surely  to  be  very  easily  completed  on  grounds  of  appeal  to  the  sublime  and  benevolent 
principles  of  the  gospel.  To  drive  away  a  miserable  wretch  from  that  state  of  being  in  which  alone 
he  has  access  to  the  means  of  grace, — to  put  a  sudden  termination  to  all  his  opportunities  of  being 
made  wise  to  salvation,  of  seeking  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  and  calling  upon  him  while  hb 
is  near, — to  stretch  out,  as  far  as  a  mortal  can  do,  a  vindictive  hand  against  his  soul,  and  smite  him 
in  his  interests  for  eternity  ; — this  is  truly  an  act  of  frightful  responsibility  for  man  to  perform,  and 
would  seem  to  be  warrantable  by  nothing  short  of  a  most  obvious  divine  sanction.  If  the  enactment 
communicated  to  Noah  be  of  the  nature  of  moral  law,  or  possess  permanent  and  universal  authority, 
it  is  no  doubt  a  sufficient  sanction  ;  but  if  it  be  of  the  character  which  1  have  endeavoured  to  show, 
no  sanction,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  can  be  pleaded, — no  divine  command,  no  commission  from  heaven, 
no  authority  whatever,  except  such  appeals  to  expediency,  or  such  conclusions  from  obscure  and  cir- 
cuitous reason,  as  will  hardly  hinder  a  man  who  knows  any  thing  of  the  benign  and  beneficent  spirit 
of  the  gosoel  from  standing  aghast  at  the  idea  of  touching  the  life  even  of  a  murderer — Ed.] 


392  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CXXXVII.  Which  is  the  seventh  commandment? 
Answer.  The  seventh  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 
Question  CXXXVIII.   What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  seventh  commandment  f 
Answer.    The  duties  required  in  the  seventh  commandment,  are  chastity  in  body,  mind,  affec- 
tions, words,  and  behaviour;  and  the  preservation  of  it  in  ourselves  and  others;  watchfulness  over 
the  eyes,  and  all  the  senses ;  temperance,  keeping  of  chaste  company,  modesty  in  apparel,  marriage 
by  those  that  have  not  the  gift  of  continency  ;  conjugal  love,  and  cohabitation,  diligent  labour  in 
our  callings,  shunning  all  occasions  of  uncleanness,  resisting  temptations  thereunto. 

Question  CXXX1X.  What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  seventh  commandment  f 
Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  seventh  commandment,  besides  the  neglect  of  the  duties  re 
quired,  are  adultery,  fornication,  rape,  incest,  sodomy,  and  all  unnatural  lusts,  al.  unclean  imagina- 
tions, thoughts,  purposes,  and  affections,  all  corrupt  or  filthy  communications,  or  listening  there- 
unto ;  \i  unton  looks,  impudent,  or  light  behaviour  ;  immodest  apparel ;  prohibiting  of  lawful,  and 
dispensing  with  unlawful  marriages,  allowing,  tolerating,  keeping  of  stews,  and  resorting  to  them; 
entangling  vows  of  single  life  ;  undue  delay  of  marriage,  having  more  wives  or  husbands  than  one, 
at  the  same  time;  unjust  divorce,  or  desertion;  idleness,  gluttony,  drunkenness,  unchaste  com- 
pany, lascivious  songs,  books,  pictures,  dancings,  stage-plays,  and  all  other  provocations  to,  or  acts 
of  uncleanness  either  in  ourselves  or  others. 

The  Duties  Required  in  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

This  commandment  respects,  more  especially,  the  government  of  the  affections, 
and  the  keeping  of  our  minds  and  bodies  in  such  an  holy  frame,  that  nothing  impure, 
immodest,  or  contrary  to  the  strictest  chastity,  may  defile  us,  or  be  a  reproach  to 
us,  or  insinuate  itself  into  our  conversation  with  one  another.  In  order  to  this,  we 
are  to  set  a  strict  watch  over  our  thoughts  and  actions,  and  avoid  every  thing  which 
may  be  an  occasion  of  this  sin,  and  use  those  proper  methods  which  may  prevent 
all  temptations  to  it.  Hence,  we  ought  to  associate  ourselves  with  none  but  those 
whose  conversation  is  chaste,  and  such  as  becomes  Christians  ;  and  to  abhor  all 
words  and  actions  which  are  not  so  much  as  to  be  named  among  persons  professing 
godliness.  As  for  those  who  cannot,  without  inconveniency,  govern  their  affections, 
but  are  sometimes  tempted  to  any  thing  which  is  inconsistent  with  that  purity  of 
heart  and  life  which  all  ought  religiously  to  maintain,  it  is  their  duty  to  enter  into 
a  married  state  ;  which  is  an  ordinance  that  God  has  appointed  to  prevent  the 
breach  of  this  commandment. 

The  Sins  forbidden  in  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment. 

1.  Some  of  these  sins  are  not  only  contrary  to  nature,  but  inconsistent  with  the 
least  pretensions  to  religion  ;  and  such  as  were  abhorred  by  the  very  heathen  them- 
selves, and,  by  the  law  of  God,  punished  with  death.  When  this  punishment  has  not 
been  inflicted,  God  has,  by  his  immediate  hand,  testified  his  vengeance  against  those 
guilty  of  the  sin,  by  raining  down  fire  and  brimstone  from  heaven,  as  he  did  upon 
the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.*  These  sins  are  called  in  this  Answer, 
incest,  sodomy,  and  unnatural  lusts.  To  this  we  may  add,  offering  violence  to 
others,  without  their  consent ;  and  thereby  forcing  them  to  do  what  they  could  not 
even  think  of  but  with  abhorrence.  This  is  called  rape  ;  and  by  the  law  of  God, 
the  person  guilty  of  it  was  punished  with  death.2 

2.  There  are  other  sins  whereby  this  commandment  is  violated,  which,  though 
more  common,  are,  nevertheless,  such  as  are  attended  with  a  very  great  degree  of 
guilt  and  impurity.  These  are  either  such  as  are  committed  by  those  who  are 
unmarried,  namely,  fornication,  or  by  those  who  are  married,  as  adultery.  The 
latter,  by  the  law  of  God,  was  punished  witli  death  ;a  as  containing  several  aggra- 

y  Levit.  xviii.  22—25;  Chap.  xx.  13,  15,  16 ;  Rom.  i.  24,  26,  27,  28;  Gen.  xix.  24. 
i  Deut.  xxii.  25.  a  Levit.  xx.  10. 


THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT.  393 

vating  circumstances.  For  hereby  the  marriage  contract  is  violated,  and  the 
mutual  affection  which  is  the  end  of  that  relation  broken  ;  and  therefore  the  great- 
est injury  is  done  to  the  innocent,  as  well  as  ruin  brought  on  the  guilty.  Both 
these  sins,  however,  agree  in  this,  that  they  proceed  from  a  corrupt  heart,  as  our 
Saviour  says,b  and  argue  the  person  who  is  guilty  of  them  alienated  from  the  life 
of  God. 

Another  sin  forbidden  in  this  commandment,  is  polygamy,  or  having  more  hus- 
bands or  wives  than  one,  at  the  same  time  ;  together  with  that  which  often  accom- 
panies it,  namely,  concubinage.  It  is  beyond  dispute  that  many  good  men  have 
been  guilty  of  this  sin,  as  appears  by  what  is  recorded  in  scripture  concerning 
Abraham,  Jacob,  David,  &c.  Nor  do  we  find  that  they  are  expressly  reproved  for 
it ;  which  has  given  occasion  to  some  modern  writers  to  think  that  polygamy  was 
not  unlawful  in  those  ages,  but  was  afterwards  rendered  so  by  being  prohibited  un- 
der the  gospel  dispensation.'0  This  opinion,  indeed,  cuts  the  knot  of  a  very  con- 
siderable difficulty  ;  but  it  involves  another  equally  great ;  for,  according  to  this 
opinion,  polygamy  does  not  appear  to  be  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature.  I  would 
rather  choose,  therefore,  to  take  another  method  to  solve  the  case,  namely,  that 
many  bad  actions  of  good  men  are  recorded  in  scripture,  but  not  approved  of,  nor 
proposed  for  our  imitation.  Of  this  kind  I  must  conclude  the  polygamy  and  con- 
cubinage of  several  holy  men,  mentioned  in  scripture,  to  have  been.  That  it  may 
appear  that  this  practice  was  not  justifiable,  let  it  be  observed  that  some  sin  or  other 
is  often  expressly  mentioned  as  the  occasion  of  it.  Thus  Abraham's  taking  Hagar 
was  occasioned  by  Sarah's  unbelief,  because  the  promise  of  her  having  a  son  was 
not  immediately  fulfilled. d  Jacob's  taking  Rachel  to  wife  after  Leah  was  occa- 
sioned by  Laban's  unjust  dealing  with  him,  and  his  own  discontent  arising  from  it; 
and  his  going  in  unto  Bilhah  was  occasioned  by  Rachel's  unreasonable  desire  of 
children  ;  and  his  taking  Zilpah,  by  Leah's  ambitious  desire  of  having  pre-eminence 
over  Rachel,  by  the  number  of  her  children. e  Again,  the  practice  was  generally 
attended  with  the  breach  of  that  peace  which  is  so  desirable  a  blessing  in  families ; 
so  that  many  disorders  followed.  Thus  we  read  of  an  irreconcilable  quarrel  be- 
tween Sarah  and  Hagar  ;  and  of  Ishmael's  hatred  of  Isaac,  which  the  apostle 
calls  '  persecution. 'f  We  may  notice,  too,  the  contentions  which  there  were  in  the 
family  of  Jacob  and  others  ;  the  envy  expressed  by  the  children  of  one  wife  against 
those  of  another  ;  and  the  opposition  which  one  wife  often  expressed  to  another,  as 
that  of  Peninnah,  one  of  the  wives  of  Elkanah,  to  Hannah,  the  other.  We  must 
conclude,  therefore,  that  Isaac's  example  is  rather  to  be  iollowed  in  this  matter, 
who  had  but  one  wife  ;  and  whom  he  loved  better  than  many  of  the  patriarchs  did 
theirs,  whose  love  was  divided  among  several. 

It  is  objected  that,  if  polygamy  was  a  sin  against  the  light  of  nature,  it  is  strange 
that  it  should  have  been  committed  by  good  men,  and  that  they  should  have  lived 
and  died  without  repenting  of  it,  or  being  in  the  least  reproved  for  it,  as  we  do  not 
find  that  they  were  in  scripture.  We  reply,  that  it  was,  indeed,  a  sin  which  they 
might  have  known  to  be  so,  had  they  duly  considered  it  in  all  its  circumstances  and 
consequences.  But  this  they  did  not  ;  and  therefore  it  was  not  so  great  a  sin  in 
them  as  it  would  be  in  us,  who  have  clearer  discoveries  of  the  heinous  nature  of  it. 
If  we  suppose  that  they  repented  of  all  sin  agreeably  to  the  light  they  had,  they 
might  be  saved.  This,  though  unrepented  of,  was  no  bar  to  their  salvation,  supposing 
they  knew  it  not  to  be  a  sin  ;  and  God's  not  having  explicitly  reproved  them  for  it, 
argues  only  his  forbearance,  but  not  his  approbation  of  it. 

It  is  farther  objected  that  God  says,  by  Nathan,  to  David,  '  I  gave  thee  thy  mas- 
ter's wives  into  thy  bosom  ;'s  and  it  is  hence  inferred  that  that  which  God  gives,  it 
is  not  unlawful  for  man  to  receive.  But  the  meaning  of  that  scripture  in  general 
is,  that  God  made  David  king  ;  and  that  then,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  eas- 
tern kings,  David  took  possession  of  what  belonged  to  his  predecessor,  and  conse- 
quently of  his  wives.  God  might  thus  be  said  to  give  David  Saul's  wives  providen- 
tially, in  giving  him  the  kingdom  ;  so  that  they  were  his  property,  that  he  might 

b  Matt.  xv.  19.  c  Vid.  Grot,  de  jur.  bell,  et  pad's,  lib.  ii.  cap.  v.  §.  9.        d  Gen.  xvi.  1,  2. 

e  Chap.  xxix.  and  xxx.  f  Gal.  iv.  29.  g  2  Sam.  xii.  8. 

11.  3  D 


334  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

take  them  for  his  own,  according  to  custom,  if  he  was  inclined  so  to  do.  This  the 
kings  of  Judah  generally  did  ;  though  it  does  not  follow  that  God  approved  of  their 
doing  so.  So  tyrants  may  be  said  to  be  raised  up  by  God's  providence  and  per- 
mission ;  yet  he  does  not  approve  of  their  tyranny. 

All  that  we  shall  add  under  this  head,  is,  that  polygamy  is  contrary  to  the  first 
institution  of  marriage.  God  created  but  one  woman  as  an  help-meet  for  Adam  ; 
though,  if  ever  there  were  any  pretence  for  the  necessity  of  one  man's  having  more 
wives,  it  must  have  been  in  that  instance,  in  which  it  seemed  necessary  for  the  in- 
crease of  the  world.  But  he  rather  chose  that  mankind  should  be  propagated  by 
slower  advances,  than  to  give  the  least  dispensation  or  indulgence  to  polygamy,  as 
being  contrary  to  the  law  of  nature. h  The  prophet  takes  notice  of  God's  '  making 
but  one  ;M  though  he  had  'the  residue  of  the  spirit,'  and  therefore  could  have  given 
Adam  more  wives  than  one.  The  reason  assigned  was  that  '  he  might  seek  a  godly 
seed,'  that  is,  that  the  children  who  should  be  born  of  many  wives,  might  not  be 
the  result  of  the  ungodly  practice  of  their  father,  as  it  would  be  were  this  contrary 
to  the  law  of  nature  ;  which  we  suppose  it  to  be.  This  I  rather  understand  by  '  a 
godly  seed,'  and  not  that  the  character  of  '  godly  '  refers  to  the  children  ;  for  these 
could  not  be  said  to  be  godly,  or  ungodly,  as  the  consequence  of  their  parents  hav- 
ing one  or  more  wives. — There  is  one  scripture  more  which  I  cannot  wholly  pass 
over,  which,  to  me,  seems  a  plain  prohibition  of  polygamy,  '  Thou  shalt  not  take 
a  wife  to  her  sister,  to  vex  her,  to  uncover  her  nakedness,  besides  the  other  in  her 
life.- time.' k  This  respects  either  incest  or  polygamy ;  one  of  which  must  be  meant  by 
'  taking  a  wife  to  her  sister.'  Now,  it  cannot  be  a  prohibition  of  incest,  because  it 
is  said,  '  Thou  shalt  not  do  it  in  her  life-time  ;'  which  plainly  intimates,  that  it  might 
be  done  after  her  death.  But  it  is  certainly  contrary  to  the  law  of  God  and  nature, 
for  a  person  to  take  his  wife's  sister  after  her  decease,  as  well  as  in  her  life-time. 
Hence,  the  meaning  is,  ■  Thou  shalt  not  take  another  wife  to  her  whom  thou  hast 
married  ;  by  which  means  they  will  become  sisters.'  Moreover,  there  is  another 
reason  assigned,  namely,  the  envy,  jealousy,  and  vexation  which  would  follow  ;  as 
the  taking  of  another  wife  would  be  a  means  of  vexing  or  -making  the  first  wife  un- 
easy. Hence,  the  sense,  as  is  observed  in  the  marginal  reading,  is,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
take  one  wife  to  another,'  or,  'Thou  shalt  not  have  more  wives  than  one.'  This  is 
a  plain  prohibition  of  polygamy.  But  whether  some  holy  men,  in  following  ages, 
understood  the  meaning  of  this  law,  may  be  questioned ;  and  therefore  they  were 
not  sensible  of  the  guilt  they  contracted  by  violating  it.  Thus  we  have  considered 
some  of  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment.  To  notice  every  particular  in- 
stance of  the  breach  of  it,  would  exceed  our  intended  brevity  on  the  subject  we 
are  treating  of. 

The  Aggravations  of  the  Sins  against  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

We  shall  proceed  to  consider  the  aggravations,  more  especially,  of  the  sins  of 
fornication  and  adultery.  These  may  also,  with  just  reason,  be  applied  to  all  other 
unnatural  lusts  which  have  been  before  considered  as  a  breach  of  this  commandment. 
Now,  these  sins  are  opposite  to  sanctification,  even  as  darkness  is  to  light,  hell  to 
heaven.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  opposes  fornication  and  uncleanness,  to  sancti- 
fication. i — Again,  these  sins  are  inconsistent  with  that  relation  we  pretend  to  stand 
in  to  Christ,  as  members  of  his  body  ;  inasmuch  as  we  join  ourselves  in  a  confeder- 
acy with  his  profligate  enemies.m  We  may  add,  that  they  are  a  dishonour  to  and 
a  defilement  of  our  own  bodies,  which  ought  to  be  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  therefore  should  be  consecrated  to  him. — Further,  they  bring  guilt  and  ruin 
on  two  persons  at  once,  as  well  as  a  blot  and  stain  on  the  families  of  each.  They 
also  give  a  wound  to  religion,  when  committed  by  those  who  make  any  profession 
of  it ;  as  they  '  give  occasion  to  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  to  blaspheme. 'n — Further, 
they  bring  with  them  many  other  sins  ;  as  they  tend  to  vitiate  the  affections,  de- 
prave the  mind,  defile  the  conscience,  and  provoke  God  to  give  persons  up  to  spirit* 

h  Gen.  ii.  22—24.  i  Mai.  ii.  15.  k  Levit.  xviii.  18. 

1  1  Thess.  iv.  3,  7  ml  Cor.  vi.  15,  16.  ii  Piov.  vi.  33;  2  Sam.  xii.  14. 


THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT.  395 

ual  judgments,  which  will  end  in  their  running  into  all  excess  of  riot.  We  may 
add,  that  many  sad  consequences  will  follow  the  commission  of  these  sins  ;  as  they 
tend  to  blast  and  ruin  men's  substance  in  the  world,0  debase  and  stupify  the  soul, 
and  deprive  it  of  wisdom,p  wound  the  conscience,  and  expose  the  person  who  is 
guilty  of  them,  to  the  utmost  hazard  of  perishing  for  ever.**  And  if  God  is  pleased 
to  give  him  repentance,  it  will  be  attended  with  great  bitterness. r 

The  Occasions  of  the  Sins  against  the  Seventh  Commandment 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  occasions  of  these  sins,  to  be  avoided  by  those  who 
would  not  break  this  commandment.  One  of  these  is  intemperance,  or  excess  in 
eating  or  drinking.  The  former  is  a  making  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the 
lusts  thereof ;  the  latter  confounds  and  buries  the  little  reason  a  person  was  master 
of,  and  makes  him  an  easy  prey  to  temptation.  This  was  Lot's  case  ;  he  kept  his 
integrity  in  Sodom ;  yet  being  made  drunk  by  his  daughters  in  Zoar,  he  committed 
the  abominable  sin  of  incest  with  them.8 — Another  occasion  of  these  sins  is  idle- 
ness, consisting  either  in  the  neglect  of  business,  or  indulging  too  much  sleep.  Thus 
David  first  gave  way  to  sloth,  and  then  was  tempted  to  uncleanness.  It  is  observed 
that  *  at  the  time  when  kings  go  forth  to  battle,'4  and  when  he  ought  to  have  been 
with  his  army  in  the  field,  he  tarried  at  Jerusalem,  and  slept  in  the  middle  of  the 
day  ;  for  '  in  the  evening-tide  he  arose  from  off  his  bed.'  Now,  the  heinous  sin  he 
was  guilty  of,  which  was  the  greatest  blemish  in  his  life,  followed  this  indulgence. 
— Another  occasion  of  these  sins  is  pride  in  apparel  or  other  ornaments,  beyond  the 
bounds  of  modesty,  or  for  other  ends  than  what  God,  when  he  clothed  man  at  first, 
intended  ;  when  our  attire  is  inconsistent  with  our  circumstances  in  the  world,  or 
the  character  of  persons  professing  godliness.  This  God  reproves  the  Jews  for, 
when  grown  very  degenerate,  and  near  to  ruin.u  Jezebel,  when  Jehu  came  in 
quest  of  her,  '  painted  her  face,  and  tired  her  head  ;'  but  her  doing  so  did  not  pre- 
vent his  executing  God's  righteous  judgments  upon  her.  All  these  things  are 
mentioned  as  the  sins  for  which  Sodom  was  infamous  ;  and  gave  occasion  to  those 
other  abominations,  which  provoked  God  to  destroy  them.x — We  may  add,  as  an- 
other occasion  of  these  sins,  the  keeping  of  evil  company.  Thus  it  is  said  of  the 
lewd  woman,  '  She  hath  cast  down  many  wounded. '*  Bad  company  will  hasten 
our  own  ruin  ;  especially  if  we  associate  with  lewd  persons  out  of  choice  ;  for  our 
doing  so  is  a  sign  that  our  hearts  are  exceedingly  depraved  and  alienated  from 
God.  If,  however,  providence  cast  our  lot  amongst  bad  company,  we  may  escape 
that  guilt  and  defilement  which  would  otherwise  follow,  provided  we  bear  our  testi- 
mony against  their  sin,  and  are  grieved  for  it,  as  Lot  was  for  the  filthy  conversa- 
tion of  the  Sodomites,  among  whom  he  dwelt.2  Moreover,  those  places  where 
there  are  mixed  dancings,  masquerades,  stage-plays,  &c,  which  tend  to  corrupt 
the  principles  and  practices,  and  seldom  fail  of  defiling  the  consciences  and  man- 
ners of  those  who  attend  on  them,  are  nurseries  of  vice,  and  give  occasion  to  the 
sins  in  question,  and  many  others." 

As  for  the  remedies  against  unchastity,  these  are,  exercising  a  constant  watch- 
fulness against  all  temptations  to  it ; b  avoiding  all  conversation  with  those  men  or 
books  which  tend  to  corrupt  the  mind,  and  fill  it  with  levity,  under  a  pretence  of 
improving  it;  but,  more  especially,  retaining  a  constant  sense  of  God's  all-seeing 
eye,  his  infinite  purity  and  vindictive  justice,  which  will  induce  us  to  say  as  Joseph 
did,  in  a  similar  case,  '  How  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God?'c 

o  Job  xxxi.  9,  11,  12.  p  Hosea  iv.  11 ;  Pro  v.  vi.  32  ;  chap.  vii.  22.  q  Pro  v.  vi.  33  ; 

;hap.  vii.  13.  19,  26,  27.  r  Eccl.  vii.  26.  s  Gen.  xix.  31.  t  2  Sam.  xi.  I,  2. 

u  Isa.  iii.  16,  et  seq.  x  Ezek.  xvi.  49.  y  Prov.  vii.  27.  z  2  Pet.  ii.  7,  8. 

■  Prov.  vi.  27.  compared  with  32.  b  Chap.  viii.  9.  c  Gen.  xxxix.  9. 


396  THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN 


THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT 

Question  CXL.  Which  is  the  eighth  commandment  f 

Answer.   The  eighth  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal." 

QUESTION  CXLI.  What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  eighth  commandment  f 
Answer.  The  duties  required  in  the  eighth  commandment  are,  truth,  faithfulness,  and  justice  in 
contracts,  and  commerce  between  man  and  man;  rendering  to  every  one  his  due;  restitution  of 
goods  unlawfully  detained  from  the  right  owners  thereof;  giving  and  lending  freely,  according  to 
our  abilities,  and  the  necessities  of  others  ;  moderation  of  our  judgments,  wills,  and  affections,  con- 
cerning worldly  goods;  a  provident  care  and  study  to  get,  keep,  use,  and  dispose  those  things 
which  are  necessary  and  convenient  for  the  sustentation  of  our  nature,  and  suitable  to  our  condw 
tion  ;  a  lawful  calling,  and  diligence  in  it;  frugality,  avoiding  unnecessary  lawsuits,  and  suretiship, 
or  other  like  engagements  ;  and  an  endeavour,  by  all  just  and  lawful  means,  to  procure,  preserve, 
and  further  the  wealth  and  outward  estate  of  others,  as  well  as  our  own. 

This  commandment  supposes  that  God  has  given  to  every  one  a  certain  portion  of  the 
good  things  of  this  world ;  which  he  may  lay  claim  to  as  his  own,  and  which  no  other 
has  a  right  to.  The  general  scope  and  design  of  it,  is  to  put  us  upon  using  endea- 
vours to  promote  our  own  and  our  neighbour's  wealth  and  outward  estate.  As  to  our- 
selves, it  respects  the  government  of  our  affections,  and  the  setting  of  due  bounds 
to  our  desires  of  worldly  things,  that  they  may  not  exceed  what  the  good  provi- 
dence of  God  has  allotted  for  us,  in  order  to  our  comfortable  passage  through  the 
world.  Thus  Agar  prays,  '  Give  me  neither  poverty  nor  riches  ;  feed  me  with  food 
convenient  for  me.'d  As  to  our  endeavours  to  gain  the  world,  it  requires  a  due 
care  and  diligence  to  get  and  keep  a  competency,  that  we  may  not,  through  our 
own  default,  expose  ourselves  to  those  straits  and  necessities  which  are  the  conse- 
quence of  sloth  and  negligence.6  God  may,  indeed,  give  estates  to  some  without 
any  pains,  or  care  to  get  them  ;f  yet,  even  in  this  case,  sloth  is  a  sin  which  brings 
with  it  many  hurtful  lusts,  which  render  riches  a  snare  and  a  hinderance  to  their 
spiritual  welfare.  Hence,  they  who  are  in  prosperous  circumstances  in  the  world, 
ought  not  to  lay  aside  all  care  and  industry  to  improve  what  they  have,  to  the 
glory  of  God.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  they  who  are  in  a  low  condition  ought  to 
use  a  provident  care  and  diligence,  in  order  to  their  having  a  comfortable  subsis- 
tence. Accordingly,  this  commandment  obliges  us  to  use  all  lawful  endeavours  to 
promote  our  own  and  our  neighbour's  wealth  and  outward  estate. 

The  Promotion  of  our  Own  Well-being. 

1.  In  promoting  our  own  wealth  and  estate,  we  are  first  to  practise  frugality  in  our 
expenses,  and  to  avoid  profuseness.  We  are  neither  to  give  away  our  substance  to 
unlit  objects,  namely,  those  who  are  in  better  circumstances  than  ourselves,  who 
ought  to  be  givers  rather  than  receivers  ;S  nor  are  we  to  make  large  contributions 
to  support  a  bad  cause,  or  to  consume  our  substance  on  our  lusts.  Likewise,  when 
we  are  unwarily  profuse  in  those  expenses  which  would  be  lawful  did  they  not  exceed 
our  circumstances  or  income  in  the  world,  we  disregard  the  future  condition  of  our 
families,  and  take  a  method  to  reduce  ourselves  and  them  to  poverty.11  Or,  if  our 
circumstances  will  admit  of  large  expenses  ;  yet,  to  abound  in  expenses,  merely 
out  of  ostentation,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  withhold  our  liberality  from  the  poor, 
is  inconsistent  with  frugality. 

2.  We  ought  also  to  be  diligent  and  industrious  in  our  calling.  In  order  to  this, 
we  are  wisely  to  make  choice  of  a  calling  in  which  we  may  glorify  God,  and  expect 
his  blessing  for  the  promoting  of  our  wealth  and  temporal  prosperity.  Hence,  that 
business  is  to  be  chosen  which  we  are  most  capable  of  managing,  and  which  has 
the  fewest  temptations  attending  it ;  especially  if  it  does  not  burden  the  conscience 
by  unlawful  oaths,  or  by  prostituting  solemn  ordinances,  not  designed  by  Christ  as 

dProv.  xxx.  8.  e  Chap,  xxiii.  21  ;  xxiv.  30  31.  f  Deut.  vi.  10   11. 

g.Prov.  xxii.  16,  h  1  Tim.  v.  8. 


THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT.  397 

a  qualification  for  it.  Moreover,  we  are  not  to  choose  those  callings  in  which  gain 
is  obtained  by  oppression  or  extortion,  and  which  cannot  be  managed  without 
danger  of  sinning  ;  which  will  bring  the  blast  of  providence  on  all  our  undertak- 
ings. Hence,  we  are  earnestly  to  desire  God's  direction  in  the  weighty  concern  of 
choosing  a  profession  ;  as  well  as  to  depend  on  him  for  success  in  it.1  When  we 
have  made  choice  of  a  lawful  calling,  we  are  to  manage  it  in  a  way  in  which  we 
may  expect  the  blessing  of  God  for  the  promoting  of  our  wealth  and  temporal  pros- 
perity. Let  us  pursue  and  manage  it  with  right  and  warrantable  ends,  namely, 
the  glory  of  God,  and,  in  subordination  to  this,  our  providing  for  ourselves  and 
families,  that  we  may  be  in  a  capacity  to  do  good  to  others,  and  serve  the  interest 
of  Christ  in  our  day  and  generation.  Let  us  take  heed  that  our  secular  employ- 
ments do  not  rob  God  of  that  time  which  ought  to  be  devoted  to  his  worship  ;  and 
that  our  hearts  be  not  so  alienated  from  him  that,  while  we  are  labouring  for  the 
world,  we  should  live  without  God  in  it.  Let  us  take  heed  that  we  do  not  launch 
out  too  far  or  run  too  great  hazards  in  trade,  resolving  that  we  will  be  suddenly 
rich  or  poor ;  for  our  acting  thus  may  tend  to  the  ruin  of  our  own  families,  as  well 
as  others. k  Let  us  bear  disappointments  in  our  callings,  with  patience  and  submis- 
sion to  the  will  of  God,  without  murmuring  or  repining  at  his  wise  and  sovereign 
dispensations  of  providence. 

The  Promotion  of  our  Neighbour's  Well-being. 

This  commandment  obliges  us  to  promote  the  wealth  and  outward  estate  of  our 
neighbour.  This  we  are  to  do  by  exercising  strict  justice  in  our  contracts  and 
dealings  with  all  men  ;  and  by  relieving  the  wants  and  necessities  of  those  who 
stand  in  need  of  our  charity. 

1.  We  are  first  to  exercise  justice  in  our  dealings.  Here  we  must  take  heed 
that  we  do  not  exact  upon,  or  take  unreasonable  profit  of,  those  whom  we  deal  with, 
taking  advantage  of  the  ignorance  of  some  and  the  necessities  of  others.1  Nor 
must  we  use  any  methods  to  supplant  and  ruin  others,  against  the  laws  of  trade, 
by  selling  goods  at  a  cheaper  rate  than  any  one  can  afford  them,  thereby  doing 
damage  to  ourselves,  with  a  design  to  ruin  those  who  are  less  able  to  bear  such  a 
loss.  Again,  those  goods  which  we  know  to  be  faulty,  are  not,  by  false  arts,  or 
deceitful  words,  to  be  sold,  as  though  they  were  not  so.m  On  the  .other  hand,  the 
buyer  is  not  to  take  advantage  of  the  ignorance  of  the  seller,  as  sometimes  happens ; 
nor  is  he  to  pretend  that  an  article  is  worth  less  than  he  really  thinks  it  to  be.n  Fur- 
ther, nothing  is  to  be  diminished  in  weight  or  measure  from  what  was  bought;  nor 
are  worse  goods  to  be  delivered  than  what  were  purchased,0  nor  '  the  balances  to 
be  falsified  by  deceit. 'p 

2.  We  are  to  promote  the  good  of  our  poor  distressed  neighbour,  in  works  of 
charity  ;  and  we  are  to  do  this,  not  only  by  an  inward  sympathy,  or  bowels  of  com- 
passion towards  him,  but  according  to  our  ability,  by  relieving  him.  As  an  induce- 
ment to  this  duty,  we  ought  to  consider  that  outward  good  things  are  talents 
given  us,  with  the  view  that  we  may,  by  means  of  them,  be  in  a  capacity  to  help 
others,  as  well  as  be  freed  from  needing  help  ourselves.  And  when  we  thus  em- 
ploy our  substance,  we  may  be  said  to  improve  what  we  have  received  from  God, 
as  those  who  are  accountable  to  him  for  it,  and  testify  our  gratitude  to  him  for  out- 
ward blessings.  Moreover,  Christ  takes  acts  of  kindness,  when  proceeding  from 
an  unfeigned  love  to  him,  as  done  to  himself. q  We  may  add,  that  there  are  many 
special  motives,  taken  from  the  objects  of  our  charity,  namely,  the  pressing  neces- 
sities of  some,  the  excelling  holiness  of  others.  In  some  instances,  too,  by  an  act 
of  charity,  whereby  we  relieve  one,  we  do  good  to  many  ;  and  when  we  relieve 
those  who  suffer  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel,  there  may  be  a  tendency  to  promote 
the  interest  of  Christ  in  general. 

Let  us  consider  here  of  whom  works  of  charity  are  required.     If  this  matter  be 

i  Eccles.  ix.  11 ;  Deut.  viii.  18.  k  1  Tim.  vi.  9.  1  Jer.  iii.  15. 

in  Amos  viii.  6.  n  Prov.  xx.  14.  o  Amos  viii.  3. 

p  Deut.  xxv.  13,  14,  15.  q  Matt.  xxv.  40;  Prov.  xix.  17. 


398  THE  DUTIES  ENJOINED  IN  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 

duly -weighed,  we  shall  find  that  scarcely  any  are  exempted  from  this  duty,  excert  it1  e 
those  of  whom  it  may  he  said  that  there  are  none  poorer  than  themselves,  or  thosa 
who  have  no  more  than  what  is  absolutely  necessary  to  support  their  families,  or 
those  who  are  labouring  hard  to  spare  out  of  their  necessary  expenses  what  will  but 
just  serve  to  pay  their  debts,  or  those  who  are  reduced  to  such  straits  as  to  depend 
upon  others,  so  that  they  can  call  nothing  they  have  their  own.  This  duty  is  in- 
cumbent on  the  rich,  out  of  their  abundance  ;  and  on  those  who  are  in  middle  cir- 
cumstances in  the  world,  who  have  a  sufficiency  to  lay  out  in  .superfluous  expenses. 
Even  the  poor  ought  to  give  a  small  testimony  of  their  gratitude  to  God,  by  spar- 
ing a  little,  if  they  can,  out  of  what  they  get  in  the  world,  for  those  who  are  poorer 
than  themselves.  If  this  be  but  a  few  mites,  it  may  be  an  acceptable  sacrifice  to 
God  ;r  and  if  persons  have  nothing  beforehand  in  the  world,  they  ought  to  work 
for  this  end,  as  well  as  to  maintain  themselves  and  families. s 

Let  us  next  consider  who  are  to  be  reckoned  objects  of  our  charity.  These  are 
not  the  rich,  who  stand  in  no  need  of  it,  and  from  whom  we  may  expect  a  sufficient 
requital  ;*  nor  those  who  are  strong  and  healthy,  but  yet  make  a  trade  of  begging, 
because  it  is  an  idle  and  sometimes  a  profitable  way  of  living."  But  those  are  to  be 
relieved  who  are  not  able  to  work  ;  especially  if  they  were  not  reduced  to  poverty 
by  their  own  sloth  and  negligence,  but  by  the  providence  of  God  not  succeeding 
their  endeavours  ;  and  if  while  they  were  able,  they  were  ready  to  all  works  of 
charity  themselves.*  We  may  add,  that  those  are  to  be  relieved  who  are  related 
to  us,  either  in  the  bonds  of  nature,  or  in  a  spiritual  sense.  ? 

We  are  now  to  inquire  what  part  or  proportion  of  our  substance  we  are  to  apply  to 
charitable  uses.  Here,  as  the  circumstances  of  persons  in  the  world  are  so  various, 
as  well  as  their  necessary  occasions  for  extraordinary  expenses,  it  is  impossible  to 
give  a  general  rule,  to  be  observed  by  all.  It  must  be  premised,  however,  that  our 
present  contributions  ought  not  to  preclude  all  thoughts  about  laying  up  for  our- 
selves or  families,  for  time  to  come.  Moreover,  whatever  proportion  we  give  of  our 
gain  in  the  world,  some  abatements  may  reasonably  be  made  for  losses  in  trade  ; 
especially  if  what  we  give  was  not  determined,  or  laid  aside,  for  that  use  before 
the  loss  happened.  As  to  the  proportion  of  substance  to  be  given,  it  ought  to  be  left 
to  the  impartial  determination  of  every  one  ;  who  is  to  act  in  this  matter  under  a 
conviction  that  he  is  accountable  to  God.  The  apostle  lays  down  one  general  rule, 
'  Every  man,  according  as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart,  so  let  him  give  ;  not  grudg- 
ingly, or  of  necessity  ;  for  God  loyeth  a  cheerful  giver.'2  But  though  we  pretend 
not  to  determine  the  exact  proportion  which  ought  to  be  given,  namely,  whether 
a  tenth  part  of  our  profits,  or  more,  or  less  ;  yet  it  is  highly  reasonable  that  every 
one  should  contribute  as  much  in  works  of  charity  as  he  lays'out  in  mere  super- 
fluities, or,  at  least,  spare  a  part  out  of  his  superfluous  expenses  for  charitable 
uses.  Moreover,  there  are  some  occasions  which  may  call  for  large  contributions. 
Thus  the  churches  in  Macedonia  are  commended,  not  only  for  their  '  giving  ac- 
cording to,'  but  'beyond  their  power. 'a     Three  things  may  be  here  considered. 

First,  the  extreme  necessities  of  those  whom  we  are  bound  to  take  care  of,  and 
sometimes  the  distressed  circumstances  of  the  church  of  God,  in  general,  require 
larger  contributions  than  ordinary.  Such  circumstances  were  the  occasion  of  the 
command  mentioned  by  our  Saviour,  of  selling  all  and  giving  to  the  poor,  which 
was  put  in  practice  in  the  infancy  of  the  church,  or  the  first  planting  of  the  gospel 
at  Jerusalem. — Secondly,  extraordinary  instances  of  the  kindness  of  God,  in  pros- 
pering us  either  in  worldly  or  spiritual  concerns,  beyond  our  expectation,  call  for 
extraordinary  expressions  of  gratitude  to  God  in  laying  by  for  the  poor.b — Thirdly, 
when  we  have  committed  great  sins,  or  are  under  very  humbling  providences, 
whether  personal  or  national,  being  exposed  to  or  fearing  the  judgments  of  God, 
which  seem  to  be  approaching ;  we  are  called  to  deep  humiliation,  and,  together 
with  this,  proportionable  acts  of  charity. 

We  are  now  to  consider  with  what  frame  of  spirit  works  of  charity  are  to  be  per- 

r  Luke  xxi.  2,  4.  s  Epb.  iv.  28.  t  Luke  xiv.  12,  13,  U. 

u  2  Thess.  iii.  10—12.  x  1  Tim.  v.  10.  y  Gal.  vi.  10. 

z  2  Cor.  ix.  7.  a  2  Cor.  viii.  1,  2,  3.  b  1  Cor.  xvi.  2. 


THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT.  399 

formed.  Now,  they  are  to  be  performed  prudently,  as  our  own  circumstances  will 
permit,  and  the  necessity  of  the  object  requires  ;  also  seasonably,  not  putting  this 
duty  off  till  another  time,  when  the  necessities  of  those  whom  we  are  bound  to  re- 
lieve call  for  present  assistance.0  We  are  also  to  perform  this  duty  secretly,  not 
desiring  to  be  seen  of  men,  or  commended  by  them  for  it  ;d  and  cheerfully  ;e  also 
with  tenderness  and  compassion  to  those  whose  necessities  call  for  relief,  considering 
how  soon  God  can  reduce  us  to  the  same  extremity  which  they  are  exposed  to  who 
are  the  objects  of  our  charity.  It  ought  to  be  done  likewise  with  thankfulness  to 
God,  who  has  made  us  givers  rather  than  receivers  ;f  and  as  a  testimony  of  our 
love  to  Christ,  especially  when  we  contribute  to  the  necessities  of  his  members.^ 


THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CXLII.   What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  eighth  commandment? 

Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  eighth  commandment,  besides  the  neglect  of  the  duties  re- 
quired, are,  theft,  robbery,  man-stealing,  and  receiving  any  thing  that  is  stolen,  fraudulent  dealing, 
false  weights  and  measures,  removing  land-marks,  injustice  and  unfaithfulness  in  contracts  between 
man  and  man,  or  in  matters  of  trust ;  oppression,  extortion,  usury,  bribery,  vexatious  lawsuits, 
unjust  enclosures,  and  depopulations;  engrossing  commodities  to  enhance  the  price,  unlawful  call- 
ings, and  all  other  unjust  or  sinful  ways  of  taking  or  withholding  from  our  neighbour  what  be- 
longs to  him,  or  of  enriching  ourselves;  covetousness,  inordinate  prizing  and  affecting  worldly 
goods;  distrustful  and  distracting  cares  and  studies  in  getting,  keeping,  and  using  them  ;  envying 
at  the  prosperity  of  others;  as  likewise  idleness,  prodigality,  wasteful  gaming,  and  all  other  ways 
whereby  we  do  unduly  prejudice  our  own  outward  estate;  and  defrauding  ourselves  of  the  due 
use  and  comfort  of  that  estate  which  God  hath  given  us. 

Self-robbery. 

This  commandment  forbids,  in  general,  all  kinds  of  theft.  This  may  include 
what  is  very  seldom  called  by  the  name,  namely,  the  robbing  of  ourselves  and 
families.  We  may  be  said  to  do  this,  by  neglecting  our  worldly  calling  ;  by  im- 
prudently managing  it ;  and  by  lending  larger  sums  of  money  than  our  circum- 
stances will  well  bear,  to  those  who  are  never  likely  to  pay  it  again,  or,  which  is 
in  effect  the  same,  by  being  surety  for  such.  Moreover,  we  rob  ourselves  and 
families,  by  being  profuse  and  excessive  in  our  expenses  ;  by  consuming  what  we 
have,  while  pursuing  our  pleasures  more  than  business  ;  or  by  gaming,  whereby 
we  run  the  risk  of  losing  part  of  our  substance,  and  reducing  ourselves  or  others  to 
poverty.  On  the  other  hand,  we  rob  ourselves  and  families,  when,  out  of  a  design 
to  lay  up  a  great  deal  for  the  time  to  come,  we  deprive  ourselves  and  them  of  the 
common  necessaries  of  life  ;  which  is,  in  effect,  to  starve  for  the  present,  in  order 
to  prevent  our  starving  for  the  future.  But,  passing  this  by,  we  shall  consider 
this  commandment  more  especially,  as  it  respects  our  defrauding  others. 

Theft. 

We  break  this  commandment  by  taking  away  any  part  of  our  neighbour's  wealth 
or  worldly  substance.  This  is  generally  known  by  the  name  of  theft ;  and  is  pun- 
ishable by  human  laws,  and  that,  with  the  greatest  severity,  in  proportion  to  its 
aggravations.  Moreover,  they  who  are  guilty  of  it,  are,  without  repentance,  ex- 
cluded from  the  kingdom  of  God.h  Let  it  be  considered,  however,  that  every  kind 
of  theft  does  not  deserve  an  equal  degree  of  punishment  from  men ;  for  sometimes 
the  owner  of  what  was  stolen  receives  but  little  damage.  Yet  in  this  case,  some 
punishment  short  of  death  ought  to  be  inflicted,  to  reform  the  wicked  person,  and 
deter  him  from  going  on  in  the  breach  of  this  commandment,  from  less  to  greater 
sins.  By  the  law  of  God,  a  simple  theft  was  punished  with  restitution  of  twice, 
and  in  some  cases  four  times,  as  much  as  the  damage  which  was  sustained  amounted 

c  Prov.  iii.  28.  d  Matt.  vi.  3,  4.  e  2  Cor.  ix.  7. 

f  Acts  x.  33.  g  Matt.  x.  42.  p  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10. 


400  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN 

to.'  In  other  cases,  however,  the  theft  was  punished  with  death,  when  it  had  in 
it  some  circumstances  which  aggravated  it  in  an  uncommon  degree.  If  an  house, 
which  ought  to  be  reckoned  a  man's  castle,  be  broken  open,  and  that  in  the  night- 
time, when  lie  is  in  no  condition  to  defend  himself  or  his  worldly  substance,  in  this 
case  the  law  is  not  unjust  which  punishes  the  thief  with  death  ;  and  this  is  sup- 
posed in  that  law  which  says  that  he  who  kills  one  who  'breaks  up'  his  neighbour's 
house  by  night,  shall  have  'no  blood  shed  for  him.'k  But,  in  other  instances, 
confinement  and  hard  labour,  may  be  as  effectual  a  way  to  put  a  stop  to  this  sin  ; 
and  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  punishment  with  death.  Thus  concerning  this 
commandment,  as  broken  by  theft. 

Breach  of  Trust. 

This  commandment  is  farther  broken,  by  unfaithfulness,  or  breach  of  trust ; 
whether  the  trust  be  devolved  on  us  by  nature,  as  that  of  parents  towards  their 
children ;  or  by  contract,  as  that  of  servants,  who  are  intrusted  with  the  goods 
and  secrets  of  their  masters ;  or  that  which  is  founded  in  the  desire  and  request  of 
those  who  constitute  persons  executors  to  their  wills,  or  guardians  to  orphans  un- 
der age,  provided  they  accept  of  this  trust.  If  any  of  these  violate  their  trust,  by 
embezzling  or  squandering  away  the  substance  of  others,  or  defrauding  them  to 
enrich  themselves,  their  conduct  is  not  only  theft,  but  perfidiousness,  and  highly 
provoking  to  God,  and  deserves  a  more  severe  punishment  from  men  than  is 
usually  inflicted. 

Non-payment  of  Debt. 

This  commandment  may  be  said  to  be  broken,  by  borrowing,  and  not  paying 
just  debts  ;  as  the  psalmist  says,  'The  wicked  borroweth  and  payeth  not  again.'1 
Yet  there  are  some  cases  in  which  a  man  is  not  guilty  though  he  borrows  and 
does  not  pay.  If,  for  example,  when  he  borrowed,  there  was  a  probability  of 
his  being  able  to  repay  ;  or  if  he  discovered  his  circumstances  fully  to  him  of  whom 
he  borrowed,  to  whom  it  would  appear  whether  there  was  any  likelihood  of  his  pay- 
ing him  or  not ;  or  if  he  gave  full  conviction,  when  he  borrowed,  that  he  was  able 
to  pay,  but  the  providence  of  God,  without  his  own  default,  has  rendered  him  un- 
able ;  in  this  case  mercy  is  to  be  shown  him,  and  he  is  not  to  be  reckoned  a  breaker 
of  this  commandment.  In  various  other  cases,  however,  a  person  is  guilty  of  the 
breach  of  it,  in  borrowing,  and  not  paying  debts.  If  the  borrower  pretends  that 
his  circumstances  are  better  than  they  are,  and  so  makes  the  lender  believe  that, 
in  a  limited  time,  he  shall  be  able  to  repay  him ;  when,  in  his  own  conscience,  he 
apprehends  that  there  is  no  probability  that  he  shall  be  able  to  do  so,  he  is  guilty 
of  breaking  this  commandment.  Again,  when  a  person  was  in  such  circumstances 
at  the  time  of  his  borrowing,  that,  by  industry  in  his  calling,  he  might  be  able  to 
pay  the  creditor,  but,  by  neglect  of  business,  or  embezzling  his  substance,  he  ren- 
ders himself  unable  to  pay,  he  is  chargeable  with  the  breach  of  this  commandment. 
Further,  if  pity  be  shown,  by  compounding  for  a  part,  instead  of  the  whole  debt, 
in  case  of  present  insolvency  ;  though  the  debtor,  in  form  of  law,  is  discharged  with 
the  creditor's  consent,  yet  the  law  of  God  and  nature  obliges  him  to  pay  the  whole 
debt,  if  providence  makes  him  able  hereafter ;  else  he  can  hardly  be  excused  from 
the  breach  of  this  commandment. 

This  leads  us  to  inquire  what  judgment  we  may  pass  on  the  '  Israelites  borrow- 
ing of  the  Egyptians  jewels  of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold,'  which  we  read  of  in  Exod. 
xi.  35,  whether  in  this  matter  they  were  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this  command- 
ment.    Now,  the  word"1  which  we.  render  'borrowed,'  might  as  well  be  rendered 

i  Exod.  xxii.  1,  4,  7«  k  Verse  2.  1  Psal.  xxxvii.  21. 

m  The  Hebrew  word  blW,  which  is  here  used,  signifies  not  only  '  commodavit,'  or  '  usui 
dedit,'  or  'accepit,'  but  '  petiit,'  or  '  postulavit ;'  in  the  last  of  which  senses  it  is  to  be  understood, 
in  Deut.  x.  12,  '  What  doth  the  Lord  require  or  demand  of  thee?'  &c.  And  in  Judges  v.  25,  where 
the  same  word  is  used,  it  is  said  that  '  Sisera  asked  water  of  Jael ;'  not  as  one  who  was  borrowing 
it  of  her,  but  as  a  gratuity  for  former  kindness  which  he  had  shown  to  her. 


THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT.  401 

'asked,'  or  'demanded.'  We  must  hence  suppose  that  the  Egyptians  were  so  de- 
sirous that  the  Israelites  should  be  gone,  apprehending  that  if  they  continued,  they 
were  all  dead  men,  that  they  might  have  of  them  whatever  they  demanded  as  neces- 
sary for  their  expedition  ;  while,  if  they  came  back,  as  they  supposed  they  should, 
they  would  be  obliged  to  return  them.  If  this  be  the  sense  of  the  Hebrew  word, 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  text,  nor  any  appearance  of  the  breach  of  this  command- 
ment. But  as  the  sense  of  the  word  is  indeterminate,  signifying  to  'demand,'  as 
well  as  to  'borrow,'  God's  order  imports  the  former ;  though  the  Egyptians  might 
understand  it  in  the  latter,  as  denoting  a  borrowing  with  a  design  to  restore. 
The  Israelites,  then,  acted  in  this  matter  by  God's  command,  who  has  a  right 
to  take  away  the  goods  which  one  possesses,  if  he  pleases,  and  give  them  to 
another  ;  for  he  takes  away  nothing  but  his  own.  Now,  that  they  had  his  warrant 
for  borrowing  or  demanding  these  things  of  the  Egyptians,  appears  from  the  second 
verse.  Moreover,  the  reason  why  God  ordered  them  to  do  this,  if  we  look  beyond 
his  absolute  sovereignty,  was  that  the  Israelites  deserved  what  they  received  as 
wages  for  their  hard  service.  Besides,  the  contribution  might  be  reckoned  a  reward 
of  the  good  offices  which  Joseph  had  done  to  Egypt,  which  had  been  long  since  for- 
gotten. As  to  the  Israelites,  it  is  probable  that  they  expected  nothing  else  but  to 
return  again,  and  restore  to  the  owners  what  they  had  borrowed  of  them,  after  they 
had  sacrificed  to  God  in  the  wilderness  ;  at  least,  they  were  wholly  passive,  and 
disposed  to  follow  the  divine  conduct  by  the  hand  of  Moses.  And  when  they  were 
in  the  wilderness,  they  could  not  restore  what  they  had  borrowed,  since  the  owners, 
as  is  more  than  probable,  were  drowned  in  the  Red  sea  ;  their  revenge  and  covet- 
ousness,  as  well  as  Pharaoh's  orders,  having  prompted  them  to  follow  the  Israel- 
ites. Or  if  some  of  the  owners  might  have  been  heard  of,  as  yet  surviving,  their 
right  to  what  was  borrowed  of  them  was  forfeited,  by  reason  of  the  hostile  pursuit 
of  Pharaoh  and  his  hosts,  which  put  them  into  a  state  of  war. 

This  may  lead  us  farther  to  inquire  what  judgment  we  may  pass  on  the  many 
ravages  and  plunders  which  are  generally  made  by  armies  engaged  in  war  ;  whether 
they  may  be  reckoned  a  breach  of  this  commandment.  Now,  it  is  beyond  dispute 
that,  if  the  war  be  unjust,  as  all  the  blood  which  is  shed  is  murder,  or  a  breach  of 
the  sixth  commandment ;  so  all  the  damage  which  is  done  by  burning  of  houses, 
or  taking  away  the  goods  of  those  against  whom  it  is  carried  on,  is  a  breach  of  this 
commandment.  But  if  we  suppose  that  the  war  is  just,  that  the  damage  is  done 
only  to  those  who  are  immediately  concerned  in  it,  and  that  it  is  an  expedient  to 
procure  peace  ;  it  is  unquestionably  lawful,  and  no  breach  of  this  commandment. 
Thus  when  the  Israelites  were  commanded  to  destroy  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
of  Canaan  as  criminals,  they  were  admitted  to  seize  on  the  spoil  of  other  nations, 
who  were  more  remote  from  them,11  when  conquered  by  them.  As  for  those  plun- 
ders and  robberies  which  are  committed  on  private  persons,  who  are  not  concerned 
in  the  war,  any  otherwise  than  as  subjects  of  the  government  against  which  it  is 
undertaken,  especially  if  the  losses  they  sustained  have  no  direct  tendency  to  pro- 
cure peace,  these  can  hardly  be  justified  from  being  a  breach  of  this  command- 
ment. 

Oppression. 

This  commandment  is  broken  also  by  oppression  ;  whereby  the  rich  may  be  said 
to  rob  and  even  swallow  up  the  poor.0  Now  there  are  various  ways  by  which  per- 
sons may  be  said  to  oppress  others.  They  may  do  so  by  engrossing  those  goods 
which  are  necessary  for  food  or  clothing,  in  order  to  enhance  the  price  of  them;  so 
that  the  poor  are  brought  into  great  extremities.  Again,  persons  are  guilty  of  op- 
pression when  they  enrich  themselves  out  of  the  unmerciful  labour  exacted  of  their 
servants,  whom  they  will  hardly  suffer  to  live,  or  eat  the  just  reward  of  their  ser- 
vice. Such  a  master  was  Laban  to  Jacob.p  Landlords  also  are  guilty  of  it  when 
they  turn  their  tenants  out  of  their  houses  or  farms,  when  they  find  that  they  get 
a  comfortable  subsistence  by  their  industry,  taking  occasion  thence  to  raise  their 

n  Deut.  xx.  14,  15.  o  Psal.  xiv.  4;  x.  9;  Micah  iii.  2,  3.  p  Gen.  xxxi   41,  42. 

IT.  3e 


402  THE  SINS  FORBIDDEN  IN  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 

rent  in  proportion  to  the  success  God  gives  them.  Finally,  the  rich  are  guilty  of 
oppression  when  they  make  the  poor  suffer  hy  long  delays  to  pay  them  their  debts, 
that  they  may  gain  advantage  by  the  improvement  of  that  money  which  they  ought 
to  have  paid  them. 

Litigiousness. 

A  person  may  be  said  to  break  this  commandment,  by  engaging  in  unjust  and 
vexatious  lawsuits.  It  is  to  be  owned,  however,  that  going  to  law  is  not,  at  all 
times,  unjust.  For  it  is  sometimes  a  relief  against  oppression ;  and  it  is  agreeable 
to  the  law  of  nature  for  every  one  to  defend  his  just  rights.  On  this  account,  God 
appointed  judges  to  determine  causes,  to  whom  the  people  were  to  have  recourse, 
that  they  might  'show  them  the  sentence  of  judgment. '<*  Yet  we  must  conclude 
lawsuits  to  be  in  some  cases  oppressive.  They  are  so  when  the  rich  make  use  of 
the  law  to  prevent  or  prolong  the  payment  of  their  debts,  or  to  take  away  the  rights 
of  the  poor,  who,  as  they  suppose,  will  rather  suffer  injuries  than  attempt  to  de- 
fend themselves.  Lawsuits  are  oppressive  also  when  bribes  are  either  given  or 
taken,  with  a  design  to  pervert  justice.1"  We  may  add,  that  the  person  who  pleads 
an  unrighteous  cause,  concealing  the  known  truth,  perverting  the  sense  of  the  law, 
or  alleging  that  for  law  or  fact  which  he  knows  not  to  be  so  ;  and  the  judge  who 
passes  sentence  against  his  conscience,  respecting  the  person  of  the  rich,  and  brow- 
beating the  poor ;  are  confederates  in  oppression,  while  their  methods  of  proceed- 
ing are,  beyond  dispute,  a  breach  of  this  commandment. 

It  is  objected  that  our  Saviour  forbids  going  to  law  even  to  recover  our  just 
rights,  when  he  says,  '  If  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away  thy 
coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloke  also.'8  We  reply,  that  some  things  may  be  omitted 
for  prudential  reasons,  which  would  not  otherwise  be  unlawful  to  be  done.  Our 
Saviour  does  not  forbid  using  our  endeavours,  in  a  legal  way,  to  recover  our  right 
in  all  cases ;  but  he  forbids  it  more  especially  at  that  time,  when  his  followers  could 
hardly  expect  to  meet  with  justice.  It  may  be  also  that  they  were  oppressed  by 
fines  or  distress,  laid  on  them  for  their  embracing  Christianity ;  and  in  this  case  he 
advises  them  patiently  to  bear  injuries,  when  they  could  hardly  expect  relief  from 
their  unjust  judges. 

Usury. 

This  commandment  is  broken  by  extortion  or  oppressive  usury.  Thus  it  is  said 
of  the  righteous  man,  *  He  putteth  not  out  his  money  to  usury.'*  The  word  sig- 
nifies 'biting  usury  ;'u  which  is,  beyond  dispute,  unlawful.  We  have  elsewhere 
considered  in  what  cases  the  Israelites  might  take  usury,  and  when  not.*  On  the 
whole,  it  is  certainly  unlawful  to  exact  more  than  the  legal  rate  or  worth  of  the 
loan  of  money  ;  or  to  exact  any  usury  of  the  poor, — especially  for  that  which  was 
borrowed  to  supply  them  with  the  necessaries  of  life. 

Restitution. 

Having  considered  in  what  instances  this  commandment  is  broken,  we  proceed 
to  show  what  a  person  ought  to  do  who  has  been  guilty  of  the  breach  of  it,  in  any 
of  the  forementioned  instances,  in  order  to  his  making  restitution  for  the  injuries 
he  has  done  to  his  neighbour.  The  making  of  restitution  ought  always  to  attend 
the  exercise  of  sincere  repentance  in  those  who  have  been  guilty  of  this  sin  ;  oi 
which  we  have  an  instance  in  Zaccheus.y  The  neglect  of  it  will  be  like  a  worm  at 
the  root  of  ill-gotten  estates,  and  will  be  little  better  than  a  continual  theft. 

It  is  objected,  however,  that  it  may  be  a  prejudice  to  our  reputation,  by  making 
our  crime  public,  which  before  was  only  known  to  ourselves.  But  what  we  do  in 
this  matter,  is  not  really  a  reproach,  but  an  honour ;  and  it  is  hardly  to  be  sup- 

q  Deut.  xvii.  8,  9.  r  1  Sam.  viii.  2.  s  Matt  v.  40.  t  Psal.  xv.  5.  u  jrj,  from  ijofj, 
*  momordit.'  x  See  Sect.  ■  The  Judicial  Law,'  under  Quest,  xcviii.  y  Luke  xix.  8. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  403 

posed  that  he  to  whom  we  perform  so  just  and  unexpected  a  duty,  will  be  so  bar- 
barous as  to  divulge  or  improve  the  transaction  against  us  to  our  disadvantage. 
Besides,  there  are  private  ways  of  making  restitution,  whereby  the  injured  party 
may  receive  what  is  sent  to  him,  and  not  know  from  whom  it  comes  ;  or,  good 
turns  may  be  do.ne  to  him  in  a  way  of  compensation  for  the  damages  he  has  re- 
ceived, and  he  not  know  that  they  are  done  with  this  design  ;  and,  by  this  means, 
we  disburden  our  consciences,  perform  a  necessary  duty,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
prevent  the  supposed  ill  consequences  which  might  follow. 

It  is  farther  objected  that  sometimes  the  making  of  restitution  is  impracticable ; 
as  when  the  person  injured  is  dead,  and  we  know  of  none  who  has  a  right  to  receive 
his  property.  Sometimes  also  we  may  have  been  guilty  of  so  many  instances  of 
fraud  and  oppression,  and  to  such  a  great  number  of  persons,  that  it  is  next  to  im- 
possible. But  when  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  make  restitution  to  those  whom  we 
have  injured,  or  when  we  know  of  none  who  survive  them  who  have  a  right  to  re- 
ceive it,  the  best  expedient,  I  apprehend,  we  can  make  use  of,  is  to  give  it  to  the 
poor  ;  for  as  it  is  not  in  justice  our  own,  we  do,  as  it  were,  hereby  give  it  to  the 
Lord,  who  is  the  original  proprietor  of  all  things. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Question  CXLIII.   Which  is  the  ninth  commandment  ? 

Answek.  The  ninth  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour." 

Question  CXLIV.  What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  ninth  commandment? 

Answer.  The  duties  required  in  the  ninth  commandment  are,  the  preserving  and  promoting  of 
truth  between  man  and  man,  and  the  good  name  of  our  neighbour  as  well  as  our  oun  ;  appearing, 
and  standing  for,  and  from  the  heart,  sincerely,  freely,  clearly,  and  fully,  speaking  the  truth,  and 
only  the  truth,  in  matters  of  judgment  and  justice,  and  in  all  other  things  whatsoever;  a  charitable 
esteem  of  our  neighbours  ;  loving,  desiring,  and  rejoicing  in  their  good  name,  sorrowing  hi;  and  cover- 
ing of  their  infirmities  ;  freely  acknowledging  their  gifts  and  graces;  defending  their  innocency;  a 
ready  receiving  of  a  good  report,  and  un  willingness  to  admit  of  an  evil  report  concerning  them  ;  dis- 
couraging talebearers,  flatterers,  and  slanderers;  love  and  care  of  our  own  good  name,  and  defend- 
ing it  w  hen  need  requireth,  keeping  of  lawful  promises,  studying  and  practising  of  whatsoever  things 
are  true,  honest,  lovely,  and  of  a  good  report.  . 

Question  CXLV.  What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  ninth  commandment  f 
Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  ninth  commandment,  are,  all  prejudicing  the  truth,  and  the 
good  name  of  our  neighbours  as  well  as  our  own,  especially  in  public  judicature,  giving  false  evi- 
dence, suborning  false  witnesses,  wittingly  appearing  and  pleading  for  an  evil  cause,  outfacing  and 
overbearing  the  truth,  passing  unjust  sentence,  calling  evil  good,  and  good  evil,  rewarding  the 
wicked  according  to  the  work  of  the  righteous,  and  the  righteous  according  to  the  work  of  the  wick- 
ed ;  forgery,  concealing  the  truth,  undue  silence  in  a  just  cause,  and  holding  our  peace  when  ini- 
quity calleth  for  either  a  reproof  from  ourselves,  or  complaint  to  others  ;  speaking  the  truth  unsea- 
sonably, or  maliciously  to  a  wrong  end,  or  perverting  it  to  a  wrong  meaning,  or  in  doubtful  and 
equivocal  expressions",  to  the  prejudice  of  truth  or  justice;  speaking  untruth,  lying,  slandering, 
backbiting,  detracting,  talebearing,  whispering,  scoffing,  reviling,  rash,  harsh,  and  partial  censuring, 
misconstruing  intentions,  words,  and  actions,  flattering,  vain-glorious  boasting,  thinking  or  speaking 
too  highly  or  too  meanly  of  ourselves  or  others,  denying  the  gifts  and  graces  of  God,  aggravating 
smaller  faults,  hiding,  excusing,  or  extenuating  of  sins  when  called  to  a  free  confession,  unnecessary 
discovering  of  infirmities,  raising  false  rumours,  receiving  and  countenancing  evil  reports,  and  stop- 
ping our  ears  against  just  defence;  evil  suspicion,  envying  or  grieving  at  the  deserved  credit  of  any, 
endeavouring  or  desiring  to  impair  it,  rejoicing  in  their  disgrace  and  infamy,  scornful  contempt, 
fond  admiration,  breach  of  lawful  promises,  neglecting  such  things  as  are  of  good  report,  and  prac- 
tising or  not  avoiding  ourselves,  or  not  hindering,  what  we  can  in  others,  such  things  as  procure 
an  ill  name. 

The  Duties  Required  in  the  Ninth  Commandment. 

In  explaining  this  commandment  we  are  to  consider  first  what  the  duties  are  which 
it  requires. 

1.  We  must  endeavour  to  promote  truth  in  all  we  say  or  do  ;  and  that  as  to  what 
concerns  either  ourselves  or  others.  As  to  what  concerns  ourselves,  we  are  to 
guard  against  every  thing  which  savours  of  deceit  or  hypocrisy  ;  and,  in  our  whole 


404  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

conversation,  endeavour  to  be  what  we  pretend  to  be,  or  to  speak  nothing  but  what 
we  know  or  believe  to  be  true  upon  good  evidence, — the  contrary  to  which  is  lying. 

As  to  what  concerns  others,  we  must  not  neglect  to  reprove  sin  in  them,  how  much 

soever  our  worldly  interest  may  lie  at  stake.  Thus  Azariah  reproved  Uzziah,2 
and  Elijah,  Ahab  ;  though  the  attempt  could  not  but  be  hazardous  in  each  of  them. 
Moreover,  we  must  endeavour  to  undeceive  others  who  are  mistaken  ;  especially  if 
the  error  they  are  liable  to  be  of  such  a  nature  that  it  endangers  the  loss  of  their 
salvation.  We  are  also  to  vindicate  those  who  are  reproached  by  others,  to  the 
utmost  of  our  power,  according  as  the  cause  will  admit. 

2.  This  commandment  obliges  us  to  endeavour  to  promote  our  own  and  our  neigh- 
bour's good  name.  Our  own  good  name  consists,  not  in  our  having  the  applause 
of  the  world,  but  in  our  deserving  its  just  esteem,  and  in  our  being  loved  and 
valued  for  our  usefulness  to  mankind  in  general.  Now,  this  esteem  is  not  to  be 
gained  by  commending  ourselves,  or  doing  any  thing  but  what  we  engage  in  with 
a  good  conscience  and  the  fear  of  God.  In  order  to  this,  we  must  take  heed  that 
we  do  not  contract  an  intimacy  with  those  whose  conversation  is  a  reproach  to  the 
gospel.a  We  must  also  render  good  for  evil,  and  not  give  occasion  to  those  who 
watch  for  our  halting,  to  insult  us  as  to  any  thing  besides  unavoidable  infirmities.15 
This  degree  of  honour  in  the  world  we  ought  first  to  endeavour  to  gain,  especially 
so  iar  as  it  is  necessary  to  our  honouring  God,  and  being  useful  to  others.  Then 
we  must  be  careful  to  maintain  our  good  name  ;  forasmuch  as  the  loss  of  it,  espe- 
cially in  those  who  have  made  a  public  profession  of  religion,  will  reflect  dishonour 
on  the  ways  of  God,  whence  his  enemies  will  take  occasion  to  blaspheme. c  But  if 
all  our  endeavours  to  maintain  our  character  and  reputation  are  to  no  purpose, 
and  we  are  followed  with  reproach  as  well  as  hatred  and  malice,  from  an  unjust 
and  censorious  world  ;  let  us  look  to  it  that  if  we  '  suffer  reproach,'  it  be  'wrong- 
fully, not  as  evil-doers,  but  for  keeping  a  good  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God  ;' 
which  may  be  a  means  to  make  those  who  reproach  us  '  ashamed.  'd  Moreover,  let 
us  count  the  reproach  of  Christ,  that  is,  reproach  for  his  sake,  a  glory.6  Again, 
let  us  always  value  their  good  opinion  most  who  are  Christ's  best  friends,  and  ex- 
pect little  else  but  ill-treatment  from  his  enemies  ;  and  then  we  shall  be  less  dis- 
appointed when  we  are  exposed  to  it.  And  let  us  not,  out  of  fear  of  reproach, 
decline  any  thing  which  is  our  duty,  in  which  the  honour  of  God  and  the  welfare 
of  his  people  is  concerned;  but  in  this  case,  let  us  leave  our  good  name  in  Christ's 
hand,  whose  providence  is  concerned  for  and  takes  care  of  the  honour,  as  well  as 
the  wealth  and  outward  state,  of  his  people. 

We  are  also  to  endeavour  to  maintain  the  good  name  of  others.  In  order  to 
this,  we  must  render  to  them  those  marks  of  respect  and  honour  which  their 
character  and  advancement  in  gifts  or  grace  call  for  ;  yet  Vithout  being  guilty  of 
servile  flattery  or  dissimulation.  If  they  are  in  danger  of  doing  any  thing  which 
may  forfeit  their  good  name,  we  are  carefully  to  reprove  them,  having  a  due  re- 
gard to  any  good  thing  which  is  in  them  towards  the  Lord  their  God.  And  in 
maintaining  their  good  name,  we  are  to  conceal  their  faults,  when  we  may  do  so 
without  betraying  the  interest  of  Christ ;  and  especially  when  the  honour  of  God 
and  their  good  are  better  promoted  than  by  divulging  them. f 

The  maintaining  of  the  good  name  of  others  is  not,  however,  without  some  ex- 
ceptions. We  are  not  to  conceal  the  crimes  committed  by  others.  If  private 
admonition,  for  scandalous  sins  committed,  prove  ineffectual,  and  the  discovering  of 
them  to  others  may  make  the  offender  ashamed,  and  promote  his  reformation  ;  we 
are  not  to  conceal  his  crimes,  though  the  divulging  of  them  may  lessen  the  esteem 
which  others  have  of  him  ;  since  it  is  better  for  him  to  be  ashamed  before  men, 
than  perish  in  his  hypocrisy  .s  Again,  if  the  crime  committed  be  such  that  shame, 
and  the  loss  of  his  good  name,  be  a  just  punishment  due  to  it,  we  are  not  to  conceal 
it,  thereby  to  stop  the  course  of  justice.  Further,  when  the  honour  and  good  name  of 
an  innocent  person  cannot  be  maintained,  unless  by  divulging  the  crimes  of  the  guilty, 
he  who  has  forfeited  his  good  name  ought  to  lose  it,  rather  than  he  who  has  not. 

z  2  Chron.  xxvi.  18.  a  Prov.  xxviii.  7.  b  1  Pet.  ii.  12;    Phil.  iv.  8. 

c  2  Sam.  xii.  14.  d   1  Pet.  iii.  16.  e  Chap.  iv.  14 ;  Acts  v.  41. 

f  1  Pet.  iv.  8 ;  Prov.  xvii.  9.  g  Matt,  xviii.  16,  17. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  405 

We  shall  close  this  head  by  considering  what  reason  we  have  to  endeavour  to 
maintain  the  good  name  of  others.  To  take  away  our  neighbour's  good  name,  is  to 
take  away  one  of  the  most  valuable  privileges  he  is  possessed  of.  The  loss  of  it 
may  be  inexpressibly  detrimental  to  him  ;  and  sometimes  may  affect  his  secular 
interest ;  so  that  in  taking  it  away,  we  may  be  said  to  take  away  his  wealth  and 
outward  estate,  and  prevent  his  usefulness  in  that  station  of  life  in  which  provi- 
dence has  fixed  him.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  express  a  due  concern  for  the  honour 
and  reputation  of  others  as  well  as  for  our  own.  Thus  concerning  the  duties  re- 
quired in  this  commandment. 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Ninth  Commandment. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment.  These  are 
summed  up  in  the  general  expression,  'bearing  false  witness  ;'  and  they  may  re- 
spect either  ourselves  or  others.  A  person  may  be  said  to  bear  false  witness  against 
himself,  in  thinking  either  too  highly  or  too  meanly  of  himself.  In  the  former 
respect,  we  value  ourselves,  or  our  supposed  attainments,  either  in  gifts  or  graces, 
too  much.  As  regards  these,  we  are,  for  the  most  part,  mistaken,  and  pass  a  wrong 
judgment  on  them,  and  are  ready  to  say,  with  the  church  at  Laodicea,  'I  am  rich, 
and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing  ;  and  know  not '  that  we  are 
'wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked. 'h  On  the  one  hand, 
some  mistake  the  common  gifts  of  the  Spirit  for  grace,  and  conclude  themselves  to 
be  something  when  they  are  nothing.  But  on  the  other  hand,  many  conclude  that 
they  have  no  grace,  and  rank  themselves  among  hypocrites  and  unbelievers,  when 
their  hearts  are  right  with  God,  and  they  have  had  large  experience  of  the  power- 
ful influences  of  his  Spirit,  but  are  not  sensible  of  it.  Thus  Christ  says  to  the 
church  in  Smyrna,  '  I  know  thy  poverty  ;  but  thou  art  rich.'1  In  these  respects 
persons  may  be  said  to  bear  false  witness  against  themselves. 

But  that  which  is  principally  forbidden  in  this  commandment,  is  a  person's 
bearing  false  witness  against  his  neighbour.  He  does  this  either  when  he  endea- 
vours to  deceive  him,  or  when  he  endeavours  to  do  him  prejudice  as  to  his  reputa- 
tion in  the  world.  The  one  is  called  lying  ;  the  other  backbiting  or  slandering. 
As  to  the  former,  our  saying  that  which  is  contrary  to  what  we  know  to  be  truth, 
with  a  design  to  deceive,  is  what  we  call  telling  a  lie  ;  and  our  doing  that  which 
is  contrary  to  truth,  may  be  deemed  a  practical  lie  ;  both  of  which  are  very 
great  sins. 

1.  A  person  is  guilty  of  lying,  when  he  says  that  which  is  contrary  to  truth, 
with  a  design  to  deceive.  This  the  old  prophet  at  Bethel  did  to  the  prophet  of 
the  Lord  ;  on  which  occasion  it  is  said  that  he  '  lied  unto  him.'k  Now,  lying  is 
something  more  than  saying  what  is  contrary  to  truth  ;  for  a  person  may  do  this 
and  be  guiltless.  He  may  do  so,  for  example,  when  there  is  some  circumstance 
which  discovers  him  to  speak  ironically  ;  so  that  he  does  not  appear  to  have  a  design 
to  deceive  those  to  whom  he  addresses  his  discourse.  Thus  when  the  prophet 
Micaiah  said  to  Ahab,  '  Go  and  prosper,  for  the  Lord  shall  deliver  it,'  namely, 
Ramoth-Gilead,  'into  the  hands  of  the  king;'1  it  is  plain  that  he  spake  the  lan- 
guage of  the  false  prophets,  and  that  Ahab  understood  him  in  this  sense,  or  sus- 
pected that  he  spake  ironically.  For  he  says,  '  How  many  times  shall  I  adjure 
thee,  that  thou  tell  me  nothing  but  that  which  is  true  ?'m  The  prophet  then  tells 
him,  without  irony,  though  in  a  metaphorical  way  which  Ahab  easily  understood, 
'  I  saw  all  Israel  scattered  upon  the  hills,  as  sheep  that  have  not  a  shepherd.  And 
the  Lord  said,  These  have  no  master,  let  them  return  every  man  to  his  house  in 
peace.'11  This  was  an  intimation,  that,  if  he  went  up  to  Ramoth-Gilead,  he 
should  fall  in  battle.  Hence,  Ahab  says  to  Jehoshaphat,  '  Did  I  not  tell  thee,  that 
he  would  prophesy  no  good  concerning  me,  but  evil?'0  It  thus  appears  that  the 
prophet  did  not  deceive  him  ;  though  the  mode  of  speaking  which  he  at  first  made 
use  of,  without  considering  it  as  irony,  seemed  to  intimate  as  much. — Again,  a  per- 
il Rev.  iii.  17.  i  Chap.  ii.  9.  k  1  Kings  xiii.  18.  1  Chap.  xxii.  15. 
m  1  Kings  xxii.  16.            n  Verse  17.                      o  Veres  18. 


406  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

son  may  say  that  which  is  contrary  to  truth,  being  imposed  on  himself,  without 
any  design  to  deceive  another.  This  cannot,  indeed,  according  to  the  description  he- 
fore  given,  he  properly  called  a  lie.  Yet  he  may  sin  by  asserting  too  positively 
that  which  he  thinks  to  he  true  from  probable  circumstances  or  uncertain  informa- 
tion ;  especially  if  what  he  reports  carries  in  it  matter  of  scandal  or  censure.  This 
was  the  case  of  Job's  friends.  They  did  not  tell  a  lie  against  their  own  consciences  ; 
yet  they  were  too  peremptory  in  charging  him  with  hypocrisy,  without  sufficient 
ground.  Hence,  God  imputes  folly  to  them,  in  that  '  they  had  not  spoken  of  him 
the  thing  which  was  right.'? 

Here  it  may  be  inquired  whether  a  person  who  designs  not  to  deceive,  nor  speaks 
contrary  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience,  but  who  promises  to  do  a  thing,  and 
does  it  not,  is  guilty  of  lying.  Now,  if  a  person  promises  to  do  a  thing,  which  at 
the  same  time  he  really  designs,  and  afterwards  uses  all  the  endeavours  he  could 
to  fulfil  his  promise,  but  something  unforeseen  happens  in  the  course  of  providence 
to  prevent  the  execution  of  it,  he  cannot,  properly  speaking,  be  said  to  be  guilty  of 
a  lie  ;  though  we  ought  not  to  promise  any  thing  but  upon  the  supposition  that 
God  enables  us  to  perform  it.  Again,  if  a  person  intends  to  do  a  thing,  and,  ac 
cordingly,  promises  to  do  it,  but  afterwards  sees  some  justifiable  reascn  to  alter  his 
mind,  he  is  not  guilty  of  a  lie  ;  since  all  creatures  are  supposed  to  be  mutable , 
Thus  the  angels  told  Lot,  that  they  would  '  abide  in  the  street  all  night ;'  but" 
afterwards,  upon  his  entreaty,  they  '  went  into  the  house  with  him.'^  Our  Saviour 
also,  when  he  walked  with  his  disciples  to  Emmaus,  •  made  as  though  he  would 
have  gone  farther  ;  but  they  constrained  him,  saying,  Abide  with  us  ;  and  he  went 
in  to  tarry  with  them.'r  But,  notwithstanding  this,  if  a  person  promises  to  do  any 
thing  which  is  of  advantage  to  another,  as  the  paying  of  a  just  debt,  &c,  it  is  not 
a  sufficient  excuse  to  clear  him  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  if  he  pretends  that  he  has 
altered  his  mind,  supposing  that  it  is  in  his  power  to  fulfil  his  promise.  This  con- 
duct is,  indeed,  a  breach  of  the  eighth  commandment ;  and,  in  some  respects,  it  will 
appear  to  him  to  whom  he  made  the  promise  to  be  a  violation  of  it. 

That  we  may  more  particularly  speak  concerning  the  sin  of  lying,  which  multi- 
tudes are  chargeable  with,  let  it  be  observed,  that  there  are  three  sorts  of  lies.  First, 
when  we  speak  that  which  is  contrary  to  truth,  and  the  dictates  of  our  own  con- 
science, with  a  design  to  cover  a  fault  or  excuse  ourselves  or  others.  This  we  gen- 
erally call  an  officious  lie.8  Secondly,  when  a  person  speaks  that  which  is  contrary 
to  the  known  truth,  in  a  jesting  way ;  and  embellishes  his  discourse  with  his  own 
fictions,  designing  to  impose  on  others.  This  they  are  guilty  of,  who  invent  false 
news,  or  tell  stories  for  truth  which  they  know  to  be  false.  This  is  to  lie  in  a  jest- 
ing, ludicrous  manner.*  Thirdly,  there  is  a  pernicious  lie,  namely,  when  a  person 
raises  and  spreads  a  false  report  with  a  design  to  do  injury  to  another.  This  is  a 
complicated  crime,  and  the  worst  sort  of  lying." 

Here  there  are  two  or  three  inquiries  which  it  may  not  be  improper  to  take  no- 
tice of.  One  of  these  is,  whether  the  midwives  were  guilty  of  an  officious  lie,  when 
they  told  Pharaoh  that  '  the  Hebrew  women  were  delivered  of  their  children,  ere 
they  came  in  unto  them  ;'h  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  in  the  following  verse,  that 
'  God  dealt  well  with  the  midwives  '  for  this  report,  which  carries  in  it  the  appear- 
ance of  a  lie.  Now,  they  seem  not  to  have  been  guilty  of  a  lie  ;  for  it  is  not  im- 
probable, that  God,  in  mercy  to  the  Hebrew  women  and  their  children,  might  give 
them  uncommon  strength  ;  so  that  they  might  be  delivered  without  the  midwives' 
assistance.  Or  if  this  was  not  the  case  with  all  the  Hebrew  women,  but  only  with 
some  or  many  of  them,  the  midwives'  report  is  only  a  concealing  of  part  of  the  truth, 
while  they  related,  in  other  respects,  that  which  was  matter  of  fact.  Now,  a  per- 
son is  not  guilty  of  telling  a  lie,  who  does  not  discover  all  that  he  knows.  There 
is  a  vast  difference  between  concealing  a  part  of  the  truth,  and  telling  that  which  is 
directly  false.  No  one  is  obliged  to  tell  all  he  knows  to  one  who,  he  is  sure,  will 
make  a  bad  use  of  it.    This  seems  to  have  been  the  case  of  the  midwives.    Hence, 

p  Job  xlii.  8.  q  Gen.  xix.  2,  3.  r  Luke  xxiv.  26,  29.  s  ■  Mendacium  officiosum.' 

t  This  is  called  '  mendacium  jocosum.'         u  This  is  called  '  mendacium  pernitiosum.' 
x  Exod.  L  19. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  407 

their  action  was  justifiable,  and  commended  by  God  ;  they  being  not  guilty,  pro- 
perly speaking,  of  an  officious  lie.  t 

Another  inquiry  is,  what  judgment  we  must  pass  concerning  the  actions  of  Ra- 
hab,  the  harlot,  who  invented  an  officious  lie,  to  save  the  spies  from  those  who  pur- 
sued them.  It  is  said,  '  she  took  the  two  men  and  hid  them  ;'*  and,  at  the  same 
time,  pretended  to  those  who  were  sent  to  inquire  of  her  concerning  them,  that 
'  she  wist  not  whence  they  were,'  but  that  they  '  went  out  of  the  city  about  the 
time  of  the  shutting  of  the  gate,  though  whither  they  went  she  knew  not.'  The 
main  difficulty  we  have  to  solve  is  what  the  apostle  says  in  apparent  commenda- 
tion of  this  action,  '  By  faith  Rahab  perished  not  with  them  that  believed  not,  when 
she  had  received  the  spies  with  peace. 'z  Now,  the  apostle  says,  indeed,  that 
she  'received  the  spies  with  peace,'  that  is,  she  protected  them,  and  did  not  betray 
them  into  the  hand  of  their  enemies.  But  this  act  of  faith  does  not  relate  directly 
to  the  lie  which  she  invented  to  conceal  them  ;  for,  doubtless,  she  would  have  been 
more  clear  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  had  she  refused  to  give  the  messengers  any  answer 
relating  to  them,  and  so  had  given  them  leave  to  search  for  them,  and  left  the  event 
to  providence.  This,  indeed,  was  a  very  difficult  duty  ;  for  it  might  have  endan- 
gered her  life  ;  and  her  choosing  to  secure  them  and  herself,  by  inventing  this  lie, 
brought  with  it  a  degree  of  guilt,  and  was  an  evidence  of  the  weakness  of  her  faith. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  that  faith  which  the  apostle  commends  in  her,  respects 
some  other  circumstances  attending  this  action.  Accordingly,  it  is  not  said  that  by 
faith  she  made  the  report  to  the  messengers  concerning  the  spies,  but,  that  '  by 
faith  she  received  them  with  peace.'  Now,  there  are  several  things  in  which  her 
faith  was  very  remarkable.  She  was  confident  that  '  the  Lord  would  give  them 
the  land'  which  they  were  contending  for.3  She  makes  a  just  inference  relating 
to  this  matter,  from  the  wonders  which  God  had  wrought  for  them  in  the  Red  sea.b 
She  makes  a  noble  confession,  that  '  the  Lord  their  God  is  God  in  heaven  above, 
and  in  the  earth  beneath.'0  She  put  herself  under  the  protection  of  the  Israelites, 
and  desired  to  take  her  lot  with  them  ;  and  she  did  this  at  the  hazard  of  her  life, 
though  she  might  have  saved  it,  and  probably  have  received  a  reward,  had  she  be- 
trayed them.  This  I  conceive  to  be  a  better  vindication  of  l'ahab's  conduct  than 
that  which  is  alleged  by  some,  who  suppose  that,  by  entering  into  confederacy  with 
the  spies,  she  put  herself  into  a  state  of  war  with  her  own  countrymen,  and  so  was 
not  obliged  to  speak  truth  to  the  men  of  Jericho.  Such  an  interpretation  is  fol- 
lowed by  many  ill  consequences,  and  gives  too  much  countenance  to  persons  deceiv- 
ing others,  under  pretence  of  being  in  a  state  of  war  with  them.  As  to  what  the 
Papists  say  in  her  vindication,  that  a  good  design  will  justify  a  bad  action  ;  this  is 
not  true  in  fact,  and  therefore  not  to  be  applied  to  her  case. 

It  might  be  farther  inquired  what  judgment  we  ought  to  pass  on  the  method  which 
Jacob  took  to  obtainj  the  blessing,  when  he  told  his  father,  '  I  am  Esau,  thy  first- 
born ;  I  have  done  according  as  thou  badest  me  ;'d  whether  he  was  guilty  of  a  lie  in  this 
conduct.  Now,  there  is  not  the  least  doubt  that  he  was.  Some,  indeed,  endeav- 
our to  excuse  him,  by  alleging  that  he  had,  before  this,  bought  the  birth-right  of 
Esau,  and  that  on  this  account  he  calls  himself  Isaac's  first-born.  But  this  will 
not  clear  him  from  the  guilt  of  a  lie  ;  for  what  he  said  would  still  have  been  an 
equivocation,  and  spoken  with  a  design  to  deceive.  Others  own  it  to  have  been  a 
lie  ;  but  extenuate  it,  from  the  consideration  of  God's  having  designed  the  blessing 
for  him  before  he  was  born.e  But  these  do  not  at  all  mend  the  matter.  For, 
though  God  may  permit  or  overrule  the  sinful  actions  of  men,  to  bring  about  his 
own  purpose  ;  yet  his  doing  so  does  not,  in  the  least,  extenuate  their  sin.  We  may 
farther  observe,  in  reference  to  this  action  and  the  consequence  of  it,  that  good 
men  are  sometimes  liable  to  sinful  infirmities,  as  Jacob  was  ;  who  was  followed 
with  many  sore  rebukes  of  providence,  which  made  the  remaining  part  of  his  life 
very  uneasy.  He  lived  in  exile  twenty  years,  with  Laban,  an  hard  master,  and  an 
unjust  and  unnatural  father-in-law.  Again,  great  distress  befell  him  in  his  return; 
occasioned  first  by  Laban's  pursuit  of  him,  and  then  by  the  tidings  which  he  re- 

y  Josh.  ii.  4,  5.  z  Ileb.  xi.  31.  a  Josh.  ii.  9.  b  Verse  10. 

c  Josh.  ii.  11.  (1  Gin.  xxvii.  19.  e  Chap.  xxv.  23. 


408  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

ceived  of -his  brother  Esau  coming  out  to  meet  him,  'with  four  hundred  men.' 
As  Esau  was  prompted  by  revenge,  which  he  had  long  harboured  in  his  breast, 
Jacob  expected  nothing  less  than  the  destruction  of  himself  and  his  whole 
family.  Further,  he  did  not  obtain  deliverance  from  the  hand  of  God  without 
4  great  wrestling  ;'f  and  this  attended  with  '  weeping,'  as  well  as  '  making  supplica- 
tion, 's  And,  though  he  prevailed,  and  so  obtained  the  blessing,  and  therewith  for- 
giveness of  his  sin  ;  yet  God  so  ordered  it,  that  he  should  carry  the  mark  of  his 
success  upon  him  as  long  as  he  lived,  by  touching  the  hollow  of  his  thigh,  which 
occasioned  an  incurable  lameness. 

Another  inquiry  is,  whether  the  prophet  Elijah  did  not  tell  a  lie  to  the  Syrian 
host,  who  were  before  Dothan,  in  quest  of  him,  when  he  said,  '  This  is  not  the  way, 
neither  is  this  the  city.  Follow  me,  and  I  will  bring  you  to  the  man  you  seek. 
But  he  led  them  to  Samaria ?'h  But  if  what  he  says  to  them  be  duly  considered, 
it  will  appear  not  to  be  a  lie  ;  for  he  told  them  nothing  but  what  proved  true,  ac- 
cording to  the  import  of  his  words.  He  does  not  say,  I  am  not  the  man  ye  seek, 
which  would  have  been  a  lie  ;  nor  does  he  say,  the  man  is  not  here  ;  but  he  tells 
them,  '  I  will  lead  you  to  the  place  where  ye  shall  find  him,'  or  have  him  discovered 
and  presented  before  you.  Again,  when  he  says,  '  This  is  not  the  way,  neither  is 
this  the  city  ;'  he  does  not  say,  this  is  not  the  way  to  Dothan,  neither  is  this  the 
city  so  called  ;  for  then  they  would  have  been  able  to  have  convicted  him  of  a  lie, 
for  they  knew  that  they  were  at  Dothan  before  they  were  struck  with  blindness. 
But  the  plain  meaning  of  his  words  is,  "  This  is  not  your  way  to  find  him,  since  the 
men  of  this  city  will  not  deliver  him  to  you  ;  but  I  will  lead  you  to  the  place 
where  you  shall  see  him  ;"  and  'so  he  led  them  to  Samaria,' where  their  eyes  were 
opened,  and  they  saw  him.  What  he  said,  therefore,  was  not  a  lie.  And  the  rea- 
son of  his  management  was,  that  the  king  of  Israel  and  the  Syrian  host  might  be 
convinced  that  they  were  poor  creatures  in  God's  hand,  and  that  he  could  easily 
turn  their  counsels  into  foolishness,  and  cause  their  attempts  to  miscarry  with 
shame  as  well  as  disappointment. 

It  may  be  farther  inquired,  whether  the  apostle  Paul  was  guilty  of  a  lie,  when, 
being  charged  with  'reviling  God's  high  priest,'  he  said,  '  I  wist  not  that  he  was 
the  high  priest?'1  How  was  it  possible  that  he  should  entertain  any  doubt  con- 
cerning his  being  the  high  priest ;  a  matter  which  none  who  were  present  could, 
in  the  least,  question  ?  Now,  we  may  suppose  that  the  apostle,  when  he  says,  '  I 
wist  not  that  he  was  the  high  priest,'  intends  nothing,  but  "  I  do  not  own  him  to 
be  the  high  priest,  as  you  call  him  ;  for  he  is  not  an  high  priest  of  God's  appoint- 
ing or  approving.  Had  he  been  so,  he  would  have  acted  in  a  manner  more  becom- 
ing that  character  ;  and  then  I  should  have  had  no  occasion  to  have  told  him, 
4  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall.'  For  to  have  said  so  would  have  been 
4  reviling  him  ;'  since  I  know  that  scripture  very  well  which  says,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
speak  evil  of  the  ruler  of  thy  people.'  "  He  thus  intimates  that,  though  he  was  an 
high  priest  of  man's  making,  he  was  not  one  of  God's  approving;  and  that  accord- 
ingly he  was  to  be  treated  with  contempt,  instead  of  that  regard  which  was  former- 
ly paid  to  the  high  priests,  when  they  were  better  men,  and  acted  more  agreeably 
to  their  character.  No  one  who  deserves  to  be  called  God's  high  priest,  would 
have  ordered  a  prisoner  who  came  to  be  tried  for  his  life,  instead  of  making  his  de- 
fence, to  be  smitten  on  the  mouth.  But,  suppose  we  render  the  words  agreeably 
to  our  translation,  4  I  did  not  understand  that  he  was  the  high  priest,'  Paul  may 
still  be  vindicated  from  the  charge  of  telling  a  lie.  The  assembly  was  a  confused 
one,  and  not  a  regular  court  of  judicature,  in  which  the  judge  or  chief  magistrate 
is  known  to  all,  by  the  place  in  which  he  sits,  or  the  part  he  acts  in  trying  causes. 
Again,  the  high  priest,  in  courts  of  judicature,  was  not  known  by  any  robe  or  dis- 
tinct habit  which  he  wore,  as  judges  now  are  ;  for  he  never  wore  any  but  his  com- 
mon garments,  which  were  the  same  that  other  people  wore,  except  when  he  min- 
istered in  offering  gifts  and  sacrifices  in  the  temple.  Hence,  the  apostle  could  not 
know  him  by  any  distinct  garment  which  he  wore.  Further,  through  the  corrup- 
tion of  the  times,  the  high  priest  was  changed  almost  every  year,  according  to  the 

f  Gen.  xxxii.  24 — 26.  g  llosea  xii.  4.  b  2  Kings  vi.  19.  i  Acts  xxiii.  4,  5. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  409 

will  of  the  chief  governor,  who  advanced  his  own  friends  to  that  dignity,  and  often- 
times sold  it  for  money.  It  is  therefore  probable  that  Ananias  had  not  been  long 
high  priest ;  and  Paul  was  now  a  stranger  at  Jerusalem,  and  so  might  not  know 
that  he  was  high  pi'iest.  Thus,  if  we  take  the  words  in  the  sense  in  which  they 
are  commonly  understood,  the  apostle  may  be  sufficiently  vindicated  from  the 
charge  of  telling  a  lie. 

It  may  be  farther  inquired,  what  judgment  we  may  pass  concerning  David's 
pretence,  when  lie  came  to  Ahimelech,  that  '  the  king  commanded  him  a  business, 
which  no  one  was  to  know  any  thing  of,'  and  that  he  had  '  appointed  his  servants 
to  such  and  such  a  place  ;'k  and  also  concerning  his  'feigning  himself  mad,'  before 
the  king  of  Gath,1  which  dissimulation  can  be  reckoned  no  other  than  a  practical 
lie.  In  both  these  instances  he  must  be  allowed  to  have  sinned  ;  and  therefore  is 
not  proposed  as  a  pattern  to  us.  All  that  can  be  inferred  is,  that  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  the  corruption  of  nature  remaining  in  the  best  of  God's  people.  What  he 
told  Ahimelech  was  certainly  a  lie  ;  and  all  that  he  expected  to  gain  by  it,  was 
only  a  supply  of  his  present  necessities  ;  the  consequence  of  which  was  the  poor 
man's  losing  his  life,  together  with  all  the  priests,  except  Abiathar,  by  Saul's  in- 
humanity. David  seems  to  have  been  truly  sensible  of  this  sin  ;  as  appears  from 
Psal.  xxxiv.,  which,  as  is  intimated  in  its  title,  was  penned  on  this  occasion.  Here 
he  warns  others  against  the  same  sin,  '  Keep  thy  tongue  from  evil,  and  thy  lips  from 
speaking  guile  ;'m  and  he  seems  to  relate  his  own  experience  when  he  says,  '  The 
Lord  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and  saveth  such  as  be  of  a  con- 
trite spirit.'11  As  to  his  behaviour  before  the  king  of  Gath,  which  was  a  visible  lie 
discovered  in  his  actions,  it  can  by  no  means  be  excused  from  being  a  breach  of 
this  commandment.  It  is,  indeed,  alleged  by  some  to  extenuate  his  fault,  that  he 
was  afraid  that  his  having  killed  Goliath,  would  induce  Achish  to  take  away 
his  life  ;  as  appears  from  what  is  said  in  verses  11,  12.  Yet  it  may  be  considered 
as  an  aggravation  of  his  sin,  that  his  fear  seems  to  have  been  altogether  ground- 
less. For  why  should  he  suppose  that  the  king  of  Gath  would  break  through  all 
the  laws  of  arms  and  honour,  since  Goliath  had  been  killed  in  a  fair  duel,  the  chal- 
lenge having  first  been  given  by  himself?  Why  should  David  fear  that  he  would 
kill  him  for  that,  any  more  than  for  other  hostilities  committed  in  war  ?  Besides, 
it  is  plain  from  what  Achish  says,  '  Have  I  need  of  madmen,  that  ye  have  brought 
this  fellow  to  play  the  madman  in  my  presence  ?  should  this  fellow  come  into  mine 
house  ?'°  that  the  king  of  Gath  was  so  far  from  designing  to  revenge  Goliath's  death 
on  him,  that  he  intended  to  employ  him  in  his  service,  and  take  him  into  his  house. 
But  David's  mean  action  made  him  despised  by  all ;  for  it  seems  probable,  by 
Achish's  saying,  '  Have  ye  brought  this  fellow  to  play  the  madman?'  that  he  per- 
ceived it  to  be  a  feigned  and  not  a  real  distraction.  And  this  was  overruled  by 
the  providence  of  God,  to  let  the  Philistines  know  that  the  greatest  hero  is  but  a 
low-spirited  man,  if  his  God  be  not  with  him.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  suppose 
that  there  had  been  just  ground  for  David's  fear,  the  method  taken  to  secure  him- 
self involved  a  distrust  of  providence.  Providence  would,  doubtless,  have  delivered 
him  without  his  dissembling,  or  thus  demeaning  himself,  or  using  such  an  indirect 
method  to  effect  his  deliverance.  Thus  concerning  the  violation  of  this  command- 
ment, by  speaking  that  which  is  contrary  to  truth. 

II.  This  commandment  is  farther  broken,  by  doing  that  which  is'  contrary  to 
truth.  This  is  what  we  call  hypocrisy.  It  may  be  considered,  first,  as  a  reigning 
sin,  inconsistent  with  a  state  oi  grace  ;  in  which  respect  an  hypocrite  is  opposed  to 
a  true  believer.  Hypocrites  make  a  fair  show  of  religion  ;  but  it  is  with  a  design  to 
be  seen  of  men.?  They  are  sometimes,  indeed,  represented  as  'seeking'  God,  and 
'  inquiring  early  '  or  with  a  kind  of  earnestness  after  him,  when  under  his  afflicting 
hand  ;  but  their  doing  so  is  deemed  no  other  than  a  '  flattering  him  with  their 
mouth,  and  a  lying  unto  him  with  their  tongues  ;'  inasmuch  as  '  their  heart  is  not 
right  with  him.'i  Elsewhere,  too,  they  are  said  to  '  love  the  praise  of  men  more 
than  the  praise  of  God.'r< — Again,  hypocrisy  may  be  considered  as  that  which  be- 


k  1  Sam.  xxi.  2. 

1  Verse  13. 

m  Psal.  xxxiv.  13. 

n  Verse  18. 

o   1  Sam.  xxi.  15. 

p  Matt.  vi.  5. 

q  Psal.  lxxviii.  34—37. 

r  John  xii.  43. 

II. 

3p 

410  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

lievcrs  are  sometimes  chargeable  with,  which  is  an  argument  that  they  are  sancti- 
fied but  in  part;  but  this  rather  respects  some  particular  actions,  and  not  the  tenor 
of  their  conduct.  Thus  the  apostle  Paul  charges  Peter  with  dissimulation  ; s  though 
the  latter  was  far  from  deserving  the  character  of  an  hypocrite  as  to  his  general 
conduct.  And  our  Saviour  cautions  his  disciples  against  hypocrisy,  as  that  which 
they  were  in  danger  of  being  overtaken  with  ;  *  though  he  does  not  charge  them 
with  it  as  a  reigning  sin,  as  he  did  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  whom  he  compares 
to  'painted  sepulchres  ;'u  nor  were  they  such  as  the  apostle  speaks  of,  whom  he 
calls  '  double-minded  men,  who  are  unstable  in  all  their  ways.'1 

That  hypocrisy  which  we  may  call  a  reigning  sin,  may  be  known  by  a  person's 
accommodating  himself  to  all  those  whom  he  converses  with,  how  much  soever  his 
doing  so  may  tend  to  the  dishonour  of  Christ  and  the  gospel.  Here  we  may  take 
occasion  to  inquire  whether  the  apostle  Paul  was,  in  any  respects,  chargeable  with 
this  sin,  when  he  said,  '  Unto  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I  might  gain  the 
Jews  ;  to  them  that  are  under  the  law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I  might  gain  them 
that  are  under  the  law  ;  to  them  that  are  without  law,  as  without  law,  (being  not 
without  law  to  God,  but  under  the  law  to  Christ,)  that  I  might  gain  them  that  are 
without  law.  To  the  weak  became  I  as  weak,  that  I  might  gain  the  weak :  I  am  made 
all  things  to  all  men,  that  I  might  by  all  means  save  some.'1  For  understanding  this 
scripture,  and  vindicating  the  apostle  from  the  charge  of  hypocrisy,  let  it  be  considered 
that  the  compliance  he  here  speaks  of,  was  with  a  design,  not  to  gain  the  applause  of 
the  world,  but  to  serve  the  interest  of  Christ.  Nor  did  he  connive  at,  or  give  coun- 
tenance to,  that  false  worship  or  those  sinful  practices  of  any,  which  were  contrary 
to  the  faith  or  purity  of  the 'gospel.  Hence,  when  he  says,  '  Unto  the  Jews  I  be- 
came as  a  Jew,'  he  does  not  mean  that  he  gave  them  the  least  ground  to  conclude 
that  it  was  an  indifferent  matter,  whether  they  adhered  to,  or  laid  aside,  the  obser- 
vance of  the  ceremonial  law.  For  he  expressly  tells  some  of  the  church  at  Galatia 
who  were  disposed  to  judaize,  that  this  was  contrary  to  '  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  had  made  them  free,  a  being  again  entangled  with  the  yoke  of  bondage  ;'  that 
'if  they  were  circumcised,  Christ  should  profit  them  nothing;'  and,  that  they 
were  '  fallen  from  grace, '  that  is,  turned  aside  from  the  faith  of  the  gospel.2  In 
this  sense,  therefore,  he  did  not  become  as  a  Jew,  to  the  Jews.  Nor  did  he  so  far 
comply  with  the  Gentiles  as  to  give  them  ground  to  conclude,  that  the  superstition 
and  idolatry  which  they  were  guilty  of,  was  an  harmless  thing,  and  might  still  be 
practised  by  them.  Hence,  the  amount  of  his  compliance  with  the  Jews  or  Gen- 
tiles, was  nothing  else  but  this,  whatever  he  found  praiseworthy  in  them,  he  com- 
mended ;  and  if,  in  any  instances,  they  were  addicted  to  their  former  rites  or  modes 
of  worship,  he  endeavoured  to  draw  them  off  from  them,  not  by  a  severe  and  rigid 
behaviour  censuring  them,  refusing  to  converse  with  them,  or  reproaching  them  for 
their  weakness,  but  by  the  use  of  kind  and  gentle  methods,  designing  rather  to 
inform  than  discourage  them  ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  he  was  far  from  approving 
or  giving  countenance  to  any  thing  which  was  sinful  in  them  or  unbecoming  the 
gospel. 

From  what  has  been  said  concerning  an  hypocrite's  being  one  who  performs  re- 
ligious duties  with  a  design  to  be  seen  of  men,  as  our  Saviour  says  of  the  Pharisees 
that '  they  love  to  stand  praying  in  the  synagogues,  or  in  the  corners  of  the  streets, 
that  they  may  be  seen  of  men,'1  we  may  inquire  what  may  be  said  in  vindication 
of  the  prophet  Daniel  from  the  charge  of  hypocrisy,  concerning  whom  it  is  said 
that,  when  Darius  had  signed  a  decree  prohibiting  any  one  from  asking  a  petition 
of  any  god  or  man,  save  of  the  king,  he  should  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  '  he 
went  into  his  house,  and  his  windows  being  open  in  his  chamber,  towards  Jerusa- 
lem, he  kneeled  upon  his  knees  three  times  a-day,  and  prayed,  and  gave  thanks 
before  his  God,  as  he  did  aforetime. 'b  Now,  he  acted  thus,  not  to  gain  the  esteem 
or  applause  of  men,  a  motive  which  they  are  charged  with  who- are  guilty  of  hypo- 
crisy ;  but  he  acted  in  contempt  of  the  vile  decree  of  the  Persian  monarch.  Again, 
he  acted  as  he  did  at  the  peril  of  his  life  ;  and  showed  that  he  had  rather  be  cast 

s  Gal.  ii.  11—13.  t  Luke  xii.  I.  u  Matt.  xxii.  27,  28.  x  James  i.  8. 

y  1  Cor.  ii.  20—22.  z  Gal.  v.  1_4.  a  Matt.  vi.  6.  b  Dan.  iv.  10. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  411 

into  the  den  of  lions,  than  give  occasion  to  any  to  think  that  he  complied  with 
the  king  in  his  idolatrous  decree.  Further,  though  it  is  said  that  '  he  prayed, 
and  gave  thanks  before  his  God,  as  he  did  aforetime,'  we  are  not  to  understand 
that  lie  set  open  his  windows  aforetime.  His  praying  publicly  at  this  time,  was  to 
show  that  he  was  neither  ashamed  nor.  afraid  to  own  his  God,  whatever  it  should 
cost  him.  Hence,  he  was  so  far  from  being  guilty  of  hypocrisy,  that  his  conduct  is 
one  of  the  most  noble  instances  of  zeal  for  the  worship  of  the  true  God  which  we 
find  recorded  in  scripture. 

"We  proceed  to  observe  that  hypocrisy  is  a  reigning  sin  when  we  boast  of  our 
high  attainments  in  gifts  or  grace,  or  set  too  great  a  value  on  ourselves  because  of 
the  performance  of  some  religious  duties,  while  we  neglect  others  in  which  the 
principal  part  of  true  godliness  consists.  Thus  the  Pharisee  paid  '  tithe  of  mint, 
anise,  and  cummin,'  while  he  'omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment, 
mercy,  and  faith. 'c — Again,  hypocrisy,  as  a  reigning  sin,  consists  in  exclaiming 
against  and  censuring  others  for  lesser  faults,  while  we  allow  greater  in  ourselves  ; 
like  those  whom  our  Saviour  speaks  of  who  '  behold  the  mote  that  is  in  their  bro- 
ther's eye,  but  consider  not  the  beam  that  is  in  their  own  ;'d  or,  according  to  that 
proverbial  way  of  speaking,  'strain  at  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a  camel.'  These  are 
very  fond  of  exposing  the  ignorance  of  others  ;  though  they  have  no  experimental, 
saving  knowledge  of  divine  truth  in  themselves.  Or  they  are  very  froward  to  blame 
the  coldness  and  lukewarmness  which  they  see  in  some  ;  while,  at  the  same  time, 
that  zeal  which  they  express  in  their  whole  conduct,  is  rather  to  advance  them- 
selves than  the  glory  of  God. — Further,  persons  are  guilty  of  hypocrisy  as  a  reign- 
ing sin  when  they  make  a  gain  of  godliness, e  or  of  their  pretensions  to  it.  Thus 
Balaam  prophesied  for  a  reward  ;  and  accordingly  it  is  said  that  '  he  loved  the 
wages  of  unrighteousness. 'f — Finally,  persons  are  guilty  of  it  who  make  a  profes- 
sion of  religion  because  it  is  uppermost,  and  are  as  ready  to  despise  and  cast  it  off, 
when  it  is  reproached,  or  when  they  are  likely  to  suffer  for  it.  Thus  the  Pharisees, 
how' much  soever  they  seemed  disposed  to  embrace  Christ  when  attending  on  John's 
ministry  ;  yet  afterwards,  when  they  saw  that  their  doing  so  was  contrary  to  their 
secular  interest,  they  were  'offended  in  him,'  and  prejudiced  against  him,  and  said, 
'  Have  any  of  the  rulers,  or  of  the  Pharisees,  believed  on  him?'& 

This  sin  of  hypocrisy,  which  is  a  practical  lie,  has  a  tendency  to  corrupt  and 
vitiate  all  our  pretensions  to  religion.  It  is  like  'the  dead  fly,'  mentioned  by 
Solomon,  '  that  causeth  the  ointment  of  the  apothecary  to  send  forth  a  stinking 
savour  ;'h  and  it  will,  in  the  end,  bring  on  those  who  are  guilty  of  it  many  sore 
judgments,  some  of  which  are  spiritual.  Thus  it  is  said  of  the  heathen,  that  '  be- 
cause, when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  and  did  not  like  to 
retain  him  in  their  knowledge  ;  he  gave  them  up  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those 
things  that  are  not  convenient,'1  &c.  As  for  the  false  hope  and  vain  confidence 
which  the  hypocrite  entertains,  it  shall  leave  him  in  despair  and  confusion, k  and 
be  attended  with  unspeakable  horror  of  conscience.1  On  this  account  hypocrites 
are  said  to  '  heap  up  wrath,'  and  bring  on  themselves  a  greater  degree  of  condem- 
nation than  others.1"  We  have  thus  considered  this  commandment  as  broken  by 
speaking  or  acting  that  which  is  contrary  or  prejudicial  to  truth. 

III.  We  proceed  to  consider  that  this  commandment  is  broken  by  our  doing 
that  which  is  injurious  to  our  neighbour's  good  name,  either  by  words  or  actions. 
This  is  done  in  two  ways,  either  before  his  face,  or  behind  his  back. 

1.  Doing  injury  to  another,  by  speaking  against  him  before  his  face.  It  is  true, 
we  give  him  hereby  the  liberty  of  vindicating  himself ;  yet  if  the  thing  be  false 
which  is  alleged  against  him,  proceeding  from  malice  and  envy,  our  speaking 
against  him  is  a  crime  of  a  very  heinous  nature.  This  crime  is  committed  by  those 
who,  in  courts  of  judicature,  commence  and  carry  on  malicious  prosecutions. 
Here  the  plaintiff,  the  witness,  the  advocate  who  manages  the  cause,  the  jury  who 
bring  in  a  false  verdict,  and  the  judge  who  passes  sentence  contrary  to  law  or  evi- 

c  Matt,  xxiii.  23,  24.  d  Chap.  vii.  3,  5.  el  Tim.  vi.  5.  f  2  Pet.  ii.  15. 

g  John  vii.  48.  h   Eccles.  x.  1.  i  Rom.  i.  21,  22,  28.  k  Job  viii.  13—15 

1  Job  xx vii.  18;  Isa.  xxxiii.  14.  m  Job  xxxvi.  13;  Matt,  xxiii.  14. 


412  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

dence  as  well  as  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience,  with  a  design  to  crush  and  ruin 
him  who  is  maliciously  prosecuted,  are  all  notoriously  guilty  of  the  breach  of  this 
commandment.  Again,  those  may  be  said  to  do  that  which  is  injurious  to  their 
neighbour's  good  name,  who  reproach  them  in  common  conversation.  This  is  a 
sin  too  much  committed  in  this  licentious  age  ;  as  though  men  were  not  account- 
able to  God  for  what  they  speak,  as  well  as  for  other  parts  of  the  conduct  of  life. 

There  are  several  things  which  persons  make  the  subject  of  their  reproach. 
Among  these  are  the  defects  and  blemishes  of  nature  ;  such  as  lameness,  blindness, 
deafness,  impediment  of  speech,  meanness  of  capacity,  or  actions  which  proceed 
from  a  degree  of  distraction.  Many  suppose  that  the  apostle  Paul  was  reproached 
for  some  natural  deformity  in  his  body  or  impediment  in  his  speech.  This  is  in- 
ferred from  his  representing  some  as  saying,  '  His  letters  are  weighty  and  powerful ; 
but  his  bodily  presence  is  weak,  and  his  speech  contemptible.'11  Elsewhere,  also, 
he  commends  the  Galatians  for  not  despising  him  on  this  account.  *  My  tempta- 
tion,' says  he,  'which  was  in  my  flesh,  ye  despised  not,  nor  rejected  ;  but  ye  re- 
ceived me  as  an  angel  of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus.'0  The  aggravations  of  this 
sin  of  reproaching  persons  for  their  natural  infirmities,  are  very  great.  For,  it  is 
a  finding  fault  with  the  workmanship  of  the  God  of  nature,  a  thinking  meanly  of  a 
person  for  that  which  is  not  chargeable  on  him  as  a  crime,  and  which  he  can  by 
no  means  redress.  It  is  a  censuring  those  who  are,  in  some  respects,  objects  of 
compassion  ;  especially  if  the  reproach  be  levelled  against  the  defects  of  the  mind, 
or  any  degree  of  distraction.  It  also  argues  a  great  deal  of  pride  and  unthankful- 
ness  to  God,  for  those  natural  endowments  which  we  have  received  from  him, 
though  we  do  not  improve  them  to  his  glory. 

Here  we  may  take  occasion  to  say  something  respecting  the  children's  sin  who 
reproached  Elisha  for  his  baldness,  and  the  punishment  which  followed,  namely, 
his  'cursing  them  m  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;'  and  '  two  and  forty'  of  them  being 
'  toi'n  in  pieces  by  two  she-bears  out  of  the  wood.'?  It  may  be  inquired  by  some, 
whether  this  was  not  too  great  an  instance  of  passion  in  that  holy  man,  and  too 
severe  a  punishment  inflicted  ;  inasmuch  as  they  who  reproached  him  are  called 
'little  children.'  The  children,  however,  were  not  so  little  as  not  to  be  able  to 
know  their  right  hand  from  their  left,  or  to  discern  between  good  and  evil ;  for 
such  are  not  usually  trusted  out  of  their  parents'  sight ;  nor  would  they  have 
gathered  themselves  together  in  a  body,  or  gone  some  distance  from  the  city,  on 
purpose  to  insult  the  prophet,  as  it  is  plain  they  did,  understanding  that  he  was  to 
come  there  at  that  time.  They  must,  therefore,  have  been  boys  of  a  sufficient  age 
to  commit  the  most  presumptuous  sin  ;  and  hence  not  too  young  to  suffer  such  a 
punishment  as  followed.  Again,  their  sin  was  great,  in  mocking  a  grave  old  man, 
who  ought  to  have  been  honoured  for  his  age,  and  a  prophet,  whom  they  should 
have  esteemed  for  his  character.  In  despising  him,  they  despised  God  who  called 
and  sent  him.  Further,  Bethel,  where  they  lived,  was  the  chief  seat  of  idolatry,  in 
which  these  children  had  been  trained  up  ;  and  it  was  a  prevailing  inclination  to 
it,  together  with  an  hatred  of  the  true  religion,  which  occasioned  their  reproaching 
and  casting  contempt  on  the  prophet.  Finally,  the  manner  of  expression  argues  a 
great  deal  of  profaneness,  '  Go  up,  thou  bald  head  ;'  that  is,  either  go  up  to  Bethel, 
speaking  in  an  insulting  way,  as  if  they  had  said,  '  You  may  go  there,  but  you 
will  not  be  regarded  by  the  people  ;  for  they  value  no  such  men  as  you  are  ;'  or 
rather,  it  is  as  if  they  had  said,  '  You  pretend  that  your  predecessor  Elijah  is  gone 
Up  to  heaven  ;  do  you  go  up  after  him,  that  you  may  trouble  us  no  longer  with 
your  prophecies.'  These  children,  then,  though  young  in  years,  were  hardened  in 
sin  ;  and  their  conduct  was  not  so  much  an  occasional  mocking  of  the  prophet  for 
his  baldness,  as  a  public  contrivance,  and  tumultuous  opposition  to  his  ministry  ; 
which  is  a  very  great  crime,  and  accordingly,  was  attended  with  a  just  resentment 
in  the  prophet,  and  followed  by  that  punishment  which  was  inflicted. 

Some  reproach  persons  for  their  sinful  infirmities  ;  and  do  so  in  such  a  way  that 
they  are  styled  'fools'  who  'make  a  mock  of  sin.'q  We  are  guilty  of  this  when  we 
reflect  on  persons  for  sins  committed  before  their  conversion.     These  they  have 

n  2  Cor.  x.  10.  o  Gal.  iv.  14.  p  2  Kings  ii.  23,  24.  q  Prov.  xiv.  9. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  413 

repented  of,  and  God  has  forgiven  ;  so  that  they  should  not  he  now  charged  against 
them,  as  a  matter  of  reproach.  Thus  the  Pharisee  reproached  the  poor  penitent 
woman,  who  stood  weeping  at  our  Saviour's  feet,  and  said  within  himself,  '  If  this 
man  were  a  prophet,  he  would  have  known  what  manner  of  woman  this  is  that 
toucheth  him,  for  she  is  a  sinner.'1-  This  reproach  respected  not  her  present  hut 
her  former  condition.  Again,  persons  are  '  fools  who  make  a  mock  of  sin,'  when 
they  reproach  others  with  levity  of  spirit  for  the  sins  they  are  guilty  of  at  present ; 
as  when  the  shameful  actions  of  a  drunken  man  are  made  the  subject  of  laughter; 
which  ought  not  to  be  thought  of  without  regret  or  pity. 

It  may  be  objected  that  sin  renders  a  person  vile,  and  is  really  a  reproach  to  him ; 
so  that  it  may  be  charged  upon  him  as  such  ;  especially  as  it  is  said  concerning 
the  righteous  man,  '  In  his  eyes  a  vile  person  is  contemned.'8  Now,  we  are  far 
from  asserting  that  it  is  a  sin  to  reprove  sin,  and  show  the  person  who  commits  it 
his  vileness,  and  the  reason  he  has  to  reproach  and  charge  himself  with  it,  and 
loathe  himself  for  it.  But  the  contempt  which  is  to  be  cast  on  a  vile  person,  does 
not  consist  in  making  him  the  subject  of  laughter,  as  though  it  were  a  light  matter 
for  him  to  dishonour  God  as  he  does  ;  for  his  conduct  should  occasion  grief  in  all 
true  believers,  as  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  beheld  the  transgressors,  and  was  grieved 
because  they  kept  not  thy  word.'4  Accordingly,  when  the  psalmist  advises  to  'con- 
temn' such  an  one,  the  meaning  is,  that  we  should  not  make  him  our  intimate  or 
bosom  friend  ;  or  that  if  he  be  in  advanced  circumstances  in  the  world,  we  are  not 
to  flatter  him  in  his  sin  ;  whereby,  especially  when  it  is  public,  he  forfeits  that  re- 
spect which  would  otherwise  be  due  to  him.  In  this  sense  we  are  to  understand 
Mordecai^  contempt  of  Haman.u 

Here  we  may  take  occasion  to  distinguish  between  reproving  sin,  and  reproach- 
ing persons  for  it.  The  former  is  to  be  done  with  sorrow  of  heart,  and  compassion 
expressed  to  the  sinner  ;  as  our  Saviour  reproved  Jerusalem,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  '  wept  over  it.'x  But,  on  the  other  hand,  reproach  is  attended  with  hatred 
of  him,  and  a  secret  pleasure  taken  in  his  sin  and  ruin.  Again,  reproof  for  sin 
ought  to  be  with  a  design  to  reclaim  the  offender  ;  whereas,  reproach  tends  only  to 
expose,  exasperate,  and  harden  him  in  his  sin.  Moreover,  reproof  for  sin  ought  to 
be  given  with  the  greatest  seriousness  and  conviction  of  the  evil  and  danger  which 
will  follow  ;  whereas  they  who  reproach  persons,  charge  sin  on  them  under  the  in- 
fluence of  their  own  passions,  without  any  concern  for  the  dishonour  which  they 
bring  to  God  and  religion,  or  desire  for  their  repentance  and  reformation. 

Sometimes  that  which  is  the  highest  ornament  and  greatest  excellency  of  a 
Christian,  is  turned  to  his  reproach.  In  particular,  some  have  been  reproached  for 
extraordinary  gifts,  which  God  has  been  pleased  to  confer  on  them.  Thus  the  spirit 
of  prophesy  was  sometimes  reckoned,  by  profane  persons,  the  effect  of  distraction.* 
Joseph  was  reproached  by  his  brethren,  in  a  taunting  way,  with  the  character  of  a 
dreamer  ;  because  of  the  prophetic  intimation  which  he  had  from  God,  in  a  dream, 
concerning  the  future  state  of  his  family.2  When  the  apostles  were  favoured  with 
the  extraordinary  gift  of  tongues,  and  preached  to  men  of  different  nations,  in  their 
own  language,  '  some  were  amazed,  and  others  mocked  them,  and  said,  These  men 
are  full  of  new  wine.'a — Again,  raised  affections,  and  extraordinary  instances  of 
zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  have  been  derided,  as  though  they  were  matter  of  re- 
proach. Thus  Michal  reproached  David,  when  'he  danced  before  the  ark;'b  he 
being  actuated  by  an  holy  zeal,  and  transport  of  joy  ;  and  so  far  from  reckoning  it 
a  reproach,  he  counted  that  which  she  called  vile,glorious. — Further,  spiritual  ex- 
periences of  the  grace  of  God  have  sometimes  been  turned  by  those  who  are  stran- 
gers to  them,  to  their  reproach,  and  termed  no  other  than  madness.  Thus  when 
the  apostle  Paul  related  the  gracious  dealings  of  God  with  him  in  his  conversion, 
Festus  charges  him  with  being  'beside  himself.'0 — Again,  a  person's  being  made 
use  of  by  God,  to  overthrow  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  has  been  charged  against  him, 
as  though  it  were  rebellion.     Thus  the  Jews  told  Pilate,  when  he  sought  to  release 

r  Luke  vii.  37—39.  s  Psal.  xv,  4.  t  Psal.  cxix.  158.  u  Esther  iii.  2. 

x  Luke  xix  41,  42.  y  2  Kings  ix.  11.  z  Gen.  xxxvii,  13  a  Acts  ii.  13. 

b  2  Sain.  vi.  20.  c  Acts  xxvi.  24. 


414  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Jesus,  'If  thou  let  this  man  go,  thou  art  not  Caesar's  friend. 'd  And  that  reforma- 
tion which  the  apostles  were  instrumental  in  making  in  the  world,  hj  preaching  the 
gospel,  is  styled  'turning  the  world  upside  down.'e — Further,  humility  of  mind  in 
owning  our  weakness,  as  not  being  able  to  comprehend  some  divine  mysteries  con- 
tained in  the  gospel,  is  reckoned  matter  of  reproach  by  many  ;  who  call  it  implicit 
faith,  and  admitting  of  the  greatest  absurdities  in  matters  of  religion. — Further, 
giving  glory  to  the  Spirit,  as  the  Author  of  all  grace  and  peace,  and  desiring  to 
draw  nigh  to  God  in  prayer,  or  engage  in  other  holy  duties,  by  his  assistance,  is 
reproached  by  some,  as  though  it  were  enthusiasm,  and  as  though  they  who  desire 
or  are  favoured  with  this  privilege,  were  pretenders  to  extraordinary  revelation. — 
Again,  a  being  conscientious  in  abstaining  from  those  sins  which  abound  in  a  licen- 
tious age,  or  reproving  and  bearing  our  testimony  against  those  who  are  guilty  of 
them,  is  reproached  with  the  character  of  hypocrisy,  preciseness,  and  being  right- 
eous overmuch. — Finally,  separating  from  communion  with  a  false  church,  and  re- 
nouncing those  doctrines  which  tend  to  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ,  is  called  by 
some  heresy.  Thus  the  Papists  brand  the  Protestants  with  the  reproachful  name 
of  heretics.  But  we  may  answer,  that  this  is  rather  our  glory,  and  confess  that 
"after  the  way  which  they  call  heresy,  so  worship  we  the  God  of  our  fathers.'* 
This  sin  is  attended  with  many  aggravations  ;  for  God  reckons  it  as  a  contempt 
cast  on  himself,  s  They  who  are  guilty  of  it,  also,  plainly  intimate  that  they  pre- 
tend not  to  be  what  they  reproach  and  deride  in  others  ;  so  that  if  the  latter  be 
in  the  right  way  to  heaven,  those  who  reproach  them  discover  that  they  desire  not 
to  go  thither.  In  their  whole  conduct,  indeed,  they  act  as  though  they  were  en- 
deavouring to  banish  all  religion  out  of  the  world,  by  methods  of  scorn  and  ridicule  ; 
and  if  their  design  should  take  effect,  this  earth  would  be  but  a  small  degree  better 
than  hell. 

"When  we  are  thus  reproached  for  the  sake  of  God  and  religion,  let  us  not  render 
railing  for  railing ;  but  look  on  those  who  revile  us  as  objects  of  pity,h  who  do  more 
hurt  to  themselves  than  they  can  do  to  us.  Moreover,  let  us  reflect  on  our  own  sins, 
which  provoke  God  to  suffer  our  being  reproached  ;  and  beg  of  him  that  he  would 
turn  it  to  his  own  glory  and  our  good.  Thus  David  did,  when  lie  was  unjustly  and 
barbarously  cursed  and  railed  at  by  Shimei. !  We  ought  also  to  esteem  religion  the 
more,  because  of  the  opposition  and  contempt  which  it  meets  with  from  the  enemies 
of  God.  That  very  contempt  and  opposition,  indeed,  afford  us  some  evidence  of 
the  truth  and  excellency  of  religion  ;  as  our  Saviour  says  concerning  his  disciples, 
1  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  his  own  ;  but  because  you  are  not 
of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth 
you.'k  Again,  when  we  are  reviled  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  religion,  let  us  take 
encouragement  from  the  consideration  that  we  have  the  same  treatment  which  he 
and  all  his  saints  have  met  with.1  Let  us  also  consider  that  there  are  many  pro- 
mises annexed  to  our  being  so  reviled. m  It  is  also  an  advantage  to  our  character 
as  Christians  ;  for  hereby  it  appears,  that  we  are  not  on  their  side  who  are  Christ's 
avowed  enemies.  Hence,  we  should  reckon  their  reproach  our  glory  ;n  or  as  the 
apostle  says,  '  take  pleasure  in  reproaches  for  Christ's  sake,'0  or,  as  it  is  said  else- 
where, '  Rejoice  that  we  are  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name.'P  Thus 
concerning  our  doing  injury  to  our  neighbour,  by  speaking  against  him  before  his 
face. 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  the  injury  which  is  done  to  others  by  speaking  against 
them  behind  their  back.  This  ^hose  are  guilty  of  who  raise  or  invent  false  reports 
of  their  neighbours,  or  spread  those  which  are  uncertain,  or  divulge  those  which 
ought  to  be  kept  secret,  with  a  design  to  take  away  their  good  name.  These  are 
called  talebearers,  backbiters,  slanderers  ;  who  offer  injuries  to  others  who  are 
not  in  a  capacity  to  defend  themselves.^  Their  malicious  reports  are  often,  indeed, 
prefaced  with  a  pretence  of  great  respect  to  the  person  whom  they  speak  against. 

d  John  xix.  12.  e  Acts  xvii.  6.  f  Chap.  xxiv.  14.  g  Luke  x.  16. 

h  1  Cor.  iv.  12,  13;  1  Pet.  ii.  23.  i  2  Sam.  xvi.  10,  12.  k  John  xv.  19. 

1  Heb  xii.  2,  3;  Chap.  xi.  36.  m  Matt.  v.  11,  12;  1  Pet.  iv.  14.  n  Hib.  xi.  2C. 

o  2  Cor.  xii.  10.  p  Acts  v.  41.  q  fcVy,  xi\.  1G. 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  415 

They  seem  very  much  surprised  at  and  sorry  for  what  they  are  going  to  relate  ; 
and  sometimes  signify  their  hope,  that  it  may  not  be  true  ;  and  desire  that  what 
they  report  may  he  concealed,  while  they  make  it  their  business  themselves  to 
divulge  it.  But  this  method  will  not  secure  their  own  reputation,  while  they  are 
endeavouring  to  ruin  that  of  aiiother.  They  propagate  slander  in  various  ways. 
They  do  so  by  pretending  that  a  person  is  guilty  of  a  fault  which  he  is  innocent  of. 
Thus  our  Saviour  and  John  the  Baptist  were  charged  with  immoral  practices, 
which  there  was  not  the  least  shadow  or  pretence  for.r  Again,  they  do  so  by 
divulging  a  real  fault  which  has  been  acknowledged  and  repented  of,  and  therefore 
ought  to  be  concealed  ;s  or  when  there  is  no  pretence  for  making  it  public,  but 
what  arises  from  malice  and  hatred  of  the  person.  Further,  they  do  so  by  aggra- 
vating faults  or  representing  them  worse  than  they  are.  Thus  Absalom's  sin  in 
murdering  Amnon  was  very  great ;  but  he  who  brought  tidings  of  it  to  David,  re- 
presented it  worse  than  it  was,  when  he  said  that  Absalom  had  '  slain  all  the  king's 
sons.'*  Again,  persons  propagate  slander  by  reporting  the  bad  actions  of  men, 
and,  at  the  same,  overlooking  and  extenuating  their  good  ones  ;  and  so  not  doing 
them  the  justice  of  setting  one  in  the  balance  against  the  other.  Further,  they 
do  so  by  putting  the  worst  and  most  injurious  construction  on  actions  which  are 
really  excellent.  Thus,  because  our  Saviour  admitted  publicans  and  sinners  into 
his  presence,  and  did  them  good  by  his  doctrine,  the  Jews  reproached  him  as 
though  he  were  '  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners,  'u  taking  the  word  '  friend '  in  the 
worst  sense,  as  signifying  an  approver  of  them.  Finally,  persons  propagate  slander 
by  reporting  things  to  the  prejudice  of  others,  which  are  grounded  on  such  slender 
evidence,  that  they  themselves  hardly  believe  them,  or  at  least  would  not,  had 
they  not  a  design  to  make  use  of  them,  to  defame  them.  Thus  Sanballat,  in  his 
letter  to  Nehemiah,  tells  him  that  '  he  and  the  Jews  thought  to  rebel ;  and  built 
the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  that  he  might  be  their  king  ;'x  which  it  can  hardly  be  sup- 
posed the  enemy  himself  gave  any  credit  to.  Thus  concerning  the  instances  in 
which  persons  backbite  or  raise  false  reports  on  others. 

We  may  add,  that  as  they  are  guilty  who  raise  slanders  ;  so  are  they  who  listen 
to  and  endeavour  to  propagate  them.  It  is  not,  indeed,  the  mere  hearing  of  a 
report  which  we  cannot  but  think  to  be  attended  with  malice  and  slander  which 
will  render  us  guilty,  for  that  we  may  not  be  able  to  avoid ;  but  it  is  our  encourag- 
ing him  who  raises  or  spreads  it  which  renders  us  guilty.  In  particular,  we  sin  when 
we  hear  malicious  reports,  if  we  conceal  them  from  the  party  concerned  in  them,  and 
so  deny  him  the  justice  of  answering  what  is  said  against  him,  in  his  own  vindica- 
tion, or  when  we  do  not  reprove  those  who  make  a  practice  of  slandering  and  back- 
biting others,  in  order  to  our  bringing  them  to  shame  and  repentance  ;  and,  most 
of  all,  when  we  contract  an  intimacy  with  those  who  are  guilty  of  this  sin,  and  are 
too  easy  in  giving  credit  to  what  they  say,  though  not  supported  by  sufficient  evi- 
dence, but  on  the  other  hand,  carrying  in  it  the  appearance  of  envy  and  resentment. 
Thus  concerning  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment. 

We  shall  close  this  Head  by  proposing  some  remedies  against  slander.  If  the 
thing  reported  to  another's  prejudice  be  true,  we  ought  to  consider  that  we  are  not 
without  many  faults  ourselves  ;  which  we  would  be  unwilling,  if  others  knew  them, 
that  they,  should  divulge.  If  the  thing  reported  be  doubtful,  we,  by  reporting  it, 
may  give  occasion  to  some  to  believe  it  to  be  true,  without  sufficient  evidence  ;  so 
that  our  neighbour  will  receive  real  prejudice  from  that  which  to  us  is  only  mat- 
ter of  surmise  and  conjecture.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  what  is  reported  be 
apparently  false,  the  sin  is  still  the  greater ;  and,  by  inventing  and  propagating  it, 
the  highest  injustice  is  offered  to  the  innocent,  while  we,  at  the  same  time,  are  guilty 
of  a  known  and  presumptuous  sin.  Again,  such  a  way  of  exposing  men  answers 
no  good  end  ;  nor  is  it  a  means  of  reclaiming  them.  Further,  by  our  inventing 
or  propagating  slander,  we  lay  ourselves  open  to  the  censure  of  others  ;  and  by  en- 
deavouring to  take  away  our  neighbour's  good  name,  endanger  the  loss  of  our  own. 

r  Matt.  xi.  18,  19.  s  Chap,  xviii.  15.  t  2  Sam.  xiii.  30. 

u  Matt.  xi.  19.  x  Nehem.  vi.  6. 


416  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Question  CXLVI.   Which  is  the  tenth  commandment  ? 

Answer.  The  tenth  commandment  is,  '«  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house,  thou  shalt 
not  covet  thy  neigh  hour's  wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass, 
nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neighbour's." 

Question  CXLVH.   What  are  the  duties  required  in  the  tenth  commandment  f 
Answer.    The  duties  required  in  the  tenth  commandment  are,  such  a  full  contentment  with  our 
own  condition,  and  such  a  charitable  frame  of  the  whole  soul  toward  our  neighbour,  as  that  all  our 
inward  motions  and  affections  touching  him  tend  unto  and  further  all  that  good  which  is  his. 

Question  CXLVIII.   What  are  the  sins  forbidden  in  the  tenth  commandment  ? 

Answer.  The  sins  forbidden  in  the  tenth  commandment,  are,  discontent  with  our  own  estate* 
envying,  and  grieving  at  the  good  of  our  neighbour,  together  with  all  inordinate  motions  and  affec* 
tions  to  any  thing  that  is  his. 

The  general  design  of  this  commandment  is  to  regulate  and  set  bounds  to  our  de- 
sires ;  and  it  contains  a  prohibition  of  coveting  those  tilings  which  belong  not  to  us. 
It  is  not  to  be  split  into  two  commandments,  as  the  Papists  pretend.  They  sup- 
pose that,  '  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house,'  is  the  ninth,  and,  '  Thou 
shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife,'  &c.  is  the  tenth  commandment.  But  these 
are  only  particular  instances  of  the  breach  of  the  same  commandment.  The  argu- 
ment taken  from  the  repetition  of  the  words,  '  Thou  shalt  not  covet,'  is  so  very  weak 
and  inconclusive,  that  it  would  hardly  have  been  made  use  of  by  them,  had  they 
not  thought  it  necessary,  some  way  or  other,  to  make  up  the  number  ten ;  having, 
as  was  observed  under  a  foregoing  Head,  determined  the  second  commandment  not 
to  be  distinct  from  but  an  appendix  to  the  first* 

The  Duties  Required  in  the  Tenth  Commandment. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  duties  required  in  the  tenth  commandment.  These 
may  be  reduced  to  two  Heads. 

1.  Contentment  with  our  own  condition.  By  this  we  are  not  to  understand  that 
we  are  to  give  way  to  indolence  or  stupidity,  but  to  exercise  a  composure  of  mind, 
acquiescing  in  the  divine  dispensations  in  every  condition  of  life.  Thus  the  apos- 
tle says,  '  I  have  learned  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.'2 
This  duty  is  applicable  to  all  sorts  of  men.  In  particular,  it  is  a  grace  which  is  to 
be  exercised  by  those  who  are  in  prosperous  circumstances  in  the  world.  Thus  the 
apostle  says,  '  I  know  how  to  abound, 'a  and  to  be  '  full,'  as  well  as  '  to  suffer  need.' 
We  often  find  that  they  who  have  the  greatest  share  of  the  good  things  of  this 
world,  are  so  far  from  being  satisfied  with  it,  that  their  covetousness  increases  in 
proportion  to  their  substance.  But  such  ought  to  consider  that  their  conduct  is 
most  unreasonable  and  ungrateful,  and  may  justly  provoke  God  to  take  away  the 
blessings  which  he  has  given  them,  or  add  some  circumstance  to  them  which  will 
tend  to  embitter  them.  Moreover,  it  is  a  giving  way  to  such  a  temper  of  mind  as 
renders  them  really  miserable  in  the  midst  of  their  abundance. 

But  what  we  shall  principally  consider,  is  how  the  grace  of  contentment  is  to  be 
exercised  by  those  who  are  in  an  afflicted  state,  together  with  the  motives  and  in- 
ducements leading  to  it.  We  will  suppose  persons  under  bodily  weakness  or  pain, 
which  tends  much  to  embitter  the  comforts  of  life,  by  which  means  they  are  made 
uneasy.  Indeed,  it  is  impossible,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  for  them  not  to 
complain  or  groan  under  the  burdens  which  are  laid  on  them ;  as  the  psalmist  did, 
who  speaks  of  himself  as  'weary  of  his  groaning. 'b  Nor  is  such  sense  of  suffer- 
ing unlawful,  provided  they  do  not  repine  at,  or  find  fault  with,  the  methods  of 
God's  providence,  in  his  dealing  with  them.  There  are,  however,  some  things 
which  may  induce  them  to  be  content.     If  we  consider  that  the  body  gave  occasion 

y  S<*«  page  315.  z  Phil.  iv.  11.  a  Verse  12.  b  Psal.  vi.  6. 


THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT.  417 

to  the  entrance  of  sin  into  the  world,  and  bears  a  part  with  the  soul  in  all  the  sins 
committed  and  guilt  contracted  by  it,  it  is  no  wonder  that  we  find  it  to  have  its 
share  in  those  miseries  to  which  the  soul  is  exposed.  Again,  bodily  diseases  are 
our  monitors,  to  put  us  in  mind  of  the  frailty  of  our  present  state.  Hence,  as  they 
are  the  harbingers  of  death,  we  are  forewarned  by  them  to  prepare  for  it,  as  mak- 
ing sensible  advances  towards  it.  Further,  the  greatest  pains  to  which  we  are  lia- 
ble, are -far  short  of  what  Christ  endured  for  us  ;  in  which  respect  our  afflictions 
are  comparatively  light,  and  convincingly  evident  not  to  be  certain  indications 
of  our  being  rejected  by  God.c  Moreover,  as  God  will  not  lay  more  on  us  than  he 
will  enable  us  to  bear  ;  so  none  of  these  afflictive  dispensations  shall  have  a  ten- 
dency to  separate  the  soul  from  Christ.  Though  we  sometimes  complain  that  afflic- 
tion is  a  great  interruption  to  the  exercise  of  grace  ;  yet  this  shall  not  be  charged 
upon  us  as  our  fault,  any  otherwise  than  as  it  is  the  effect  of  that  sin  which  is  the 
procuring  cause  of  all  affliction.  Besides,  the  heavier  our  afflictions  are  at  present, 
the  more  sweet  and  comfortable  the  heavenly  rest  will  be  to  those  who  have  a  well- 
grounded  hope  that  they  shall  be  brought  to  it.d 

If  our  condition  be  low  and  poor  in  the  world,  we  are  not  without  some  induce- 
ments to  be  content.  Poverty  is  not  in  itself  a  curse,  or  inconsistent  with  the  love 
of  God  ;  for  Christ  himself  submitted  to  it  ;e  and  his  best  saints  have  been  exposed 
to  it,  and  glorified  God  under  it,f  more  than  others.  Moreover,  how  poor  soever 
we  are,  we  have  more  than  we  brought  into  the  world  with  us,  or  than  the  richest 
person  can  carry  out  of  it.s  And  they  who  have  least  of  the  world  have  more  than 
they  deserve,  or  than  God  was  under  any  obligation  to  give  them. 

Suppose  we  are  afflicted  in  our  good  name,  and  do  not  meet  with  that  love  and 
esteem  from  the  world  which  might  be  expected,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  are  cen- 
sured, reproached,  and  hated  by  those  whom  we  converse  with  ;  we  should  not  be 
made,  beyond  measure,  uneasy.  We  have  reason  to  conclude  that  the  esteem  of 
the  world  is  precarious  and  uncertain ;  and  that  they  who  most  deserve  it,  have 
often  the  least  of  it.  Thus  our  Saviour  was  one  day  followed  with  the  caresses  of 
the  multitude,  shouting  forth  their  Hosannas  to  him  ;  and  the  next  day  the  com- 
mon cry  was,  'Crucify  him,  crucify  him.'  When  the  apostles  Paul  and  Barnabas 
had  healed  the  cripple  at  Lystra,  they  could  at  first  hardly  restrain  the  people 
from  offering  sacrifice  to  them  ;  but  afterwards  the  same  people  joined  with  the 
malicious  Jews  in  stoning  them.h  And  Paul  tells  the  Galatians,  that  '  if  it  had 
been  possible,  they  would  have  plucked  out  their  eyes,  and  have  given  them  to 
him  ;'  but,  a  little  after,  he  complains  that  he  was  '  become  their  enemy,  because 
he  told  them  the  truth.''  Besides,  the  esteem  of  men  is  no  farther  to  be  desired 
than  as  it  may  render  us  useful  to  them  ;  and  if  God  is  pleased  to  deny  this  to  us, 
we  are  not  to  prescribe  to  him  what  measure  of  respect  he  shall  allot  to  us  from 
the  world,  or  usefulness  in  it.  Moreover,  let  us  consider  that  we  know  more  evil 
abounding  in  our  own  heart  than  others  can  charge  us  with.  Hence,  how  much 
soever  they  are  guilty  of  injustice  to  us  ;  our  knowledge  of  ourselves  affords  us  a 
motive  to  contentment.  Besides,  we  have  not  brought  that  honour  to  God  which 
we  ought ;  therefore,  how  just  is  it  for  him  to  deny  us  that  esteem  from  men  which 
we  desire  ? 

Suppose  we  are  afflicted  in  our  relations,  there  are  some  motives  to  contentment. 
If  servants  have  masters  who  make  their  lives  uncomfortable,  by  their  unreason- 
able demands  or  unjust  severity,  they  ought  to  consider  that  their  faithfulness  and 
industry  will  be  approved  of  by  God,  how  much  soever  it  may  be  disregarded  by 
men  ;  and  a  conscientious  discharge  of  the  duties  incumbent  on  them,  in  the  rela- 
tion in  which  they  stand,  will  give  them  ground  to  expect  a  blessing  from  God,  to 
whom  they  are  herein  said  to  do  service,  which  shall  not  go  unrewarded.k  On  the 
other  hand,  if  masters  are  afflicted,  by  reason  of  the  stubborn  and  unfaithful  be- 
haviour, or  sloth  and  negligence,  of  their  servants  ;  let  them  inquire  whether  this 
be  not  the  consequence  of  their  not  being  so  much  concerned  for  their  spiritual 

c  Eccles.  ix.  1.  d  Job  iii.  17;  2  Tbess.  i.  7;  2  Cor.  iv.  17-  e  2  Cor.  viii.  9;  Matt. 

riii.  20.  f  2  Cor.  vi.  10.  g  Job  i.  21.  h  Acts  xiv.  18,  19.  i  Gal.  iv.  15,  16. 

k  Eph.  vi.  7,  8. 
II.  3    6 


418  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

welfare  as  they  ought,  or  keeping  up  strict  religion  in  their  families,  or  whether  they 
have  not  been  more  concerned  that  their  servants  should  obey  them,  than  their 
great  Master  who  is  in  heaven. — Again,  if  parents  have  undutiful  children,  who 
are  a  grief  of  heart  to  them  ;  let  them  consider,  as  a  motive  to  contentment, 
whether  they  have  not  formerly  neglected  their  duty  to  their  parents,  slighted  their 
counsels,  or  disregarded  their  reproofs,  or  whether  they  have  not  reason  to  charge 
themselves  with  the  iniquity  of  their  youth,  and  inquire  whether  God  be  not  now 
writing  bitter  things  against  them  for  it,  or  whether  they  have  not  neglected  to 
bring  up  their  children  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  These  consid- 
erations will  fence  against  all  repining  thoughts  at  the  providence  of  God,  that  has 
brought  these  troubles  upon  them.  As  a  farther  inducement  to  make  them  easy, 
let  them  consider,  that  if  the  undutiful  conduct  of  their  children  does  not  altogether 
lie  at  their  door,  and  that  if  they  have  been  faithful  to  their  children,  in  praying 
for  and  instructing  them,  God  may  hear  their  prayers,  and  send  home  their  in- 
structions on  their  hearts,  when  they  themselves  are  removed  out  of  the  world.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  children  have  wicked  parents,  whose  conversation  fills  them  with 
great  uneasiness ;  let  them  consider  that  theirs  has  been  the  case  of  many  of  God's 
faithful  servants,  such  as  Hezekiah,  Josiah,  and  others.  And  they  may  be  assured 
that  they  shall  have  no  occasion  to  use  that  proverb,  *  The  fathers  have  eaten  sour 
grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge.'1 

If  we  are  afflicted  by  reason  of  the  treachery  and  unfaithfulness  of  pretended 
friends,  which  wound  us  in  the  most  tender  part,m  we  may  be  induced  to  be  con- 
tent. For  we  have  no  ground  to  expect  perfection  in  the  best  of  men,  or  that  their 
love  and  favour  is  immutable  ;  nor  is  our  conduct  always  such  that  we  do  not  often 
forfeit  the  respect  which  we  once  had  from  others.  Besides,  if  our  friends  deal  de- 
ceitfully with  us,  or  are  unfaithful  to  us,  without  just  ground,  they  do  not  act  so, 
without  the  permission  of  the  wise  and  overruling  providence  of  God,  who  some- 
times orders  such  affliction  in  order  to  take  us  off  from  a  dependence  upon  men,  or 
from  expecting  too  much  happiness  from  them, — which  is  to  be  sought  for  only  in 
himself.11  Moreover,  when  we  find  a  change  in  the  behaviour  of  friends  towards 
us,  our  encouragement  is  that  our  chief  happiness  consists  in  the  unchangeable  love 
of  God.° 

When  we  are  afflicted  in  the  loss  of  friends  or  near  relations,  we  have  also  mo- 
tives to  contentment.  There  is  no  reversing  or  altering  the  decree  of  God,  which 
fixes  the  bounds  of  men's  continuance  in  this  world.P  All  the  comfort  we  have  in 
friends  and  relations  is  a  peculiar  blessing  from  God ;  and  he  sometimes  afflicts  us 
in  the  loss  of  them,  that  he  may  draw  off  our  affections  from  the  best  creature-en- 
joyments, and  induce  us  to  take  up  our  rest  entirely  in  himself.  Moreover,  we 
had  never  any  reason  to  look  on  our  friends  as  immortal,  any  more  than  ourselves ; 
and  therefore  ought  to  say  as  David  did  when  he  lost  his  child,  '  I  shall  go  to  him, 
but  he  shall  not  return  to  me.' q  So  far  too  as  self-love  is  concerned  in  our  bereave- 
ments, we  have  a  reason  to  give  a  check  to  the  excess  of  it,  by  the  exercise  of  self- 
denial,  and  say  with  David,  '  I  was  dumb,  and  opened  not  my  mouth,  because  thou 
didst  it  ;'r  or  follow  the  example  of  Aaron,  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  that,  when 
he  lost  two  of  his  sons  at  once,  by  a  public  and  awful  stroke  of  divine  justice,  '  he 
held  his  peace.'3 

If  we  are  afflicted  by  the  want  of  success  or  the  many  disappointments  which 
attend  us,  in  our  lawful  callings  in  the  world,  we  have  reason,  notwithstanding,  to 
be  content.  It  is  the  sovereign  hand  of  God  which  orders  our  condition,  as  to  the 
success  or  disappointments  attending  our  lawful  callings  ;  and  hence  we  are  not  to 
strive  against  our  Maker,  or  find  fault  with  his  will,  who  may  do  what  he  pleases 
with  his  own.  Again,  a  man's  happiness  does  not  really  consist  in  the  abundance 
of  what  he  possesses,*  but  rather  in  his  having  a  heart  to  use  it  aright.  Hence,  we 
ought  to  say  to  ourselves,  as  God  did  to  Baruch,  '  Seekest  thou  great  things  for 
thyself?  seek  them  not.'u  Further,  the  world  is  a  scene  of  vanity.  We  have  no 
reason  to  expect  too  much  from  it,  and  hence  ought  not  to  be  dejected  at  the  loss 

J  Ezek.  xviii.  2.  m  Psal.  lv.  12,  13.  n  Isa.  ii.  22.  o  Mai.  iii.  6.  p  Job  xiv.  9. 

q  2  Sam.  xii.  23.  r  Psal.  xxxix.  8.  s  Lev.  x.  3.  t  Luke  xii.  15.         u  Jer.  xlv.  5. 


THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT.  410 

of  it ;  especially  considering  that  such  disappointments  are  the  coran;ou  lot  of  all 
sorts  of  men..  Moreover,  the  providence  of  God  sometimes  denies  us  the  eood 
things  of  this  world1,  that  we  may  think  it  our  duty  and  interest  to  lay  up  treasures 
in  heaven. 

Suppose  we  meet  with  afflictions  as  to  our  spiritual  concerns,  being  under  divine 
desertion  or  decays  of  grace,  or  wanting  a  sense  of  the  love  of  God  or  those  spirit- 
ual comforts  which  we  once  enjoyed  from  him  ;  in  this  condition  no  believer  can 
or  ought  to  be  easy*,  at  least  stupid,  and  unconcerned.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  ha 
ought  to  be  humbled  for  those  sins  which  may  give  occasion  to  it,  and  press  aftei 
the  enjoyment  of  what  he  is,  at  present,  deprived  of.  Yet  contentment,  as  it  it 
opposed  to  repining  or  quarrelling  with  God,  is  his  present  duty  ;  and  there  are 
some  inducements  tending  to  it.  A  person  may  have  the  truth  of  grace,  when  he 
is  destitute  of  the  comfortable  sense  of  it.  And  there  are  some  great  and  precious 
promises  made  to  believers,  in  this  condition.1  Moreover,  God  has  wise  ends  in 
such  a  dispensation  ;  for  hereby  he  brings  sin  to  remembrance,  humbles  us  for  it, 
and  guards  us  against  presumption  and  confidence  in  our  own  strength.?  He  also 
puts  us  upon  the  exercise  of  suitable  graces  ; z  and  when  he  is  pleased  to  comfort 
us  after  such  afflictions,  we  are  better  furnished  to  comfort  others  in  a  similar  con- 
dition. 

2.  The  next  thing  required  in  this  commandment,  is  a  charitable  frame  of  spirit 
towards  our  neighbour ;  so  that  all  our  inward  motions  and  affections  should  lead 
us  to  promote  and  rejoice  in  his  good.a  This  charitable  frame  of  spirit  ought  to 
be  exercised  towards  those  who  excel  us  in  gifts  or  graces.  These  they  receive 
from  the  hand  of  providence,  as  talents  to  be  improved.  Hence,  if  they  have  a 
greater  share  of  them  than  ourselves,  more  is  required  of  them  in  proportion.1' 
If  they  excel  us  in  grace,  we  ought  rather  to  rejoice  that,  though  we  bring  but 
little  glory  to  God,  others  bring  more ;  and  it  will  afford  us  an  evidence  of  the 
truth  of  grace,  if,  while  we  are  humbled  under  a  sense  of  our  own  defects,  we  are 
thankful  for  the  honour  which  is  brought  to  God  by  others.0 — Again,  we  ought  to 
exercise  a  charitable  frame  of  spirit  towards  those  who  are  in  more  prosperous  cir- 
cumstances in  the  world ;  not  envying,  grieving,  or  repining  at  the  providence  of 
God,  because  their  condition  is  better  than  ours.  We  are,  therefore,  to  consider 
that  the  most  flourishing  and  prosperous  condition  in  the  world  is  not  always  the 
best  ;d  and  that  it  is  not  without  many  temptations  which  often  attend  it.e  Be- 
sides, if  it  be  not  improved  to  the  glory  of  God,  it  will  bring  a  greater  weight  of 
guilt  on  their  consciences.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  enjoy  communion  with  God, 
and  the  blessings  of  the  upper  springs,  we  have  what  is  much  more  desirable  than 
the  most  prosperous  condition  in  the  world,  without  it.f 

The  Sins  Forbidden  in  the  Tenth  Commandment. 

"We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  sins  forbidden  in  this  commandment.  These 
include  that  corrupt  fountain  whence  the  irregularity  of  our  desires  proceeds  ;  or 
the  streams  which  flow  from  it,  and  which  discover  themselves  in  the  lusts  of  con- 
cupiscence in  various  instances,  as  well  as  in  our  being  discontented  with  our  own 
condition. 

1.  As  to  the  former  of  these,  namely,  the  corruption  of  nature,  it  must  be  con- 
sidered as  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  and  consequently  forbidden  in  this  com- 
mandment. The  Pelagians  and  Papists,  indeed,  pretend  that  the  law  of  God  re- 
spects only  the  corruption  of  our  actions,  which  is  to  be  checked  and  restrained  by 
it,  and  not  the  internal  habits  or  principle  whence  our  actions  proceed.  Accord- 
ingly, they  take  an  estimate  of  the  law  of  God  from  human  laws,  which  respect 
only  the  overt  acts  of  sin,  and  not  those  internal  inclinations  and  dispositions  which 
persons  have  to  commit  it.  But  when  we  speak  of  the  divine  laws,  we  must  not 
take  our  plan  thence  ;  for  though  man  can  judge  only  of  outward  actions,  God 

x  Isa.  liv.  7.  8;  Psal.  cxii.  4.  y  Psal.  xxx.  6,  7«         z  Psal.  xlii.  6.  and  lxxvii.  6. 

a  I  Cor.  xiii.  4—7;  Rom.  xii.  15.     b  Luke  xii.  48.  c  Gal.  i.  23,  24;  JoLn  iii.  26—28,  30. 

d  Psal.  xxxvii.  16.  e  1  Tim.  vi.  9.  f  Psal.  xvi.  5,  6. 


420  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

judgetli  the  heart.  Hence,  tlie  sin  which  reigns  there,  cannot  but  be,  in  the 
highest  degree,  offensive  to  him.  And  though  the  corruption  of  our  nature  cannot 
be  altogether  prevented  or  extirpated,  by  any  prescription  in  the  divine  law  ;  yet 
this  is  the  means  which  God  takes  to  reprove  and  humhle  us  for  it.? 

It  is  objected  that  the  apostle  James  distinguishes  between  lust  and  sin:  'When 
lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin.'h  And  it  is  hence  inferred  that  the  cor- 
ruption of  nature  is  not  properly  sin,  and,  consequently,  not  forbidden  by  the  law. 
But  lust  may  be  distinguished  from  sin,  as  the  habit  or  corrupt  principle  is  from 
the  act  which  it  produces.  Hence,  the  apostle's  meaning  in  this  scripture,  is  that 
lust,  or  irregular  desires,  are  first  conceived  in  the  heart,  and  then  actual  sins 
proceed  from  them  in  the  life ;  and  both  are  abhorred  by  God,  and  contrary  to  hi* 
law.     And  they  seem  to  be  forbidden,  in  particular,  in  this  tenth  commandment. 

Here  we  may  observe  the  various  methods  which  corrupt  nature  takes,  in  order 
to  its  producing  and  bringing  forth  sinful  actions.  First,  the  temptation  is  offered, 
either  by  Satan,  or  the  world,  with  a  specious  pretence  of  some  advantage  which 
may  arise  from  our  compliance  with  it ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  we  consider  not 
whether  it  be  lawful  or  unlawful,  and  regard  not  the  threatenings  which  should 
deter  us  from  it.  And  we  sometimes  take  occasion,  from  the  pernicious  example 
of  the  falls  and  miscarriages  of  others,  to  venture  on  the  commission  of  the  same 
sins  ;  pretending  that  they  are,  many  of  them,  more  acquainted  with  scripture  than 
we  are  ;  and  that  there  seems  to  be  no  ill  consequence  attending  their  commission  of 
those  sins.  Why,  then,  we  ask  ourselves,  may  not  we  give  way  to  them  ?  We  pre- 
tend also  that  many,  who  have  had  more  fortitude  and  resolution  than  we  can  pre- 
tend to,  have  been  overcome  by  the  same  temptations  ;  so  that  it  is  in-  vain  for  us 
to  strive  against  them.  Again,  corrupt  nature  sometimes  fills  the  soul  with  a  secret 
dislike  of  the  strictness  and  purity  of  the  law  of  God  ;  and,  at  other  times,  it  sug- 
gests that  there  are  some  dispensations  allowed,  in  compliance  with  the  frailty  of 
nature  ;  and  it  bonce  suggests  that  we  may  venture  on  the  commission  of  some  sins. 
At  length  we  take  up  a  resolution  that  we  will  try  the  experiment,  whatever  be  the 
consequence.  Thus  lust  brings  forth  sin  ;  which,  after  it  has  been,  for  some  time, 
indulged,  is  committed  with  greediness,  and  persisted  in  with  resolution,  and,  in 
the  end,  brings  forth  death. 

2.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  irregularity  of  those  actions  which  proceed  from 
the  corruption  of  our  nature,  which  are  sometimes  called  the  lusts  of  concupi- 
tcence :  whereby,  without  the  least  show  of  justice,  we  endeavour  to  possess  our- 
selves of  those  things  which  belong  to  our  neighbour.  Thus  Ahab  was  restless  in 
his  own  spirit,  till  he  had  got  Naboth's  vineyard  into  his  hand  ;  and,  in  order  to 
gain  his  point,  joined  in  a  conspiracy  to  take  away  his  life. '  David  also  coveted 
his  neighbour's  wife  ;  which  was  one  of  the  greatest  blemishes  in  his  life,  and 
brought  with  it  a  long  train  of  miseries  which  attended  him  in  the  following  part 
of  his  reign.k  And  Achan  coveted  those  goods  which  belonged  not  to  him,  the 
wedge  of  gold,  and  the  Babylonish  garment  ;l  which  sin  proved  his  ruin. 

This  sin  of  covetousness  arises  from  a  being  discontented  with  our  present  con- 
dition ;  so  that  whatever  measure  of  the  blessings  of  providence  we  enjoy,  we  are 
filled  with  disquietude  of  mind,  because  we  are  destitute  of  what  we  are  lusting 
after.  This  must  be  considered  as  a  sin  attended  with  very  great  aggravations. 
It  unfits  us  for  the  performance  of  holy  duties  ;  prevents  the  exercise  of  those  graces, 
which  are  necessary  in  order  to  this  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  exposes  us  to  mani- 
fold temptations,  whereby  we  are  rendered  an  easy  prey  to  our  spiritual  enemies. 
— Again,  it  is  altogether  unlike  the  temper  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  who  expressed  an 
entire  resignation  to  the  divine  will,  under  the  greatest  sufferings.k  Indeed,  it  is 
a  very  great  reproach  to  religion  in  general,  and  a  discouragement  to  those  who  are 
setting  their  faces  towards  it,  who  will  be  ready  to  conclude,  from  our  example, 
that  the  consolations  of  God  are  small,  or  that  there  is  not  enough  in  the  promises 
of  the  covenant  of  grace  to  quiet  our  spirits  under  their  present  uneasiness. — More- 
over, it  is  to  act  as  though  we  expected  or  desired  our  portion  in  this  world,  or 

g  Rom.  vii.  9.  h  James  i.  15.  i  1  Rings  xxi.  4. 

k  2  Sam.  xii.  9—12.  1  Josh.  vii.  21.  m  John  xviii.  1 1  ;  Luke  xxii.  42. 


THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT.  421 

looked  no  farther  than  present  things,  which  is  contrary  to  the  practice  of  the  best  of 
God's  saints." — Further,  it  tends  to  cast  the  utmost  contempt  on  the  many  mercies 
we  have  received  or  enjoy,  which  are,  as  it  were,  forgotten  in  un thankfulness  ;  and 
it  is  a  setting  aside  of  those  blessings  which  the  gospel  gives  us  to  expect. — Again,  it 
argues  an  unwillingness  to  be  at  God's  disposal,  and  a  leaning  to  our  own  under- 
standings, as  though  we  knew  better  than  he,  what  was  most  conducive  to  our  pre- 
sent and  future  happiness ;  and  hence  it  is  a  tempting  of  God,  a  grieving  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  and  has  a  tendency  to  provoke  him  to  '  turn  to  be  our  enemy,  and 
fight  against  us.'0 — Further,  it  deprives  us  of  the  present  sweetness  of  other  mer- 
cies ;  renders  every  providence,  in  our  own  apprehension,  afflictive  ;  and  those  bur- 
dens which  would  otherwise  be  light,  almost  insupportable. — Moreover,  if  God  is 
pleased  to  give  us  what  we  were  discontented  and  uneasy  for  the  want  of,  he  often 
sends  some  great  affliction  with  it.  Thus  Rachel,  in  a  discontented  frame,  says, 
*  Give  me  children,  or  else  I  die.'P  She  had,  indeed,  in  some  respects,  her  desire 
of  children ;  but  she  died  in  travail  with  one  of  them.0' — Finally,  the  sin  of  which  we 
are  speaking  is  such  that  they  who  are  guilty  of  it  will  find  it  very  difficult  to  be 
brought  to  a  thorough  conviction  of  the  guilt  which  they  contract  by  it,  or  to  a 
true  repentance  for  it.  Thus  Jonah,  when  under  a  discontented  and  uneasy  frame 
of  spirit,  justified  himself,  and,  as  it  were,  defied  God  to  do  his  worst  against  him; 
so  that  when  it  was  said  to  him,  '  Dost  thou  well  to  be  angry  ?'  he  replied,  in  a  very 
insolent  manner,  '  I  do  well  to  be  angry,  even  unto  death. 'r  The  justifying  of  our- 
selves under  such  a  frame  of  spirit,  cannot  but  be  highly  provoking  to  God  ;  and 
whatever  we  may  be  prone  to  allege  in  our  own  behalf,  will  rather  aggravate  than 
extenuate  the  crime. 

There  are  several  things  which  a  discontented  person  is  apt  to  allege  in  his  own 
vindication,  which  have  a  tendency  only  to  enhance  his  guilt.  He  pretends,  for 
example,  that  his  natural  temper  leads  him  to  be  uneasy  ;  so  that  he  cannot  by 
any  means  subdue  his  passions,  or  submit  to  the  disposing  providence  of  God.  But 
the  corruption  of  our  nature,  and  itspronenessto  sin,  are  no  just  excuse  for  our  deprav- 
ity, but  rather  an  aggravation  of  it ;  whereby  it  appears  to  be  more  deeply  rooted  in 
our  hearts.  Indeed,  our  natural  inclinations  to  any  sin  are  increased  by  indulg- 
ing it.  Hence,  in  this  case,  we  ought  rather  to  be  importunate  with  God  for  that 
grace  which  may  have  a  tendency  to  restrain  the  inordinacy  of  our  affections,  and 
render  us  willing  to  acquiesce  in  the  divine  dispensations,  than  to  palliate  and  ex- 
cuse our  sin  ;  for  our  doing  the  latter  only  aggravates  our  guilt. — Again,  some,  in 
excuse  for  their  discontented  and  uneasy  frame  of  spirit,  allege  that  the  injuries 
which  have  been  offered  to  them  ought  to  be  resented ;  that  they  are  such  as  they 
are  not  able  to  bear  ;  and  that  not  to  show  themselves  uneasy  under  them,  would 
be  to  encourage  persons  to  insult  and  trample  on  them.  But  while  we  complain  of 
injuries  done  us  by  men,  and  are  prone  to  meditate  revenge  against  them,  we  do 
not  consider  the  great  dishonour  which  we  bring  to  God,  and  how  much  we  deserve 
to  be  made  the  monuments  of  his  fury,  so  that  we  should  not  obtain  forgiveness 
from  him,  who  are  so  prone  to  resent  lesser  injuries  done  to  us  by  our  fellow-crea- 
tures.8— Moreover,  others  excuse  their  discontent,  by  alleging  the  greatness  of  their 
afflictions  ;  that  their  burden  is  almost  insupportable,  so  that  they  are  pressed  out 
of  measure,  above  strength,  and  are  ready  to  say  with  Job,  *  Even  to-day  is  my 
complaint  bitter  ;  my  stroke  is  heavier  than  my  groaning.'*  But  our  afflictions 
are  not  so  great  as  our  sins,  which  are  the  procuring  cause  of  them ;  nor  are  they 
greater  than  some  which  befall  others  who  are  better  than  ourselves.  Indeed,  by 
indulging  a  discontented  frame  of  spirit,  we  render  them  heavier  than  they  would 
otherwise  be.— Some,  again,  pretend  that  they  are  discontented  and  uneasy  be- 
cause the  affliction  they  are  under  was  altogether  unexpected  ;  so  that  they  were 
unprovided  for  it,  and  so  less  able  to  bear  it.  But  a  Christian  ought  daily  to  ex- 
pect afflictions  in  this  miserable  and  sinful  world,  at  least  so  far  as  not  to  be  un- 
provided for  them,  or  think  it  strange  that  he  should  be  exercised  with  them.u  We 
have  received  many  unlooked-for  mercies  ;  and  why  should  we  be  uneasy  because 

n  2  Cor.  iv.  18.  o  Isa.  lxiii.  10.  p  Gen.  xxx.  1.  q  Chap.  xxxv.  19. 

r  Jonah  iv.  9.  s  Matt,  xviii.  23,  et  seq.  t  Job  xxiii.  2.  u  1  Pet.  ir.  12. 


422  THE  TENTH   COMMANDMENT. 

we  meet  with  unexpected  afflictions,  and  not  rather  set  the  one  against  the  other  ? 
Besides,  God  is  not  obliged  to  forewarn  us  or  give  us  notice  of  the  trials  which  he 
designs  we  shall  pass  under  ;  and  when  he  deals  thus  with  us,  it  discovers  to  us 
the  necessity  of  our  being  always  provided  for  them.  Some  of  God's  best  children, 
too,  have  often  been  surprised  with  afflictive  providences,  and  yet  have  been  en- 
abled to  exercise  contentment  under  them.  Thus  the  messengers  who  brought  Job 
heavy  and  unexpected  tidings  of  one  affliction  immediately  following  another,1  did 
not  overthrow  his  faith,  or  make  him  discontented  under  the  hand  of  God  ;  for, 
notwithstanding  all,  'he  worshipped  and  blessed  the  name  of  the  Lord. 'J — Again, 
others  allege  that  the  change  which  is  made  in  their  circumstances  in  the  world, 
from  a  prosperous  to  an  afflicted  condition  in  life,  is  so  great,  and  lies  with  such 
weight  upon  their  spirits,  that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  be  easy  under  it.  But, 
when  God  gave  us  the  good  things  we  are  deprived  of,  he  reserved  to  himself  the 
liberty  of  taking  them  away  when  he  pleased,  designing  thus  to  show  his  absolute 
sovereignty  over  us.  Hence,  it  is  our  duty  before  any  affliction  befalls  us,  ac- 
cording to  the  apostle's  advice,  to  'rejoice  as  though  we  rejoiced  not,  and  to 
use  the  world  as  not  abusing  it  ;'z  and,  after  it  befalls  us,  not  to  think  it  strange 
that  we  should  be  deprived  of  the  world,  inasmuch  as  '  the  fashion  of  it  pass- 
eth  away.'  Besides,  the  greater  variety  of  conditions  in  which  we  have  been 
or  are  in  the  world,  afford  more  abundant  experience  of  those  dealings  of  God 
with  us  which  are  designed  as  an  ordinance  for  our  faith.  Hence,  instead  of 
being  discontented  under  them,  we  ought  rather  to  be  put  on  the  exercise  of  those 
graces  which  are  suitable  to  the  change  of  our  condition  ;  as  the  apostle  says,  *  I 
know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound.'* — Further,  some  allege 
that  they  have  the  greatest  reason  to  be  discontented,  because  of  the  influence 
which  their  afflictions  have  on  their  spiritual  concerns,  as  they  tend  to  interrupt 
their  communion  with  God  ;  and  they  are  often  ready  to  fear  that  these  are  indi- 
cations of  his  wrath,  and,  as  it  were,  the  beginning  of  sorrows  ;  which  leads  them 
to  the  very  brink  of  despair.  Now,  it  is  certain  that  nothing  more  sharpens  the 
edge  of  afflictions,  or  has  a  greater  tendency  to  make  us  uneasy  under  them,  than 
such  thoughts  as  these  ;  and  not  to  be  sensible  of  them,  would  be  an  instance  of 
the  greatest  stupidity.  Yet  if  our.  fears  are  ill-grounded,  as  they  sometimes  are, 
the  uneasiness  which  arises  from  them  is  unwarrantable.  Or  if  we  have  too  much 
ground  for  these  fears,  we  are  to  make  use  of  the  remedy  which  God  has  provided. 
Accordingly,  we  are  to  have  recourse  by  faith  to  the  blood  of  Jesus  for  forgive- 
ness ;  and  our  doing  so  ought  to  be  accompanied  with  the  exercise  of  true  repen- 
tance and  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  without  giving  way  to  those  despairing  apprehensions 
which  sometimes  arise  from  a  sense  of  the  greatness  of  our  guilt,  as  though  it  set 
us  out  of  the  reach  of  mercy  ;  for  such  apprehensions  will  add  an  insupportable 
weight  to  our  burden.  And  if,  under  the  afflicting  hand  of  God,  we  are  rendered 
unfit  for  holy  duties,  and  have  no  communion  with  him  in  them,  the  reason  may  be, 
not  the  affliction,  but  that  discontented,  uneasy  frame  of  spirit  which  we  too  much 
indulge  under  it.  Hence,  we  are  not  to  allege  the  affliction  as  an  excuse  for  that 
murmuring,  repining  frame  of  spirit  which  we  are  too  apt  to  discover  while  exer- 
cised with  it. 

The  last  thing  to  be  considered  is,  the  remedies  against  this  sin  of  being  discon- 
tented with  our  present  condition.  Let  us,  then,  have  a  due  sense  of  that  un- 
doubted right  which  God  has  to  dispose  of  us  and  our  condition  in  this  world,  as  he 
pleases  ;  inasmuch  as  we  are  his  own.b — Again,  uneasiness  under  the  hand  of  God, 
or  repining  at  his  dealings  when  he  thinks  tit  to  deprive  us  of  the  blessings  we 
once  enjoyed,  is  not  the  way  to  recover  the  possession  of  them.  The  best  expe- 
dient for  us  to  regain  them,  or  some  other  blessings  which  are  more  than  an  equiva- 
lent for  them,  is  our  exercising  an  entire  resignation  to  the  will  of  God,  and  con- 
cluding that  all  his  dispensations  are  holy,  just,  and  good. — Let  us  consider,  too, 
that  God  often  designs  to  make  us  better  by  the  sharpest  trials  ;  which  are  an 
ordinance  to  bring  us  nearer  to  himself.     Thus  David  says, '  Before  I  was  afflicted, 

x  Job  i.  13,  et  seq.  y  Ver.  20,  21.  z  1  Cor.  vii.  30. 

a  Phil.  iv.  12.  b  Matt.  xx.  15. 


MAN  S  INABILITY  TO  KEEP  THE  COMMANDMENTS.  423 

I  went  astrav  ;  but  now  have  I  kept  thy  word.'c — Moreover,  we  ought  to  consider 
that  God's  design  in  these  dispensations  is  to  '  try  our  faith,'  that  it  '  maybe  found 
afterwards  unto  praise,  honour  and  glory,'  as  it  will  be,  with  respect  to  every  true 
believer,  '  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ. 'd — We  may  add,  that  there  are  many 
promises  of  the  presence  of  God,  which  have  a  tendency,  not  only  to  afford  relief 
against  uneasiness  or  dejection  of  spirit,  but  to  give  us  the  greatest  encouragement 
under  the  sorest  afflictions,  particularly  that  comprehensive  promise,  '  I  will  never 
leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.'e 


MAN'S  INABILITY  TO  KEEP  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 

Question  CXLIX.  7s  any  man  able  perfectly  to  keep  the  commandments  of  God  f 
An&wer.   No  man  is  able,  either  of  himself,  or  by  any  grace  receivid  in  this  life,  perfectly  to 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  but  doth  daily  break  them  in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 

Having  considered  man's  duty  and  obligation  to  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 
we  are  now  led  to  speak  of  him  as  unable  to  keep  them,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  as 
chargeable  with  the  daily  breach  of  them,  which  is  an  evidence  of  the  imperfection, 
of  the  present  state.  We  endeavoured,  under  a  foregoing  Answer, f  to  prove  that 
the  work  of  sanctification  is  imperfect  in  this  life  ;  so  that  all  the  boasts  of  the 
Pelagians  and  others,  who  defend  the  possibility  of  attaining  perfection  here,  are 
vain  and  unwarrantable.  We  also  considered  the  reasons  why  God  orders  that  it 
should  be  so  ;  and  therefore  we  shall,  without  enlarging  so  much  on  this  subject 
as  otherwise  we  might  have  done,  principally  take  notice  of  what  is  to  be  observed 
in  this  Answer,  under  two  general  Heads. 

The  Nature  and  Limits  of  Mans  Inability. 

We  shall  notice  first  in  what  respects,  and  with  what  limitations,  man  is  said  to 
be  unable  to  keep  the  commandments  of  God.  It  is  said  that  no  man  is  able  per- 
fectly to  keep  them.  By  '  no  man '  here  we  are  to  understand,  as  is  observed  in  the 
Shorter  Catechism, s  no  mere  man  ;  so  that  our  Saviour  is  excepted,  who  yielded 
perfect  obedience  in  our  nature.  But  there  is  another  limitation,  namely,  that  no 
man  is  able  to  keep  the  commandments  since  the  fall ;  denoting  that  man,  in  his 
state  of  innocency,  was  able  perfectly  to  keep  the  commandments  of  God.  For  he 
was  made  upright,  and  had  the  image  of  God,  which  consisted  in  knowledge,  righ- 
teousness, and  holiness,11  stamped  on  his  soul ;  having  the  law  of  God  written  in 
his  heart,  and  power  to  fulfil  it. '  Indeed,  to  suppose  the  contrary,  would  be  a  re- 
flection upon  the  divine  government,  and  would  argue  man  to  have  been  created 
under  a  natural  necessity  of  sinning  and  perishing  ;  to  suppose  which  is  contrary 
to  the  goodness,  holiness,  and  justice  of  God.  Moreover,  it  is  observed  that  no* 
man  is  able,  in  this  life,  perfectly  to  keep  God's  commandments.  An  intimation  is 
thus  made  that  the  glorified  saints  in  heaven  will  be  enabled  to  yield  perfect  obe- 
dience, notwithstanding  the  many  imperfections  they  are  now  liable  to.  Again,  as 
man  is  not  able,  of  himself,  or  without  the  aids  of  divine  grace,  to  obey  God ;  so 
he  is  not  to  expect  such  assistance  from  him  as  shall  enable  him  to  obey  him  per- 
fectly. There  is  no  doubt  that  the  grace  of  God  could  free  us  from  all  the  remains 
of  sin  in  this  world,  as  well  as  in  our  passing  from  it  to  heaven  ;  but  we  have  no 
ground  to  conclude  that  it  will.  For  '  the  whole  creation '  is  liable  to  the  curse,  which 
was  consequent  upon  man's  first  apostasy  from  God  ;  and  under  this  it  'groaneth' 
till  the  present  day.k  Nor  shall  it  be  delivered  from  it,  till  the  scene  of  time  and 
things  shall  be  changed,  and  the  saints  shall  be  fully  possessed  of  what  they  are 

c  Psal.  cxix.  67.  d  1  Pet.  i.  7.  e  Heb.  xiii.  5. 

f  See  Quest.  Ixxviii.  g  See  Quest,  lxxxii.  h  Eccles.  vii.  29;  Gen.  i.  27. 

i  See  Quest,  xvii.  Sect.  'Man  Created  after  the  Image  of  God.'  k  Rom.  viii.  22,  23. 


4'24  man's  inability  to  keep  the  commandments. 

now  waiting  for,  namely,  the  'adoption,  or  the  redemption  of  tlieir  bodies.'  Be- 
sides, God  is  pleased  to  deny  his  people  that  perfection  of  holiness  here  which  they 
shall  attain  to  hereafter,  that  he  may  give  them  daily  occasion  to  exercise  the 
duties  of  self-denial,  mortification  of  sin,  faith  and  repentance,  which  redound  to 
his- own  glory  and  their  spiritual  advantage. 

The  Uniform  and  Constant  Display  of  Mans  Inability. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  that  we  daily  break  the  commandments  of  God,  in 
thought,  word,  and  deed. 

1.  We  do  so  in  thought ;  namely,  when  the  mind  is  conversant  about  sinful  ob- 
jects, in  such  a  way  that  it  contracts  defilement.  It  is  a  sign  that  the  wickedness 
of  man  is  very  great,  when  '  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  is  only 
evil,'  and  that  'continually.'1 — Now,  thoughts  of  men  may  be  said  to  be  sinful 
when  they  choose,  delight  in,  and  are  daily  conversant  about  things  which  are  vain, 
empty  of  what  is  good,  and  have  no  tendency  to  the  glory  of  God,  or  the  spiritual 
advantage  either  of  themselves  or  others.  The  least  vain  {bought  which  contains 
an  excursion  from  our  duty  to  God,  brings  some  degree  of  guilt  with  it.  But 
when  the  mind  is  wholly  taken  up  with  vanity,  so  that  it  is  turned  aside  from  or 
takes  no  delight  in  those  things  which  are  of  the  highest  importance,  it  will  become 
vitiated  and  alienated  from  the  life  of  God. —  Again,  the  thoughts  of  men  may  be 
said  to  be  sinful,  when  they  are  not  fixed,  or  intensely  set,  on  God  and  divine  things, 
when  engaged  in  holy  duties.  This  may  happen  either  when  worldly  cares  or  busi- 
ness, how  lawful  soever  they  may  be  at  other  times,  have  a  tendency  to  divert  our 
thoughts  ;  or  when  our  minds  are  conversant  about  spiritual  things  unseasonably, 
so  as  to  be  diverted  from  our  present  design.  The  latter  case  occurs,  for  example, 
when  we  are  joining  with  others  in  prayer,  and  when — instead  of  bearing  a  part 
with  them  in  the  exercise  of  faith  and  other  graces,  or  of  our  thoughts  being  em- 
ployed about  the  same  object  with  theirs — we  are  meditating  on  some  other  divine 
subject  foreign  to  the  occasion. — Further,  our  thoughts  may  be  said  to  be  sinful, 
when  they  are  conversant  about  spiritual  things  without  suitable  affections,  and, 
consequently,  meditating  on  them  as  common  things,  in  which  we  are  not  much 
concerned  ;  as  when  we  are  destitute  of  those  holy  desires  after  God,  or  delight  in 
him,  when  drawing  nigh  to  him  in  holy  duties,  which  his  law  requires.  This  will 
more  evidently  appear  when,  by  comparing  the  frame  of  our  spirit  in  these  duties 
with  what  we  observe  it  to  be  in  other  instances,  we  find  that  our  affections  are 
easily  raised  when  engaged  in  matters  of  less  importance,  but  stupid  and  uncon- 
cerned about  our  eternal  welfare,  in  holy  duties.  Such  a  state  of  mind  is  accom- 
panied with  hardness  of  heart  and  impenitence,  and  sometimes  with  uneasiness  and 
weariness,  as  though  they  were  a  burden  to  us.  On  the  other  hand,  our  affections 
may  be  raised  in  these  duties,  and  yet  we  be  chargeable  with  a  sinfulness  of  thought 
while  engaging  in  them.  This  happens  when  the  affections  are  raised  by  things  of 
less  importance,  while  other  things  which  are  more  affecting  are  not  regarded.  A 
person,  for  example,  may  meditate  on  Christ's  sufferings,  and  be  very  much 
affected  with  and  enraged  at  the  treachery  of  Judas  who  betrayed  him,  or  the  bar- 
barity of  the  Jews  who  crucified  him  ;  while  he  is  not  in  the  least  affected  with 
the  sin  of  the  world  which  was  the  occasion  of  his  death,  or  with  the  greatness  of 
his  love,  which  moved  him  to  submit  to  it. — Again,  our  affections,  when  raised  in 
holy  duties,  are  sinful,  when  they  are  all  that  we  depend  upon  for  justification  and 
acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  when  we  vainly  suppose  that  our  tears  will 
wash  away  our  sins,  while  we  are  destitute  of  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ ;  or  when 
we  are  concerned  about  the  misery  consequent  on  our  sins,  but  are  not  in  the  least 
inclined  to  hate  them,  nor  grieved  at  the  dishonour  brought  by  them  to  the  name 
of  God. — Let  us  here  consider  the  causes  of  this  state  of  the  affections,  and  the 
remedies  against  it.  If  we  do  not  find  that  our  affections  are  raised  in  religious 
exercises,  as  they  have  been  in  times  past,  we  ought  to  inquire  into  the  reason  ; 
whether  the  evil  be  not  attended  with  some  great  backslidings  from  God,  which 

1  Gen.  vi.  5. 


man's  inability  to  keep  the  commandments.  42£> 

might  first  occasion  it.  Sometimes  it  proceeds  from  a  neglect  of  holy  duties, 
either  public  or  private  ;  at  other  times,  from  presumptuous  sins,  committed, 
or  continued  in,  with  impenitence.  We  often  find,  too,  that  our  being  too  much 
embarrassed  with  the  profits  or  pleasures  of  this  world,  or  immoderately  engaged 
in  our  pursuit  of  them,  stupifies  and  damps  our  affections,  as  to  religious  mat- 
ters, so  that  they  are  seldom  or  never  raised  in  holy  duties.  As  to  the  reme- 
dies against  this  stupid  and  unaffected  frame  of  spirit ;  we  must  not  only  repent  of, 
but  abstain  from,  those  sins  which  have  been  the  occasion  of  it ;  meditate  on  those 
subjects  most  suitable  to  our  case,  which  have  a  tendency  to  inflame  our  love  to 
Christ,  and  desire  after  him,  and  our  zeal  for  his  glory  ;  and  often  confess  and  be- 
wail our  stupidity  and  unbecoming  behaviour  in  holy  duties  ;  earnestly  imploring 
the  powerful  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  bring  us  into,  and  keep  us  in,  a  right 
frame  of  spirit  for  them. 

Again,  we  have  reason  to  charge  ourselves  with  sin,  when  guilty  of  blasphemous 
thoughts  ;  when  we  have,  by  degrees,  brought  on  ourselves  a  disregard  of  God, 
either  by  living  in  the  neglect  of  holy  duties,  or  allowing  ourselves  in  the  practice  of 
known  sins,  when  before  we  were  followed  with  blasphemous  thoughts,  we  found  that 
we  gave  way  to  some  doubts  about  the  divine  perfections,  or,  through  the  ignorance, 
pride,  and  vanity  of  our  minds,  contracted  an  habitual  disregard  to  or  neglect  of  that 
holy  reverence  with  which  we  ought  to  meditate  on  them ;  when  we  can  hear  those 
execrable  oaths  or  curses  by  which  some  profanely  blaspheme  the  name  of  God,  with- 
out expressing  our  resentment  with  the  utmost  abhorrence  and  detestation  ;  or  when 
we  find,  that,  being  followed  with  blasphemous  thoughts,  our  hearts  are  too  prone 
to  give  in  to  them,  as  though  they  were  the  sentiments  of  our  mind,  whereby  we 
do,  as  it  were,  consent  to  them,  instead  of  rejecting  them  with  the  utmost  aversion. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  blasphemous  thoughts  are  not  always  to  be  charged  on  us 
as  a  sin.  Sometimes  they  are  chargeable  on  Satan,  who,  in  regard  to  them,  acts 
according  to  his  character  as  God's  open  enemy,  and  endeavours  to  instil  into  us 
the  same  ideas  which  he  himself  has.  These  thoughts  may  be  charged  on  him, 
when  they  are  hastily  injected  into  our  minds,  not  being  the  result  of  choice  or  de- 
liberation, but  are  a  kind  of  violence  offered  to  our  imagination  ;  and  when  we 
cannot  but  discover  the  greatest  detestation  of  them,  as  well  as  of  that  enemy  of 
souls  from  whom  they  take  their  rise  ;  and  when,  at  the  same  time,  we  are  enabled 
to  exercise  the  contrary  graces,  and  betake  ourselves  to  God  with  faith  and  prayer, 
that  he  would  rebuke  the  devil,  and  preserve  our  consciences  undefiled,  under  this 
sore  temptation,  which  we  cannot  but  reckon  one  of  the  greatest  afflictions  that  be- 
falls us  in  this  world.     Thus  concerning  the  sinfulness  of  our  thoughts. 

2.  We  are  farther  said  daily  to  break  the  commandments  of  God  in  word.  The 
apostle  James  speaks  of  the  tongue  as  'an  unruly  evil,  full  of  deadly  poison. 'm  Evil- 
speaking,  as  was  observed  concerning  the  sinfulness  of  our  thoughts,  is  attended 
with  a  greater  or  a  less  degree  of  guilt,  as  the  vanity  of  the  mind,  and  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  heart,  more  or  less  discover  themselves  in  it.  Our  Saviour  speaks  of  the  ac- 
countableness  of  man  in  the  day  of  judgment  for  '  every  idle  word  ;'n  intimating  that 
there  is  no  sin  so  small  but  what  is  displeasing  to  an  holy  God,  a  violation  of  his 
law,  and  brings  with  it  a  degree  of  guilt,  in  proportion  to  its  nature.  These,  indeed, 
are  the  lowest  instances  of  the  sinfulness  of  words.  There  are  others  of  so  heinous 
a  nature  that  they  can  hardly  be  reckoned  consistent  with  true  godliness,  such  as 
defaming  and  malicious  words,  which  are  sometimes  compared  to  'a  sword,'  or  'ar- 
rows,'0 or  'a  serpent's  tongue,' that  leaves  a  sting  and  poison  behind  it.P  But 
the  sinfulness  of  our  words  extends  itself  yet  farther,  as  they  are  directed  against 
the  blessed  God  ;  when  persons  '  set  their  mouth  against  the  heavens,  and  their 
tongue  walketh  through  the  earth  ;'i  when  they  give  themselves  the  liberty  to  talk 
profanely  about  sacred  things,  and  openly  blaspheme  the  name  and  perfections  of 
God.  This  degree  of  impiety,  indeed,  all  are  not  chargeable  with.  We  may  say, 
however,  that  should  God  mark  the  iniquity  of  our  words,  as  well  as  of  our  thoughts, 
who  could  stand  ? 

3.  We  are  said  to  break  the  commandments  of  God  by  deeds,  that  is,  by  com- 

m  James  iii.  8.  n  Matt.  xii.  36.         o  Psal.  lvii.  4.         p  Psal.  cxl.  3.         q  Psal.  lxxiii.  9. 

II.  3H 


42G  THE  DEGREES  Of  SIN. 

mitting  tlio  c  sin*  which  are  contrived  in  the  heart,  and  uttered  with  our  tongues. 
These  have  been  considered  under  their  respective  heads,  as  violations  respectively  of 
the  ten  commandments,  or  doing  those  things  which  are  forbidden  in  them.  We 
therefore  pass  them  over  in  this  place,  and  proceed  to  speak  concerning  the  aggra- 
vations of  sin. 


THE  DEGREES  OF  SIN. 

Question  CL.  Are  all  transgressions  of  the  law  of  God  equally  heinous  in  themselves  and  in  the 
tight  of  God  f 

Answer.  All  transgressions  of  the  law  of  God  are  not  equally  heinous  :  but  some  sins  in  them- 
selves, and  by  reason  of  several  aggravations,  are  more  heinous  in  the  sight  of  God  than  others. 

Though  all  sins  are  objectively  infinite,  and  equally  opposite  to  the  holiness  of 
God  ;  yet  there  are  some  circumstances  attending  them  of  so  pernicious  a  tendency 
that  they  render  one  sin  more  heinous  than  another  ;  so  that  it  is  not  to  be  thought 
of,  without  the  greatest  horror  and  resentment,  and  it  exposes  the  sinner  to  a  sorer 
condemnation,  if  it  be  not  forgiven.  Such  sins  strike  at  the  very  essentials  of  re- 
ligion, and  tend,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  to  sap  its  foundation  ;  as  when  men  deny 
the  being  and  perfections  of  God,  and  practically  disown  their  obligation  to  yield 
obedience  to  him.  Moreover,  some  sins  against  the  second  table,  which  more 
immediately  respect  our  neighbour,  are  more  heinous  than  others,  in  proportion  to 
the  degree  of  injury  which  they  do  him.  Thus  the  taking  away  of  the  life  of  an- 
other, is  more  injurious,  and  consequently  more  aggravated,  than  merely  the  hating 
of  him ;  which  is,  nevertheless,  a  very  great  crime.  Again,  the  same  sin,  whether 
against  the  commandments  of  the  first  or  of  the  second  table,  may  be  said  to  be 
more  or  less  heinous,  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  obstinacy,  deliberation,  malice 
or  enmity  against  God,  with  which  it  is  committed.  But  these  things  will  more 
evidently  appear  under  the  following  Answer. 


THE  AGGRAVATIONS  OF  SIN. 

Question  CLI.   What  are  those  aggravations  which  make  some  sins  more  heinous  than  others  t 

Aggravations  from  the  Persons  of  ending. 

Answer.  Sins  receive  their  aggravations, 

I.  From  the  persons  offending,  if  they  be  of  riper  age,  greater  experience,  or  grace,  eminent  for  pro- 
fession, gifts,  place,  office  ;  guides  to  others,  and  whose  example  is  likely  to  be  followed  by  others. 

Sins  are  greater  than  otherwise  they  would  be,  when  committed  by  those  whose 
age  and  experience  ought  to  have  taught  them  better.  Thus  Elihu  says,  '  A  mul- 
titude of  years  should  teach  wisdom.'1"  Many  things  would  be  a  reproach  to  per- 
sons of  age  and  experience,  which  are  more  agreeable  to  the  character  of  children, 
than  those  who  are  advanced  in  age.  Again,  if  persons  have  had  large  experience 
of  the  grace  of  God,  and  been  eminent  for  their  profession,  or  gifts  conferred  on 
them,  these  circumstances  will  render  a  sin  committed  by  them  more  aggravated ; 
for  where  much  is  given,  a  proportionate  improvement  is  expected,  and  where  great 
pretensions  are  made  to  religion,  acting  disagreeably  to  it  enhances  guilt  and  ren- 
ders sin  more  heinous.  Agam»  when  a  person  is  in  an  eminent  station  or  office  in 
the  world  or  the  church,  so  that  either  he  is  a  guide  to  others,  or  the  eyes  of  many 
are  upon  him,  who  will  be  apt  to  follow  and  receive  prejudice  by  his  example,  if  he 
commit  a  public  and  open  sin,  it  is  more  aggravated  than  if  it  had  been  committed 

r  Job  xxxii.  7. 


THE  AGGRAVATIONS  OF  SIN.  427 

by  another.  Thu§  God  bids  the  prophet  Ezekiel  'see  what  the  ancients  of  the 
house  of  Israel  do  in  the  dark,  every  man  in  the  chambers  of  his  imagery.'8  And 
the  prophet  Jeremiah  speaks  of  those- who  ought  to  have  been  guides  to  the  people, 
namely,  the  priests  and  the  prophets,*  who  transgressed  against  the  Lord  ;  and 
charges  their  transgression  on  them  as  an  extraordinary  instance  of  wickedness ; 
which  their  character  in  the  world  and  the  church  rendered  more  heinous,  though 
it  was  exceedingly  heinous  in  itself. 

Aggravations  from  the  Parties  offended. 

• 
II.  Sins  receive  their  aggravations,  from  the  parties  offended  ;  if  immediately  against  God,  his 
attributes,  and  worship;  against  Christ, and  his  grace;  the  Holy  Spirit,  his  witness,  and  workings; 
against  superiors,  men  of  eminency,  and  such  as  we  stand  especially  related  and  engaged  unto ; 
against  any  of  the  saints,  particularly  weak  brethren,  the  souls  of  them,  or  any  other,  and  the  com- 
mon good  of  all  or  many. 

1.  Though  there  is  no  sin  but  what  may  be  said  to  be  committed  against  God ; 
yet  some  sins  are  more  immediately  against  him,  as  they  carry  in  them  a  contempt 
of  his  attributes  and  worship  ;  whereby  his  name  and  ordinances  are  profaned,  and 
the  glory  which  is  stamped  on  them  little  esteemed."  Other  sins  reflect  dishonour 
on  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  either  on  his  person,  when  we  conclude  him  to  be,  or 
at  least  to  act,  as  if  he  were  no  other  than  a  mere  creature  ;  or  on  his  offices,  when 
we  refuse  to  receive  instruction  from  him  as  a  prophet,  or  to  depend  on  his  righte- 
ousness as  a  priest  in  order  to  our  justification  and  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God, 
or  to  submit  to  him  as  a  king  who  is  able  to  subdue  us  to  himself,  and  defend  us 
from  the  assaults  of  our  spiritual  enemies,  or  when  we  despise  his  grace  and  ne- 
glect that  salvation  which  he  has  purchased,  and  offers  in  the  gospel.*  Again,  our 
sins  are  aggravated,  when  they  are  committed  against  the  person  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  when  we  deny  him  to  be  a  divine  person,  or  the  author  of  the  work  of  re- 
generation, supposing  that  grace  takes  its  rise  from  ourselves,  rather  than  from 
him ;  or  when  we  do  not  desire  to  be  led  by  the  Spirit,  or  seek  his  divine  influence, 
in  order  to  our  guidance,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  resist  his  holy  motions  and  im- 
pressions, and  act  contrary  to  those  convictions  which  he  is  pleased  to  grant  us,  by 
which  means  we  are  said  to  '  grieve '  and  '  quench  the  Spirit  ;'*  also  when  we  re- 
ject and  set  ourselves  against  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  either  by  concluding  that 
assurance  of  our  interest  in  the  love  of  God  may  be  attained  without  it,  and  reckon 
all  pretences  to  it  no  better  than  enthusiasm,  or  by  supposing  that  the  Spirit  wit- 
nesses with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  without  regard  had  to  the 
work  of  sanctification,  which  always  accompanies,  and  is  an  evidence  of  it,  and  so 
take  that  comfort  to  ourselves  which  does  not  proceed  from  the  Spirit  of  holiness. 

2.  Sins  are  aggravated  as  committed  more  immediately  or  directly  against  men, 
and  particularly  those  to  whom  we  stand  related  in  the  bonds  of  nature,  or  who 
have  laid  us  under  the  greatest  obligations  by  acts  of  friendship  to  us.  This  is  ap- 
plicable to  inferiors,  who  ought  to  pay  a  deference  to  their  superiors.  Those  sins 
which  are  committed  by  such,  contain  the  highest  instance  of  ingratitude,  and  are 
contrary  to  the  laws  or  dictates  of  nature,  and  therefore  proportionately  aggravated. 
Moreover,  if  sins  are  committed  against  the  saints,  they  are  reckoned  by  God  an 
instance  of  contempt  cast  on  himself,  whose  image  the  saints  are  said  to  bear ;  and 
much  more  are  they  reckoned  so  if  committed  against  them  as  saints.2  But  though 
we  do  not  proceed  to  this  degree  of  wickedness,  our  crime  is  said  to  be  greatly 
aggravated,  when  we  lay  a  stumbling-block  before  those  who  are  weak  in  the  faith, 
which  may  tend  to  discourage  them  in  the  ways  of  God  ;  for,  by  acting  thus,  we 
do  what  in  us  lies  to  'destroy  those  for  whom  Christ  died.'a  This  is  an  injury 
done,  not  so  much  to  their  bodies,  as  to  their  souls  ;  which  are  wounded,  and  brought 
into  great  perplexity  thereby.  We  must  distinguish,  however,  between  an  offence 
given,  and  one  unjustly  taken.  It  is  one  thing  for  persons  to  be  offended  at  that 
which  is  our  indispensable  duty, — in  which  case  we  are  not  to  regard  the  senti- 

s  Ezi'k.  viii.  12.  t  Jer.  xxiii.  11,  14.  «  Mai.  i.  3,  4.  x  Heb.  ii.  3. 

y  Ephes.  iv.  7;  1  Thess.  v.  19.  Luke  xvi.  16;  Matt.  xii.  6. 

a  Horn.  x;v.  15:  1  Cor.  viii.  11. 


428  THE  AGGRAVATIONS  OF  SIN. 

ments  of  those  who  attempt  to  discourage  us  from  it,  or  censure  »s  for  the  perform- 
ance of  it ;  and  it  is  another  thing  to  give  offence  in  matters  which  are  in  them- 
selves indifferent,  and  might,  without  any  prejudice,  be  avoided.  In  this  case  a 
compliance  with  the  party  offended  seems  to  be  our  duty  ;  especially  if  the  offence 
takes  its  rise  from  conscience,  rather  than  humour  and  corruption,  and  if  our  not 
complying  with  him  would  tend  very  much  to  discourage  and  weaken  his  hands  in 
the  ways  of  God,  and  therefore  may  be  reckoned  an  aggravation  of  our  sin.  More- 
over, it  is  a  farther  aggravation  of  sin  committed,  when  it  appears  to  be  contrary 
to  the  common  good  of  all  men.  This  guilt  may  be  said  to  be  contracted  when 
there  is  an  endeavour  to  hinder  the  success  or  preaching  of  the  gospel  ;b  or  other- 
wise, when  the  sin  of  one  man  brings  down  the  judgments  of  God  on  a  whole  church 
or  body  of  people.     Of  the  latter  kind  was  Achan's  sin.c 

Aggravations  from  the  Nature  and  Quality  of  the  Offence. 

III.  Sins  are  aggravated  from  the  nature  and  quality  of  the  offence ;  if  it  he  against  the  ex  pre*, 
letter  of  the  law,  break  many  commandments,  contain  in  it  many  sins;  if  not  only  conceived  in  the 
heart,  but  breaks  forth  in  words  and  actions,  scandalize  others,  and  admit  of  no  reparation  ;  if 
against  means,  mercies,  judgments,  light  of  nature,  conviction  of  conscience  ;  public  or  private  ad- 
monition, censures  of  the  church,  civil  punishments,  and  our  own  prayers,  purposes,  promises, 
vows,  covenants,  and  engagements  to  God  or  men;  if  done  deliberately,  wilfully,  presumptuously, 
impudently,  boastingly,  maliciously,  frequently,  obstinately,  with  delight,  continuance,  or  relapsing 
after  repentance. 

Sin  is  aggravated  when  it  is  committed  against  the  express  letter  of  the  law  ;  so 
that  there  remains  no  manner  of  doubt  whether  it  be  a  sin  or  a  duty.  To  venture 
on  the  commission  of  what  plainly  appears  to  us  to  be  unlawful,  is  to  sin  with  great 
boldness  and  presumption,  whereby  the  crime  is  very  much  aggravated. d — Again, 
sin  is  aggravated  when  it  contains  a  breach  of  several  of  the  commandments,  and 
may  be  reckoned  a  complicated  crime.  Of  this  kind  was  the  sin  of  David  in  the 
matter  of  Uriah,  in  which  he  was  guilty  of  murder,  adultery,  dissimulation,  injus- 
tice, (fee.  ;  also  Ahab's  sin  against  Naboth,  which  included  not  only  covetousness, 
but  perjury,  murder,  oppression,  and  injustice. — Sins  are  more  aggravated  when 
they  break  forth  in  words  or  outward  actions,  than  if  they  were  only  conceived  in 
the  heart.  It  is  true,  sin  in  the  heart  has  some  peculiar  aggravations,  as  it  takes 
deeper  root,  becomes  habitual,  and  is  entertained  with  a  secret  delight  and  plea- 
sure, and  as  it  is  the  source  and  fountain  whence  actual  sins  proceed.  Yet  when  that 
which  was  before  conceived  in  the  heart  is  discovered  by  words  or  actions,  its  being 
so  adds  an  aggravation  to  it,  as  it  brings  a  more  public  dishonour  to  God,  and 
often  a  greater  injury  to  men. — Sins  are  farther  aggravated  when  they  are  of  such 
a  nature  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  repair  the  injuries  done  by  them,  or  make 
restitution  for  them.  Thus  nothing  can  compensate  for  our  taking  away  the  life 
of  another  ;  or  for  our  casting  a  reproach  on  the  holy  ways  of  God,  and  thereby ' 
endeavouring  to  bring  his  gospel  into  contempt ;  or  for  our  enticing  others  to  sin, 
by  which  means  we  turn  them  aside  from  God,  and  endeavour  to  ruin  their  souls. 
Each  of  these  is  an  injury  which  we  cannot  by  any  means  repair  ;  so  that  the 
crime  is  exceedingly  aggravated. — Further,  sin  is  aggravated  if  it  be  committed 
contrary  to  the  very  light  of  nature,  such  as  would  be  offensive  even  to  the  hea- 
then.6— Again,  sins  receive  aggravations  when  committed  against  means,  mercies, 
and  judgments  ;  as  when  we  break  through  all  the  fences  which  are  set  to  prevent 
them  ;  when  the  grace  of  God,  revealed  in  the  gospel,  is  not  only  ineffectual  to  pre- 
serve from  sin,  though  designed  for  that  end,1  but  turned  into  lasciviousness  ;S  or 
when  mercies  are  misimproved,  undervalued,  and,  as  it  were,  trampled  on,h  and 
judgments,  whether  threatened  or  inflicted,  are  not  regarded,  or  are  unsuccessful  in 
reclaiming  us. — Sins  are  aggravated  when  they  are  committed  against  the  checks 
and  convictions  of  conscience  ;  which  is  a  judge  and  a  reprover  within  our  own 
breasts.  To  commit  such  sins  is  to  offer  violence  to  ourselves,  and  to  make  many 
bold  advances  towards  judicial  blindness,  hardness  of  heart,  and  a  total  apostasy. — 

b  I  Tbess.  ii.  15.  c  Josh.  vii.  20,  21,  25.  d  Rom.  i.  32.  el  Cor.  v.  1. 

f  Tit.  ii.  11,  12.  g  Jude,  ver.  4.  h  Rom.  ii.  4 ;  Isa.  i.  3;  Deut.  xxxii.  6. 


THE  AGGRAVATIONS  OF  SIN.  429 

Moreover,  sins  are  aggravated  when  they  are  committed  against  public  or  private 
admonitions,  censures  of  the  church  or  civil  punishments,  which  are  God's  ordi- 
nance to  bring  men  to  repentance.  If  these  means  prove  ineffectual  to  answer  tlie 
designed  end,  the  offenders  will  be  left  more  stupid  than  they  were  before. — Sins 
are  farther  aggravated  when  they  are  contrary  to  our  own  prayers,  vows,  covenants, 
and  promises  made,  either  to  God  or  men  ;  when  we  confess  any  sins,  or  pretend 
to  humble  ourselves  for  them  before  God  in  prayer,  and  yet  at  other  times  indulge 
them,  and  are  proud,  self- conceited,  and  exalt  ourselves  against  him  ;  when  we 
pray  for  strength  against  corruption,  or  for  grace  to  perform  holy  duties,  while,  in 
reality,  we  have  no  love  to  these  duties  nor  desire  after  them ;  when  we  praise  him 
for  mercies  received,  while  we  are  habitually  unthankful,  and  forgetful  of  his  bene- 
fits ;  or  when  we  are  very  forward  to  make  vows,  covenants  of  engagements  to  be 
the  Lord's,  whereby  we  often  lay  a  snare  for  ourselves,  from  some  circumstances 
which  attended  this  action,  and  more  especially  from  our  disregarding  it  afterwards. 
— Again,  sins  are  aggravated  from  the  manner  of  our  committing  them.  They  are 
so  if  they  are  done  deliberately,  with  forethought  or  contrivance  ;  as  when  persons  are 
said  to  devise  mischief  upon  their  beds,  and  then,  as  to  their  conduct,  to  set  themselves 
against  that  which  is  good.  A  sin  is  aggravated  if  it  be  done  wilfully,  that  is,  with 
the  full  bent  of  the  will,  making  it  the  matter  of  our  choice,  and  resolving  to  commit 
it  whatever  it  cost  us.  A  sin  is  aggravated  when  we  do  it  presumptuously,  either 
when  we  take  encouragement  to  do  it  from  the  grace  of  God,k  or  when  his  hand  is 
lifted  up  against  us,  or  we  see  his  judgments  falling  very  heavy  upon  others,  and 
are  not  disposed  to  take  warning,  but  grow  more  hardened  and  stupid  than  before. — 
Further,  when  sin  is  committed  maliciously,  impudently,  and  obstinately,  it  argues 
a  rooted  hatred  against  God  ;  or  when  it  is  committed  with  delight,  arising  either 
from  the  thoughts  we  entertain  of  it  before  we  commit  it,  or  the  pleasure  we  after- 
wards take  in  what  we  have  done  ;  or  when  we  boast  of  what  we  have  done,  which 
is  to  glory  in  our  shame,1 — when  we  do,  as  it  were,  value  ourselves  for  having  got 
rid  of  the  prejudices  of  education,  and  all  former  convictions  of  sin,  that  so  we  may 
go  on  in  it  with  less  disturbance  ;  or  when  persons  boast  of  their  over-reaching 
others  in  their  way  of  dealing  in  the  world, m  which  they  very  often  do  in  their  se- 
cret thoughts,  though  they  are  ashamed  to  let  the  world  know  how  remote  they  are 
from  the  practice  of  that  justice  which  ought  to  be  between  man  and  man. — Again, 
sins  are  aggravated  when  they  are  frequently  committed,  or  when  we  relapse  into 
the  same  sin,  after  having  pretended  to  repent  of  it.n 

Aggravations  from  the  Circumstances  of  Time  and  Place. 

IV.  Sins  are  aggravated  from  circumstances  of  time  and  place ;  if  on  the  Lord's-day,  or  other 
times  of  divine  worship,  or  immediately  before,  or  after  these,  or  other  helps,  to  prevent  or  remedy 
such  miscarriages,  if  in  public,  or  in  the  presence  of  others  who  are  thereby  likely  to  be  provoked 
or  defiled. 

When  a  sin  is  committed  by  us  on  the  Lord's-day,  it  is  a  profaning  of  that  time 
which  God  lias  sanctified  for  his  service,  and  so  renders  us  guilty  of  a  double  crime. 
Or  when  sins  are  committed  at  any  other  time  which  we  occasionally  set  apart  for 
divine  worship,  or  in  those  seasons  when  God  calls  for  fasting  and  mourning,  or  at 
other  times  when  we  have  lately  received  signal  deliverances,  either  personal  or 
national,0  they  also  are  particularly  aggravated.  Or  when  they  are  committed  im- 
mediately before  or  immediately  after  we  have  engaged  in  holy  duties,  they  in  the 
former  case  render  us  very  unfit  for  them,  and,  in  the  latter,  effectually  take  away 
all  those  impressions  which  have  been  made  on  our  spirits  while  engaged  in  the 
duties. 

Again,  sins  receive  aggravations  from  the  place  in  which  the^  are  committed. 
If,  for  example,  they  are  committed  in  those  places  in  which  the  name  of  God  is 
more  immediately  called  on,  they  will,  if  visible,  afford  great  matter  of  scandal  to 
some,  and  an  ill  example  to  others,  and,  if  secretly  committed,  will  tend  to  defile 

i  Psal.  xxxvi.  4.  k  Rom.  vi.  1.  1  Psal.  x.  3;  lii.  1.  m  Prov.  xx.  14. 

n  2  Pet,  ii.  20—22 ;  Matt.  xii.  43—45.  o  Psal.  cvi.  7. 


430  THE  DESERT  OF  SIN, 

our  souls,  and  argue  us  guilty  of  groat  hypocrisy.  Moreover,  when  we  commit 
those  sins  which  are  generally  abhorred  in  the  places  wheroxprovidcneo  has  ca.*t 
our  lot,  we  render  ourselves  a  stain  and  dishonour  to  those  with  whom  we  converse. 
Thus  the  prophet  speaks  of  some  who,  '  in  the  land  of  uprightness,'  will  '  deal  un- 
justly. 'p  In  particular,  when  we  commit  sins  in  the  presence  of  persons  who  are 
likely  to  he  provoked  or  defiled  by  them,  we  contract  the  guilt  of  other  men's  sins, 
as  well  as  our  own  ;  and  are  doubly  guilty,  in  being  the  cause,  in  many  respects,  of 
their  transgressing. 

There  are  several  instances  in  which  we  may  be  said  to  contract  the  guilt  of 
other  men's  sins.  These  I  shall  only  mention  briefly.  When  superiors  lay  their 
commands  on  inferiors,  or  oblige  them,  to  do  that  which  is  in  itself  sinful ;  or,  when 
we  advise  those  who  stand  upon  a  level  with  us,  to  commit  sin,  or  give  our  consent 
to  the  commission  of  it.*3 — Again,  when  inferiors  flatter  superiors,  or  commend  them 
for  their  sin.  Thus,  when  Herod  had  courted  the  applause  of  the  people,  by  the 
oration  which  he  made  to  them,  they,  on  the  other  hand,  flattered  him  when  they 
•gave  a  shout,  saying,  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man.'r — Again,  when  we 
have  recourse  to  those  places  where  sin  is  usually  committed,  and  desire  to  asso- 
ciate ourselves  with  those  whose  conversation  is  a  reproach  to  religion  ;s  or  when 
we  are  sharers  or  partakers  with  others  in  their  unlawful  gains,  first  encouraging, 
abetting,  and  helping  them,  and  then  dividing  the  spoil  with  them.* — Again,  when 
we  connive  at  sin  committed,  or,  if  it  be  in  our  power,  do  not  restrain  or  hinder 
the  commission  of  it ;  or  when  we  conceal  it,  when  the  farther  progress  of  it  might 
be  prevented  by  our  divulging  it. — Again,  when  we  provoke  persons  to  sin,  and  so 
draw  forth  their  corruptions ;  or  when  we  extenuate  sin,  whether  committed  by 
ourselves  or  others,  and  so,  in  a  degree,  vindicate  it,  or  plead  for  it ;  or  lastly, 
when  we  do  not  mourn  for  or  pray  against  those  sins  which  are  publicly  committed 
in  the  world,  and  which  are  like  to  bring  down  national  judgments" 


THE  DESERT  OF  SIN,  AND  THE  WAY  OF  ESCAPE  FROM  IT. 

Question  CLII.   What  doth  every  sin  deserve  at  the  hands  of  God  f 

Answer.  Every  sin,  even  the  least,  being  against  the  sovereignty,  goodness,  and  holiness  of 
God,  and  against  his  righteous  law,  deserve  th  his  wrath  and  curst-,  both  in  this  life,  and  that  which 
is  to  come,  and  cannot  be  expiated,  but  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Question  CLIII.  What  doth  God  require  of  us  that  we  may  escape  his  wrath  and  curse  due  to  us 
by  reason  of  the  transgression  of  the  law  ? 

Answer.  That  we  may  escape  the  \>  rath  and  curse  of  God  due  to  us  by  reason  of  the  transgres- 
sion of  the  law,  be  requireth  of  us  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  diligent  use  of  the  outward  means  whereby  Christ  communicates  to  us  the  benefits  of  his 
mediation. 

The  Desert  of  Sin. 

In  the  former  of  these  Answers,  we  have  an  account  of  the  demerit  of  sin  ;  in  the 
latter,  we  have  the  character  and  disposition  of  those  who  have  ground  to  conclude 
that  they  shall  be  delivered  from  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God  due  to  it.  We  have 
already  considered  some  sins  as  greater  than  others,  by  reason  of  several  circum- 
stances which  tend  to  enhance  the  guilt  of  those  who  commit  them.  Yet  there  is 
no  sin  so  small  but  it  has  this  aggravation,  that  it  is  a  violation  of  the  law  of  God, 

p  Isa.  xxvi.  10.  q  Acts  vii.  58 ;  Chap.  vii.  1.  r  Chap.  xii.  22. 

s  Prov.  xiii.  20.  t  Chap.  i.  23—25. 

it  These  several  Heads,  concerning  the  aggravations  of  sin,  are  contained  in  three  or  four  lines, 
which  are  helpful  to  our  memories.  Most  of  the  Heads  of  this  Answer,  are  contained  in  that  verse, 
Quis?  Quid?  Ubi?  Quibus  auxiliis?  Cur?  Quomodo?  Quando?  And  those  that  relate  to  our 
contracting  the  guilt  of  other  men's  sins,  in  the  following  lints  ;  Jussu,  Consilio,  Consensu,  Palpo, 
Itecursu,  Participans,  Nutans,  Non  obstans,  Non  manifestans,  lncessans,  Minucns,  Non  maerens, 
Solicitansve. 


AND  THE    WAY  OF  ESCAPE  FKOM  IT.  431 

and  is  opposite  to  his  holiness.*  Hence,  it  cannot  but  render  the  sinner  guilty  in  his 
sight ;  and  guilt  is  that  whereby  a  person  is  liable  to  suffer  punishment  in  proportion  to 
the  offence  committed.  It  follows,  then,  that  there  is  no  ground  for  the  distinction 
which  the  Papists  make  between  mortal  and  venial  sins.  The  former,  they  sup- 
pose, deserve  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God  both  in  this  and  in  another  world  ;  but  as 
to  the  latter,  namely,  venial  sins,  they  conclude  that  they  may  be  atoned  for  by 
human  satisfactions  or  penances,  and  that  they  are,  in  their  own  nature,  so  small 
that  they  do  not  deserve  eternal  punishment.  This  is  an  opinion  highly  deroga- 
tory to  the  glory  of  God,  and  opens  a  door  to  licentiousness,  in  a  variety  of  in- 
stances ;  and  the  contrary  to  it  is  contained  in  the  Answer  we  are  now  explaining. 

Now,  let  it  be  considered  that  ic  is  one  thing  for  a  sin  to  deserve  the  wrath  and 
curse  of  God,  and  another  thing  for  the  sinner  to  be  liable  and  exposed  to  it.  The 
former  arises  from  the  heinous  nature  of  sin,  and  is  inseparable  from  it ;  the  latter  is 
inconsistent  with  a  justified  state.  Nothing  can  take  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  but  the 
atonement  made  by  Christ,  and  that  forgiveness  or  freedom  from  condemnation 
which  God  is  pleased  to  bestow  as  the  consequence  of  the  atonement.1  It  is  this 
which  discharges  a  believer  from  a  liability  to  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God. 
Though,  as  was  observed  under  the  last  Answer,  one  sin  is  greater  than  another, 
by  reason  of  various  circumstances  which  attend  it  or  are  contained  in  it ;  yet  the 
least  sin  must  be  concluded  to  be  objectively  infinite,  as  it  is  committed  against  a 
God  of  infinite  perfection,  and  as  all  offences  are  great  in  proportion  to  the  dignity 
of  the  person  against  whom  they  are  committed.  Thus  the  sin  which  is  committed 
against  an  inferior  or  an  equal,  and  deserves  a  less  degree  of  punishment,  if  it  be 
committed  against  a  king,  may  be  so  circumstanced  that  it  will  be  deemed  a  capi* 
tal  offence,  and  render  the  criminal  guilty  of  high  treason  ;  though  at  the  same 
time,  no  real  injury  is  done  to  him,  but  only  attempted  against  him.  In  like  man- 
ner, we  must  conclude  that,  though  it  is  out  of  our  power  to  injure  or  detract  from 
the  essential  glory  of  the  great  God,  yet  every  offence  committed  against  him  is 
great  in  proportion  to  his  infinite  excellency,  and  is  therefore  said  to  deserve  his 
wrath  and  curse.  Wrath  or  anger,  when  affirmed  of  God,  is  not  to  be  considered 
as  a  passion  in  him,  as  it  is  in  men  ;  but  it  denotes  his  will  to  punish  sin  committed, 
which  takes  its  rise  from  the  holiness  of  his  nature,  which  is  infinitely  opposite  to 
sin.  Now  the  degree  of  punishment  which  he  designs  to  inflict  is  stated  in  his 
law  ;  and  as  that  law  denounces  threatenings  against  those  who  violate  it,  the  sin- 
ner is  said  to  be  exposed  to  its  curse  or  condemning  sentence,  agreeably  to  the 
rules  of  justice,  and  the  nature  of  the  offence.  This  is  what  we  are  to  understand, 
in  this  Answer,  by  sin  deserving  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God. 

The  wrath  and  curse  of  God  are  farther  considered  as  what  extend  to  this  life 
and  that  which  is  to  come.  Punishments  inflicted  in  this  life  are  but  the  begin- 
ning of  miseries.  Yet  they  are  sometimes  inexpressibly  great ;  as  the  psalmist 
says,  '  Who  knoweth  the  power  of  thine  anger?  even  according  to  thy  fear,  so  is 
thy  wrath. 'y  Som  '-nes  there  is  but  a  very  short  interval  between  the  sin  and 
the  punishment ;  as  ,  he  case  of  Nadab  and  Abihu,  Korah  and  his  company, 
Achan,  and  many  others.  At  other  times,  however,  it  is  long  deferred  ;  though  it 
will  fall  with  great  weight,  at  last,  on  the  offender.  Thus  God  sometimes  punishes 
the  sins  of  youth  in  old  age  ;  and  when  a  greater  degree  of  guilt  has  been  con- 
tracted, writes  bitter  things  against  them.2  But  the  greatest  degree  of  punishment 
is  reserved  for  sinners  in  another  world  ;  and  is  styled  « the  wrath  to  come.'a  As 
these  things,  however,  have  been  insisted  on  in  some  foregoing  Answers,b  we  shall 
say  no  more  respecting  them  in  this  place. 

The  Way  of  Escape  from  the  Desert  of  Sin. 

We  proceed  now  to  notice  what  is  farther  observed,  that  this  punishment  cannot 
be  expiated  any  otherwise  than  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  This  remark  is  fitly  in- 
serted after  the  account  we  have  had  of  man's  liability  to  the  wrath  of  God  by 

x  Rom.  viii.  1,  33.  y  Psal.  xc.  11.  z  Job  xiii.  26.  a  1  These.  L  10. 

b  See  Quest,  xxviii,  xxix,  and  Quest,  lxxxix. 


432  THE  DESERT  OF  SIN, 

reason  of  sin  ;  for  when  we  have  an  afflicting  sense  of  the  guilt  we  have  exposed 
ourselves  to,  nothing  else  will  afford  us  relief.     What  we  have  to  consider,  then,  h» 
how  our  guilt  may  be  removed,  or  by  what  means  the  justice  of  God  may  be  satis- 
fied, and  an  atonement  made  for  sin.     This  is  said  to  be  done  no  other  way  but  by 
the  blood  of  Christ,  as  was  considered  under  a  foregoing  Answer  ;  when  we  endea- 
voured to  prove  the  necessity  of  Christ's  making  satisfaction,  and  the  price  which 
he  paid  in  order  to  his  making  it.c    We  also  considered  the  fruits  and  effects  of  his 
satisfaction,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  remove  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  procure  for  us  a 
right  to  eternal  life.d     We  shall  therefore  pass  over  the  consideration  of  the  sub- 
ject in  this  place ;  only  we  may  observe,  that,  while  our  deliverance  from  guilt  and 
punishment  can  be  brought  about  by  no  other  means  than  Christ's  satisfaction,  it  is 
not  inconsistent  with  what  is  contained  in  the  following  words,  if  rightly  understood 
by  us,  to  assert  that  God  requires  of  us  repentance,  faith,  and  a  diligent  attendance 
on  the  outward  means  of  grace ;  though  we  must  not  conclude  them  to  be  the  pro 
curing  cause  of  our  justification,  or  a  means  to  expiate  sin.     Those  are  certainly 
very  much  unacquainted  with  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  as  well  as  with  the 
great  defects  of  their  repentance  and  faith,  who  suppose  that  God  is  induced  by 
our  repenting  and  believing  to  pardon  our  sins,  or  deliver  us  from  the  wrath  we 
have  deserved.     Yet  we  are  not  to  think  that  impenitent  unbelieving  sinners  have 
a  right  to  determine  that  they  are  in  a  justified  state,  or  have  ground  to  claim  an 
interest  in  the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption.    The  graces  of  faith  and  repentance 
are  necessary  to  evince  our  interest  in  what  he  has  done  and  suffered  for  us,  and 
are  inseparably  connected  with  salvation  ;  though  they  do  not  give  us  a  right  and 
title  to  eternal  life,  as  Christ's  righteousness  does.     Under  two  foregoing  Answers, 
we  gave  a  particular  account  of  repentance  and  faith.    Concerning  repentance,  we 
observed  that  it  is  a  special  saving  grace,  wrought  in  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and 
we  showed  in  what  way  he  works  it,  and  what  the  difference  is  between  legal  and 
evangelical  repentance,  as  the  former  is  often  found  in  those  who  are  destitute  of 
the  latter.     We  also  considered  the  various  acts  of  repentance  unto  life  ;e  what 
the  objects  and  acts  of  saving  faith  are  ;  how  it  differs  from  that  which  is  not  so  ; 
the  use  of  it  in  the  whole  conduct  of  our  lives  ;  and  how  it  gives  life  and  vigour  to 
all  other  graces,  and  enables  us  to  perform  duties  in  a  right  manner/    We  shall 
not,  therefore,  insist  on  this  subject  at  present ;  but  only  speak  of  repentance  and 
faith  as  means  appointed  by  God,  in  order  to  our  attaining  complete  salvation. 

The  means  conducive  to  salvation  are  either  internal  or  external.  The  former 
are  inseparably  connected  with  salvation  ;  so  that  none  who  repent  and  believe 
shall  perish.s  The  graces  of  faith  and  repentance,  together  with  all  others  which 
accompany  or  flow  from  them,  are  the  fruits  and  effects  of  Christ's  mediation ;  and 
hence  are  sometimes  called  saving  graces.  As  they  are  wrought  in  the  hearts  of 
believers,  and  have  a  reference  to  salvation,  they  may  be  truly  styled  internal 
means  of  salvation  ;  and,  as  such,  they  are  distinguished  from  those  outward  and 
ordinary  means  of  grace  by  which  God  is  pleased  to  work  them.  The  latter  are 
the  ordinances  ;  which  we  are  diligently  to  attend  on,  in  hopes  of  obtaining  these 
graces  under  them,  till  God  is  pleased  to  give  success  to  our  endeavours,  and  work 
grace  in  our  use  of  them  ;  and  the  efficacy  of  them  is  wholly  owing  to  his  power 
and  is  to  be  resolved  into  his  sovereign  will.  This  may  be  fitly  illustrated  by 
what  is  said  concerning  the  poor  impotent,  blind,  halt,  and  withered  persons, 
waiting  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  for  the  angel's  troubling  the  water  ;  after  which, 
he  who  first  stepped  in,  was  made  whole.h  We  do  not  find  that  every  one  who 
waited  there  embraced  the  first  opportunity,  and  received  a  cure  ;  for  some  were 
obliged  to  wait  many  years,  and  if  they  were  made  whole  at  last,  they  had  no  rea- 
son to  think  their  labour  lost.  This  may  be  applied  to  those  who  have  the  means 
of  grace.  Many  sit  under  them  who  receive  no  saving  advantage,  till  God  is 
pleased,  in  his  accepted  time,  to  work  those  graces  which  render  the  ordinances 
effectual  to  salvation.  The  blessed  success  attending  them  is  from  God.  He 
could,  indeed,  save  his  people  without  them,  as  he  converted  Paul,  when  going  to 

c  See  Quest,  xliv.  d   See  Quest,  lxx,  lxxi,  and  what  was  said  under  those  Answers  to 

explain  the  doctrine  of  justification.  e  See  Quest,  lxxvi. 

I  See  Quest,  lxxii,  lxxiii.  g  John  iii.  16.  h  John  v.  2 — 4. 


AND  THE  WAY  OF  ESCAPE  FROM  IT.  433 

Damascus,  with  a  design  to  persecute  the  church  there,  and  when  not  only  unac- 
quainted with  the  means  of  grace,  but  prejudiced  against  them.  But  this  is  not, 
God's  ordinary  method.  He  has  put  an  honour  on  his  own  institutions,  so  as  to 
render  it  necessary  for  us  to  pray,  wait,  and  hope  for  saving  blessings,  in  attending 
on  them.  Thus,  when  he  promises  to  'put  his  Spirit'  within  his  people,  and  'cause 
them  to  walk  in  his  statutes,'  he  adds,  '  Yet  for  this  will  I  be  inquired  of  by  the 
house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them.'1  Accordingly,  we  are  commanded  to  '  seek  the 
Lord  whilst  he  may  be  found,  and  to  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near.'k  By  our 
attendance  on  his  ordinances,  we  testify  our  approbation  of  that  method  which  he 
has  ordained  for  the  application  of  redemption  ;  and  by  our  perseverance  in  it, 
determining  not  to  leave  off  waiting  till  we  have  obtained  the  blessing  expected, 
we  proclaim  the  valuableness  of  that  method,  and  subscribe  to  the  sovereignty  of 
God  in  dispensing  those  blessings  to  his  people  which  they  stand  in  need  of,  as  well 
as  pray  and  hope  for  them  in  his  own  time  and  way.  Thus  we  are  to  wait  on  the 
means  of  grace. 

It  is  farther  observed,  that  we  are  to  wait  on  the  means  of  grace  with  diligence, 
and  not  in  a  careless  and  indifferent  manner,  as  though  we  neither  expected  nor 
desired  much  advantage  from  them.  This  implies  an  embracing  of  every  oppor- 
tunity, and  an  observing  of  those  special  seasons  in  which  God  is  pleased,  in  his 
gospel,  to  hold  forth  the  golden  sceptre  of  grace  ;  as  also  our  having  earnest  de- 
sires and  raised  expectations  of  obtaining  that  grace  from  him  which  he  encourages 
us  to  wait  and  hope  for.  We  are  thus  led  to  speak  particularly  concerning  these 
outward  means,  as  stated  in  the  following  Answer 


THE  ORDINANCES. 

Question  CLIV.  What  are  the  outward  means  whereby  Christ  communicates  to  us  the  benefits  of 
his  mediation  f 

Answer.  The  outward  and  ordinary  means  whereby  Christ  communicates  to  his  church  the 
benefits  of  his  mediation,  are  all  his  ordinances;  especially  the  word,  sacrament?,  and  prayer;  all 
which  are  made  effectual  to  the  elect  for  their  salvation. 

The  Import  of  the  Ordinances. 

In  explaining  this  Answer,  we  shall  first  consider  what  we  are  to  understand  bj 
the  ordinances  ;  which  are  here  styled  outward  and  ordinary  means  of  grace. 
The  first  idea  contained  in  them,  is  that  they  are  religious  duties,  prescribed  by 
God,  as  an  instituted  method  in  which  he  will  be  worshipped  by  his  creatures.  But 
what  more  especially  denominates  them  ordinances,  is  the  promise  which  he  has 
annexed  to  them  of  his  special  presence,  and  the  encouragement  which  he  has 
given  to  his  people  in  attending  on  them,  to  hope  for  those  blessings  which  accom- 
pany salvation.  As  God  works  grace  by  and  under  them,  they  are  called  means 
of  grace  ;  as  he  seldom  works  grace  without  first  inclining  persons  to  attend  on 
him  in  them,  and  wait  for  his  salvation,  they  are  called  the  ordinary  means  of 
grace  ;  and  as  they  have  not  in  themselves  a  tendency  to  work  grace,  without  the 
inward  and  powerful  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  accompanying  them,  they  are 
distinguished  from  it,  and  accordingly  styled  the  outward  means  of  grace. 

1.  Now,  the  ordinances,  as  thus  described,  must  be  engaged  in  according  to  a 
divine  appointment.  No  creature  has  a  warrant  to  enjoin  any  modes  of  worship, 
pretending  that  these  will  be  acceptable  or  well-pleasing  to  God  ;  since  God  alone, 
who  is  the  object  of  worship,  has  a  right  to  prescribe  the  way  in  which  he  will  be 
worshipped.  For  a  creature  to  institute  modes  of  worship  would  be  an  instance  of 
profaneness  and  bold  presumption  ;  and  the  worship  performed  would  be  'in  vain;' 
as  our  Saviour  says  concerning  that  which  has  no  higher  sanction  than  '  the  com- 
mandments of  men.'1     Whatever  pretence  of  religion  there  may  be,  God  looks 

i  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27,  37.  k  Isa.  Iv.  6.  1  Matt.  xv.  9. 

n.  3 1 


434  THE  ORDINANCES. 

upon  such  worshippers  as  well  as  those  whose  prescriptions  they  follow,  with  the 
utmost  contempt,  and  will  punish  rather  than  encourage  them.  Thus  the  prophet 
reproves  Israel  for  being  guilty  of  defection  from  God,  in  engaging  in  that  woi>h  p 
which  he  had  not  ordained,  when  he  says,  '  The  statutes  of  Omri  are  kept,  and  all 
the  works  of  the  house  of  Ahab  ;  and  ye  walk  in  their  counsels  that  I  should  make 
thee  a  desolation,  and  the  inhabitants  thereof  an  hissing.  Therefore  shall  ye  bear 
the  reproach  of  my  people. 'm  And  Jeroboam  is  often  branded  with  having  '  made 
Israel  to  sin,'  for  instituting  ordinances  of  divine  worship,  and  'setting  up  calves  in 
Dan  and  Bethel,  making  an  house  of  high  places,  and  priests  of  the  lowest  of  the 
people,'  and  appointing  sacred  times  in  whic*h  they  should  perform  this  worship ;  all 
which  were  of  his  own  devising,  and  became  a  snare  to  the  people.11  It  is  certain 
that  such  appointments  cannot  be  reckoned  means  of  grace,  or  pledges  of  God's  pre- 
sence ;  and  it  would  redound  to  his  dishonour,  should  he  be  obliged  to  communi- 
cate the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption  by  means  of  them,  to  any  who,  under  a 
pretence  of  worshipping  him  in  a  way  of  their  own  devising,  offer  the  highest  affront 
to  him. 

2.  If  God  is  pleased  to  reveal  his  will  concerning  the  way  in  which  we  are  to 
worship  him  and  to  hope  for  his  presence,  it  is  our  indispensable  duty  to  comply 
with  it,  to  implore  his  acceptance  of  us  in  it,  and  to  be  importunate  with  him  that 
he  would  put  a  glory  on  bis  own  institutions,  and  grant  us  his  special  presence  and 
grace,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  perform  whatever  duty  he  enjoins,  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  most  valuable  ends  may  be  answered,  and  our  spiritual  edification 
and  salvation  promoted. 

3.  Though  we  consider  the  ordinances  as  instituted  means  of  grace,  yet  a  mere 
attendance  on  them  will  not  of  itself  confer  grace.  This  is  very  evident  from  the 
declining  state  of  religion,  in  those  who  engage  in  the  external  part  of  it,  and  at- 
tend upon  all  the  ordinances  of  God's  appointment,  and  yet  remain  destitute  of 
saving  grace  ;  who  are  stupid  under  the  awakening  calls  of  the  gospel,  and  regard 
not  its  invitations  to  adhere  steadfastly  to  Jesus  Christ,  whom  in  words  they  profess 
to  own,  though  in  works  they  deny  him.  The  case  of  these  persons  is  a  convincing 
evidence,  that  it  is  God  alone,  who,  having  appointed  these  ordinances,  can  make 
them  effectual  to  salvation.  Thus  concerning  the  nature  of  an  ordinance,  and  in 
what  respects  it  may  be  called  an  outward  and  ordinary  means  of  grace. 

Classification  of  the  Ordinances. 

We  are  now  to  consider  what  are  those  ordinances  by  which  Christ  communi- 
cates the  benefits  of  his  mediation. 

1.  They  are  such  as  are  engaged  in  by  particular  persons,  in  subserviency  to 
their  spiritual  welfare,  in  order  to  the  beginning  or  carrying  on  of  the  work  of  grace 
in  their  souls ;  such  as  meditation  about  divine  subjects,  self-examination,  and  all 
other  duties  which  are  performed  by  them  in  their  private  retirement,  in  hope  of 
having  communion  with  God. 

2.  There  are  other  ordinances  which  God  has  given  to  worshipping  assemblies, 
which  are  founded  on  that  general  promise,  '  In  all  places  where  1  record  my  name, 
I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless  thee.'°  Those  mentioned  in  this  Answer, 
are  the  word,  sacraments,  and  prayer.  Of  these  the  sacraments  are  particularly 
given  to  the  churches  ;  the  word  and  prayer,  to  all  who  are  favoured  with  the 
gospel-dispensation.  To  these  we  may  add,  singing  the  praises  of  God ;  which, 
though  it  is  not  particularly  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  is  a  duty  in  which  we  may 
expect  to  meet  with  his  presence  and  blessing ;  and,  accordingly,  is  an  ordinance 
which  God  makes  effectual  to  promote  our  salvation. 

The  Ordinance  of  Praise. 
Before  we  enter  on  the  consideration  of  the  following  Answers,  we  shall  s;.j 

m  Micah  vi.  16.  n  1  Kings  xii.  30,  31.  o  Exod.  xx.  24. 


THE  ORDINANCES.  4JJ5 

something  concerning  this  duty,  of  singing  the  praises  of  Go<l,  as  an  ordinance 
which  he  has  instituted  ;  together  with  the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be  performed. 

1.  We  may  inquire  what  ground  we  have  to  reckon  it  among  the  ordinances  of 
God.  That  it  is  a  divine  ordinance  must  not  be  taken  for  granted,  but  proved  ;  be- 
cause there  are  many  who  deny  it  to  be  so.  That  it  was  an  ordinance  enjoined 
to  and  practised  by  the  church  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  appears 
from  the  many  songs  and  psalms  given,  by  divine  inspiration,  to  be  used  by  them 
in  their  solemn  acts  of  worship.  Not  only  were  some  of  these  sung  by  particular 
persons,  but  the  whole  church  is  represented  as  joining  in  them  with  united  voices. 
Thus  when  Pharaoh's  host- was  drowned  in  the  Red  sea,  it  is  said,  '  Moses  and  the 
children  of  Israel  sang '  the  song  which  was  given  by  divine  inspiration  for  that 
purpose.?  And  when  Moses  was  inspired  with  the  song  recorded  in  Deut.  xxxii., 
he  was  commanded  to  '  write  it  for  them,  and  teach  it  to  them,  and  put  it  in  their 
mouths, 'i  that  they  might  sing  it  in  their  public  worship ;  which  he  accordingly  did.1" 
And  from  the  days  of  David,  when  public  worship  was  more  settled  than  it  had 
been  before,  and  many  things  relating  to  the  order,  beauty,  and  harmony  of  it, 
brought  into  the  church  by  divine  direction,  there  was  an  order  of  men  called 
singers  who  were  to  preside  over  and  set  forward  this  work.  There  was  also  a 
book  of  psalms  given  by  divine  inspiration  for  the  use  of  the  church,  that  they 
might  not  be  at  a  loss  as  to  the  matter  of  praise  in  this  ordinance.  That  the 
psalms  were  given  them  to  be  publicly  sung  may  be  inferred  from  the  style  of  them, 
the  words  being  often  put  in  the  plural  number ;  which  argues  that  they  were  to 
be  sung,  not  by  one  person  in  the  church,  but  by  the  whole  congregation  in  their 
solemn  and  public  acts  of  worship.  Accordingly,  we  often  find  the  whole  multitude 
exhorted  to  sing  the  praises  of  God.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  0 
ye  saints  of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  holiness  ;'s  and 
'  Sing  aloud  unto  God  our  strength  ;  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  God  of  Jacob. 
Take  a  psalm,  &c.  for  this  was  a  statute  for  Israel,  and  a  law  of  the  God  of  Jacob.'1 
Sometimes  also  the  church  are  represented  as  exciting  one  another  to  this  duty. 
Thus  it  is  said,  '  0  come,  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord ;  let  us  make  a  joyful  noise 
to  the  Rock  of  our  salvation.  Let  us  come  before  his  presence  with  thanksgiving, 
and  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  him  with  psalms.'u  It  may  be  observed,  too,  that 
how  much  soever  the  use  of  musical  instruments  in  this  worship  may  be  concluded 
to  have  been  particularly  adapted  to  that  dispensation,  as  it  was  typical  of  that 
spiritual  joy  which  the  gospel  church  should  obtain  by  Christ ;  jet  the  ordinance 
of  singing  remains  a  duty,  as  founded  on  the  moral  law.  Accordingly,  we  find  that 
the  practice  of  it  was  recommended,  not  only  to  the  Jews,  but  to  all  nations.  Thus 
it  is  said,  '  Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  Lord  all  the  earth. 'x  The  psalmist  speaks 
to  the  same  purpose,  when  he  presses  this  duty  upon  '  all  lands,'  whom  he  exhorts 
to  'serve  God  with  gladness;  and  to  come  before  the  Lord  with  singing. '*  Besides, 
it  seems  to  be  preferred  before  some  other  parts  of  worship,  which  were  merely 
ceremonial.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  will  praise  the  name  of  God  with  a  song. 
This  also  shall  please  the  Lord  better  than  an  ox  or  bullock  ;'z  that  is,  God  is 
more  glorified  hereby  than  he  is  by  the  external  rites  of  ceremonial  worship,  espe- 
cially when  abstracted  from  those  acts  of  faith  which  add  an  excellency  and  glory 
to  them. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  singing  of  praises  to  God  as  an  ordinance  prac- 
tised by  the  New  Testament  church.  Some  had  songs  given  to  them  by  inspira- 
tion ;  as  the  Virgin  Mary,  Zacharias,  and  Simeon. a  Sometimes  also  the  mem- 
bers of  particular  churches  had  a  psalm  given  in  by  extraordinary  revelation  ;b  and 
we  can  hardly  suppose  this  to  have  been  without  a  design  that  it  should  be  sung  in 
the  church  for  their  edification,- — especially  considering  it  as  an  extraordinary  dis- 
pensation of  the  Spirit.  And,  as  the  singing  of  a  psalm  in  the  church  is  an  act  of 
public  worship,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  whole  assembly  joined  in  it ;  so 
that  this  ordinance  was  not  only  practised  by  them,  but  had  also  a  divine  sanction, 

p  Contained  in  Exod.  xv.  q  Deut.  xxxi.  r  Verse  22. 

■  Psal.  xxx.  4.  t  Psal.  lxxxi.  1,  2,  3,  4.  u  Psal.  xcv.  1,  2. 

x  Psal.  xcviii.  4.  y  Psal.  c.  1,  2.  t  Psal.  lxix.  30.  31. 

a  Luke  i.  46,  47,  et  seq :  Chap.  ii.  28,  et  seq.  b  1  Cor.  xiv.  26. 


436  THE  ORDINANCES. 

in  the  Spirit  being  the  author  of  the  psalm  which  was  sung.  Moreover,  we  some- 
times read  of  the  church  singing  an  hymn,  which  was  no  other  than  a  psalm  or 
spiritual  song,  at  the  Lord's  supper.  Thus  our  Saviour,  at  the  close  of  that  ordi- 
nance, sung  an  hymn  with  his  disciples, — that  small  church  with  whom  he  then 
communicated. c  At  another  time,  when  he  was  'come  nigh  to  the  descent  of  the 
mount  of  Olives,'  it  is  said  that  '  the  whole  multitude  of  the  disciples  began  to  re- 
joice, and  to  praise  God  with  a  loud  voice. 'd  Here,  by  '  the  multitude  of  the  dis- 
ciples,' we  must  understand  all  who  followed  him,  and  had  a  conviction  in  their 
consciences  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  from  the  miracles  which  they  had  seen  him 
work.  And  we  have  an  account  of  the  short  hymn  which  they  sang :  '  Blessed  he 
the  King  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in  the 
highest.'6  This  was  not,  indeed,  sung  in  a  church-assembly  ;  yet  it  was  sung  with 
'  a  loud  voice,'  and  in  singing  it  they  gave  glory  to  God.  And  though  some  of  the 
Pharisees  were  offended  at  it,f  yet  our  Saviour,  in  the  following  words,  vindicates 
their  practice  :  and  his  doing  so  argues  that  it  was  a  branch  of  religious  worship 
performed  by  them  at  that  time,  and  a  duty  approved  of  by  him.  All  that  I  would 
infer  is,  that  as  our  Saviour  gave  countenance  to  the  singing  of  the  praises  of  God 
with  united  voices,  it  follows  that  we  ought,  on  all  occasions,  to  do  the  same  thing, 
and  consequently,  that  singing  is  an  ordinance  whereby  the  church  ought  to  glorify 
God,  and  show  forth  his  praise.  Thus  we  have  considered  singing  to  be  an  ordi- 
nance, or  a  branch  of  instituted  worship. 

2.  There  are  several  things  in  which  this  ordinance  agrees  with  some  others; 
particularly  with  prayer  in  all  the  parts  of  it,  and  with  the  reading  and  preaching 
of  the  word.  That  it  has  something  in  common  with  prayer,  appears  from  the  sub- 
ject of  several  of  the  psalms  of  David.  Some  of  these  are  called  prayers  ;  and  ac- 
cordingly contain  several  petitions  for  blessings  that  the  church  stood  in  need  of, 
together  with  various  confessions  of  sin,  as  well  as  thanksgiving  for  mercies  received. 
As  to  the  agreement  of  this  ordinance  with  the  preaching  or  reading  of  the  word, 
that,  I  think^may  be  inferred  in  general  from  one  of  the  ends  of  it  mentioned  by 
the  apostle,  namely,  'teaching  and  admonishing  one  another.  *  Singing  the  praises 
of  God  is  what  the  psalmist  styles,  'talking  of  all  his  wondrous  works.'11  The 
church  also  are  said  to  '  speak  to  themselves,'  or  to  '  one  another '  in  this  duty.1  More- 
over, in  some  of  the  psalms  the  psalmist  is  represented  as  speaking  to  the  church, 
and  they  as  making  their  reply  to  him.  Thus  he  advises  them  to  'lilt  up  their 
hands  in  the  sanctuary,  and  bless  the  Lord  ;'k  and  they  answer  him,  '  The  Lord 
that  made  heaven  and  earth  bless  thee  out  of  Zion.'1  The  same  thing  may  be  ob- 
served in  many  other  psalms,  in  which  there  is  a  frequent  change  of  the  person 
speaking.  Indeed,  the  entire  book  contains  many  admonitions  or  cautions  neces- 
sary to  be  observed  by  others,  which  they  who  sing  direct  and  apply  to  each  other. 
Again,  in  singing  the  praises  of  God,  we  take  notice  of  or  celebrate  the  dispensa- 
tions of  his  providence,  either  in  a  way  of  judgment  or  of  mercy ;  and  of  this  we 
have  many  instances  in  the  book  of  psalms,  as  is  very  evident  in  all  those  which 
are  properly  historical. 

3.  We  must,  notwithstanding,  suppose  singing  to  be  a  distinct  ordinance  from 
preaching,  prayer,  or  reading  the  word  ;  for  it  is  mentioned  in  scripture  as  such. 
What  it  principally  differs  in,  is  that  it  is  designed  to  raise  the  affections  ;  and  it 
is  certain  that  the  modulation  or  tone  of  the  voice  has  often  a  tendency  to  do  so. 
And  because  the  performing  of  religious  worship  with  raised  affections,  is  a  great 
duty  and  privilege ;  God  has  appointed  singing  as  an  ordinance  in  some  degree 
conducive  to  answer  that  end. 

It  is  objected  that,  if  the  tone  of  the  voice  be  reckoned  an  ordinance  to  raise 
the  affections,  vocal  or  instrumental  music  may  be. deemed  sufficient,  without  mak- 
ing use  of  those  words  in  singing  which  God  has  ordained,  and  in  the  use  of  which 
singing  becomes  a  religious  duty.  We  reply,  that  to  have  the  affections  raised,  is 
no  branch  of  religion,  unless  they  are  excited  by  those  ideas  of  divine  things  in 
which  it  principally  consists.     That  which  is  a  means  of  raising  the  affections,  may 

c  Mark  xiv.  26.  d  Luke  xix.  37.  e  Verse  38.  f  Verse  39.  g  Col.  iii.  16. 

h  Psal.  cv.  1,  2.  i  Eph.  v.  19.  k  Pari,  exxxiv.  2.  I  Verse  3. 


THE  ORDINANCES.  437 

not  have  a  tendency  to  excite  religious  affections.  Hence,  it  is  not  merely  singing, 
but  celebrating  the  praises  of  God  in  it  with  raised  affections,  which  is  the  duty  and 
ordinance  we  ought  to  engage  in.  These  two,  then,  must  be  connected  together,  and 
if  God  is  pleased,  not  only  to  instruct  us  as  to  the  matter  about  which  our  faith  is 
to  be  conversant,  but  to  give  us  an  ordinance  conducive  to  the  exciting  of  our  affec- 
tions, it  must  be  reckoned  an  additional  advantage,  and  a  help  to  our  praising  him 
in  a  becoming  manner. 

It  is  farther  objected  that  those  arguments  which  have  been  taken  from  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Old  Testament  church,  to  prove  singing  an  ordinance,  may,  with  equal 
justice,  be  alleged  to  prove  the  use  of  instrumental  music  in  religious  worship  ; 
since  we  very  often  read  of  their  praising  God  with  '  the  sound  of  the  trumpet, 
psaltery,  harp,  organ,'  and  other  musical  instruments.™  This  is  the  principal  argu- 
ment brought  for  the  use  of  musical  instruments  by  those  who  defend  it  and  con- 
clude it  an  help  to  devotion.  But,  though  we  often  read  of  music  being  used  in 
singing  the  praises  of  God  under  the  Old  Testament ;  yet  if  what  has  been  said 
concerning  its  being  a  type  of  that  spiritual  joy  which  attends  our  praising  God  for 
the  privilege  of  that  redemption  which  Christ  has  purchased,  the  objection  will  ap- 
pear to  have  no  weight,  the  type  being  now  abolished,  together  with  the  ceremonial 
law.  Besides,  though  we  read  of  the  use  of  music  in  the  temple-service,  yet  it 
does  not  sufficiently  appear  that  it  was  ever  used  in  the  Jewish  synagogues  ;  the 
mode  of  worship  observed  in  which  more  resembled  that  which  is  at  present  per- 
formed by  us  in  our  public  assemblies.  But  what  may  sufficiently  determine  this 
matter,  is  that  we  have  no  precept  nor  precedent  for  it  in  the  New  Testament, 
either  from  the  practice  of  Christ,  or  his  apostles.  Some,  indeed,  allege  that  the 
absence  of  any  such  precept  or  precedent  overthrows  the  ordinance  of  singing,  and 
pretend  that  this  ought  to  be  no  more  use/d  by  us  than  the  harp,  organ,  or  other 
musical  instruments.  But  it  might  as  well  be  objected  that,  because  incense,  which 
was  used  under  the  ceremonial  law,  together  with  prayer  in  the  temple,11  is  not  now 
to  be  offered  by  us,  prayer  ought  to  be  laid  aside  ;  which  is,  as  all  own,  a  duty 
founded  on  the  moral  law. 

4.  In  singing  those  psalms  or  songs  which  are  given  by  divine  inspiration,  we  are 
not  to  consider  the  subject  of  them  as  always  expressive  of  the  frame  of  our  own 
spirits,  or  as  denoting  the  dispensations  of  providence  which  we  or  the  church  of 
God  are  at  present  exercised  with.  This  is  necessary  in  order  to  our  singing  with 
understanding  ;  and  it  may  be  inferred  from  what  we  have  said  concerning  the 
agreement  which  there  is  between  singing  and  reading  any  of  David's  psalms.  It 
must  be  allowed  by  all,  that  we  ought  to  have  the  same  acts  of  faith  in  the  one,  as  we 
have  in  the  other.  This  is  evident  from  all  compositions  in  prose  or  verse,  whether 
divine  or  human.  If  the  subject  be  historical,  whatever  the  form  be  in  which 
it  is  laid  down,  the  principal  things  to  be  considered  are  the  matters  of  fact  which 
are  related.  If  an  history  be  written  in  prose,  and  the  same  should  be  turned  into 
verse,  though  its  being  laid  down  in  the  form  of  a  poem  adds  something  of  beauty 
to  the  mode  of  expression,  yet  the  ideas  which  are  conveyed,  or  the  historical  re- 
presentation of  things,  are  the  same  as  if  they  had  not  been  written  in  verse.  The 
reading  of  the  history  in  verse  may  perhaps  add  something  of  pleasure  and  delight 
to  our  ideas,  just  as  singing,  though  the  same  in  matter  as  respects  the  exciting  of 
the  affections,  is  a  distinct  ordinance  from  reading  ;  yet  the  circumstance  of  the 
history  being  in  verse  does  not  give  us  different  ideas  of  the  matter  narrated  ;  and 
much  less  are  we  to  take  occasion  thence  to  apply  those  things  to  ourselves  which 
are  spoken  of  others,  unless  parallel  circumstances  required  us  to  do  so.  If  this  rule 
be  not  observed,  I  do  not  see  how  we  can  sing  many  of  the  psalms  of  David.  Some- 
times the  subject  of  them  is  not  agreeable  to  every  age  of  life,  or  to  the  universal 
experience  of  particular  persons.  It  would  be  very  preposterous  for  a  child,  in 
singing  those  words,  4  I  have  been  young,  and  now  am  old ;  yet  have  I  not  seen  the 
righteous  forsaken  nor  his  seed  begging  bread,'0  or  what  is  elsewhere  said,  '  Now 
also,  when  I  am  old  and  gray-headed,  O  God,  forsake  me  not.'P  to  apply  them  in 
particular  to  himself.     And  when  some  other  psalms  are  sung  in  a  public  assembly, 

Psal.  cl.  a— 5.  n  Luke  i.  9,  10.  o  Ptal.  xxxvii.  25.  p  Psal.  Ixxi.  18. 


438  THE  ORDINANCES. 

in  which  God's  people  are  represented  as  dejected,  disconsolate,  and,  as  it  wore, 
sinking  in  the  depths  of  despair,  as  when  it  is  said,  '  My  soul  refused  to  he  com- 
forted. I  remembered  God,  and  was  troubled  :  I  complained,  and  my  spirit  was 
overwhelmed  ;'i  'I  am  counted  with  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit.  Thv 
wrath  lieth  hard  upon  me.  While  I  suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am  distracted,'1*  they  can- 
not be  applied  to  every  particular  person  in  a  worshipping  assembly,  as  denot- 
ing that  frame  of  spirit  in  which  he  is  at  present.  Those  expressions  also  which 
we  meet  with  elsewhere,  which  speak  of  a  believer  as  having  full  assurance  of  God's 
love  to  him,  and  of  his  right  and  title  to  eternal  life,  as  when  it  is  said,  '  Thou  shalt 
guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  afterward  receive  me  to  glory,'8  cannot  be  applied 
to  those  who  are  in  a  dejected,  despairing,  or  unbelieving  frame  of  spirit.  More- 
over, those  psalms  which  contain  an  historical  account  of  some  particular  dispensa- 
tions of  providence  towards  the  church  of  old,  cannot  be  applied  to  it  in  every  age, 
or  to  the  circumstances  of  every  believer.  When  it  is  said,  for  example,  '  By  the 
rivers  of  Babylon  there  we  sat  down;  yea,  we  wept  when  we  remembered  Sion,M 
the  words  are  not  to  be  considered  as  expressive  of  our  own  case  when  we  in  the 
present  day  sing  them.  Or,  when,  on  the  other  hand,  the  church  is  represented 
as  praising  God  for  particular  deliverances,"  or  expressing  its  triumphs  in  the  vic- 
tories obtained  over  its  enemies,"*  the  words  are  not  to  be  applied  by  particular  per- 
sons, to  themselves,  especially  at  all  times.  Again,  when  the  psalmist  makes  use 
of  those  phrases  which  are  adapted  to  the  ceremonial  law,  as  when  he  speaks  of 
'■  binding  the  sacrifice  with  cords,  even  unto  the  horns  of  the  altar, '*  or  of  '  offer- 
ing bullocks  upon  it  ;'z  the  language  cannot  be  taken  in  a  literal  sense,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  gospel-state.  And  when  we  are  exhorted  to  '  praise  God  with  the 
psaltery, 'a  &c,  we  are  to  express  those  acts  of  faith  which  are  agreeable  to  the 
gospel-dispensation.  The  general  rule,  indeed,  which  is  applicable  to  all  psalms  of 
a  similar  nature,  is  that  with  the  same  frame  of  spirit  with  which  we  read  them, 
we  ought  to  sing  them.  Sometimes  we  are  to  consider  them  as  containing  an  ac- 
count of  those  providences  to  which  we  are  liable,  rather  than  those  which  we  are 
at  present  under  ;  or  of  what  we  desire  or  fear,  rather  than  of  what  we  experience  ; 
and  we  are  to  improve  them  so  as  to  excite  those  graces  which  ought  to  be  exer- 
cised in  like  circumstances,  when  it  shall  please  God  to  bring  us  under  them.  With 
this  frame  of  spirit,  the  psalms  of  David  are  to  be  sung  as  well  as  read  ;  otherwise 
we  shall  be  obliged  to  exclude  several  of  them  as  not  fit  to  be  used  in  gospel-wor- 
ship. I  would,  however,  assert  nothing  which  should  give  the  least  countenance 
to  any  of  them  not  being  sung  ;  just  as  I  would  not  affirm  that  they  are  not  to  be 
read  in  public  assemblies. 

To  what  has  been  said  concerning  our  using  David's  psalms  in  singing  the  praises 
of  God,  it  is  objected  that  some  of  them  contain  such  imprecations  or  desires  that 
God  would  destroy  his  enemies, b  as  are  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel, 
or  with  that  love  which  it  obliges  us  to  express  towards  our  enemies,  agreeably  to 
the  command  and  practice  of  the  holy  Jesus. c  Now,  before  I  proceed  to  a  direct 
answer  to  this  objection,  it  may  be  observed  that  it  is  generally  alleged  by  the 
Deists  with  a  design  to  cast  a  reproach  on  divine  revelation.  They  hence  take 
occasion  outrageously  to  inveigh  against  David,  as  though  he  were  of  a  malicious 
and  implacable  spirit.  Indeed,  they  will  hardly  allow  him  to  have  been  a  good 
man  ;  for  the  imprecations  which  occur  in  his  psalms  of  the  wrath  of  God  on  the 
church's  enemies,  are  reckoned  by  them  no  other  than  the  effects  of  his  passion  and 
hatred  of  them.  Hence,  say  they,  it  is  a  preposterous  thing  to  suppose  that  his 
psalms  were  given  by  divine  inspiration.  There  are  others,  however,  namely, 
some  among  the  Socinians,  who  give  a  different  turn  to  such  expressions  ;  and 
pretend  that,  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  it  was  not  unlawful  for  per- 
sons to  hate  their  enemies,  or  curse  them,  or  imprecate  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
them  ;  though  our  Saviour  thought  fit,  under  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  to 
command  what  was  directly  contrary.     That  the  hating  of  enemies  was  formerly 

q  Psal.  lxxvii.  2,  3.  r  Psal.  lxxxviii.  4,  7,  15.  s  Psal.  lxxiii.  24.  t  Psal.  cxxxvii.  1. 

u  As  in  Psal.  cvii.  x  As  in  Psal.  cxlix.  y  Psal.  cxviii.  27.  z  Psal.  li.  19. 

a  Psal.  cl.  b  Psal.  lv.  15;  lix.  13—15;  lxix.  22—25,  27,  28.  c  Matt.  v.  44,  45; 
Luke  xxiii.  34. 


THE   ORDINANCES.  439 

'.awful,  they  argue  from  what  is  said  in  Matt.  v.  43,  'Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath 
been  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour,  and  hate  thine  enemy  ;'  while  the  new 
commandment  which  Christ  substituted  in  the  room  of  this,  is  contained  in  the 
following  words,  in  which  he  obliges  us  to  'love  our  enemies,'  &c.  But  tliis  in- 
terpretation gives  a  grossly  mistaken  view  of  that  scripture  which  speaks  of  « hating 
enemies  ;'  for  our  Saviour,  in  mentioning  it,  does  not  design  to  refer  to  any  thing 
said  in  the  Old  Testament,  but  only  to  expose  the  corrupt  gloss  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  given  on  some  passages.  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  was  as 
unlawful  to  hate  enemies  before,  as  it  is  now  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  These 
things  I  could  not  but  premise,  before  we  came  to  a  direct  answer  to  the  objection 
which  we  have  stated. 

Now,  if  what  is  alleged  in  that  objection  were  true,  it  would  certainly  be  unlaw- 
ful to  sing  David's  psalms ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  it  would  be  a  very  difficult  mat- 
ter to  substitute  any  hymns  and  songs  in  their  room,  which  would  be  altogether 
unexceptionable  ;  and  then  the  ordinance  of  singing  would  be  effectually  overthrown. 
We  observe,  however,  that  the  words  having  been  spoken  by  David,  under  divine 
inspiration,  some  of  the  scriptures  referred  to  may,  agreeably  to  the  rules  of  gram- 
mar, be  understood  as  a  prediction  of  those  judgments  which  God  would  execute 
on  his  implacable  enemies.  This  is  especially  the  case  if  the  word  which  is  sup- 
posed in  the  objection  to  contain  the  form  of  an  imprecation,  is  put  in  the  future 
tense  as  it  often  is  ;  and  if  it  be  put  in  the  imperative  mood,  as  in  other  places  in 
which  it  is  said,  '  Let  death  seize  on  them  ;  let  them  go  down  quick  into  hell ;  let 
them  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  the  living,'  the  mode  of  speaking,  especially 
when  applied  to  God,  contains  an  intimation  of  what  he  would  do,  or  of  the  wrath 
which  he  would  pour  forth,  as  a  punishment  of  sin  committed,  persisted  in,  and  not 
repented  of.  Indeed,  in  one  of  these  psalms,  namely,  the  sixty-ninth,  in  which  the 
righteous  judgments  of  God  are  denounced  against  sinners,  the  psalmist  plainly 
Speaks  in  the  person  of  our  Saviour,  to  whom  the  ninth  and  twenty-first  verses  are 
expressly  applied  in  the  New  Testament.d  Hence,  when  he  says,  in  the  twenty- 
second  verse,  '  Let  their  table  become  a  snare,'  the  meaning  is,  that  God  would 
deny  some  of  his  furious  and  implacable  enemies  that  grace  which  alone  could  pre- 
vent their  waxing  worse  and  worse  under  outward  prosperity.  When  he  says,  in 
the  twenty-third  verse,  '  Let  their  eyes  be  darkened,'  the  meaning  is,  they  shall  be 
given  up  to  judicial  blindness,  as  the  Jews  were  ;  the  providence  of  God  permitting, 
though  not  effecting  it.  When  it  is  said,  in  the  twenty-fourth  verse,  '  Pour  out 
thine  indignation  upon  them,'  the  words  are  an  intimation  that  this  judicial  blind- 
ness should  come  upon  them.  When  he  adds,  in  the  twenty-fifth  verse,  '  Let 
their  habitation  be  desolate,'  the  meaning  is,  that  the  land  in  which  they  dwelt 
should  be  destitute  of  its  former  inhabitants  ;  and  so  the  words  contain  a  predic- 
tion of  the  desolate  state  of  the  Jewish  nation,  after  they  were  destroyed  and  driven 
out  of  their  country  by  the  Romans.  When  he  farther  says,  '  Add  iniquity  to  their 
iniquity,'  his  words,  as  was  observed  elsewhere,  may  be  explained  consistently  with 
the  divine  perfections  ;e  so  that  the  sense  of  them  is  not  liable  to  any  just  excep- 
tion. I  have  made  these  observations  on  this  psalm,  only  to  show  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  suppose  that  these  imprecations  are  always  to  be  understood  as  what 
will  warrant  or  give  countenance  to  private  persons  to  wish  or  pray  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  enemies.  Moreover,  if  the  evil  denounced  be  of  a  temporal  nature,  as 
when  the  psalmist  is  represented  as  desiring  that  his  enemies  may  be  '  consumed  as 
the  stubble  before  the  wind,'  or  as  'the  wood  that  the  fire  burnetii  ;**  the  desires 
are  not  those  of  one  who  meditates  private  revenge,  or  wishes  to  see  the  ruin  of 
persons  whom  he  hates.  But  they  are  the  sentiments  of  the  church  of  God  in 
general,  as  acquiescing  in  his  righteous  judgments,  which  should  be  poured  forth  on 
those  that  hate  him  and  persecute  his  people.  Now,  if  either  the  church  must  be 
ruined,  or  those  who  set  themselves  against  it  removed  out  of  the  way,  they  cannot 
but  desire  the  latter  rather  than  the  former.  If  such  expressions  be  thus  understood, 
there  will  be  no  sufficient  reason  for  the  exception  which  is  taken  against  the 

d  John  if.  17  J  Matt,  xxvii.  34.  e  See  Sect.  '  The  Doctrine  of  Reprobation, 

under  Quest,  xii,  xiii.  f  I'sal.  lxxxiii.  13,  14. 


440  THE  ORDINANCES. 

book  of  the  psalms ;  nor  will  an  j  one  have  just  occasion  to  lay  aside  a  part  of  them, 
as  what  cannot  be  sung  by  a  Christian  congregation. 

It  is  farther  objected,  that  if  singing  could  be  proved  to  be  an  ordinance  to  be 
used  by  particular  persons,  it  will  not  follow  that  the  whole  congregation  ought  to 
join  their  voices  together.  It  is  sufficient,  say  the  objectors,  if  one  person  sing, 
and  others  make  melody  in  their  hearts.  United  voices  in  singing  will  occasion 
confusion  in  the  worship  of  God  ;  and,  when  a  mixed  multitude  join  in  it,  it  can 
hardly  be  supposed  that  they  all  sing  with  the  spirit  and  with  the  understanding 
also.  Hence,  if  one  should  sing,  it  is  sufficient  for  those  who  are  qualified  to  join 
in  this  ordinance,  to  say,  Amen,  or  to  have  their  hearts  engaged  as  they  have  who 
join  in  public  prayer,  in  which  one  is  the  mouth  of  the  whole  assembly.  We  reply, 
that  to  insinuate  that  singing  with  united  voices  is  confusion,  is  to  cast  a  great  re- 
proach on  that  worship  which  we  often  read  of  in  scripture,  which  was  performed 
in  this  manner.  Thus  Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel  sang  the  praises  of  God 
on  occasion  of  their  deliverance  from  the  Egyptians  ;S  and  their  doing  so  was  cer- 
tainly an  act  of  public  worship,  not  performed  by  Moses  alone,  but  by  the  whole  con- 
gregation. In  the  New  Testament,  too,  there  is  a  very  remarkable  example  of  sing- 
ing with  united  voices,  our  Saviour  himself  being  present.11  It  is  said  that  he  and 
his  disciples  •  sang  an  hymn.'  The  word  is  in  the  plural  number  ;'  so  that  they  all 
joined  with  their  voices  in  singing.  Some  observe,  also,  that  it  is  not  without  de- 
sign that  it  is  said,  '  He, '  that  is,  Christ,  '  blessed  the  bread, '  and  '  He  gave  thanks ;' k 
they  joining  with  him  in  this  act  only  in  their  hearts,  as  the  congregation  joins  with 
the  minister  who  is  their  mouth  in  public  prayer.  But  when  the  evangelist  speaks 
of  the  ordinance  of  singing,  he  represents  them  as  all  joining  with  their  voices. 
Accordingly,  the  word,  as  was  just  now  observed,  is  in  the  plural  number.1 

Another  part  of  the  objection  respects  the  congregation's  joining  in  the  heart, 
with  one  who  sings  with  the  voice,  in  like  manner  as  we  do  in  prayer.  Now,  though 
he  who  joins  in  heart  with  another  who  prays,  may  be  said  to  perform  the  duty  of 
prayer,  though  he  does  not  express  his  desires  with  his  own  voice  ;  yet  joining  with 
the  heart,  while  only  one  sings,  cannot,  properly  speaking,  be  called  singing,  much 
less  '.  singing  with  the  voice,'  or  '  singing  with  a  loud  voice,'  as  it  is  often  expressed 
in  scripture.  The  apostle,  indeed,  speaks  of  '  singing  and  making  melody  in  our 
hearts  to  the  Lord.'m  This  language,  in  some  measure,  seems  to  favour  the  ob- 
jection ;  and  it  is  inferred  from  it,  that,  if  one  sings  with  the  voice,  others  may 
make  melody  in  the  heart.  But  I  understand  it  otherwise.  The  apostle,  as  I 
think,  is  pressing  the  church  to  sing,  that  is,  to  make  melody  to  the  Lord  ;  and  is 
showing  that,  in  order  to  this  ordinance  being  performed  in  a  right  manner,  the 
heart  ought  to  go  along  with  the  voice.  He  thus  intimates  that  there  ought  not 
only  to  be  a  melodious  sound,  by  which  the  praises  of  God  are  sung,  but  together 
with  this,  suitable  acts  of  faith  ought  to  be  put  forth,  whereby  we  worship  him  with 
our  hearts,  as  well  as  our  voices.  What  he  says,  therefore,  does  not  prove  that  the 
melody  spoken  of  respects  only  the  frame  of  spirit,  exclusive  of  the  use  of  the  voice 
in  singing. 

Another  part  of  the  objection  is  that,  when  a  mixed  multitude  sing,  some  must 
be  supposed  to  want  two  necessary  qualifications  for  singing,  namely,  the  Spirit  and 
the  understanding ;  and  that  their  singing,  while  they  want  these,  is  to  join  in  the 
external  ordinance,  while  there  is  no  harmony  as  to  the  internal  frame  of  spirit,  or 
the  exercise  of  faith,  which  alone  makes  it  pleasing  to  God.  We  reply,  that  a  mixed 
multitude  may  join  together  in  prayer,  and  that  the  word  of  God,  and  particularly 
the  psalms  of  David,  may  be  read  in  the  public  congregation.  Now,  though  there 
are,  perhaps,  many  present  who  do  not  understand  the  meaning  of  every  particular 
phrase  used  in  the  psalms  of  David,  it  does  not  follow  that  these  psalms  ought  not 
to  be  sung  by  us.  We  have  already  observed  that  there  is  no  essential  difference, 
especially  as  to  what  concerns  the  frame  of  our  spirit,  between  singing  and  reading. 
It  follows,  then,  that  whatever  psalm  may  be  read  may  be  sung.  He  who  is  not 
qualified  to  do  the  latter,  is  not  qualified  to  do  the  former.     The  apostle,  indeed, 

p  Exod.  xvi.  1.  h  Mark  xiv.  26.  i  T>w«wi». 

k  Matt.  xxvi.  26,  27-  1  Verse  30.  m  Eph.  v.  19. 


THE  ORDINANCES.  441 

speaks  of  his  'praying  and  singing  with  the  Spirit,'  as  well  as  'with  the  under- 
standing ;'  but  the  meaning  is,  that  we  ought  to  desire  the  efficacious  influences 
of  the  Spirit,  and  press  after  the  knowledge  of  the  meaning  of  the  words  we  use, 
either  in  prayer  or  singing.  Yet  the  defect  of  our  understanding,  or  our  having 
a  less  degree  of  it  than  others,  or  than  we  ought  to  have,  does  not  exempt  us  from 
a  right  to  engage  in  this  ordinance.  Hence,  we  are  not  to  refuse  to  join  with  those 
in  singing  the  praises  of  God,  whom  we  would  not  exclude  from  our  society,  if  we 
were  reading  any  of  the  psalms  of  David  in  public. 

5.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  matter  to  be  sung.  There  are  very  few  who  allow 
singing  to  be  an  ordinance,  who  will  deny  it  to  be  our  duty  to  sing  the  psalms  of 
David,  and  other  spiritual  songs  which  we  frequently  meet  with  in  scripture. 
Some,  indeed,  have  contested  the  expediency  of  a  Christian  assembly  making  use 
of  several  Old  Testament  phrases  which  are  contained  in  these.  Others  have  al- 
leged that  the  phrases  ought  to  be  altered  in  many  instances,  especially  in  those 
which  have  a  peculiar  reference  to  the  psalmist's  personal  circumstances,  and  others 
substituted  for  them  to  express  matter  of  universal  experience.  But,  if  what  has 
been  said  under  the  last  Head  be  true,  this  argument  will  appear  to  have  little 
weight ;  inasmuch  as  all  the  arguments  which  are  brought  in  defence  of  making 
these  alterations  in  the  psalms  as  they  are  to  be  silng  by  us,  will  hold  equally  good 
as  applicable  to  the  ordinance  of  reading  them,  and,  it  may  be,  will  as  much  evince 
the  necessity  of  altering  the  phrases  of  scripture  in  several  other  parts  as  well  as  in 
these.  For  if  some  psalms  are  not  to  be  sung  by  a  Christian  assembly  in  the 
words  in  which  they  were  at  first  delivered,  and  consequently  are  not  to  be  read 
by  them,  because  the  phraseology  is  not  agreeable  to  the  state  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  needs  to  be  altered  when  applied  to  our  present  use  ;  the  same  may  be 
said  concerning  other  parts  of  scripture  ;  and  then  the  word  of  God,  as  it  was  at 
first  given  to  us,  is  no  more  to  be  read  than  to  be  sung  by  us.  As  to  the  objection 
that  it  is  inexpedient  for  us  to  make  use  of  those  words,  and  apply  them  to  our 
case  in  our  devotions,  which  David  used  in  his  with  a  peculiar  view  to  his  own  condi- 
tion, what  was  said  under  the  fourth  Head  relating  to  the  frame  of  spirit  with 
which  the  psalms  are  to  be  sung,  will  very  much  weaken  the  force  of  it.  The  con- 
sideration stated  there  is  what,  in  a  great  measure,  determines  my  sentiments  as  to 
the  ordinance  of  conjoint  singing,  as  well  as  the  matter  of  it ;  for  I  am  well  per- 
suaded that  if  the  words  were  to  be  considered  as  our  own,  as  they  ought  to  be 
when  joining  with  another  who  is  our  mouth  to  God  in  prayer,  there  are  very  few 
psalms  or  hymns  of  human  composition  which  can  be  sung  by  a  mixed  assembly. 
But  as  a  divine  veneration  ought  to  be  paid  to  the  psalms,  and  they  are  to  be  read 
with  those  acts  of  faith  which  are  the  main  ingredients  in  our  devotions,  we  are  to 
sing  them  with  the  same  view,  only  with  this  difference  that  we  are  to  make  use  of  the 
tone  of  the  voice  as  a  farther  help  to  the  raising  of  our  affections. 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered,  is  what  version  of  the  psalms  is  to  have  the  pre- 
ference in  our  esteem,  as  subservient  to  the  design  of  this  ordinance.  It  is  not  my 
business,  under  this  Head,  to  criticise  the  various  versions  of  the  psalms.  Nor  can 
it  be  supposed  that  I  have  a  regard  to  those  poetical  beauties  in  which  one  version 
excels  another  ;  for  then  I  should  be  inclined  to  think  some  of  those  which  I  do  not 
choose  to  make  use  of  in  the  ordinance  of  singing,  much  preferable  to  others,  for  the 
exactness  of  their  style  and  composition.  But  when  I  am  to  sing  the  praises  of  God, 
in  the  words  of  David  or  any  other  inspired  writer,  or  as  nearly  as  possible  in  their 
words,  what  I  principally  regard  is  the  agreeableness  of  the  version  to  the  original ; 
and  then  the  psalms  may  be  sung  with  the  same  frame  of  spirit  with  which  they 
are  to  be  read,  and  I  am  not  obliged,  in  singing,  to  consider  the  words  as  expres- 
sive of  my  own  frame  of  spirit,  any  more  than  I  am  in  reading  them.  But  if  the 
composition  cannot  properly  be  called  a  version,  but  is  an  imitation  of  David's 
psalms,  then  I  make  use  of  it  in  the  ordinance  of  singing,  with  the  same  view  as  I 
would  an  hymn  ;  but  of  this  more  shall  be  said  hereafter.  Now  the  versions  which, 
I  think,  come  nearest  to  the  original  are  the  New  England  and  the  Scotch.11     The 

ii  There  is  a  version  of  psalms,  printed  by  the  late  Dr.  Mather,  in  blank  verse,  which  I  once  bad 
the  sight  of,  but  am  not  capable  of  passing  a  judgment  on  it,  only,  that  it  was  very  near  the  origi- 
nal ;  but  whether  in  other  respects  it  was  preferable  to  these  two  other  versions,  I  know  not. 

II.  3   K 


442  THE  ORDINANCES. 

latter,  however,  I  think  much  preferable  to  the  former  ;  inasmuch  as  the  sentences 
are  not  so  transposed  as  in  the  other,  and  the  lines  are  much  more  smooth  and 
pleasant  to  be  read.  I  should  be  very  glad  to  see  a  version  more  perfect,  which 
comes  as  near  the  sense  of  the  original,  and  excels  it  in  the  beauty  or  elegance  of 
its  style.  And  it  would  be  a  very  great  advantage  if  some  marginal  notes  were 
added,  as  a  comment  upon  it ;  which  would  be  an  help  to  our  right  understanding 
of  it. 

I  shall  now  give  my  thoughts  concerning  the  singing  of  hymns.  These,  according 
to  the  common  acceptation  of  the  word,  are  distinguished  from  psalms, — and  they 
generally  denote  an  human  composition,  fitted  for  singing,  the  matter  of  which 
contains  some  divine  subjects  in  the  words  agreeable  to  or  deduced  from  scripture. 
The  argument  which  is  generally  brought  in  defence  of  them  is  this : — Though 
scripture  is  a  rule  of  faith  whence  all  the  knowledge  of  divine  things  is  primarily 
deduced,  and  therefore  has  the  preference,  as  to  its  excellency  and  authority,  to 
any  other  composition  ;  yet  it  is  not  only  lawful  but  necessary  to  express  our  faith 
in  the  doctrines  which  it  contains  in  other  words  than  its  own,  as  we  do  in  prayer 
or  preaching.  Now  if  it  be  a  duty  to  praise  God  with  the  voice,  it  is  not  unlaw- 
ful to  praise  him  in  words  agreeable  to  scripture,  as  well  as  in  the  express 
words  of  it.  Hence  both  may*  be  proved  to  be  a  duty,  namely,  praising  God 
in  the  words  of  David,  and  by  other  songs  contained  in  scripture,  and  prais- 
ing him  in  words  agreeable  to  scripture,  though  of  human  composition.  This 
is  the  best  reasoning  which  I  have  met  with  in  defence  of  the  lawfulness  of 
singing  hymns,  not  as  opposed  to  or  excluding  David's  psalms,  but  as  used  occasion- 
ally, as  providence  directs  us  ;  that  so  our  acknowledgments  of  benefits  received 
may  be  insisted  on  with  greater  enlargement  than  they  are  in  the  book  of  psalms. 
For  though  there  may  be  in  that  book  something  adapted  to  every  case,  yet  the 
particular  occasion  of  our  praise  is  not  so  largely  contained  in  the  same  section  or 
paragraph  ;  and  therefore  a  hymn  may  be  composed  adapted  to  each  occasion,  in 
order  to  our  praising  God.  But  when,  on  the  other  hand,  persons  seem  to  prefer 
hymns  to  David's  psalms,  and  substitute  them  for  the  latter,  I  cannot  but  disap- 
prove of  their  practice.  A  late  writer0  speaks  on  this  subject  with  a  great  deal  of 
moderation.  Though  he  proves  that  scripture  psalms  should  be  preferred  before 
all  others,  and  more  ordinarily  sung  ;  yet  he  thinks  that  hymns  of  human  composi- 
tion ought  not  wholly  to  be  excluded,  provided  they  be  exactly  agreeable  to,  and 
as  much  as  may  be,  the  words  of  holy  scripture.  There  are  other  writers  to  whom  I 
pay  equal  deference,  who  have  concisely,  though  with  a  considerable  degree  of  judg- 
ment, proved  singing  to  be  a  gospel  ordinance,?  who  argue  against  singing  of  hymns. 
Indeed,  what  they  say  in  opposition  to  those  who  defend  the  practice  from  Eph.  v. 
19,  and  Col.  iii.  16,  and  allege  that  '  hymns  '  are  distinct  from  '  psalms  and  spiritual 
songs,'  and  that  we  are  to  understand  by  them  human  compositions  agreeable  to 
scripture,  as  by  psalms  and  spiritual  songs  we  are  to  understand  those  which  are 
contained  in  the  very  words  of  scripture,  seems  very  just.  What  they  say  corre- 
sponds with  the  opinion  of  several  judicious  and  learned  men,  who  assert  that  these 
three  words  signify  nothing  else  but  those  psalms  or  songs  which  are  contained  in 
scripture.*1  The  question  in  debate  with  me,  is  not  whether  the  psalms,  hymns,  or 
spiritual  songs  which  are  contained  in  scripture,  are  designed  to  be  a  directory  for 
gospel-worship,— for  that,  I  think,  all  ought  to  allow  ;  but,  whether  it  be  lawful  to 
sing  a  human  composition  which  is  agreeable  to  scripture,  either  as  to  its  words  or 

o  See  Mr.  Richard  Allein's  Essay  on  singing,  chap,  iv.  who  seems,  in  my  opinion,  in  the  whole 
of  his  short  performance,  to  argue  with  a  considerable  degree  of  candour  and  judgment. 

p  See  Sidenham's  Gospel-ordinance  concerning  singing,  &c.  and  Hitchin's  Scripture  proof  for 
singing,  &c. 

q  It  cannot  well  be  denied  that  the  psalms  of  David  are  called  indifferently  by  these  three  names, 
'  Psalms,'  '  Hy:i  ns,'  and  '  Songs,'  VW  imo,  nbrrn.  ■J'ttXpef,  ifiin,  tiin;  and  sometimes  the  same  psalm 
is  called  a  Song  or  Psalm,  a*  in  the  title  of  Psalm  Ixv.  or  a  Song  of  a  Psalm  [as  the  LXX.  render 
it.  utn  •4-xXfe.ov].  And  in  Psalm  cv.  2.  when  it  is  said,  '  Sing  unto  him,  sing  psalms  unto  him;' 
V?  vtm  ib  vrtf  the  former  word  signifies  to  sine  a  spiritual  song ;  the  latter  to  sign  a  ps;ilm ;  or,  at 
the  Septuagint  render  the  same  word,  in  1  Chron  xvi.  9,  a  Hymn.  [Anri  xcu  u/mrart.]  See 
Sidenham's  Gospel-ordinance,  &c.  chap.  ii.  and  Ainsworth  on  the  title  ot  Psalm  iii.  whom  he  there 
refers  to. 


THE  ORDINANCES.  443 

its  sense, — especially  when  the  subject  of  our  praise  is  not  laid  down  so  largely  in 
one  particular  section  of  scripture,  as  we  desire  to  express  it.  In  this  case,  if  we 
were  to  connect  several  parts  of  scripture  together,  so  that  the  des'gn  of  enlarging 
on  a  particular  subject  might  be  answered,  there  would  be  less  necessity  to  compose 
a  hymn  in  other  words.  But  as  the  occasions  of  praise  are  very  large  and  exten- 
sive, and  as  it  may  be  thought  expedient  to  adore  the  divine  perfections  in  our  own 
words  in  singing,  just  as  we  do  in  prayer,  considering  the  one  to  be  a  moral  duty 
as  well  as  the  other  ;  I  will  not  pretend  to  maintain  the  unlawfulness  of  singing 
hymns  of  human  composition,  though  some  of  much  superior  learning  and  judg- 
ment have  done  so.  I  would,  however,  always  pay  the  greatest  deference  to  those 
divine  compositions  which  are  given  as  the  principal  rule  for  our  procedure  in 
praise.  Yet  I  cannot  but  express  my  dislike  of  several  hymns  which  I  have 
often  heard  sung.  In  some  of  these  the  heads  of  the  sermon  have  been  com- 
prised ;  and  others  are  so  very  mean  and  injudicious,  and,  it  may  be,  in  some 
respects,  so  unaccordant  with  the  analogy  of  faith,  that  I  cannot,  in  the  least, 
approve  of  them.  But  if  we  have  ground  to  conclude  the  composition,  as  to  the 
matter  and  the  mode  of  expression,  unexceptionable,  and  adapted  to  raise  the 
affections,  as  well  as  excite  suitable  acts  of  faith  in  extolling  the  praise  of  God, 
it  gives  me  no  more  disgust,  though  it  be  not  in  ■  scripture-words,  than  praying  or 
preaching  does  when  the  matter  is  scriptural.  Yet  as,  when  we  confess  sin,  ac- 
knowledge mercies  received,  or  desire  those  blessings  which  are  suited  to  our  case, 
we  always  suppose  that  the  words  which  he  who  is  the  mouth  of  the  congregation 
uses,  ought  to  be  such  as  all  can  join  with  him  in,  and  in  this,  the  reading  of  one  of 
David's  prayers,  and  the  putting  up  of  a  prayer  in  the  congregation,  differ  as  to  a 
very  considerable  circumstance  ;  so  the  same  ought  to  be  observed  in  hymns.  But, 
if  an  hymn  be  so  composed  that  all  who  sing  it  are  represented  as  signifying  their 
having  experienced  those  things  which  belong  not  to  them,  or  as  blessing  God  for 
what  they  never  received ;  the  use  of  it,  I  conceive,  would  be  as  unwarrantable  a 
method  of  singing  hymns  of  human  composition  as  if  the  expressions  were  used  in 
public  prayer.  There  are,  indeed,  many  hymns  which  have  a  great  vein  of  piety 
and  devotion,  but  are  not  adapted  to  the  experience  of  the  whole  assembly  that 
sings  them.  Hence,  while  a  congregation  may  join  in  singing  some  hymns,  I  do 
not  think  they  can  well  join  in  singing  all ;  though  the  subject  of  them  may  be 
agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  faith.  The  reason  of  this  rests  on  the  difference  which 
we  formerly  stated  between  making  use  of  a  divine  and  of  a  human  composition  ; 
in  the  former  of  which,  the  words  are  not  always  to  be  considered  as  our  own  or  as 
expressive  of  the  frame  of  our  own  spirits  ;  while  they  are  always  to  be  so  consid- 
ered with  respect  to  the  latter. 

Thus  concerning  the  ordinance  of  singing  ;  which  we  cannot  but  think  included 
among  those  whereby  Christ  communicates  to  his  church  the  benefits  of  his  media- 
tion. We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  other  ordinances  ;  which  are  particularly  in- 
sisted on  in  the  remaining  part  of  this  work.  That  which  next  comes  under  our 
consideration,  is  the  word  read  and  preached. 


THE  ORDINANCE  OF  THE  WORD. 

Question  CLV.  How  is  the  word  made  effectual  to  salvation  t 

Answer.  The  Spirit  of  God  maketh  the  reading,  but  especially  tbe  preaching  of  the  word,  an 
effectual  means  of  enlightening,  convincing,  and  humbling  sinners,  of  driving  them  out  of  them- 
selves, and  drawing  them  unto  Christ,  of  conforming  them  to  his  image,  and  subduing  them  to  his 
will,  of  strengthening  them  against  temptations  and  corruptions,  of  building  them  up  in  grace,  and 
establishing  their  heart  in  holiness  and  comfort  through  faith  unto  salvation. 

Having  had  an  account,  in  the  foregoing  Answer,  of  the  ordinances  by  which  Christ 
communicates  the  benefits  of  redemption  to  his  church,  and  what  they  are,  and 
having  also  considered  that  singing  the  praises  of  God  is  one  of  those  ordinances  ; 
we  are  now  to  consider  another  ordinance  which  is  made  effectual  to  salvation, 


444  THE  ORDINANCE  OF  THE  WORD. 

namely,  the  word  read  or  preached.  We  had  occasion,  under  some  former  Answers, 
to  speak  of  the  word  of  God  as  contained  in  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  ;  and  we  considered  it  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  ohedience,  and  as 
having  all  the  properties  which  are  necessary  to  its  heing  such,  so  that  we  may  de- 
pend upon  it  as  a  perfect  and  infallible  revelation  of  all  things  necessary  to  be  be- 
lieved and  done,  in  order  to  our  enjoying  God  here,  and  attaining  eternal  life  here- 
after.r  We  are  now  to  consider  the  word  as  made  the  subject  of  our  study  and 
inquiry  ;  without  which  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  us. 

The  Word  is  to  be  Mead  and  Explained. 

We  may  observe  in  this  Answer,  then,  something  supposed  ;  namely,  that  the 
word  of  God  is  to  be  read  by  us,  and  explained  by  those  who  are  qualified  and 
called  to  preach  it.  We  are  not,  indeed,  to  conclude  that  the  explanations  of  falli- 
ble men,  how  much  soever  they  are  fitted  to  preach  the  gospel,  are  of  equal  au- 
thority with  the  sacred  oracles,  as  transmitted  to  us  by  those  who  received  them 
by  infallible  inspiration  from  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  text  is  much  more  to  be  de- 
pended on  than  the  comment  upon  it ;  and  the  truth  of  the  latter  is  to  be  tried  by 
the  former.8  Yet  the  explanation  of  the  word  by  qualified  persons  is  to  be  reckoned 
a  great  blessing,  which  God  is  pleased  to  bestow  upon  his  church,  in  order  to  our 
understanding  and  making  a  right  use  of  the  written  word.  Accordingly,  preach- 
ing, as  well  as  the  reading  of  the  word,  is  an  ordinance  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
makes  subservient  to  the  salvation  of  those  who  believe.  It  is  farther  supposed, 
however,  that  the  word  is  to  be  read  by  us,  and  that  we  are  to  attend  to  the  preach- 
ing of  it.  To  neglect  either  of  these  is  to  despise  our  own  souls,  and  deprive  our- 
selves of  the  advantage  of  God's  instituted  means  of  grace.  Hence,  we  are  not  to 
content  ourselves  with  merely  the  reading  of  the  word  of  God  in  our  closets  or 
families,  but  we  must  embrace  all  opportunities  for  hearing  it  preached  in  a  public 
manner,  the  one  being  no  less  an  ordinance  of  God  than  the  other. 

It  is  objected  by  some,  that  they  know  as  much  as  ministers  can  teach  them  ; 
at  least,  that  they  know  enough,  if  they  could  but  practise  it.  This  objection 
sometimes  savours  of  pride  and  self-conceit,  in  those  who  suppose  themselves  to  un- 
derstand more  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  than  they  really  do.  It  can  hardly 
be  said  concerning  the  greatest  number  of  professors,  that  they  either  know  as  much 
as  they  ought,  or  that  it  is  not  possible  for  them  to  make  advances  in  knowledge 
by  a  diligent  attendance  on  an  able  and  faithful  ministry.  However,  that  we  may 
give  the  utmost  scope  to  the  objection,  we  will  allow  that  some  Christians  know 
more  than  many  ministers,  who  are  less  skilful  than  others  in  the  word  of  truth. 
But  it  must  be  observed  that  there  are  other  ends  of  hearing  the  word  besides  the 
gaining  of  knowledge,  namely,  the  bringing  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  to  our  re- 
membrance,1 and  their  being  impressed  on  our  affections  ;  and  for  attaining  these 
ends,  the  wisest  and  best  of  men  have  not  thought  it  below  them  to  attend  upon 
the  ministry  of  those  who  knew  less  than  themselves.  Our  Saviour  was  an  hearer 
of  the  word  before  he  entered  on  his  public  ministry  ;u  and  though  it  might,  I 
think,  truly  be  said  of  him,  that  though  he  was  but  twelve  years  old,  he  knew  more 
than  the  doctors,  in  the  midst  of  whom  he  sat  in  the  temple,  yet  'he  heard  and 
asked  them  questions.'  And  David,  though  he  professes  himself  to  have  'more 
understanding  than  all  his  teachers  ;'x  yet  was  glad  to  embrace  all  opportunities 
to  go  up  into  the  house  of  the  Lord  ;  this  being  God's  appointed  means  for  a  be- 
liever's making  advances  in  grace. 

The  Word  made  Effectual  to  Salvation. 

There  are  several  things  particularly  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  in  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  makes  the  word,  read  or  preached,  effectual  to  salvation. 

1.  By  the  word  the  mind  is  enlightened  and  furnished  with  the  knowledge  of 

r  See  vol.  i.  Quest,  iii.  and  iv.  s  Isa.  viii.  20;  1  Thesp.  v.  21 ;  Acts  xvii.  11. 

t  John  xi  v.  26.  u  Luke  ii.  46.  x  Psal.  cxix.  99. 


THE  ORDINANCE  OF  THE  WORD.  445 

divine  truths,  which  is  a  very  great  privilege.  As  faith  is  inseparahly  connected 
with  salvation  ;  so  the  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  is  necessary  to  faith, 
and  this  is  said  to  '  come  by  hearing.  'J  We  must  not  content  ourselves,  however, 
with  a  mere  assent  to  what  is  revealed  in  the  word  of  God ;  but  must  duly  weigh 
the  tendency  of  it  to  our  sanctification  and  consolation,  and  admire  the  beauty,  ex- 
cellency, and  glory  that  there  is  in  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  as  the  divine 
perfections  shine  forth  in  them  to  the  utmost.  We  must  also  duly  consider  the 
importance  of  those  doctrines  which  are  contained  in  the  gospel,  and  how  they  are 
to  be  improved  by  us  to  our  spiritual  advantage.  And  when  we  find  our  hearts 
filled  with  love  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  proportion  to  those  greater  measures  of  light 
which  he  is  pleased  to  impart  to  us,  so  that  we  grow  in  grace  as  well  as  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,2  then  the  word  may  be  said  to 
be  made  effectual  to  our  salvation,  as  our  minds  are  very  much  enlightened  and 
improved  in  the  knowledge  of  those  things  which  lead  to  it. 

2.  The  word  is  made  effectual  to  bring  us  under  conviction  ;  so  that  we  see  our- 
selves sinful  and  miserable  creatures.  In  particular,  we  are  hereby  led  to  see  those 
depths  of  wickedness  which  are  in  our  hearts  by  nature,  which  otherwise  could  .not 
be  sufficiently  discerned  by  us,  much  less  improved  to  our  spiritual  advantage.* 
Would  we  take  a  view  of  the  manifold  sins  committed  in  our  lives,  with  all  their 
respective  aggravations,  so  as  to  lay  to  heart  the  guilt  that  we  have  contracted  by 
them  ;  or  would  we  be  affected  with  the  consideration  of  the  misery  which  will 
follow,  as  we  not  only  deserve  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God,  but,  without  an  interest 
in  forgiving  grace,  are  bound  to  conclude  ourselves  liable  to  it ;  we  must  be  led 
into  a  knowledge  of  these  things  by  the  word  of  God.  Again,  if  we  would  know 
whether  our  convictions  of  sin  are  such  as  have  a  more  immediate  reference  to  sal- 
vation, we  must  inquire  whether  they  are  attended  with  grief  and  sorrow  of  heart 
for  the  intrinsic  evil  of  sin,  as  well  as  for  its  sad  consequences  ;b  or  whether,  when 
we  have  taken  this  view  of  it,  we  are  led  to  apply  for  the  remedy,  and  seek  for- 
giveness through  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  strength  against  those  corruptions 
which  we  have  ground  to  charge  ourselves  with,  and  which  have  so  much  prevailed 
over  us.c 

3.  The  word  is  made  effectual  to  salvation,  when  what  is  contained  in  it  tends 
to  humble  us  and  lay  us  low  at  the  foot  of  God  ;  when  we  acknowledge  that  all 
his  judgments  are  right,  or  whatever  punishments  have  been  inflicted  in  execution 
of  the  threatenings  which  he  has  denounced  have  been  less  than  our  iniquities  de- 
serve ;d  and  when  we  receive  reproofs  for  sins  committed,  with  a  particular  applica- 
tion of  them  to  ourselves,  and  are  sensible  of  the  guilt  we  have  contracted.  But 
that  we  may  make  a  right  use  of  the  word,  for  bringing  us  to  this  state  of  mind, 
let  us  consider  what  humbling  considerations  are  contained  in  it  which  have  a 
tendency  to  answer  this  end.  The  word  of  God  represents  to  us  the  infinite  dis- 
tance which  there  is  between  him  and  us  ;  so  that  the  best  of  creatures  are  in  his 
sight  'as  nothing,e  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity.'  We  here  behold  God  as  in- 
finitely perfect,  and  men  as  very  imperfect,  and  unlike  him  ;  and  in  particular,  we 
behold  him  as  a  God  of  infinite  holiness,  spotless  purity,  and  ourselves  as  impure, 
polluted  creatures.  This  is  a  very  humbling  consideration.*  Again,  the  word  of 
God  discovers  to  us  the  deceitfulness  and  desperate  wickedness  of  our  hearts  ; 
whereby  we  are  naturally  inclined  to  rebel  against  him ;  and  whereby  also  we  should, 
had  it  not  been  for  his  preventing  and  renewing  grace,  have  run  with  the  vilest  of 
men  in  all  excess  of  riot.  It  likewise  leads  us  into  the  knowledge  of  the  various 
kinds  of  sin  which  we  have  ground  to  charge  ourselves  with  in  the  course  of  our 
lives,  the  frequent  omission  of  those  duties  which  are  required  of  us,  our  great 
neglect  of  relative  duties  in  the  station  in  which  God  has  fixed  us,  and  the  injury 
we  have  done  to  others,  whom  we  have  caused  to  stumble  or  fall  by  our  example, 
or,  at  least,  by  our  unconcernedness  about  their  spiritual  welfare.  It  also  discovers 
to  us  the  various  aggravations  of  sins  committed,  as  they  are  against  light,  love, 

y  Rom.  x.  17  ;  Acts  viii.  30,  31.  z  2  Peter  iii.  18.  a  Jer.  xvii.  9 ;  Rom.  vii.  9. 

b  Psal.  xxxviii.  18.  compared  with  verse  4.  c  Acts  xvi.  30;  Psal.  xix.  13;  xxv.  11 ; 

Jer.  viii.  22.  d  Ezra  ix.  13.  e  Isa.  xl.  17.  f  Pro  v.  xxx.  2  ;  Isa.  lxiv.  6. 


446  THE  ORDINANCE  OF  THE  WORD. 

mercies,  and  manifold  engagements,  which  we  arc  laid  under  ;  and  the  great  con- 
tempt which  we  have  cast  on  the  blessed  Jesus,  in  disregarding,  or  not  improving, 
the  benefits  of  his  mediation.  All  these  things,  duly  considered,  have  a  tendency 
to  humble  us ;  and  wo  are  led  into  the  discovery  of  them  by  the  word  of  God. 

4.  The  word  of  God  is  made  effectual  to  salvation,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  drive 
sinners  out  of  themselves,  and  to  draw  them  to  Jesus  Christ.     On  the  one  hand, 
it  shows  them  the  utter  impossibility  of  their  saving  themselves,  by  doing  anv 
thing  which  may  bring  them  into  a  justified  state,  and  so  render  them  accepted  in 
the  sight  of  God ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  it  draws  or  leads  them  to  Christ,  whom 
they  are  enabled  to  behold  by  faith,  as  discovered  in  the  gospel,  to  be  a  merciful  and 
all-sufficient  Saviour.     The  former  is  not  only  also  antecedent,  but  necessary  to  the 
latter.     For  so  long  as  we  fancy  that  we  have  a  sufficiency  in  ourselves  to  recom- 
mend us  to  God,  and  procure  for  us  a  right  and  title  to  eternal  life,  we  shall  never 
think  of  committing  our  souls  into  Christ's  hand,  in  order  to  our  obtaining  salva- 
tion from  him  in  his  own  way.     Accordingly,  the  prophet  brings  in  a  self-con- 
ceited people  as  saying,  '  We  are  lords,  we  will  come  no  more  unto  thee.'*    No  one 
will  seek  help  or  safety  from  Christ,  who  is  not  sensible  of  his  own  weakness,  and 
of  his  being  in  the  utmost  danger  without  him.     The  first  thing,  then,  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  does  in  the  souls  of  men,  when  he  makes  the  word  effectual  to  salva- 
tion, is  to  lead  them  into  an  humble  sense  of  their  utter  inability  to  do  what  is 
spiritually  good  or  acceptable  to  God,  or  so  to  make  atonement  for  the  sins  which 
they  have  committed  against  him  that  they  may  be  brought  into  a  justified  state. 
It  is,  indeed,  an  hard  matter  to  convince  the  sinner  of  this  ;  for  he  is  very  prone 
to  be  full  of  himself,  sometimes  to  glory,  with  the  Pharisee,11  in  some  religious 
duties  he  performs,  and  at  other  times  to  glory  in  his  abstaining  from  those  gross 
enormities  which  others  are  chargeable  with.     Or,  if  he  will  own  himself  to  have 
exceeded  many  in  sin  ;  yet  he  is  ready  to  think  that,  by  some  expedient  or  other, 
he  shall  be  able  to  make  atonement  for  it.     This  sets  him  at  a  great  distance  from 
Christ.     As  '  they  that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick,'1  so 
persons  of  the  character  we  are  describing  do  not  see  their  need  of  a  Saviour,  till 
they  are  convinced  that  they  have  nothing  in  themselves  which  can  afford  any  re- 
lief to  them,  so  as  to  deliver  them  from  the  guilt  of  sin  and  consequent  misery.    On 
this  account  our  Saviour  observes  that  '  publicans  and  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom 
of  God,'k  or  are  made  sensible  of  their  need  of  Christ,  being  convinced  of  sin,  before 
the  'chief  priests  and  elders,'  who  thought  they  had  a  righteousness  of  their  own 
to  justify  them,  and  therefore  refused  to  comply  with  the  method  of  the  gospel,  in 
having  recourse  to  Christ  alone  for  this  privilege.     Now,  the  word  of  God  is  made 
use  of  by  the  Spirit  to  drive  the  sinner  out  of  these  strong-holds,  and  to  show  him 
that  he  cannot,  by  any  means,  recover  himself  out  of  that  state  of  sin  and  misery 
into  which  he  is  plunged.     It  is  a  very  hard  thing  for  a  person  to  be  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  what  our  Saviour  says,  '  That  which  is  highly  esteemed  amongst  men, 
is  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,'1  that  is,  when  it  is  put  in  the  room  of 
Christ  and  his  righteousness  ;  and  to  convince  us  of  this  is  one  of  the  great  ends  to 
which  the  word  is  made  subservient,  when  rendered  effectual  to  salvation.     More- 
over, the  word  of  God  draws  the  soul  to  Christ,  so  that  it  is  persuaded  and  induced, 
from  gospel-motives,  to  come  to  him,  and,  at  the  same  time,  enabled  so  to  do  by  the 
almighty  power  of  God,  without  which  he  cannot  come  to  him.1"  The  former  draws  ob- 
jectively, the  latter  subjectively  and  internally.    As  to  what  the  gospel  does  in  this 
matter,  it  sets  before  us  the  excellency  and  glory  of  Christ  as  our  great  Mediator; 
represents  him  as  a  divine  person,  and,  consequently,  the  object  of  faith,  and  as 
such  '  able  to  save,  to  the  uttermost,  them  that  come  unto  God  by  him.'n     It  con- 
siders him  as  having  purchased  salvation  for  his  people  ;  so  that  they  may  obtain 
forgiveness  through  his  blood.     It  also  discovers  him  as  not  only  able  but  willing 
to  save  all  that  come  to  him  by  faith  ;  so  that  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  them  out.° 
It  also  represents  him  as  having  a  right  to  us  ;  we  are  his  by  purchase,  and  there- 
fore it  is  our  indispensable  duty  to  give  up  ourselves  unto  him.     It  also  makes 

g  Jer  ii.  31.  h  Luke  xviii.  11.  l  Matt.  ix.  12.  k  Chap.  xxi.  31. 

1  Luke  xvi.  15.  m  John  vi.  44.  n  Heb.  vii.  25.  o  John  vi.  37. 


THE  ORDINANCE  OF  THE  WORD.  447 

known  to  us  the  greatness  of  his  love,  as  the  highest  inducement  to  our  giving  our- 
selves up  to  him  ;  the  freeness,  riches,  and  extensiveness  of  his  grace,  as  ready  to 
embrace  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  pass  by  all  the  injuries  which  they  have  done 
against  him,  and  as  giving  them  the  utmost  assurance  that,  having  loved  them  in 
the  world,  he  will  love  them  to  the  end.  Thus  Christ  is  set  forth  in  the  gospel ; 
and  when  the  word  is  made  effectual  to  salvation,  the  soul  is  induced,  or,  as  it  were, 
constrained  to  love  him,  and  to  yield  the  obedience  of  faith  to  him  in  all  things. 

5.  The  word  is  made  of  use  by  the  Spirit,  as  a  means  to  conform  the  soul  to  the 
image  of  God,  and  subdue  it  to  his  will.  The  image  of  God  in  man  is  defaced  by 
sin  ;  so  that  he  is  not  only  rendered  unlike  him,  but  averse  to  him.  stripped  of  all 
his  beauty,  and  become  abominable  and  filthy  in  his  sight,  and,  as  long  as  he  re- 
mains so,  is  unmeet  for  communion  with  him,  or  for  obtaining  salvation  from  him. 
Now,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  communicates  special  grace  to  sinners,  he  stamps 
this  image  afresh  upon  the  soul,  which  he  renews  in  knowledge,  righteousness,  and 
holiness  ;  he  sanctifies  all  its  powers  and  faculties,  and  subdues  the  will,  so  that 
it  yields  a  cheerful  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  and  delights  in  his  law  after  the 
inward  man,  and  its  language  is,  '  Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth.'  This 
change  the  Spirit  of  God  works  in  the  heart,  by  his  internal  efficacious  influence  ; 
as  was  formerly  observed,  when  we  considered  the  work  of  conversion  and  sancti- 
fication  as  brought  about  by  him.P  This  effect  is  also  ascribed  to  the  word  as  a 
moral  instrument ;  it  is  not  attained  without  the  word,  and  is  indeed  the  principal 
end  of  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  '  The  weapons  of 
our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong- 
holds, casting  down  imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against 
the  knowledge  of  God,'i  and  bringing  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience 
of  Christ. 

6.  The  word  is  farther  said  to  be  made  effectual  to  salvation,  as  we  are  strength- 
ened by  it  against  temptation  and  corruption.  By  temptation  those  objects  are 
presented  to  us  which  have  a  tendency  to  alienate  our  affections  from  God  ;  and 
by  corruption  temptations  are  embraced  and  complied  with,  and  the  affections  en- 
tangled in  the  snare  which  is  laid  for  them.  Satan  or  the  world  presents  the  bait, 
and  corrupt  nature  is  easily  allured  and  taken  by  it.  The  tempter  uses  many  wiles 
and  stratagems  to  ensnare  us,  and  our  own  hearts  are  deceitful  above  all  things, 
and  without  much  difficulty  turned  aside,  and  so  led  captive  by  Satan  at  his  will. 
But  when  the  Spirit  of  God  makes  the  word  effectual  to  salvation,  he  takes  occa- 
sion by  it  to  detect  the  fallacy,  lays  open  the  designs  of  our  spiritual  enemies,  and 
the  pernicious  tendency  of  them,  and  internally  fortifies  the  soul  against  them,  so 
that  it  is  'kept  from  the  paths  of  the  destroyer  ;'r  and  this  he  does  by  presenting 

•  other  and  better  objects  to  engage  our  affections,  and  leading  us  into  the  know- 
ledge of  those  glorious  truths  which  may  prevent  a  sinful  compliance  with  the 
solicitations  of  the  devil.  According  to  the  nature  of  the  temptation  which  may 
occur,  we  are  directed  to  the  precepts  or  promises  contained  in  the  word  of  God  ; 
which,  being  duly  improved  by  us,  have  a  tendency  to  keep  the  heart  steady  and 
fixed  in  the  ways  of  God. 

7.  The  word  of  God  is  made  effectual  by  the  Spirit,  as  he  thereby  builds  the  soul 
up  in  grace,  and  establishes  it  in  holiness  and  comfort  through  faith  unto  salvation. 
The  work  of  grace  is  not  immediately  brought  to  perfection,  but  is,  in  a  progressive 
way,  making  advances  towards  it.  We  are  first  made  holy  by  the  renovation  of 
our  hearts  and  lives,  and  made  partakers  of  those  spiritual  consolations  which  ac- 
company or  flow  from  the  work  of  sanctification ;  and  then  we  are  built  up  in  holi- 
ness and  comfort,  and  so  go  from  strength  to  strength,  and  are  more  and  more 
established  in  the  ways  of  God.  Now  this  work  is  effected  in  us  by  the  preaching 
of  the  word,  whereby  we  are  said  to  '  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;'9  so  that  every  step  we  take  in  our  way  to  heaven, 
from  the  time  that  our  faces  are  first  turned  towards  it,  we  are  enabled  to  go  on 
safely  and  comfortably,  till  the  work  of  grace  is  perfected  in  glory. 

p  See  Quest,  lxvii,  lxviii.  q  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5.  r  Psal.  xvii.  4.  s  2  Pet.  iii.  18. 


448  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WOKD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

Question  CLVI.  Is  the  word  of  God  to  be  read  by  all? 

Answer.  Although  all  are  not  to  be  permitted  to  read  the  word  publicly  to  the  congregation, 
yet  all  sorts  of  people  are  bound  to  read  it  apart  by  themselves,  and  with  their  families,  to  which 
end  the  holy  scriptures  are  to  be  translated  out  of  the  original,  into  vulgar  languages. 

Question  CLVII.  How  is  the  word  of  God  to  be  read  t 

Answer.  The  holy  scriptures  are  to  be  read  with  an  high  and  reverent  esteem  of  them ;  with 
a  firm  persuasion  that  they  are  the  very  word  of  God,  and  that  he  only  can  enable  us  to  under- 
stand them,  with  desire  to  know,  believe,  and  obey  the  will  of  God  revealed  in  them,  with  dili- 
gence and  attention  to  the  matter  and  scope  of  them ;  with  meditation,  application,  self-denial, 
and  prayer. 

The  word  being  made  effectual  to  salvation,  which  was  the  subject  last  insisted 
on,  supposes  not  only  that  we  read  it  as  translated  into  vulgar  languages,  but  that 
we  understand  what  we  read,  in  order  to  our  applying  it  to  our  particular  case, 
and  improving  it  for  our  spiritual  advantage.  These  things  are  next  to  be  con- 
sidered, as  contained  in  the  Answers  we  are  now  to  explain. 

The  Word  to  be  read  by  and  to  all  men. 

We  have  an  account  in  the  former  of  these  Answers,  of  the  obligation  which  all 
persons  are  under  to  read,  or  at  least,  attend  to  the  reading  of  the  word  of  God. 

1.  It  is  to  be  read  publicly  in  the  congregation,  by  those  who  are  appointed 
for  that  purpose.  The  church  and  all  the  public  worship  performed  in  it,  are  founded 
on  the  doctrines  contained  in  scripture.  Hence,  every  one  who  would  be  made 
wise  to  salvation,  ought  to  be  well  acquainted  with  scripture.  Besides,  the  reading 
of  it  publicly,  as  a  part  of  the  worship  performed  in  the  church,  is  not  only  a  testi- 
mony of  the  high  esteem  which  we  have  for  it,  but  will  be  of  great  use  to  those 
who,  through  a  sinful  neglect  to  read  it  in  families,  or  in  their  private  retirement, 
or  who,  through  the  stupidity  of  their  hearts,  and  the  many  incumbrances  of  worldly 
business,  will  not  allow  themselves  time  to  do  so,  remain  strangers  to  those  great 
and  important  truths  which  are  contained  in  it.  Moreover,  that  the  public  read- 
ing of  the  word  is  a  duty,  appears  from  the  charge  which  the  apostle  gives  that  the 
epistle  which  he  wrote  to  the  church  at  Thessalonica  should  '  be  read  unto  all  the 
holy  brethren.'1  And  he  gives  a  similar  charge  to  the  church  at  Colosse.u  We 
may  add,  that  the  scripture  is  not  only  to  be  read,  but  explained  ;  which  is  the  prin- 
cipal design  of  the  preaching  of  it.  This  is  no  new  practice.  For  the  Old  Testament 
was  not  only  read,  but  explained  in  the  synagogues  'every  sabbath  day  ;'  and  the 
explaining  of  it  is  called,  by  a  metonymy,  'reading  Moses,  'x  that  is,  explaining  the 
law  which  was  given  by  him.  Thus  '  Ezra  stood  upon  a  pulpit  of  wood,  opened  the 
book  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people,'  and,  with  some  of  his  brethren  who  assisted  him, 
'  read  in  the  book  in  the  law  of  God  distinctly,  and  gave  the  sense,  and  caused  them 
to  understand  the  reading,'  that  is,  the  meaning  of  it.?  In  like  manner  our  Sa- 
viour '  went  into  the  synagogue  on  the  sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  and  read  a  part 
of  the  holy  scriptures  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  ;  and  when  he  had  done  so,  he  ap- 
plied it  to  himself,  and  showed  them  how  '  it  was  fulfilled  in  their  ears.'z  It  is  sup- 
posed, therefore,  that  the  word  is  to  be  publicly  read. 

The  only  thing  in  this  Answer  which  needs  explanation  is  the  clause,  '  All  are 
not  to  be  permitted  to  read  the  word  publicly  to  the  congregation.'  We  are  not  to 
suppose  that  there  is  an  order  of  men  whom  Christ  has  appointed  to  be  readers  in 
the  church,  distinct  from  ministers.  But  the  meaning  of  the  expression  may  be, 
that  all  are  not  to  read  the  word  of  God  together,  in  a  public  assembly,  with 
a  loud  voice  ;  for  to  do  so  would  tend  rather  to  confusion  than  to  edification.  Nor 
ought  any  to  be  appointed  to  read,  but  such  as  are  grave,  pious,  and  able  to  read 

t  1  Thess.  v.  27.  u  Col.  iv.  16.  x  Acts  xv.  21. 

y  Neh.  viii.  4—8.  z  Luke  iv.  16—24. 


BY  WHOM  AND   HOW  THE   WORD  IS  TO  BE  HEAD.  449 

distinctly,  for  the  edification  of  others.  And  who  is  so  fit  for  this  work,  as  tho 
minister  whose  office  is,  not  only  to  read  the  scripture,  but  to  explain  it  in  the  or- 
dinary course  of  his  ministry? 

2.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  read  in  our  families.  This  duty  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  the  propagating  of  religion  in  them.  It  is  indeed  shamefully  neglected  ; 
and  the  neglect  of  it  is  one  great  reason  of  the  ignorance  and  decay  of  piety  in  the 
rising  generation,  and  is  also  contrary  to  God's  command,3  as  well  as  the  examplu 
of  those  who  are  highly  commended  for  this  practice.  Thus,  '  Abraham  command- 
ed his  children,  and  his  household  after  him,  that  they  should  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord.'b 

3.  The  word  of  God  ought  to  be  read  by  every  one,  in  private  ;  and  that  not 
only  occasionally,  but  frequently,  as  one  of  the  great  duties  of  life.  Thus  God 
says  to  Joshua,0  '  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth ;  but  thou 
shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night. 'd  And  our  Saviour  commands  the  Jews  to 
'  search  the  scriptures. 'e  In  some  of  his  discourses  with  them  too,  though  he  was 
sensible  that  "they  were  a  degenerate  people,  yet  he  takes  it  for  granted  that  they 
had  not  altogether  laid  aside  this  duty.f  This  practice,  especially  where  the  word 
of  God  has  not  only  been  read,  but  the  meaning  of  it  sought  after  and  attended  to 
with  great  diligence,  is  recommended  as  a  peculiar  excellency  in  Christians,  who, 
as  attending  to  it,  are  styled  '  more  noble'  than  others  who  are  defective  in  this 
duty.s  That  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one  to  read  the  word  of  God,  appears  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  given  us  with  this  design.  If  God  is  pleased,  as  it  were,  to  send  us 
an  epistle  from  heaven,  it  is  a  very  great  instance  of  contempt  cast  on  it,  as  well  as 
on  the  divine  condescension  expressed  in  it,  for  us  to  neglect  to  read  it.  Does  he 
impart  his  mind  to  us  in  scripture  ;  and  is  it  not  our  indispensable  duty  to  pav  the 
utmost  regard  to  it  ?h  Moreover,  our  own  advantage  should  be  a  farther  inducement 
to  us  to  read  the  word  of  God  ;  since  his  design  in  giving  it  was  that  we  might 
believe,  and  that  believing,  we  may  attain  life  through  the  name  of  Christ.'  The 
word  of  God  is  sometimes  compared  to  '  a  sword,'  for  our  defence  against  our  spir- 
itual enemies  ;k  and  is  therefore  designed  for  use,  without  which  it  is  of  no  advan- 
tage to  us.  It  is  elsewhere  compared  to  '  a  lamp  to  our  feet  j'1  which  is  not  de- 
signed for  an  ornament,  but  to  guide  us  in  the  right  way  ;  so  that  we  must  attend 
to  its  direction.     It  is  also  compared  to  'food,'  whereby  we  are  said  to  be  '  nour- 

hed  up  in  the  words  of  faith  and  good  doctrine  ;'  and  as  '  new-born  babes'  we  are 
exhorted  to  '  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  we  may  grow  thereby. 'm 
But  this  end  cannot  be  attained  unless  the  word  be  read  and  applied  by  us  to  our 
own  necessities. 

We  are  now  led  to  take  notice  of  the  opposition  which  the  Papists  make  to  the 
general  reading  of  scripture.  They  deny  the  common  people  the  liberty  of  read- 
ing the  scriptures  in  their  own  language,  without  leave  given  them  from  the  bishop, 
or  some  other  of  their  spiritual  guides,  who  are  authorized  to  allow  or  deny  this 
privilege,  as  they  think  tit.  As  an  instance  of  their  opposition,  they  have  some- 
times burnt  whole  impressions  of  the  Bible,  in  the  open  market  place  ;  as  well  as 
expressed  their  contempt  by  burning  particular  copies  of  scripture,  or  dragging 
them  through  the  streets,  throwing  them  in  the  kennels,  and  stamping  them  under 
feet,  or  tearing  them  in  pieces,  as  though  the  Bible  were  the  vilest  book  in  the 
world.  Some  persons  have  even  been  burnt  for  reading  it.  That  it  might  be 
brought  into  the  utmost  contempt,  the  Papists  have  cast  the  most  injurious  re- 
proaches upon  it,  calling  it  a  bending  rule,  a  nose  of  wax,  a  dumb  judge ;  and  some 
have  blasphemed  it,  by  saying  that  it  has  no  more  authority  than  iEsop's  fables, 
and  have  compared  the  psalms  of  David  to  profane  ballads.  By  all  this  conduct, 
too,  they  pretend  to  consult  the  good  of  the  people,  that  they  may  not  be  misled 
by  scripture.  They  generally  allege  in  their  vindication,  that  they  oppose,  not 
so  much  the  reading  of  the  scripture,  as  the  reading  of  those  translations  of 
it  which  have  been  made  by  Protestants  ;  and  they  say  that  it  is  our  Bible,  not 

a  Deut.  vi.  6,  7.  b  Gen.  xviii.  19;  Psal.  lxxviii.3,  4,  5.  c  Josh.  i.  8.  d  Psal.  i.  2. 

e  John  v.  39.  f  Matt.  xii.  5;  Chap.  xxi.  42;  Luke  vi.  3.  g  Acts  xvii.  11. 

h  Rev  i.  11.  compared  with  Chap.  ii.  29.  i  John  xv.  31  ;  Rom.  x.  17;  Chap.  xv.  4. 

k  Eph.  vi.  17.  1  Psal.  cxix.  105.  m  1  Pet.  ii.  2. 

it.  3l 


4i>0  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

that  which  they  allow  to  be  the  word  of  God,  which  they  treat  witli  such  injurious 
contempt.  The  truth  is,  however,  they  do  not  so  much  bring  objections  against 
scripture,  taken  from  some  passages  which  they  pretend  to  be  falsely  translated  ; 
but  their  design  is,  plainly,  to  keep  the  people  in  ignorance,  that  they  may  not,  as 
the  consequence  of  their  reading  it,  imbibe  those  doctrines  which  will,  as  they 
pretend,  turn  them  aside  from  the  faith  of  the  church.  Hence,  they  usually 
maintain  that  the  common  people  ought  to  be  kept  in  ignorance,  as  an  expe- 
dient to  excite  devotion  ;  and  that,  by  this  means,  they  will  be  the  more  humble, 
and  pay  a  greater  deference  to  those  unwritten  traditions  which  are  propagated  by 
them,  and  pretended  to  be  of  equal  authority  with  scripture,  which  the  common 
people  must  take  up  with  instead  of  it.  Indeed,  the  consequence  corresponds  with 
their  desire ;  for  the  people  appear  to  be  grossly  ignorant,  and  think  themselves 
bound  to  believe  whatever  their  leaders  pretend  to  be  true,  without  exercising  a 
judgment  of  discretion,  or  endeavouring  to  know  the  mind  of  God. 

What  the  Papists  generally  allege  in  opposing  the  common  people's  reading  the 
Bible,  is  that  scripture  contains  'some  things  hard  to  be  understood,'  as  the  apostle 
Peter  expresses,  '  which  they  that  are  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest,  as  they  do 
also  the  other  scriptures,  unto  their  own  destruction.'11  Now,  it  must  be  allowed 
that  some  things  contained  in  scripture  are  hard  to  be  understood  ;  inasmuch  as 
the  gospel  contains  some  mysteries  which  finite  wisdom  cannot  comprehend  ;  and 
the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  sometimes  unintelligible  by  us,  by  reason  of 
the  ignorance  and  alienation  of  our  minds  from  the  life  of  God,  as  well  as  from  the 
imperfection  of  the  present  state,  in  which  we  know  but  in  part.  Yet  they  who, 
with  diligence  and  humility,  desire  and  earnestly  seek  after  the  knowledge  of  those 
truths  which  are  more  immediately  subservient  to  their  salvation,  shall  find  that 
their  labour  is  not  lost.  But  in  iollowing  on  to  know  the  Lord,  they  shall  know 
as  much  of  him  as  is  necessary  to  their  glorifying  and  enjoying  him  ;  as  the  pro- 
phet says,  *  Then  shall  ye  know  if  ye  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord.'0  It  is  to  be 
owned  that  there  are  some  depths  in  scripture  which  cannot  be  fathomed  by  a  finite 
understanding  ;  and  these  should  raise  our  admiration,  and  put  us  upon  adoring 
the  unsearchable  wisdom  of  God,  as  well  as  excite  us  to  an  humble  confession  that 
'we  are  but  of  yesterday,  and  know'  comparatively  '  nothing. 'p  Yet  there  are 
many  doctrines  which  we  may  attain  a  clear  knowledge  of,  and  improve  to  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  conduct  of  our  lives.  Thus  the  prophet  speaks  of  'an  highway,' 
called  '  the  way  of  holiness,'  concerning  which  he  says,  that  'way-faring  men,'  who 
walk  in  it,  '  though  fools, '  that  is,  such  as  have  the  meanest  capacity  as  to  other 
things,  '  shall  not  err  therein  ;'"*  that  is,  they  who  humbly  desire  the  teaching  of 
the  Spirit,  whereby  they  may  be  made  acquainted  with  the  mind  and  will  of  God, 
shall  not  be  led  out  of  the  way  by  any  thing  which  he  has  revealed  to  his  people  in 
his  word.  It  is  very  injurious  to  the  sacred  oracles  to  infer  that,  because  some 
things  are  hard  to  be  understood,  all  who  read  them  must  necessarily  wrest  them 
to  their  own  destruction.  Besides,  the  apostle  does  not  say  that  all  do  so,  but  only 
those  who  are  '  unlearned  and  unstable  ;' — '  unlearned,'  that  is,  altogether  unac- 
quainted with  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  not  making  them  the  matter  of  their 
study  and  inquiry  ;  and  '  unstable,'  that  is,  such  as  give  way  to  scepticism,  or  they 
whose  faith  is  not  built  on  the  right  foundation,  but  are  inclined  to  turn  aside  from 
the  truth  with  every  wind  of  doctrine.  This  God's  people  may  hope  to  be  kept 
from,  while  they  study  the  holy  scriptures,  and  earnestly  desire  to  be  made  wise 
by  them  unto  salvation.     [See  Note  U,  page  472.] 

The  Papists  farther  allege  against  the  common  people  being  permitted  to  read 
the  scriptures,  that  it  will  make  them  proud,  and  induce  them  to  inquire  into  those 
things  which  do  not  belong  to  them,  so  that  they  will  soon  think  themselves  wiser 
than  their  teachers.  They  allege  also  that  the  reading  of  the  scriptures  by  the 
common  people  has  been  the  occasion  of  all  the  heresies  which  are  in  the  world. 
But  whatever  ill  consequences  attend  a  person's  reading  of  scripture  are  to  be 
ascribed,  not  to  the  use,  but  to  the  abuse  of  it.  Will  any  one  say  that  we  ought 
to  abstain  from  eating  and  drinking,  because  some  are  guilty  of  excess  in  them,  by 

n  2  Pet.  iii.  16.  o  Hosea  vi.  3.  p  Job  viii.  9.  q  Isa.  xxxv.  8. 


BY  WHOM  AND   HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  45 1 

gluttony  and  drunkenness?  No  more  ought  we  to  abstain  from  reading  the  scrip- 
tures, because  some  make  a  wrong  use  of  them.  As  to  its  being  supposed  that  hv 
reading  the  scriptures  some,  through  pride,  will  think  themselves  wiser  than  then- 
teachers,  we  will  allow  they  may  do  so,  without  passing  a  wrong  judgment  on  them- 
selves. But  it  is  an  injurious  treatment  of  mankind,  to  keep  the  world  in  igno- 
rance that  they  may  not  detect  the  fallacies,  or  expose  the  errors,  of  those  who 
pretend  to  be  their  guides  in  matters  of  faith.  As  to  the  allegation  that  the  read- 
ing of  scripture  has  been  the  occasion  of  many  heresies  in  the  world,  I  am  rather 
inclined  to  think  that  this  evil  ought  to  be  charged  on  men's  neglect  of  that  duty, 
or,  at  least,  on  their  not  studying  the  scripture  with  diligence  and  an  humble  de- 
pendence on  God  for  his  blessing. 

It  may  be  observed,  that  whatever  reasons  are  assigned  by  the  Papists  for  their 
denying  the  people  the  liberty  of  reading  the  scripture,  seem  to  carry  a  pretence  of 
great  kindness  to  them.  The  scriptures  are  pretended  to  be  withheld  from  them 
that  they  may  not  be  led  out  of  the  way,  and  do  themselves  hurt,  just  as  it  is  a 
dangerous  thing  to  put  a  knife  or  a  sword  into  a  child's  or  a  madman's  hand  ;  and 
thus  they  suppose  the  common  people  to  be  ignorant,  and  would  keep  them  so.  But, 
whatever  reasons  they  assign,  the  true  reason  why  they  so  much  oppose  the  read- 
ing of  scripture  is,  that  it  detects  and  exposes  the  absurdity  of  many  doctrines 
which  are  imbibed  by  them,  and  which  will  not  bear  to  be  tried  by  it.  If  they 
can  but  persuade  their  votaries,  that  whatever  is  handed  down  by  tradition  as  a  rule 
of  faith,  is  to  be  received  without  the  least  hesitation,  though  contrary  to  the  mind 
of  God  in  scripture,  they  are  not  likely  to  meet  with  any  opposition  from  them,  let 
them  advance  doctrines  never  so  absurd  or  contrary  to  reason. 

It  may  be  inquired  whether  they  universally  prohibit  the  reading  of  scripture  ? 
Now,  it  must  be  allowed  that  the  vulgar  Latin  version  of  it  may  be  read  by  any 
one  who  understands  it,  without  falling  under  their  censure.  But  then  they  are 
sensible  that  the  greater  part  of  the  common  people  cannot  understand  it.  Be- 
sides, though  they  should  understand  it,  it  is  so  corrupt  a  translation,  that  it  seems 
plainly  calculated  to  give  countenance  to  the  errors  they  advance. r  It  hence 
appears  from  their  whole  management  in  this  matter,  that  their  design  is  to  de- 
prive mankind  of  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  which  God  has  granted  them,  and 
to  discourage  persons  from  the  performance  of  a  duty  which  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  promote  the  interest  of  God  and  religion  in  the  world.  We  must  conclude, 
then,  that  it  is  an  invaluable  privilege  that  we  are  not  only  permitted  but  com- 
manded to  read  the  scriptures,  as  translated  into  the  language  which  is  generally 
understood  by  us. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  inference  deduced  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
Answer  which  we  are  explaining,  namely,  that  the  scriptures  are  to  be  translated 
out  of  the  original  into  vulgar  languages.  That  this  ought  to  be  done  is  evi- 
dent from  the  fact  that  reading  signifies  nothing  where  the  words  are  not  under- 
stood. Nor  is  every  private  Christian  obliged  to  addict  himself  to  the  study  of 
the  languages  in  which  the  scriptures  were  written  ;  for  this  is  a  work  of  so  much 
pains  and  difficulty,  that  few  have  opportunity  or  inclination  to  apply  themselves 
to  it  to  any  considerable  purpose.  Hence,  the  words  of  scripture  must  be  rendered 
intelligible  to  all,  and,  consequently,  translated  into  a  language  they  understand. 
That  this  ought  to  be  done  may  be  farther  argued  from  the  care  of  providence  as  to 
the  languages  in  which  scripture  was  originally  given.  The  scriptures  were  deliv- 
ered to  the  Jews,  in  their  own  language.     The  greatest  part  of  the  Old  Testament 

r  Many  instances  of  this  might  be  produced.  Thus  in  Gen.  iii.  15,  instead  of  '  it  shall  bruise  thy 
head,'  they  read  'she,'  by  which  they  understand  the  Virgin  Mary,  '  shall  bruise  thy  head,'  that  is, 
the  serpent's.  In  Gen.  xlviii.  16,  instead  of,  'my  name  shall  be  named  on  them,'  which  are  the 
words  of  Jacob  concerning  Joseph's  sons,  they  read  *  my  name  shall  be  invoked,  or  called  upon  by 
them  ;'  which  favours  the  doctrine  of  invocation  of  saints.  In  Psal.  xcix.  5,  instead  of,  '  Exalt  the 
Lord  our  God,  and  worship  at  his  footstool,'  they  read,  •  worship  his  footstool,'  which  gives  counte- 
nance to  their  error  of  paying  divine  adoration  to  places  or  things.  In  Heb.  xi.  21,  instead  of  'Ja- 
cob worshipped  .leaning  on  the  top  of  his  staff,'  they  read  'he  worshipped  the  top  of  his  staff.' 
And  in  Heb.  xiii.  16,  instead  of,  '  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased,'  they  read,  '  with  such 
sacrifices  God  is  merited  '  which  they  make  use  of  to  establish  the  merit  ot  good  works. 


452  BY  WHOM  AND   HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

was  written  in  Hebrew  ;  and  those  few  sections  or  chapters  in  Ezra  and  Daniel, 
which  were  written  in  the  Chaldee  language,  were  not  inserted  till  fchej  understood 
that  language. s  And  when  the  world  generally  understood  the  (J  reek  tongue,  so 
that  there  was  no  necessity  for  the  common  people  to  learn  it  in  schools,  and  the 
Hebrew  was  not  understood  by  those  nations  for  whom  the  gospel  was  designed ;  it 
pleased  God  to  deliver  the  New  Testament  in  the  Greek  language.  It  is  hence 
beyond  dispute  that  he  intended  that  the  scripture  should  not  only  be  read,  but 
understood  by  the  common  people.  Moreover,  when  the  gospel  was  sent  to  various 
nations  of  different  languages,  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  an  extraordinary  and  miracu- 
lous dispensation  in  which  he  bestowed  on  them  the  gift  of  tongues,  furnished  the 
apostles  to  speak  to  every  one  in  their  own  language  ;  a  dispensation  which  would 
have  been  needless,  if  it  were  not  necessary  for  persons  to  read  or  hear  the  holy 
scriptures  with  understanding. 

Directions  for  Beading  the  Word  of  God. 

We  are  now  to  consider  how  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  read,  that  we  may  under- 
stand and  improve  what  it  contains  to  our  spiritual  advantage.  On  this  subject 
there  are  several  directions  given  in  the  latter  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining. 

I.  We  must  read  the  scriptures  with  a  high  and  reverent  esteem  of  them,  arising 
from  a  firm  persuasion  that  they  are  the  very  word  of  God.  That  they  are  so,  has 
been  proved  by  several  arguments.*  We  will  suppose  that  those  who  read  them 
are  persuaded  that  they  are  so  ;  and  their  having  this  persuasion  will  beget  a  high 
and  reverent  esteem  of  them.  The  perfections  of  God,  and  particularly  his  wisdom, 
sovereignty,  and  goodness,  shine  forth  with  as  much  glory  in  his  word,  as  they  do 
in  any  of  his  works.  It  hence  has  a  preference  to  all  human  compositions.  What- 
ever is  revealed  in  it  is  to  be  admired  and  depended  on  for  its  unerring  wisdom  and 
infallible  verity ;  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  understand  and  improve  it, 
to  be  turned  aside  by  it  from  the  way  of  truth.  We  are  also  to  consider  the  use 
which  God  makes  of  it,  to  propagate  his  kingdom  and  interest  in  the  world.  It  is  by 
means  of  it  that  he  convinces  men  of  sin,  and  discovers  to  them  the  way  of  obtaining 
forgiveness  of  it,  and  victory  over  it ;  and  thoroughly  furnishes  them  unto  every  good 
work.u  For  this  reason  the  wisest  and  best  of  men  have  expressed  the  highest 
esteem  and  value  for  it.  The  psalmist  mentions  the  love  he  had  to  it,  as  a  person 
who  was  in  a  rapture  :  •  0  how  love  I  thy  law!  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day.'1 
'  It  is  more  to  be  desired  than  gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold  ;  sweeter  also  than 
honey  and  the  honey-comb. '?  Such  high  veneration  as  this  we  all  ought  to  have  ; 
otherwise  we  may  sometimes  be  tempted  to  read  it  with  prejudice,  and  may,  in  con- 
sequence, through  the  corruption  of  our  nature,  be  prone  to  cavil  at  it,  as  we  some- 
times do  at  those  writings  which  are  merely  human,  and  which  savour  of  the  weak- 
ness and  imperfection  of  their  authors  ;  and  thus  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  re- 
ceive any  saving  advantage  from  reading  it. 

II.  We  must,  in  reading  the  word  of  God,  be  sensible  that  he  alone  can  enable 
us  to  understand  it.  To  read  the  scriptures  and  not  understand  them,  will  be  of 
no  advantage  to  us.  Hence,  it  is  supposed  that  we  are  endeavouring  to  have  our 
•minds  rightly  informed  and  furnished  with  the  knowledge  of  divine  truths.  But  by 
reason  of  the  corruption,  ignorance,  and  depravity  of  our  natures,  this  knowledge 
cannot  be  attained  without  a  peculiar  blessing  from  God  attending  our  endeavours. 
We  ought  therefore  to  glorify  him,  by  dependence  on  him,  for  this  privilege, — sen- 
sible that  all  spiritual  wisdom  is  from  him.  For  if  we  would  see  a  beauty  and  a 
glory  in  those  things  which  are  revealed  in  scripture,  and  be  thoroughly  established 
in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  so  as  not  to  be  in  danger  of  being  turned  aside  from 

s  There  is,  indeed,  one  verse  in  Jeremiah,  chap.  x.  11,  written  in  Chaldee,  which,  it  is  probable, 
they  did  not  at  that  time  well  understand.  But  the  prophet  by  this  intimates  to  them,  that  they 
should  be  carried  into  a  country  where  that  language  should  be  used  ;  and  therefore  the  Holy  Ghost 
furnishes  thern  with  a  message  that  they  were  to  deliver  to  the  Chaldeans  from  |be  Lord,  in  their 
own  language.  '  The  gods,  that  have  not  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  even  they  shall  perish 
from  the  earth,  and  from  under  these  heavens.' 

t  See  Quest,  ir.  u  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  x  Psal.  cxix.  97.  y  PmI.  xix.  10. 


BY  WHOM   AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO    BE  READ.  453 

them,  or,  especially,  if  we  would  improve  them  to  our  being  made  wise  unto  salva- 
tion, we  must  consider  these  objects  of  desire  as  the  gift  of  God.  It  is  he  alone 
who  can  enable  us  to  understand  his  word  aright  ;  for  it  is  not  less  necessary  that 
there  should  be  an  internal  illumination  of  our  minds,  than  that  there  should  be  an 
external  revelation  as  the  matter  of  our  studies  and  inquiries.  Thus  our  Saviour 
not  only  repeated  the  words  of  those  scriptures  which  concerned  himself,  .to  the  two 
disciples  going  to  Emmaus  ;  but  '  he  opened  their  understandings,  that  they  might, 
understand  them.'z  Without  this  divine  illumination,  a  person  may  have  the 
brightest  parts,  and  most  penetrating  judgment  in  other  respects,  and  yet  be  un- 
acquainted with  the  mind  of  God  in  his  word,  and  inclined  to  embrace  those  doc- 
trines which  are  contrary  to  it.  In  particular,  if  God  is  not  pleased  to  succeed  our 
endeavours,  we  shall  remain  destitute  of  the  experimental  knowledge  of  divine 
truths,  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation. 

III.  We  must  read  the  word  of  God  with  a  desire  to  know,  believe,  and  obey  his 
will,  revealed  in  it.  If  we  do  not  desire  to  know  or  understand  the  meaning  of 
scripture,  it  will  remain  no  better  than  a  sealed  book  to  us  ;  and,  instead  of  re- 
ceiving advantage  from  it,  we  shall  be  ready  to  entertain  prejudices  against  it,  till 
we  lay  it  aside  with  the  utmost  dislike,  and,  in  consequence,  be  utterly  estranged 
from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  and  vanity  of  our  minds.  We  must 
also  read  the  word  of  God  with  a  desire  to  have  our  faith  established  by  it,  that 
our  feet  may  be  set  upon  a  rock,  and  we  may  be  delivered  from  all  manner  of  doubts 
and  hesitations,  with  respect  to  those  important  truths  which  are  revealed  in  it. 
And  we  ought  to  desire,  not  only  to  believe,  but  to  yield  a  constant  and  cheerful 
obedience  to  every  thing  which  God  therein  requires  of  us. 

IV.  Our  reading  the  word  of  God  ought  to  be  accompanied  with  meditation,  and 
the  exercise  of  self-denial.  Our  thoughts  should  be  wholly  and  intensely  taken  up 
with  the  subject  of  it  as  persons  who  are  studiously,  and  with  the  greatest  earnest- 
ness, pressing  after  the  knowledge  of  those  doctrines  which  are  of  the  highest  im- 
portance, that  our  profiting  in  the  study  of  it  may  appear  to  ourselves  and  others.3 
As  to  the  exercise  of  self-denial,  all  those  perverse  reasonings  which  our  carnal 
minds  are  prone  to  suggest  against  the  matter  of  divine  revelation,  are  to  be  laid 
aside.  If  we  are  resolved  to  believe  nothing  but  what  we  can  comprehend,  we 
ought  to  consider  that  the  gospel  contains  uns.earchable  mysteries,  which  surpass 
finite  wisdom  ;  so  that  we  must  be  content  to  acknowledge  that  we  know  but  in 
part.  There  is  a  deference  to  be  paid  to  the  wisdom  of  God  which  eminently  ap- 
pears in  every  thing  he  has  discovered  to  us  in  his  word  ;  and  hence  we  must  adore 
the  divine  perfections  which  are  displayed  in  it,  whilst  we  retain  an  humble  sense 
of  the  imperfection  of  our  own  knowledge.  Our  reason  is  not  to  be  considered  as 
useless  ;  but  we  must  desire  that  it  may  be  sanctified,  and  inclined  to  receive  what- 
ever God  is  pleased  to  impart.  We  are  to  exercise  the  grace  of  self-denial  also 
with  respect  to  that  obstinacy  of  our  wills  whereby  they  are  naturally  disinclined 
to  acquiesce  in,  approve  of,  and  yield  obedience  to,  the  will  of  God  ;  so  that  we 
may  be  entirely  satisfied  that  every  thing  which  he  commands  in  his  word,  is  holy, 
just,  and  good. 

V.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  read  with  fervent  prayer.  '  If  any  man  lack  wis- 
dom,' says  the  apostle,  '  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and 
upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall  be  given  him.'b  The  advantage  which  we  expect  by 
reading  the  word,  is,  as  was  formerly  observed,  his  gift ;  and  hence  we  are  humbly 
to  supplicate  him  for  it.  There  are  many  things  in  his  word  which  are  hard  to  be 
understood  ;  so  that  we  ought  to  say,  whenever  we  take  the  scriptures  into  our 
hands,  as  the  psalmist  does,  '  Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous 
things  out  of  thy  law.'c  We  may,  in  this  case,  humbly  acknowledge  the  weakness 
of  our  capacities,  and  the  blindness  of  our  minds,  which  render  it  necessary  for  us 
to  desire  to  be  instructed  by  him  in  the  way  of  truth.  We  may  also  plead  that 
his  design  in  giving  us  his  word,  was  that  it  might  be  a  lamp  to  our  feet,  and  a 
light  to  our  paths  ;  so  that  we  dread  the  thoughts  of  walking  in  darkness,  when 
there  is  such  a  clear  discovery  of  those  things  which  are  so  glorious  aud  necessary 

z  Luke  xxiv.  45.  a  1  Tim.  iv.  15.  b  James  i.  5.  c  Psal.  cxix.  18. 


454  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

to  be  known.  We  may  also  plead  that  our  Lord  Jesus  is  revealed  to  his  people- 
as  the  prophet  of  his  church  ;  and  that  whatever  office  he  is  invested  with,  he  de- 
lights to  execute,  as  his  glory  is  concerned  in  his  doing  so;  so  that  we  trust  and 
hope  that  lie  will  lead  us,  by  his  Spirit,  into  all  truth.  We  may  also  plead  the 
impossibility  of  our  attaining  the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  without  his  assistance  ; 
and  how  much  it  would  redound  to  his  glory,  as  well  as  our  own  comfort  and  ad- 
vantage, if  he  will  be  pleased  to  lead  us  into  the  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  him.  This  we  cannot  but  importunately  desire,  being  sensible  of  the  sad 
consequences  of  our  being  destitute  of  it ;  inasmuch  as  we  should  remain  in  dark- 
ness, though  favoured  with  the  light  of  the  gospel. 

VI.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  read  with  diligence,  and  with  attention  to  its  matter 
and  scope.  We  have  hitherto  been  directed,  in  this  Answer,  to  apply  ourselves  to 
the  reading  of  scripture,  with  that  frame  of  spirit  which  becometh  Christians,  who 
desire  to  know  the  mind  and  will  of  God  ; — that  we  ought  to  have  our  minds  dis- 
engaged from  those  prejudices  which  would  hinder  our  receiving  any  advantage 
from  it,  and  to  exercise  those  graces  which  the  nature  and  importance  of  the  duty 
require  ;  that  we  ought  to  depend  upon  God,  and  address  ourselves  to  him  by 
faith  and  prayer  for  the  knowledge  of  those  divine  truths  which  are  contained  in 
scripture.  But,  in  this  last  Head,  we  are  led  to  speak  of  some  other  methods  condu- 
cive to  our  understanding  scripture  ;  which  are  the  effects  of  diligence  and  of  at- 
tention to  the  sense  of  the  words  of  it,  and  the  scope  and  design  of  them.  This 
being  an  useful  Head,  I  shall  take  occasion  to  enlarge  on  it  more  than  I  have  done 
on  others,  and  to  add  some  things  which  may  serve  as  a  farther  means  to  direct  us 
how  we  may  read  the  scriptures  with  understanding.  I  might  here  observe  that 
they  who  are  well  acquainted  with  the  languages  in  which  they  were  written,  and 
are  able  to  make  just  remarks  on  the  words,  phrases,  and  particles  used  in  them, 
some  of  which  cannot  be  expressed  in  another  language  without  losing  much  of 
their  native  beauty  and  significance,  have  certainly  the  advantage  of  all  others. 
But  as  the  greater  part  of  mankind  cannot  enjoy  this  advantage,  they  being 
strangers  to  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  languages,  they  must  have  recourse  to  some 
other  helps  for  the  attaining  of  the  desired  end. 

1.  It  will  be  of  great  use  for  them  to  consult  those  expositions  which  we  have  of 
the  whole  or  some  particular  parts  of  scripture  ;  of  which  some  are  more  large, 
others  concise, — some  critical,  others  practical.  I  shall  forbear  making  any  re- 
marks tending  to  depreciate  the  performance  of  some  expositors,  or  extol  the  judg- 
ment of  others  ;  only  this  must  be  observed,  that  many  have  passed  over  some  dif- 
ficulties of  scripture,  and  by  their  omissions  have  given  a  degree  of  disgust  to  the 
more  inquisitive  part  of  Christians.  The  course  they  have  pursued  may  be  attributed, 
in  some  instances,  to  a  commendable  modesty,  which  we  find  not  only  in  those  who 
have  written  in  our  own  language,  but  in  those  who  have  written  in  others,  whereby 
they  tacitly  confess,  either  that  they  could  not  solve  the  difficulties  which  they  pass  by, 
or  that  it  was  better  to  leave  them  undetermined,  than  to  attempt  solutions  which,  at 
best,  would  amount  to  little  more  than  probable  conjectures.  It  may  also  be  observed 
that  others  who  have  commented  on  scripture,  seemed  to  be  prepossessed  with  a 
particular  scheme  of  doctrine,  which,  if  duly  considered,  is  not  very  defensible ;  and 
they  are  obliged,  sometimes,  to  strain  the  sense  of  a  text,  that  it  may  appear  to 
speak  agreeably  to  their  own  sentiments.  Their  expositions,  however,  may,  in 
other  respects,  be  used  with  great  advantage. 

We  may  add,  that  as  the  word  preached  is  designed  to  lead  us  into  the  knowledge 
of  scripture  doctrines,  we  ought  to  attend  upon  and  improve  it,  as  a  means  condu- 
cive to  this  end,  and  to  bless  God  for  the  great  helps  and  advantages  we  enjoy. 
But  more  shall  be  said  on  this  subject  under  some  following  Answers  relating  to 
the  preaching  and  hearing  of  the  word.d 

2.  We  ought  to  make  the  best  use  we  can  of  those  translations  of  scripture  which 
we  have  in  our  own  language.  If  we  compare  these  together,  we  shall  find,  not 
only  that  the  style  in  which  one  is  written  differs  from  that  of  another,  agreeably 
to  the  respective  times  in  which  they  were  written,  but  that  they  differ  very  much 

d  See  Quest,  clix,  clx. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  455 

in  the  sense  they  give  of  many  places  of  scripture.  Their  differences  may  easilv 
be  accounted  for  from  the  various  acceptations  of  the  same  Hebrew  or  Greek  word. 
as  may  be  observed  in  all  other  languages.  There  are  also  difficulties  relating  to 
the  proper  manner  of  translating  some  particular  phrases,  or  to  the  various  senses 
in  which  several  particles  are  to  be  understood.  Now,  by  comparing  translations 
together,  they  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  original,  will  be  sometimes  led  into  a 
sense  more  agreeable  to  the  context  and  the  analogy  of  faith,  by  one  of  them,  than 
by  another.  But  we  will  suppose  the  English  reader  to  confine  himself  to  the 
translation  which  is  generally  used  by  us.  Though  this  cannot  be  supposed  to  be  of 
equal  authority  with  the  original,  or  so  perfect  that  it  admits  of  no  correction  as  to 
any  word  or  phrase  which  it  contains  ;  yet  I  would  be  far  from  taking  occasion  to  de- 
preciate it,  or  to  say  any  thing  which  may  stagger  the  faith  of  any,  as  though  we 
were  in  danger  of  being  led  aside  by  it  from  the  way  of  truth.  Some  who  plead 
for  the  necessity  of  a  new  translation  of  the  Bible,  pretend  that  we  are  in  some  such 
danger  :  though  it  is  much  to  be  feared,  that  if  any  new  translation  should  be  at- 
tempted, it  would  deviate  more  from  the  sense  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  than  that  which 
we  now  have,  and  have  reason  to  bless  God  for,  and  which,  I  cannot  but  think, 
comes  as  near  the  original  as  most  that  are  extant.  We  shall  therefore  consider 
how  this  may  be  used  to  the  best  advantage,  for  our  understanding  the  mind  of  God. 
Now,  let  it  be  observed,  that  there  is  another  translation  of  words  referred  to  in 
the  margin  of  our  Bibles,  which  will  sometimes  give  very  great  light  to  the  sense  of 
the  text,  and  appear  more  emphatic,  and  rather  to  be  acquiesced  in.  I  shall  give  a 
short  specimen  of  some  texts  of  scripture  which  may  be  illustrated  from  the  mar- 
ginal reading.  In  Job  iv.  18,  it  is  said,  '  He  put  no  trust  in  his  servants,  and  his 
angels  he  charged  with  folly.'  In  the  margin,  it  is  observed. that  the  words  may 
be  read,  '  He  put  no  trust  in  his  servants,  nor  in  his  angels,  in  whom  he  put  light.' 
This  reading  points  out  the  excellency  of  the  nature  of  angels,  and  the  wisdom  with 
which  they  are  endowed  ;  and  shows  that,  notwithstanding  these,  God  put  no  trust 
in  them,  not  having  thought  fit  to  make  use  of  them  in  creating  the  world,  nor 
having  committed  to  them  the  government  of  it.  Again,  in  Isaiah  liii.  3,  it  is 
said,  speaking  of  our  Saviour,  '  We  hid,  as  it  were,  our  faces  from  him ;'  but  in  the 
margin  it  is,  '  He  hid,  as  it  were,  his  face  from  us.'  The  latter  reading  implies 
that  as  he  bore  our  grief,  so  he  was  charged  with  our  guilt ;  and  accordingly  is  re- 
presented, as  having  his  face  covered,  as  an  emblem  of  his  bearing  it.  Or  it 
denotes  his  concealing  or  veiling  his  glory,  as  he  who  was  really  in  the  form  of 
God,  appeared  in  the  form  of.  a  servant.  Again,  in  Jer.  xlii.  20,  the  prophet  re- 
proving the  people,  says,  '  Ye  dissembled  in  your  hearts,  when  ye  sent  me  unto  the 
Lord  your  God,  saying,  pray  for  us  ;'  but  in  the  margin  it  is,  'You  have  used 
deceit  against  your  souls.'  Here  the  marginal  reading  contains  a  farther  illustra- 
tion of  the  text ;  as  it  not  only  denotes  their  hypocrisy,  but  the  consequence  of  it, 
namely,  their  destruction.  This  sense  agrees  very  well  with  the  threatening  de- 
nounced in  verse  22,  that  they  should  •  die  by  the  sword,  by  the  famine,  and  by 
the  pestilence.'  The  same  prophet,  in  chap.  x.  14,  speaking  of  idolaters,  says, 
'  Every  man  is  brutish  in  his  knowledge  ;'  but  in  the  margin  it  is,  '  Every  man  is 
more  brutish  than  to  know.'  Here  their  stupidity  is  assigned  rather  to  their  igno- 
rance than  to  their  knowledge.  Again,  in  Zechariah  xii.  5,  it  is  said,  '  The  gover- 
nors of  Judah  shall  say  in  their  hearts,  The  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  shall  be  my 
strength  in  the  Lord  of  hosts  their  God  ;'  but  in  the  margin  it  is,  '  The  governors 
of  Judah  shall  say,  There  is  strength  to  me,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
in  the  Lord  of  hosts.'  This  reading  seems  more  agreeable  to  what  follows;  which 
contains  several  promises  of  deliverance  and  salvation,  which  God  would  work  lor 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  Hence,  we  are  not  to  suppose  them  saying,  'Jeru- 
salem shall  be  our  strength  ;'  but,  '  The  Lord  of  hqsts  shall  be  our  strength,'  who 
is  a  safe-guard  to  Jerusalem,  as  well  as  to  the  governors  of  Judah.  Again,  in  Acts 
xvii.  23,  it  is  said,  '  As  I  passed  by,  and  beheld  your  devotions;'  but  in  the  mar- 
gin it  is,  'the  gods,  whom  ye  worship.'  or  the  things  ye  pay  divine  honour  to;  a 
reading  which  is  very  agreeable  to  the  context,  and  the  design  of  the  apostle. 
Again,  in  chap.  xxii.  29,  it  is  said,  '  They  departed  from  him,  which  should  have 
examined  him,'  meaning  Paul  ;  but  in  the  margin  it  is,  'tortured  him;'  and  this 


456  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

reading  refers  to  the  Roman  custom  of  scourging,  and  thereby  tormenting  one 
who  was  under  examination  tor  supposed  crimes.  Again,  in  Gal.  i.  14,  the  apostle 
says,  '  1  profited  in  the  Jews'  religion  above  many  my  equals  ;'  but  in  the  margin 
it  is,  'my  equals  in  years;'  a  reading  which  seems  much  more  agreeable  to  the 
apostle's  design.  Again,  in  Heb.  ii.  7,  it  is  said  in  the  text,  '  Thou  madest  him,' 
that  is,  our  Saviour,  'a  little  lower  than  the  angels  ;'  but  in  the  margin  it  is,  'a 
little  while  inferior  to  them.'  Here  there -is  a  reference  to  his  state  of  humiliation, 
which  continued,  comparatively,  but  a  little  while. 

Further,  in  order  to  our  making  a  right  use  of  our  English  translation,  that  we 
may  understand  the  mind  of  God  contained  in  it,  let  it  be  observed  that,  by  reason 
of  the  conciseness  of  the  style  of  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  texts,  there  are  several 
words  left  out,  which  must  be  supplied  to  complete  the  sense,  and  that  these  are 
inserted   in  an  Italic  character.     Now,  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  us  to  determine 
whether  the  insertion  be  just  or  not ;  when  we  consider  that  the  translators  often 
take  their  direction  in  making  it  from  some  words,  either  expressed  or  understood, 
in  the  context.     Thus  in  Heb.  viii.  7,  'If  the  first  covenant  had  been  faultless,' 
&c,  the  word  '  covenant'  is  inserted,  as  it  is  also  in  verse  13,  because  it  is  express- 
ly mentioned  in  verses  8—10.     Again,  in  chap.  x.  6,  it  is  said,  '  In  sacrifices  for 
sin  thou  hadst  no  pleasure.'     Here  the  word  '  sacrifices'  is  supplied  from  the  fore- 
going verse  ;  and,  for  the  same  reason,  'offerings'  might  as  well  have  been  sup- 
plied, as  it  is  verse  8.     And,  in  verse  25,  we  are  commanded  to  •  exhort  one  an- 
other ;'  where  '  one  another'  is  supplied  from  the  foregoing  verse.     Again,  in  1  Pet. 
iv.  16,  '  If  any  man  suffer  as  a  Chrstian,  let  him  not  be  ashamed,'  the  words,  'any 
man  suffer '  are  inserted  as  agreeable  to  what  is  mentioned  verse  15.     Again,  in 
Ephes.  ii.  1,  '  You  lmth  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,'  the 
words  '  hath  he  quickened '  are  supplied  from  verse  5  ;  and  our  translators  might 
as  well  have  added,  '  you  hath  he  quickened,  together  with  him,'  namely,  Christ. 
These  instances  I  mention  only  as  a  specimen  of  insertions  to  complete  the  sense 
in  our  translation  ;  and  we  shall  find  that  the  words  supplied  in  other  scriptures 
are,  for  the  most  part,  sufficiently  just.     But  if  they  be  not  so,  they  are  subject  to 
correction,  without  the  least  imputation  of  altering  the  words  of  scripture,  while 
we  are  endeavouring  to  give  the  true  sense  of  it ;  and  we  may  be  allowed,  without 
perverting  the  sacred  writings,  sometimes  to  supply  other  words  instead  of  them, 
which  may  seem  more  agreeable  to  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Thus,  in  Eph. 
vi.  12,  it  is  said,  'We  wrestle  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places.'     Here 
the  word  *  places '  is  supplied  by  our  translators  ;  and,  in  the  margin,  it  is  observed 
that  it  might  as  well  be  rendered  'heavenly  places.'     Now,  because  there  is  no 
spiritual  wickedness  in  heavenly  places,  they  choose,  without  regard  to  the  proper 
sense  of  the  Greek  word,  to  render  it  '  high  places ;'  while  in  chap.  iii.  10,  where 
there  is  no  appearance  of  such  an  objection,  they  render  the  same  word,  'heavenly 
places  ;'  though,  I  think,  the  word  in  both  scriptures,  might  better  be  rendered  'in 
what  concerns  heavenly  things.'     Again,  in  2  Cor.  vi.  1,  it  is  said,  'We,  as  workers 
together  with  him,  beseech  you,'  &c.     Here,  'with  him,'  is  supplied  to  complete 
the  sense ;  but,  I  think,  it  might  better  have  been  left  out,  and  then  the  sense 
would  have  been,  ministers  are  '  workers  together  with  one  another,'  and  not  '  to- 
gether with  God.'     They  are  honoured  to  be  employed  by  God,  as  moral  instru- 
ments which  he  makes  use  of ;  but  they  have  no  other  causality  in  bringing  about 
the  work  of  grace.     The  principal  reason  why  the  words  '  with  him '  are  supplied, 
is  that  the  supplement  seems  agreeable  to  the  apostle's  mode  of  speaking,  in  1  Cor. 
iii.  9,  '  We  are  labourers  together  with  God.'     But,  I  think,  those  words  might 
better  be  rendered,  '  Labourers  together  of  God  ;'e  meaning  that  we  are  jointly  en- 
gaged in  his  work.     There  is,  therefore,  no  reason  from  this  passage  to  supply  the 
words  •  with  him,'  in  the  text  just  referred  to. 

3.  If  we  would  understand  the  sense  of  a  particular  text  of  scripture,  we  must 
consider  its  connection  with  the  context.  Accordingly,  we  must  observe  the  scope, 
design,  or  argument  insisted  on,  in  the  paragraph  in  which  it  is  contained.  Thus, 
in  Rom.  viii.,  the  apostle's  design  in  general,  is  to  prove  that  there  is  '  no  condemna- 

e  0i0t«  y*(  iru.ii  rvnpyu. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  457 

tion  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,'  and  to  show  who  they  are  who  may  conclude 
themselves  to  be  interested  in  this  privilege,  together  with  the  many  blessings 
which  are  connected  with  it  or  flow  from  it.  In  Heb.  i.  the  apostle's  principal  de- 
sign is,  as  he  intimates  in  the  fourth  verse,  to  prove  the  excellency  and  glory  of 
Christ,  as  Mediator,  above  the  angels  ;  and  this  argument  is  particularly  insisted 
on,  and  illustrated,  in  the  following  part  of  the  chapter.  In  chap.  xi.  his  design 
is  to  give  an  account  of  the  great  things  the  Old  Testament  church  were  enabled 
to  do  and  suffer  by  faith  ;  on  which  subject  there  is  an  induction  of  particulars. 
In  Rom.  v.  the  apostle  insists  on  the  doctrine  of  original  sin,  and  shows  how  sin 
and  death  first  entered  into  the  world,  and  by  what  means  we  may  expect  to  be 
delivered  from  them  ;  and  so  he  takes  occasion  to  compare  Adam  and  Christ  as 
two  distinct  heads  or  representatives  of  those  who  were  included  in  the  respective 
covenants  which  mankind  were  under, — by  the  former  of  whom,  sin  reigned  unto 
death,  and,  by  the  latter,  grace  and  righteousness  unto  eternal  life.  Again,  in 
chap,  vii.,  especially  from  verse  5,  the  general  argument  insisted  on,  is  the  conflict 
and  opposition  which  there  is  between  sin  and  grace,  and  the  manner  in  which  cor- 
rupt nature  discovers  itself  in  the  souls  of  the  regenerated,  together  with  the  dis- 
turbance and  uneasiness  which  it  constantly  gives  them.  In  Psal.  lxxxviii.  we 
have  an  account  of  the  distress  which  a  soul  is  in,  when  under  divine  desertion, 
and  brought  to  the  very  brink  of  despair.  In  Psal.  lxxii.,  under  the  type  of  the 
glory  of  Solomon's  kingdom,  and  the  advantages  his  subjects  should  receive,  the 
glory  and  excellency  of  Christ's  kingdom  is  illustrated,  together  with  the  gospel 
state  and  its  blessings.  In  Psal.  li.  David  represents  a  true  penitent  as  addressing 
himself  to  God  for  forgiveness ;  though  making  particular  reference  to  his  own 
case,  after  he  had  sinned  in  the  matter  of  Uriah.  Again,  the  general  argument  of 
Isa.  liii.  is  to  set  forth  the  sufferings  of  Christ  whereby  he  made  satisfaction  for 
sin,  together  with  the  glory  redounding  to  himself,  and  the  advantages  accruing 
to  believers. 

Further,  we  must,  in  examining  any  passage,  consider  the  method  made  use  of 
in  managing  the  argument ;  whether  it  is  close  reasoning,  and  the  deduction  of 
consequences  from  premises  ;  or  whether  it  is  an  explanation  of  what  was  designed 
to  inform  the  judgment,  and  was  laid  down  before  in  a  general  proposition  ;  or 
whether  the  principal  design  of  the  paragraph  is  to  regulate  the  conduct  of  our  lives, 
awaken  our  consciences  out  of  a  stupid  frame,  or  excite  in  us  becoming  affections  ; 
and  we  are  to  observe  how  every  part  of  it  is  adapted  to  answer  these  ends.  More- 
over, we  are  to  consider  who  is  the  person  speaking  or  spoken  to  ;  whether  they 
are  the  words  of  God,  the  church,  or  the  inspired  writer ;  and,  whether  they  are 
directed  to  particular  persons,  or  to  all  men  in  general  Here  we  may  often  ob- 
serve that,  in  the  same  paragraph,  there  is  an  apostrophe,  or  turning  of  the  dis- 
course from  one  person  to  another.  Nothing  is  more  common  than  this  in  the 
poetical  writings  of  scripture.  Thus  in  the  Psalms  of  David,  sometimes  God  is 
represented  as  speaking  to  man,  and  then  man  as  speaking  to  or  concerning  God. 
We  may  observe  this,  for  example,  in  Psal.  cxxxvii.  In  verses  1 — 4,  there  is  a 
relation  of  the  church's  troubles  in  Babylon ;  in  verses  5,  6,  the  psalmist  addresses 
his  discourse  to  the  church :  *  If  I  forget  thee,  0  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand 
forget  her  cunning ;'  in  verse  7,  he  speaks  to  God,  praying  that  he  would  'remem- 
ber the  children  of  Edom,  in  the  day  of  Jerusalem  ;  who  said,  Rase  it,  rase  it,  even 
to  the  foundation  thereof;'  and  in  verses  8,  9,  he  turns  his  discourse  to  Babylon, 
as  a  nation  destined  to  destruction.  Again,  in  Psal.  ii.  he  speaks  concerning  the 
rage  of  the  heathen  against  Christ  and  his  church,  and  that  disappointment  and 
ruin  which  they  should  meet  with  for  it.  In  verse  6,  he  represents  God  the  Father 
as  saying  concerning  Christ,  4  Yet  have  I  set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion  ;' 
in  verses  7,  8,  Christ  is  brought  in  as  making  mention  of  the  decree  of  God  relat- 
ing to  his  character  and  office  as  Mediator,  and  the  success  of  his  kingdom  as  ex- 
tended to  'the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,'  pursuant  to  his  intercession,  which 
was  .ounded  on  his  satisfaction  ;  and,  in  verses  10 — 12,  the  psalmist  turns  his  dis- 
course to  those  persecuting  powers,  or  the  kings  of  the  earth,  whom  he  had  spoken 
of  in  the  former  part  of  the  psalm,  and  instructs  them  what  methods  they  should 
take  to  escape  God's  righteous  vengeance.      Such  changes  as  these  of  persona 


458  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

speaking,  or  spoken  to.  may  be  observed  in  many  of  the  psalms. f  Throughout  the 
whole  Book  of  Canticles,  also,  there  is  an  interchangeable  discourse  between  Christ 
and  his  church,  which  is  sometimes  called  his  spouse,  at  other  times  his  sister. 
Sometimes  he  speaks  to  the  church,  and  at  other  times  of  it.  In  other  places  the 
church  is  represented  as  speaking  to  him,  or  to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  name- 
ly, those  professors  of  religion  who  had  little  more  than  a  form  of  godliness.  Again, 
we  often  find  that  there  is  a  change  with  respect  to  the  persons  speaking,  spoken 
to,  or  of,  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets,  as  well  as  in  the  poetical  writings.  This 
may  be  observed  in  Isa;  lxiii.,  throughout  the  chapter.  And,  in  Micah  vii. 
18 — 20,  there  is  a  change  of  persons  in  almost  every  sentence  :  4  Who  is  a  God 
like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  &c.  He  retaineth  not  his  anger  for  ever ; 
he  will  subdue  our  iniquities  ;  and  thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of 
the  sea.  Thou  wilt  perform  the  truth  to  Jacob,  and  the  mercy  to  Abraham,  which 
thou  hast  sworn  unto  our  fathers  from  the  days  of  old.' 

We  are  farther  to  consider  the  occasion  of  what  is  laid  down  in  any  chapter, 
paragraph,  or  book  of  scripture,  which  we  desire  to  understand.  Thus  the  parti- 
cular occasion  of  the  book  of  Lamentations,  was  the  approaching  ruin  of  Judah, 
and  the  miseries  which  they  should  be  exposed  to  when  Jerusalem  was  besieged  by 
the  Chaldeans.  That  this  was  the  occasion  of  the  book  appears  from  the  subject 
of  it ;  though,  it  may  be,  that  which  was  the  more  immediate  occasion  of  it,  was 
that  the  prophet  might  lament  the  death  of  good  Josiah.s  This  event  the  prophet 
probably  had  a  peculiar  eye  to,  when  he  says,  '  The  crown  is  fallen  from  our  head  ;'h 
as  well  as  the  destruction  of  the  whole  nation  which  should  soon  follow,  in  which 
their  civil  and  religious  liberties  would  be  invaded  by  their  enemies,  who  would 
oppress  them  and  lead  them  captive. — Again,  the  principal  occasion  of  the  apostle's 
writing  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians.  was  that  he  might  establish  some  among  them 
in  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  who  were  much  disposed  to  turn  aside  from  him  who  had 
called  them,  and  to  embrace  another  scheme  of  religion  which  was  subversive  of 
the  gospel.  Accordingly,  in  chap.  i.  6,  by  this  '  other  gospel '  which  he  dissuades 
them  from  turning  aside  unto,  we  are  to  understand  those  doctrines  which  they 
had  imbibed  from  those  false  teachers  who  endeavoured  either  to  re-establish  the 
observance  of  the  ceremonial  law,  or  to  put  them  upon  seeking  righteousness  and 
life  from  their  observing  the  precepts  of  the  moral  law, — a  course  which  tended 
to  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  Christ's  righteousness,  on  which  the 
apostle  often  insists  both  in  this  and  in  his  other  epistles. — This  method  of  inquiring 
into  the  occasion  of  what  is  mentioned  in  particular  paragraphs  of  scripture,  will 
often  give  light  to  some  things  contained  in  them.  Thus  we  read,  in  Matt.  xxi. 
23 — 27,  that  the  chief  priests  and  elders  asked  our  Saviour  the  question,  !  By  what 
authority  doest  thou  these  things  ?'  Now,  had  this  question  proceeded  from  an 
humble  mind,  desirous  to  be  convinced  by  his  reply  to  it,  or  had  he  not  often,  in 
their  hearing,  asserted  the  authority  by  which  he  did  those  things  ;  he  would, 
doubtless,  have  told  them  that  he  received  a  commission  to  do  them  from  the  Fa- 
ther, and  that  every  miracle  which  he  wrought  was,  as  it  were,  a  confirming  seal 
annexed  to  it.  But  our  Saviour,  knowing  the  design  of  the  question,  and  the 
character  of  the  persons  who  asked  it,  does  not  think  fit  to  make  any  reply  to  it, 
rather  choosing  to  put  them  to  silence,  by  proposing  another  question  to  them  which 
he  knew  they  would  not  be  forward  to  answer,  relating  to  the  baptism  of  John, 
namely,  whether  it  was  from  heaven,  or  of  men.  This  was  certainly  the  best  method 
he  could  have  taken ;  for  he  dealt  with  them  as  cavillers,  who  were  to  be  put  to 
silence,  and  at  the  same  time  made  ashamed. 

4.  In  order  to  our  understanding  the  sense  of  scripture,  we  must,  so  far  as  it  is 
possible,  compare  the  phrases  or  modes  of  expression  as  well  as  the  subject  insisted 
on,  with  what  occurs  in  parallel  places.  In  several  of  the  historical  parts  of  scrip- 
ture, for  example,  we  have  the  same  history,  or,  at  least,  many  things  tending  to 
illustrate  it.  Thus  the  history  of  the  reign  of  the  kings  of  Judah  and  Israel,  is  the 
principal  subject  of  the  books  of  Kings  and  Chronicles,  one  of  which  often  re- 
fers to,  as  well  as  explains,  the  other,  and,  by  comparing  them  together,  we  shall 
find  that  one  gives  light  to  the  other.     Thus  it  is  said,  in  2  Kings  xii.  2,  that  '  Je- 

f  See  Psal.  xvi.  1,  &c.  and  cxxxiv.  g  See  2  Chron.  xxxv.  25.  h  Lam.  v.  16. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THT  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  450 

hoash  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  all  his  days,  wherein  Jehoi- 
ada  the  priest  instructed  him.'  Here  it  is  intimated  that,  after  the  death  of  Jelioiada, 
he  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  That  he  did  so,  however,  is  not  particularly 
mentioned  in  this  chapter,  which  principally  insists  on  that  part  of  his  reign  which 
was  commendable.  But  if  we  compare  it  with  2  Chron.  xxiv.,  we  there  have  an 
account  of  his  reign  after  the  death  of  Jehoiada,  how  he  'set  up  idolatry,'1  being 
instigated  by  his  princes,  who  flattered  him  or  'made  obeisance  unto  him  ;'  how  he 
disregarded  the  prophets  sent  to  testify  against  these  practices ;  and  how  he  '  stoned 
Zechariah  in  the  court  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,'  for  his  faithful  reproof  and  pro- 
phetic intimation  of  the  consequence  of  his  idolatry, — an  act  in  which  he  showed 
the  greatest  ingratitude,  and  forgetfulness  of  the  good  things  which  had  been  done 
for  him  by  his  father,  who  set  him  on  the  throne.  We  have  also  an  account  of  the 
time  when  the  Syrians  came  up  against  him  ;  how  they  overcame  him  with  a  small 
company  of  men  ;  and  how  '  the  Lord  delivered  a  very  great  host  into  their  hand, 
because  they  had  forsaken  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers. 'k — Again,  in  the  Book 
of  Kings  we  have  but  a  short  history  of  the  reign  of  Azariah,  otherwise  called 
Uzziah,  and  of  his  being  '  smitten  by  the  Lord,  so  that  he  was  a  leper  until  the 
day  of  his  death,  and  dwelt  in  a  several  house.'1  But  in  2  Chron.  xxvi.  there  is  a 
larger  account  of  him,  of  his  success  in  war,  and  of  the  honour  and  the  riches  which 
he  gained  by  it ;  and  there  is  also  a  particular  account  of  the  reason  of  the  Lord's 
smiting  him  with  leprosy, — namely,  his  invading  a  branch  of  the  priest's  office. — 
Again,  in  the  history  of  the  reign  of  Manasseh,  in  2  Kings  xxi.,  we  have  an  account 
of  only  the  vile  and  abominable  part  of  it.  But  in  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  we  have  an 
account  not  only  of  his  wickedness,  but  of  his  repentance,  together  with  the  afflic- 
tion which  occasioned  it.m 

Moreover,  when  we  read  the  prophetic  writings,  we  must,  for  our  better  under- 
standing them,  compare  them  with  the  particular  history  of  the  reign  of  those  kings 
in  whose  time  they  were  written,  and  with  the  history  of  the  state  of  the  Jewish  church, 
of  their  alliances  or  wars  with  neighbouring  princes,  and  of  the  sins  which  they  were 
guilty  of,  which  gave  occasion  to  their  being  sometimes  insulted  and  overcome  by 
them,  till  their  ruin  was  completed  in  being  carried  captive  into  Babylon.  Thus 
the  seventh  chapter  of  Isaiah  gives  an  account  of  the  attempt  of  Rezin  king  of  Sy- 
ria, and  Pekah,  the  son  of  Remaliah,  against  Ahaz,  and  contains  a  prediction  of 
their  miscarriage  in  this  attempt ;  it  also  foretells  that  the  king  of  Assyria  should 
be  hired  to  assist  Ahaz,  but  should,  instead,  deal  deceitfully  with  him,  so  that  he 
should  deprive  Judah  of  their  ornaments,  and  impoverish  them  instead  of  being 
helpful  to  them.  Now,  of  these  matters  we  have  a  farther  explanation  in  the  history 
of  Ahaz's  reign,  in  2  Kings  xvi.  and  2  Chron.  xxviii. — Again,  we  ought  to  com- 
pare the  account,  in  the  thirty-sixth  and  thirty-seventh  chapters  of  Isaiah,  of  Sen- 
nacherib's invading  Judah,  and  the  blasphemous  insult  of  his  servant  Kabshakeh, 
together  with  his  defeat,  and  the  remarkable  hand  of  God  which  brought  it  about 
as  an  encouragement  of  Hezekiah's  piety,  with  the  historical  account  of  the  same 
occurrences,  in  2  Kings  xviii.  and  xix.  and  2  Chron.  xxxii. — Again,  we  must  com- 
pare the  psalms  of  David  with  his  life,  or  with  the  state  of  the  church,  which  is  par- 
ticularly referred  to  in  some  of  them,  and  which  may  be  very  much  illustrated  by 
other  scriptures  which  have  relation  to  the  same  dispensations  of  providence,  or  con- 
tain an  historical  account  of  them.  Those  psalms,  for  example,  which  were  penned 
on  particular  occasions,  mentioned  in  the  respective  titles  prefixed  to  them,  will  be 
better  understood  if  we  compare  the  subject  of  them  with  the  history  they  refer  to. 
Moreover,  we  shall  often  find  that  when  the  same  thing  is  mentioned  in  different 
places  of  scripture,  there  is  something  added  in  one,  which  farther  illustrates  what 
is  contained  in  the  other.  Thus,  in  the  account  we  have  of  the  life  of  Joseph,  in 
Gen.  xxxix.  20,  it  is  said  that  he  was  '  put  into  the  prison,  the  place  where  the 
king's  prisoners  were  bound;'  and,  in  chap.  xli.  14,  it  is  said  that  he  was  kept  in 
'  the  dungeon,'  which  is  the  worst  part  of  the  prison.  But  the  psalmist,  speaking  of 
the  same  matter,  in  Psal.  cv.  18,  adds  that  his  '  feet  were  hurt  with  fetters,'  and  he  was 
'laid  in  irons  ;'  and  thus  affords  a  farther  illustration  of  the  history  of  his  troubles.— 

i  2  Chron.  xxiv.  17,  18.       k  Verses  23,  24.       1  2  Kings  xv.  1—5.       m  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  12—19. 


460  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

Again,  we  read  in  Numb.  xi.  31,  32,  of  God's  'feeding  Israel,'  upon  their  murmuring 
in  the  desert  for  want  of  flesh,  'with  quails  in  great  abundance  ;'  and  the  same  event 
is  mentioned  in  Psal.  lxxviii.  27,  where  we  have  an  account  that  these  quails  were 
a  sort  of  'feathered  fowl,' — a  iact  which  could  not  have  been  so  well  understood  by 
the  sense  of  the  Hebrew  word  which  we  render  quails.n  We  have  also  an  account,  in 
Exod.  xvii.  6,  of  God's  supplying  them  with  'water  out  of  the  rock  in  Horeb ;'  and  if 
we  compare  what  is  there  said  with  Psal.  cv.  41,  we  shall  find  that  this  water  issued 
thence  in  so  large  a  stream,  that  it  was  like  a  river.  The  apostle  Paul  likewise  gives 
farther  light  on  the  subject,  when  he  says,  speaking  in  a  figurative  way,  that  '  the 
rock  followed  them,'0  that  is,  the  water  which  ran  from  it  like  a  river,  did  not  flow 
in  a  right  line,  but,  by  a  continued  miracle,  changed  its  course,  as  they  altered 
their  stations,  in  their  various  removes  from  place  to  place  in  the  wilderness ;  •  and 
he  adds  that  God  designed  this  event  to  be  a  type  of  Christ. 

I  might  also  observe  that  there  many  things  in  the  life  of  David  after  his  expulsion 
from  Saul's  court,  which  would  argue  him  an  usurper.  He  did  not  merely  flee  to 
secure  his  life,  which,  as  a  private  person,  he  might  lawfully  do;  but  he  raised  a 
small  army.  Accordingly,  it  is  said  that '  every  one  that  was  in  distress,  or  in  debt, 
or  discontented,  gathered  themselves  unto  him;  and  he  became  a  captain  over 
them;  and  there  were  with  him  about  four  hundred  men.'P  And  Jonathan,  who 
was  heir-apparent  to  the  crown,  was  forced  to  capitulate  with  him,  and  take  an 
oath  of  him  that  he  would  grant  him  his  life,  concluding  that  he  would  be  king 
after  his  father's  death. °>  Nor  was  Saul's  jealousy,  which  was  attended  with  rage 
amounting  to  a  kind  of  distraction,  altogether  without  ground ;  and  he  intimates 
as  much  when  he  tells  him,  '  Behold,  I  know  well  that  thou  shalt  surely  be  king.  '* 
Accordingly,  in  the  following  verses,  he  makes  him  '  swear  to  him,  that  he  would 
not  cutoff  his  seed  after  him,  or  destroy  his  name  out  of  his  father's  house.'  Now, 
this  conduct  of  David  could  hardly  be  justified,  if  we  did  not  consider  what  we  read 
in  another  part  of  scripture,  that,  before  that  time,  God  had  taken  away  the  king- 
dom from  Saul,  and  ordered  David  to  be  anointed  king  in  his  stead,8  though  he 
had  not  the  actual  possession  of  the  kingdom  till  after  Saul's  death. 

I  might  farther  observe,  that  the  accounts  contained  in  the  books  of  Moses  of 
the  ceremonial  law,  and  the  various  rites  and  ordinances  of  divine  service  contained 
in  it,  and  also  many  expressions  in  the  Old  Testament  which  refer  to  it,  ought  to 
be  compared  with  several  things  which  are  recorded  in  the  writings  of  the  apostle 
Paul,  particularly,  in  a  very  considerable  part  of  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,1  in 
which  we  have  an  account  of  the  signification  of  the  ceremonial  observances  as  or- 
dained to  be  types  of  the  gospel-dispensation.  Indeed,  there  are  many  scriptures 
of  the  Old  Testament,  which  will  be  better  understood  by  comparing  them  with 
others  which  refer  to  them  in  the  New.  Thus,  Isa.  xlv.  23,  '  Unto  me  every  knee 
shall  bow,'  appears  to  be  very  agreeable  to  what  is  said  concerning  our  Saviour,  in 
Phil.  ii.  10. ;  and  it  is  not  only  spoken  of  the  divine  honour  which  should  be  paid 
to  him,  but  relates,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  to  that  glory  which  all  shall  ascribe  to 
him,  when  they  stand  before  his  tribunal.  This  appears  by  comparing  the  passage 
with  Rom.  xiv.  10,  11. — Again,  when  we  read,  in  Isa.  vi.  10,  of  God's  sending  the 
prophet  to  '  make  the  heart  of  the  people  fat,  and  their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their 
eyes,  lest  they  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with 
their  heart,  and  convert,  and  be  healed;'  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  God  is  re- 
presented here  as  the  author  of  their  sin.  This  will  plainly  appear  if  we  compare 
the  passage  with  Matt.  xiii.  15,  where  it  is  cited  and  farther  explained :  '  This 
people's  heart  is  waxed  fat,  and  their  eyes  have  they  closed,  lest  they  should  see 
with  their  eyes,'  &c.  In  Acts  xxviii.  26,  27,  also  it  is  referred  to,  and  explained 
in  the  same  sense,  as  charging  their  sin  and  the  consequence  of  it  upon  themselves. 

n  The  word  is  V?»,  which  being  neither  a  root  to  any  other  word,  nor  derived  from  any  other 
root,  by  which  the  sense  of  Hebrew  words  is  generally  known,  nor  found  any  where  in  scripture, 
excepting  in  those  two  or  three  places  which  refer  to  this  particular  dispensation  of  providence, 
it  is  a  bard  matter  to  determine  the  sense  of  it,  without  comparing  these  two  scriptures  together. 

o  1  Cor.  x.  4.  pi  Sam.  xxii.  2.  q  Chap.  xx.  14,  15.  compared  with  ver.  42. 

r  1  Sam.  xxiv.  20.           s  Chap.  xvi.  13.  t  See  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  chap,  v — y. 

inclusive,  and  2  Cor.  x.  1 6. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  4^1 

By  this  method  of  comparing  the  Old  and  New  Testament  together,  we  shall  he  led 
to  see  the  beautiful  harmony  of  scripture,  and  how  its  predictions  have  been  accom- 
plished ;  which  will  tend  very  much  to  establish  our  faith  in  the  truth  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  founded  on  it.  But  this  point  having  been  insisted  on  elsewhere,"  we 
pass  it  over  at  present,  and  proceed  to  make  another  observation. 

There  are  several  places  in  the  New  Testament  which,  being  compared  together, 
will  give  light  to  one  another.  Thus,  in  the  four  evangelists,  which  contain  the 
history  of  the  life  and  death  of  Christ,  some  things  are  left  out  or  but  briefly  hinted 
at  in  one  of  them,  which  are  more  largely  insisted  on  in  another.  Thus  we  read, 
in  Matt.  xii.  14,  15,  that  '  the  Pharisees  went  out  and  held  a  counsel  against '  our 
Saviour,  'how  they  might  destroy  him  ;'  and  that  on  that  occasion  '  he  withdrew 
himself  from  thence  ;  and  great  multitudes  followed  him,  and  he  healed  them  all. ' 
But  Mark,*  speaking  concerning  the  same  thing,  intimates  that  the  Herodians  were 
joined  with  the  Pharisees  in  this  conspiracy ;  and  that  he  'withdrew  himself  to  the 
sea,'  namely,  of  Tiberias,  where  he  ordered  that  '  a  small  ship  should  wait  on  him, 
lest  the  multitude  should  throng  him.'  We  have  also  an  account  of  several  places 
whence  they  came,  namely,  '  Galilee,  Jerusalem,  Idumea,  and  from  beyond  Jordan, 
and  they  about  Tyre  and  Sidon, '  so  that  a  great  part  of  them  were  Gentiles.  Now, 
these  additional  particulars  give  light  to  what  follows  in  Matt.  xii.  18,  21,  where 
it  is  intimated  that  the  occurrence  was  an  accomplishment  of  what  was  '  foretold 
by  the  prophet  Esaias,'  that  Christ  should  'show  judgment  to  the  Gentiles,'  and 
that,  '  in  his  name  the  Gentiles  should  trust.'  Hence,  he  wrought  miracles  to 
convince  them  that  he  was  the  Messias. — Again,  it  is  said,  in  Matt.  xiii.  12,  *  Who- 
soever hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundance  ;  but  who- 
soever hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  he  hath.'  Here  some 
will  be  ready  to  inquire  how  that  which  a  man  hath  can  be  said  to  be  taken  away, 
when  he  is  supposed  to  have  nothing ;  or  how  a  person  can  be  said  to  lose  that 
which  he  never  had.  But  if  we  compare  the  passage  in  Matthew  with  a  parallel 
scripture,  in  Luke  viii.  18,  we  shall  find  it  there  said,  '  Whosoever  hath  not,  from 
him  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he  seemeth  to  have ;'  or  as  it  is  in  the  margin, 
'that  which  he  thinketh  he  hath.'  Now,  though  a  man  cannot  lose  grace,  who 
had  it  not  ;  yet  an  hypocrite,  who  seems  to  have  it,  may  lose  that  which  he  sup- 
poseth  himself  to  have. — This  method  of  comparing  the  four  evangelists  together, 
is  attempted  by  several  divines.  Among  these,  a  late  writer,  who  is  deservedly 
esteemed  by  all  the  Reformed  churches/  thinks  that  the  inscription  on  the  cross  of 
Christ  can  hardly  be  determined,  without  comparing  what  is  said  of  it  by  all  the 
four  evangelists.  Mark  says  the  words  were,  '  The  King  of  the  Jews  ;'z  Luke  says 
they  were,  '  This  is  the  King  of  the  Jews  ;'a  Matthew  adds  another  word,  '  This  is 
Jesus,  the  King  of  the  Jews  ;'b  and  John  says  the  inscription  was,  'Jesus  of  Nazar- 
eth, the  King  of  the  Jews.'c  Hence,  by  comparing  them  all  together,  and  supplying 
those  words  from  one  which  are  left  out  by  others,  we  must  conclude  that  the  in- 
scription was,  '  This  is  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  King  of  the  Jews.' 

Again,  as  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  contains  a  brief* history  of  the  first  planting  of 
the  gospel-church,  and  in  particular,  of  the  travels  and  ministry  of  the  apostle 
Paul,  it  ought  to  be  compared  with  some  things  occasionally  mentioned  in  Paul's 
epistles,  which  will  give  farther  light  to  its  statements.  Thus  the  apostle  says, 
in  1  Cor.  xv.  8,  '  Last  of  all  he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of.  one  born  out  of  due 
time  ;'  and  speaks  of  himself,  in  ver.  9,  as  '  the  least  of  the  apostles,  not  meet  to 
be  called  an  apostle  ;  because  he  persecuted  the  church  of  God.'  Now,  this  ac- 
count of  himself  ought  to  be  compared  with  Acts  ix.  1 — 6,  which  gives  an  account 
of  him  as  a  persecutor  before  his  conversion,  and  shows  how  our  Saviour  was  seen 
of  him.  By  comparing  the  two  passages,  it  appears  that  Christ's  being  seen  of  him 
is  not  to  be  understood  in  the  same  sense  as  that  in  which  he  was  seen  by  the  rest 
of  the  apostles  before  his  ascension  into  heaven  ;  but  of  his  being  seen  of  him  after 

u  See  Sect.  '  Proofs  that  the  Scriptures  are  inspired,'  under  Quest,  iv.         x  Mark  iii.  7.  et  seq. 
y   See  Li^ht  foot's  Harmony  of  the  Four  Evangelists;  and  his  Harmony  of  the  New  Testament, 
vol.  i.  page  268. 
z  Mark  xv.  26.  a  Luke  xxiii.  38.  b  Matt,  xxvii.  37.  c  John  xix.  19. 


402  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

his  ascension,  when,  on  the  occasion  mentioned  in  the  latter  passage,  lie  appeared 
to  him.  If,  again,  we  examine  1  Cor.  xi.  1,  we  shall  find  that  Paul  considers  this 
sight  of  Jesus  as  having  heen  a  necessary  qualification  for  the  apostleship.  Hence, 
when  he  speaks  of  himself  as  '  born  out  of  due  time,'  he  means  that  he  was  called  to 
the  apostleship,  and  qualified  for  it,  out  of  due  time  ;  that  is,  not  at  the  same  time 
in  which  the  other  apostles  were,  but  by  this  extraordinary  dispensation  of  provi 
dence. — Again,  when  the  apostle,  in  1  Thess.  ii.  2,  speaks  of  his  having  been 
'  shamefully  entreated  at  Philippi,'  his  statement  will  be  better  understood  if  we  com- 
pare it  with  Acts  xvi.  16,  21,  22,  et  seq.  And  when  he  tells  the  Thessalonians,  in  the 
following  words,  'We  were  bold  in  our  God,  to  speak  unto  you  the  gospel  of  God 
with  much  contention,'  his  words  should  be  compared  with  Acts  xvii.  1,  et  seq. 
Many  instances  of  a  similar  nature  might  be  given,  from  which  the  usefulness  of 
comparing  one  scripture  with  another  would  farther  appear.  But,  I  design  what 
I  have  stated  as  only  a  specimen,  to  assist  us  in  the  application  of  this  direction  ; 
which  a  diligent  inquirer  into  the  sense  of  scripture  will  be  able  to  make  farther 
improvements  upon. 

5.  In  order  to  our  understanding  the  scriptures,  we  must  take  notice  of  the  several 
figurative  modes  of  speaking  which  are  used  in  them.  For  example,  the  part  is  often 
put  for  the  whole.d  Thus  the  soul,  which  is  one  constituent  part  of  man,  is  some- 
times put  for  the  whole  man ;  as  in  Gen.  xlvi.  26,  where  we  read  of '  the  souls'  that  came 
with  Jacob  into  Egypt.  And,  in  Rom.  xii.  1,  the  body  is  put  for  the  whole  man  :  *  I 
beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies,'  that  is, 
yourselves,  '  a  living  sacrifice  to  God.'  So  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  is  often  spoken 
of  in  scripture  as  that  by  which  we  are  redeemed,  justified,  and  saved,  is  to  be  taken 
for  the  whole  of  his  obedience  and  sufferings,  both  in  life  and  in  death ;  to  which  our 
salvation  is  to  be  ascribed,  as  well  as  to  the  effusion  of  his  blood. 

Again,  the  thing  containing,  is  put  for  that  which  is  contained  in  it.e  Thus  the 
cup  in  the  Lord's  supper,  is  put  for  the  wine.f  And  the  thing  signified  is  put  for 
that  which  is  the  sign  of  it.  Thus  when  it  is  said,  '  This  is  my  body  ;'s  the  mean- 
ing is,  this  bread  is  a  sign  of  my  body,  namely,  of  the  sufferings  endured  in  it. 

Again,  places  are,  by  way  of  anticipation,  called  by  those  names  which,  in  reality, 
were  not  given  them,  or  which  they  were  not  commonly  known  by  till  some  time 
after.  Thus  it  is  said  that,  as  soon  as  Israel  had  passed  over  Jordan,  they  '  en- 
camped in  Gilgal,h  that  is,  in  the  place  which  was  afterwards  so  called  ;  for  we 
read  that  it  was  called  Gilgal  because  there  they  were  circumcised,  and  so  '  the 
reproach  of  Egypt,'  occasioned  by  the  neglect  of  that  ordinance,  '  was  rolled  away.'1 
Again,  it  is  said,  '  The  kings  that  came  up  against  Sodom,'  when  Lot  was  taken 
prisoner,  '  had  smitten  all  the  country  of  the  Amalekites.'k  Yet  the  country  which 
was  afterwards  known  by  that  name,  could  not  be  so  called  at  that  time  ;  since 
Amalek,  from  whom  it  took  its  name,  was  not  born  till  some  ages  after,  he  being  of 
the  posterity  of  Esau.1 

Further,  the  time  past  or  present  is  often,  especially  in  the  prophetic  writings, 
put  for  the  time  to  come.  This  mode  of  writing  denotes  the  certainty  of  the  per- 
formance of  the  prediction,  as  much  as  though  it  were  actually  accomplished. 
Thus  it  is  said,  •  He,'  that  is,  our  Saviour,  'is  despised  and  rejected  of  men  ;  he 
Uath  borne  our  griefs,  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions.'™  And  elsewhere, 
The  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light. 'n  And,  '  Unto  us  a 
child  is  born,'0  &c. 

Further,  one  of  the  senses  is  sometimes  put  for  another.  Thus  when  it  is  said, 
'  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  to  me,'p  seeing  is  put  for  hearing,  or  for  un- 
derstanding the  meaning  of  the  voice  which  spake. 

Again,  positive  assertions  are  sometimes  taken  in  a  comparative  sense.  Thus 
God  says  to  Samuel,  The  people  in  asking  a  king,  '  have  not  rejected  thee,  but 
me  ;''  that  is,  they  have  cast  more  contempt  on  me  than  they  have  on  thee,  or 
they  have  offered  a  greater  affront  to  my  government  who  condescended  to  be  their 

d  This  is  called  synecdoche.  e  This  is  called  a  metonymy.         f  1  Cor.  xi.  25.         g  Ver.  24. 

h  Josh.  iv.  19.  i  Chap.  v.  9.  k  Gen.  xiv.  7.  1  Chap,  xxxvi.  12. 

no  Isa.  liii.  4,  5.  n  Chap.  ix.  2.  o  Ver.  6.  p  Rev.  i.  12.        q  1  Sam.  viii.  7. 


BY  WHOM  AMD  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  4(53 

king,  though  they  have  been  uneasy  under  thine  administration  as  appointed  to  bo 
their  judge.  So  in  Psal.  li.  4,  David  says,  '  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I 
sinned.'  Yet  he  had  sinned  against  Uriah  and  Bathsheba,  having  murdered  the 
one,  and  tempted  the  other  to  commit  adultery  with  him  ;  he  had  sinned  against 
the  army,  whom  he  occasioned  to  fall  in  battle,  in  execution  of  the  orders  he 
gave  Joab,  with  a  design  to  destroy  Uriah.  But  though  he  had  sinned  against 
these  parties,  lie  says,  '  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned  ;'  that  is,  the  great- 
est aggravation  of  my  sin  is,  that  it  contains  rebellion  against  thee.  Elsewhere  also 
God  says,  'I  desired  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice  ;'r  that  is,  more  than  sacrifice. 

Again,  there  are  several  hyperbolical  ways  of  speaking  in  scripture,  whereby 
lnore  is  expressed  than  what  is  generally  understood.  Thus  the  vessel  in  the 
temple  in  which  things  were  washed,  which  was  ten  cubits  from  one  brim  to  the 
other,  is  called  'a  molten  sea  ;'s  because  it  contained  a  great  quantity  of  water; 
though,  indeed,  it  was  very  small,  if  compared  with  the  dimensions  of  the  sea.  In 
1  Kings  x.  27,  it  is  said  that  '  Solomon  made  silver  to  be  in  Jerusalem  as  stones  ; 
and  cedars  as  the  sycamore-trees,  which  are  in  the  vale  for  abundance.'  Now  sil- 
ver was  not,  strictly  speaking,  as  plentiful  as  stones  ;  but  the  language  implies  that 
there  were  vast  treasures  of  it  heaped  up  by  the  king  and  many  of  his  subjects, 
and  that  there  was  no  lack  of  it  on  the  part  of  any  one.  In  Judges  xx.  16,  it  is 
said  there  were  '  some  of  the  Benjamites  left-handed,  every  one  of  whom  could 
sling  stones  at  an  hair-breadth,  and  not  miss.'  But  this  statement  means  only  that 
they  had  an  uncommon  expertness  in  this  matter.  When,  again,  we  read  of  some 
of  the  cities  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  that  were  'great,  and  walled  up  to  heaven;'* 
the  meaning  only  denotes  that  their  walls  were  very  high.  In  1  Kings  i.  40,  it 
is  said  that,  on  occasion  of  Solomon's  being  anointed  king,  '  the  people  rejoiced 
with  great  joy  ;  so  that  the  earth  rent  with  the  sound  of  them.'  Here  the  mean- 
ing is  only  that  the  shouts  of  the  people  were  so  great,  that  if  the  concussion  of  the 
air  made  by  such  means  could  have  rent  the  earth,  they  would  have  done  it. 

Further,  we  sometimes  find  ironical  expressions,  and  sarcasms  used  in  scripture, 
with  a  design  to  expose  the  wickedness  and  folly  of  men.  Thus,  when  our  first 
parents  sinned  by  adhering  to  the  suggestions  of  Satan,  who  told  them  that  they 
•  should  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil  ;'u  God  says,  in  an  ironical  way,  '  Be- 
hold the  man  is  become  as  one  of  us,  to  know  good  and  evil,'*  &c.  So  the  prophet 
Elijah  exposes  Baal's  worshippers,  and  Micaiah,  Ahab's  false  prophets,  by  using  a 
sarcastic  way  of  speaking.?  Job  uses  the  same  figurative  way  of  speaking,  when 
he  reproves  the  bitter  invectives  and  false  reasonings  of  his  friends :  '  No  doubt  but 
ye  are  the  people,  and  wisdom  shall  die  with  you.'2  Solomon  uses  the  same  way 
of  address,  when  he  says,  '  Rejoice,  0  young  man,  in  thy  youth,  and  let  thy  heai't 
cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the  ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in  the 
sight  of  thine  eyes.  But  know  thou,  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee 
into  judgment.'3  The  man  who  trusts  in  his  own  righteousness  for  justification, 
is  also  exposed  in  the  same  way,  '  Behold,  all  ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  that  compass 
yourselves  about  with  sparks  ;  walk  in  the  light  of  your  fire,  and  in  the  sparks  that 
ye  have  kindled.  This  shall  ye  have  of  mine  hand,  ye  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow.'1* 
And  when  our  Saviour  says  to  his  disciples,  having  found  them  asleep,  '  Sleep  on 
now,  and  take  your  rest ;  behold,  the  hour  is  at  hand,  and  the  Son  of  man  is  be- 
trayed into  the  hands  of  sinners,'0  it  is  plain,  from  the  following  words,  that  he  uses 
this  figurative  way  of  speaking ;  for  he  immediately  adds,  without  an  irony,  '  Rise, 
let  us  be  going.'  Some  think  also  that  this  is  the  method  of  speaking  which  our 
Saviour  makes  use  of,  when  he  reproves  his  disciples  for  the  fond  conceit  they  had 
that  his  kingdom  was  of  this  world,  contending  sometimes  among  themselves  who 
should  be  greatest  in  it.  Referring  to  that  conceit,  he  bids  them  make  provision 
for  war,  and  take  care  to  secure  those  two  things  which  are  necessary  for  it,  money 
and  arms.  '  He  that  hath  a  purse, '  says  he,  '  let  him  take  it ;  and  he  that  hath 
no  sword,  let  him  sell  his  garment,  and  buy  one.'d     They  did  not,  indeed,  imme- 

r  Hos.  vi.  6.  s  1  Kings  vii.  23.  t  Deut.  i.  28.  u  Gen.  iii.  5.  x  Verse  22. 

y  1  Kings  xviii.  27 ;  chap.  xxii.  15.  z  Job  xii.  2.  a  Eccl.  xi.  9.  b  Isa.  L  11. 

c  Ma  t.  xx  vi.  45,  46.  d  Luke  xxii.  36. 


464  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

diatcly  perceive  that  he  spake  in  an  ironical  way  ;  and  therefore  replied,  '  Lord, 
behold  here  are  two  swords. 'e  He  then  said  to  them,  still  carrying  on  the  irony,  '  It 
is  enough.'  Hence,  whether  they  understood  his  meaning  or  not,  it  seems  to  hare 
been  this :  "If  you  are  disposed  to  contend  who  shall  be  greatest,  as  though  my 
kingdom  were  of  a  temporal  nature,  and  to  be  erected  and  maintained  by  force  of 
arms,  do  you  think  you  have  a  sufficient  treasure  to  hire  forces  to  join  with  you, 
or  buy  arms  for  that  purpose  ?  or,  do  you  imagine  that  you  have  courage  enough 
to  attack  the  Roman  empire,  and  gain  it  by  force?  You  say,  you  have  two  swords; 
can  you  suppose  that  these  are  enough  ?  What  a  ludicrous  and  indifferent  figure 
would  you  make,  if  you  expected  to  come  off  conquerors  by  this  means  !  No,  they 
that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword ;  for  my  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world.  All  the  advantages  and  honours  which  you  are  to  expect  in  it,  are  of  a 
spiritual  nature."  This  seems  to  be  the  meaning  of  this  scripture,  rather  than  that 
which  the  Papists  generally  acquiesce  in,  namely,  that  by  'the  two  swords,'  are 
meant  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  both  of  which,  as  they  pretend,  are  put  into  the 
Pope's  hands. 

Again,  the  scripture  often  makes  use  of  a  figurative  way  of  speaking,  generally 
called  an  hendyadis,  whereby  one  complex  idea  is  expressed  by  two  words.  This 
figure  is  very  common  in  the  Hebrew  language.  Thus  when  God  promises  his  peo- 
ple that  he  would  give  them  'an  expected  end, 'f  intending  hereby  their  deliverance 
from  the  Babylonish  captivity  ;  the  words,  if  literally  translated,  ought  to  be  ren- 
dered, as  is  observed  in  the  margin,  'an  end  and  expectation.'  Our  translators, 
however,  were  apprized  that  there  is  such  a  figurative  way  of  speaking  contained 
in  them  ;  and  therefore  they  render  them,  'an  expected  end.'  This  figure  is  some- 
times used  in  the  New  Testament.  Thus  our  Saviour  tells  his  disciples,  '  I  will 
give  you  a  mouth  and  wisdom  ;'*  that  is,  I  will  give  you  ability  to  express  your- 
selves with  so  much  wisdom,  '  that  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  gain- 
say it.'  Some  think,  that  the  same  way  of  speaking  is  used  in  John  iii.  5,  '  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  of  water,  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God  ;'  that  is,  except  a  man  be  born  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  regenerated,  a  work 
which  is  signified  by  being  born  of  water,  he  cannot,  &c. 

Finally,  nothing  is  more  common  than  for  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  scripture,  to  make 
use  of  metaphors.  These  are  a  very  elegant  way  of  representing  things,  by  com- 
paring them  with  and  illustrating  them  by  others,  borrowing  from  others  such 
illustrations  as  add  a  very  considerable  beauty  to  the  things  illustrated.  Thus 
repentance  and  godly  sorrow,  together  with  the  blessed  privileges  which  shall  here- 
after follow  them,  are  compared  to  sowing  and  reaping.  '  They  that  sow  in  tears, 
shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall 
doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him.'h  Thus,  too, 
the  prophet,  by  a  metaphor  taken  from  husbandry,  sets  forth  the  labour  and  pains 
which  Israel  had  taken  in  sin,  and  exhorts  them  to  be  as  industrious  in  pursuing 
what  would  turn  to  a  better  account.  He  says  that  they  had  '  ploughed  wicked- 
ness, and  reaped  iniquity  ;'  and  advises  them  to  '  sow  to  themselves  in  righteous- 
ness, and  reap  in  mercy.'1  This,  he  adds,  they  should  do  by  'seeking  the  Lord  ;' 
and  'it  is  time,'  says  he,  'to  seek  him,  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon 
you  ;'  which  is  necessary  to  a  plenteous  harvest  of  blessings,  which  you  may  hope 
for  in  so  doing.  He  also  reproves  their  adulteries  by  a  metaphor  taken  from  'an 
oven  heated  by  the  baker  ;'k  and  their  hypocrisy  by  another  taken  from  'a  cake 
not  turned  ;'1  and  their  being  weakened  and  almost  ruined  hereby,  he  compares 
to  the  '  gray  hairs'  of  those  who  are  bowed  down  under  the  infirmities  of  age  ;m 
and  for  their  cowardice  and  seeking  help  from  other  nations,  and  not  from  God,  he 
calls  them  'a  silly  dove  without  an  heart. 'n  We  may  observe  that  there  is  often 
a  chain  of  metaphors  in  the  same  paragraph.  Of  this  kind  is  that  elegant  descrip- 
tion of  old  age,  sickness,  and  death,  which  Solomon  gives  in  exhorting  persons  to 
'remember  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth,  while  the  sun,  or  the  light,  or 
the  moon,  or  the  stars  be  not  darkened.'0     By  these  expressions  it  is  probable  he 

e  Luke  xxii.  38.  f  Jer.  xxix.  11.  g  Luke  xxi.  15.  h  Psal.  cxxvi.  5,  6. 

i  Hos.  x.  12,  13.  k  Chap.  vii.  4.  1  Verse  8.  m  Verse  9. 

&  Ho».  vii.  11.  o  Eccles.  xii.  1 — 6. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  405 

intends  the  impairing  of  the  intellect,  the  loss  of  those  sprightly  parts  which  once 
they  had,  or  of  the  memory  and  judgment ;  on  which  account  men  are  sometimes 
said  to  outlive  themselves.  He  speaks  also  of  'the  keepers  of  the  house  trembling,' 
that  is,  the  hands  and  arms,  designed  for  the  defence  of  the  body,  being  seized 
with  paralytic  disorders  ;  '  the  strong  men  bowing  themselves,'  that  is,  those  parts 
which  are  designed  to  support  the  body  being  weakened,  and  needing  a  staff  to 
bear  themselves  up  ;  '  the  grinders  ceasing  because  they  are  few,'  that  is,  the  loss 
of  teeth  ;  '  they  that  look  out  of  the  windows  being  darkened, '  that  is,  a  decay  of 
sight ;  'rising  up  at  the  voice  of  the  bird,'  that  is,  their  loss  of  one  of  the  main 
props  of  nature,  namely,  sleep,  so  that  they  may  rise  early  in  the  morning,  when 
the  birds  begin  to  sing,  because  their  beds  will  not  afford  them  rest.  And  '  the 
daughters  of  music  being  brought  low,'  denotes  a  decay  of  the  voice  and  hearing, 
and  being  not  affected  with  those  sounds  which  were  once  most  delightful.  '  The 
almond-tree  flourishing,'  plainly  signifies  the  hoary  head.  '  The  grasshopper'  be- 
ing 'a  burden,'  is  either  a  proverbial  phrase  importing  a  want  of  courage,  strength, 
and  resolution,  to  bear  the  smallest  pressures  ;  or,  as  others  understand  it,  their 
stooping,  when  bowed  down  with  old  age.  '  The  silver  cord  loosed,'  or  'the  golden 
bowl  broken  at  the  fountain,  or  the  wheel  broken  at  the  cistern,'  signifies  a  decay 
of  the  animal  spirits,  a  laxation  of  the  nerves,  irregular  circulation  of  the  blood,  or 
the  universal  stoppage  of  it;  when  the  frame  of  nature  is  broken,  and  man  'returns 
to  the  dust.'P  In  the  New  Testament  there  are  several  metaphors  used.  Some  of 
these  are  taken  from  the  Isthmian  and  Olympic  games,  practised  by  the  Greeks  and 
Romans.  Thus  the  apostle  Paul  compares  the  Christian  life  to  '  a  race,'  in  which 
'many  run,'  but  do  not  all  '  receive  the  prize. '^  He  alludes  alsor  to  another  exer- 
cise, namely,  wrestling ;  and  recommends  temperance  as  what  was  practised  by  the 
wrestlers  as  a  means  for  their  obtaining  the  crown.  He  likewise 8  uses  a  metaphor, 
taken  from  another  of  the  games,  namely,  fighting  in  hope  of  victory ;  by  which  he 
illustrates  his  zeal  in  the  discharge  of  his  ministry.  In  another  place,1  he  speaks  of 
the  Christian  race,  and  the  necessity  of  'laying  aside  every  weight,'  namely,  allowed 
sins,  which  would  retard  our  course,  or  hinder  us  in  the  way  to  heaven.  Again,  he 
speaks  of  himself  both  as  a  minister  and  a  Christian,  as  *  forgetting  those  things- 
which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  and  press- 
ing towards  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  ;'M 
where  he  plainly  alludes  to  the  posture,  industry,  and  earnestness  of  those  who  run 
in  a  race.  Elsewhere  also*  he  speaks  of  the  difficulties,  temptations,  and  opposition 
which  believers  are  exposed  to  in  the  Christian  life,  and  advises  them  to  'put  on  the 
whole  armour  of  God  ;'  and  so  carries  on  the  metaphor  or  allegory,  by  alluding  to 
the  various  pieces  of  armour  which  soldiers  make  use  of  when  engaged  in  battle,  to 
illustrate  the  methods  we  ought  to  take  that  we  may  come  off  conquerors  at  last. 

6.  It  will  be  very  useful,  in  order  to  our  understanding  scripture,  for  us  to  know 
some  things  relating  to  the  different  forms  of  civil  government,  and  the  various 
changes  made  in  it,  among  the  Jews  and  other  nations  with  whom  they  were  con- 
versant. At  first  we  find  that  distinct  families  had  the  administration  of  civil 
affairs  committed  to  them,  and  that  the  heads  of  them  were,  as  it  were,  the  chief 
magistrates,  who  had,  in  some  instances,  the  exercise  of  civil  power,  especially  if 
it  did  not  interfere  with  that  of  the  country  in  which  they  lived.  Some  think,  in- 
deed, that  it  extended  to  the  punishing  of  capital  crimes  with  death  ;  and  that 
Judah,  who  was  the  head  of  a  branch  of  Jacob's  family,  when  he  passed.this  sentence 
concerning  Tamar, '  Bring  her  forth,  and  let  her  be  burnt, 'J  did  it  as  a  civil  magis- 
trate. But  if  it  be  not  to  be  deemed  a  rash  and  unjustifiable  expression  in  him, 
when  he  says,  ■  Let  her  be  brought  forth,  and  burnt,'  we  must  suppose  the  mean- 
ing to  be,  '  Let  her  first  be  confined  till  she  is  delivered  of  her  child,  and  then 
tried  by  the  civil  magistrate,  the  consequence  of  which  will  be,  her  being  burnt, 
when  found  guilty  of  the  adultery  charged  upon  her.'  It  hence  does  not  appear 
that  the  heads  of  families,  when  sojourning  in  other  countries,  had  a  power  distinct 

p  See  more  of  this  in  an  ingenious  discourse  on  this  subject,  by  Smith,  in  Solomon's  Portraiture 
of  Old  Age.  q  1  Cor.  i.\.  24.  r  Verse  25.  s  Verse  26.  t  Heb.  xii.  1. 

u  Phil.  iii.  13,  14.  x  Eph.  vi.  11—16.  y  Gen.  xxxviii.  24. 

ii.  3 » 


1H6  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ. 

from  that  of  the  government  under  which  they  lived,  to  punish  offenders  with  death  ; 
though  I  think,  it  is  beyond  dispute  that  they  had  a  government  in  their  own 
families  which  extended,  in  many  respects,  to  civil  affairs,  as  well  as  enforced  an 
obligation  to  observe  those  religious  duties  which  God  fequired.  It  may  be  far- 
ther observed  that  this  government  extended  so  far  that  the  patriarchs,  or  heads 
of  families,  had  sometimes  a  power  of  making  war,  or  of  entering  into  confederacies 
with  neighbouring  princes  for  their  own  safety,  or  for  recovering  their  rights  when 
invaded.  Thus  when  Lot  and  the  Sodomites  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  four 
kings  who  came  up  against  them,  we  read2  that  Abraham  called  in  the  assistance 
of  some  of  his  neighbours  with  whom  he  was  in  confederacy,  and  *  armed  his 
trained  servants,  three  hundred  and  eighteen,  born  in  his  house,'  and  rescued  Lot 
and  the  men  of  Sodom  from  the  hands  of  those  who  had  taken  them  prisoners. 

We  have  little  more  light  as  to  this  matter,  so  long  as  the  government  continued 
domestic,  and  the  church  was  in  the  condition  of  sojourners.  But  when  they  were 
increased  to  a  great  nation,  their  civil  as  well  as  religious  government  was  settled, 
by  divine  direction,  under  the  hand  of  Moses  in  the  wilderness.  The  first  form 
of  it  was  a  Theocracy.  God  gave  them  laws  in  an  immediate  way  ;  condescended 
to  satisfy  them,  as  to  some  things  which  they  inquired  of  him  about ;  gave  them 
particular  intimations  how  they  should  manage  their  affairs  of  war  and  peace  ;  and 
appeared  for  them  in  giving  them  victory  over  their  enemies,  in  a  very  extraordi- 
nary and  sometimes  miraculous  way.  But  besides  this  great  honour  which  God  put 
on  them,  he  established  a  form  of  government  among  them,  under  which  they  were 
divided  into  thousands,  hundreds,  fifties,  and  tens  ;a  all  of  which  divisions  had  their 
respective  captains  or  governors,  who  are  sometimes  styled  '  the  nobles  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  'b  These  governors  were  generally  heads  of  considerable  families  among 
them ;  which  were  also  divided  in  the  same  way,  into  thousands,  hundreds,  fifties,  and 
tens,  in  proportion  to  their  largeness.  Thus  Gideon,  speaking  of  his  family,0  calls 
it,  as  the  Hebrew  word  signifies,  '  his  thousand.'  In  the  same  manner,  too,  their 
armies  were  divided,  when  engaged  in  war.  Thus  when  Jesse  sent  David  with  a 
present  into  the  army  to  his  brethren,  he  bade  him  deliver  it  to  '  the  captain  of 
their  thousand; 'd  who  was  the  same  description  of  officer  whom,  in  our  modern  way 
of  speaking,  we  call  a  commanding  officer  over  a  regiment  of  soldiers.  Again, 
when  David's  soldiers  went  out  to  war  against  Absalom,  it  is  said,  ■  They  came 
out  by  hundreds,  and  by  thousands  ;'e  each  distinct  company  or  regiment  having 
its  commanding  officer.  Thus  the  government  was  settled  as  to  civil  and  military 
affairs,  in  such  a  way  that  the  head  of  the  respective  division  had  a  power  of  judg- 
ing in  lesser  matters.  But  as  there  were  some  affairs  of  the  greatest  importance 
to  be  transacted  in  the  form  of  their  government,  by  divine  direction,  God  appointed 
seventy  men  of  the  children  of  Israel,  to  assist  Moses  in  those  matters  in  which 
they  had  more  immediately  to  do  with  him.  Accordingly,  he  '  gave  them  the 
Spirit,'*  that  is,  the  extraordinary  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  whereby  he  communi- 
cated his  mind  and  will  to  them.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  Sanhedrim ;  and  those 
who  composed  that  body  had  a  power  of  judging  in  civil  matters,  throughout  all 
the  ages  of  the  church,  till  the  Jews  were  made  tributary  to  the  Romans.  But 
after  that  period,  they  became  as  vile  and  contemptible  as  they  had  before  been 
honourable  in  the  eyes  of  just  and  good  men.  This  appears  from  their  tumultuous 
and  unprecedented  behaviour  in  the  trial  of  our  Saviour,  and  from  the  malicious 
prosecutions  set  on  foot  by  them  against  the  apostles,  without  any  pretence  or  form 
of  law. 

After  the  death  of  Joshua,  and  the  elders  who  survived  him,  there  was  an  alter- 
ation in  the  form  of  government,  occasioned  by  the  oppression  to  which  the  Israel- 
ites were  liable  from  their  enemies  ;  who  insulted  and  vexed  them,  and  sometimes 
plundered  them  of  their  substance.  Then  God  raised  up  judges,  who  first  procured 
peace  for  them  by  success  in  war,  and  afterwards  governed  them,  though  without  the 
character  or  ensigns  of  royal  dignity.     This  government  not  being  successive,  the 

z  Gen.  xiv.  13,  14.  a  Exod.  xviii.  21;  Deut.'i.  15.  b  Exod.  xxiv.  11. 

c  Judges  vi.  15.  d  1  Sam.  xvii.  18;  and  chap,  xviii.  13.  e  2  Sam.  xviii.  4. 

f  Numb.  xi.  16,  17. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD   IS  TO  BE   READ.  4G7 

Israelites  were,  on  the  death  of  these  respective  judges,  brought  into  great  confu- 
sion, every  one  doing  that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes,  till  another  judge  was 
raised  up,  as  some  future  emergency  requh'ed  it.  Thus  the  posture  of  their  affairs 
continued,  as  the  apostle  observes,  '  about  the  space  of  four  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ;**  and  then  it  was  altered,  when,  through  their  unsettled  temper,  they  de- 
sired a  king,  in  conformity  to  the  custom  of  the  nations  round  about  them.  Though 
their  request  was  displeasing  to  God,  yet  he  granted  it  ;h  and  so  the  government 
became  regal.  Then  followed  a  succession  of  kings,  set  over  the  whole  nation,  till 
the  division  between  Judah  and  Israel ;  when  they  became  two  distinct  kingdoms, 
and  so  continued  till  their  respective  captivity.  These  things  being  duly  consider- 
ed, will  give  great  light  to  several  things  contained  in  scripture  ;  especially  as  to 
what  relates  to  the  civil  affairs  of  the  church  of  God. 

But  it  will  be  necessary  also  that  we  take  a  view  of  the  government  of  other  na- 
tions, with  whom  they  were  conversant.  We  read  of  almost  as  many  kings  in 
scripture  as  there  were  cities  in  several  of  those  countries  which  lay  round  about 
the  Israelites.  Thus,1  we  read  of  many  dukes  and  kings,  whose  power  was  much 
the  same,  who  descended  from  Esau.  These  had  very  small  dominions,  each  of 
them  being,  as  is  probable,  the  chief  governor  of  one  city,  or  at  most  of  a  little 
tract  of  land  round  about  it.  Indeed,  except  the  Assyrian  and  other  monarchies 
which  were  of  a  very  large  extent,  and  had  none,  under  that  character,  who  stood 
in  competition  with  them  while  they  subsisted,  all  other  kingdoms  were  very  small. 
Hence,  four  kings  were  obliged  to  enter  into  a  confederacy,  to  make  war  with  Sodom 
and  the  four  neighbouring  cities,  which  a  very  inconsiderable  army  might,  without 
much  difficulty,  have  subdued.k  One  of  these  four  kings,  indeed,  is  called  '  king 
of  nations  ;'  but  he  is  called  so,  not  because  he  had  large  dominions,  but  because 
he  was  the  chief  governor  of  a  mixed  people  from  divers  nations,  who  were  settled 
together  in  one  distinct  colony.  The  king  of  Shinar  there  spoken  of,  too,  is  not 
the  king  of  Babylon,  who  was  too  potent  a  prince  to  have  stood  in  need  of  others  to 
join  with  him  in  such  an  expedition  ;  but  he  was  a  petty  king  who  reigned  in  some 
city  near  Babylon,  and  was  tributary  to  the  Assyrian  empire.  These  four  kings, 
with  all  their  forces,  were  so  few  in  number  that  Abraham  was  not  afraid  to  attack 
them  ;  which  he  did  with  success. — Again,  we  read,  that  in  Joshua's  time,  the  kings 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  whom  he  subdued,  had  each  of  them  very  small  dominions, 
consisting  of  but  one  capital  city,  with  a  few  villages  round  about  it.  We  read  of 
thirty-one  kings  who  reigned  in  that  country,  which  was  not  so  big  as  a  fourth  part 
of  the  kingdom  of  England.1  Afterwards  most  of  these  kingdoms  were  swallowed 
up  by  the  Assyrian  empire.  Accordingly,  the  king  of  Assyria,  as  Rabshakeh 
boasts,  had  entirely  conquered  the  kings  of  Hamath,  Arphad,  Gozan,  and  Haran, 
with  several  others. m  These  had  very  small  dominions,  and  therefore  were  easily 
subdued  by  forces  so  much  superior  to  any  which  they  could  raise.  Egypt,  indeed, 
was  more  formidable  ;  and  therefore  we  often  read  in  scripture  of  Israel's  having 
recourse  to  them  for  help,  and  of  their  being  blamed  for  trusting  in  them  more 
than  in  God.  In  Arabia,  also,  there  were  some  kings  who  had  large  dominions, 
as  appears  by  the  vast  armies  that  they  raised.  Thus  *  Zerah  the  Ethiopian  came 
forth  against  Asa,  with  a  thousand  thousand  men.'n  Yet,  the  church  of  God  was 
able  to  stand  its  ground ;  for  whether  the  neighbouring  kings  were  many  of  them 
confederated  against  them,  or  the  armies  they  raised  exceedingly  numerous,  like 
the  sand  on  the  sea-shore,  they  had  safety  and  protection  as  well  as  success  in  war, 
from  the  care  and  blessing  of  providence.  Of  these  matters  we  have  an  account  in 
the  history  of  scripture  relating  to  them. 

7.  It  will  be  of  some  advantage,  in  order  to  our  understanding  the  sense  of  scrip- 
ture, for  us  to  inquire  into  the  meaning  of  those  civil  and  religious  offices  and 
characters  by  which  several  persons  are  described,  both  in  the  Old  and  in  the  New 
Testament.  As  to  the  priests  and  Levites,  we  have  had  occasion  frequently  to  in- 
sist on  their  call  and  office.  Among  the  former,  one  was  styled  'high  priest.'  He 
not  only  was  the  chief  minister  in  holy  things  under  the  Jewish  dispensation  ;  but 

g  Acts  xiii.  20.  h  1  Sam.  viii.  5 — 7.  i  Gen.  xxxvi.  k  Cbap.  xiv.  1,  &c. 

1  Josh.  xii.  m  2  Kings  xix.  12,  13.  n  2  Chron.  xiv.  9. 


468  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE   READ. 

presided  over  the  other  priests  in  all  those  things  which  respected  the  temple-ser- 
vice. There  was  also  another  priest  who  had  pre-eminence  over  his  brethren,  and 
was  next  to  the  high  priest  in  office.  He  seems  to  be  referred  to  in  2  Kings  xxv.  18. 
where  we  read  of  '  Seraiah,  the  chief  priest,  and  Zephaniah  the  second  priest.' 
This  officer  is  not  often  mentioned  in  scripture  ;  but  is  frequently  spoken  of  by 
Jewish  writers.  They  call  him,  as  the  author  of  the  Chaldee  paraphrase  does  on 
the  text  just  quoted,  the  Sagan.  Some  think  that  this  office  was  first  instituted  in 
Numb.  iii.  32,  where  we  read  that  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron  the  priest,  was  to  be 
'  chief  over  the  chief  of  the  Levites,  and  to  have  the  oversight  of  them  that  kept 
the  charge  of  the  sanctuary.'  Elsewhere,  also,  we  read  of  Zadok  and  Abiathar 
being  by  way  of  eminence,  '  priests  at  the  same  time;'0  by  which,  it  is  probable, 
we  are  to  understand,  as  many  expositors  do,  that  the  one  was  the  high  priest,  and 
the  other  the  Sagan  ;  who  was  to  perform  the  office  which  belonged  to  the  high 
priest  in  all  its  branches,  if  the  high  priest  should  happen  to  be  incapacitated  for  it. 
Besides  these,  there  were  others  who  were  styled  '  chief  priests.'  These  were  the 
heads  of  their  respective  classes,  and  presided  over  them  when  they  came  to  Jer- 
usalem, to  minister  in  their  courses.  There  was  also  the  president  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim, who  is  generally  reckoned  one  of  the  chief  priests.  Moreover,  when  any 
one  was,  by  the  arbitrary  will  of  their  governors,  in  the  degenerate  and  declining 
state  of  the  Jewish  church,  deposed  from  the  high  priesthood,  merely  to  make  way 
for  another  favourite  to  enjoy  that  honour,  he  was,  though  divested  of  his  office, 
nevertheless  called  '  chief  priest.'  This  fact  will  give  light  to  several  scriptures  in 
the  New  Testament,  in  which  we  read  of  many  chief  priests  at  the  same  time.?  As 
to  the  Levites,  they  were  not  only  appointed  to  be  the  high  priest's  ministers  in 
offering  gifts  and  sacrifices  in  the  temple  ;  but  many  of  them  were  engaged  in  other 
offices.  Some  instructed  the  people,  in  the  respective  cities  where  they  dwelt,  who 
were  to  resort  to  them  for  that  purpose  ;  or  in  synagogues,  erected  for  this  branch 
of  public  worship.  Others  were  employed  as  judges  in  determining  civil  or  eccle- 
siastical matters. 

Again,  we  often  read  in  scripture  of  scribes.  These  were  of  two  sorts.  Some  were 
employed  only  in  civil  matters.  We  sometimes  read  of  one  person,  in  particular, 
who  was  appointed  to  be  the  king's  scribe.  Thus  in  David's  reign,  we  read  of 
Shemaiah  the  scribe  ;  in  Hezekiah's,  of  Shebna.q  This  seems  to  have  been  a  civil 
officer,  not  much  unlike  a  secretary  of  state  among  us  ;  and  we  seldom  find  men- 
tion made  of  more  than  one  scribe  at  a  time,  except  in  Solomon's  reign,  when 
there  were  two.r  But  we  often  read,  also,  of  scribes  who  were  engaged  in  other 
works.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  many  of  them  were  employed  in  transcribing 
the  whole  or  some  parts  of  scripture,  for  the  use  of  those  who  employed  them  in 
that  work  and  compensated  them  for  it, — a  work  which  was  necessary  for  the  pro- 
pagating of  religion  in  those  ages  in  which  printing  was  not  known.  Moreover, 
there  were  others  who  explained  the  law  to  the  people.  Thus  Ezra  is  styled,  '  a 
ready  scribe  in  the  law  of  Moses.'3  This  was  an  honourable  and  useful  employ- 
ment, faithfully  managed  by  him  and  many  others,  in  the  best  ages  of  the  church. 
But,  in  our  Saviour's  time,  there  were  scribes  who  pretended  to  expound  the  law 
and  instruct  the  people,  whose  doctrines  were  very  contrary  to  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  Moses'  writings,  and  whose  way  of  preaching  was  very  empty  and  unpro- 
fitable. Hence,  it  is  said  that  our  Lord  '  taught  as  one  having  authority,  and  not 
as  the  scribes.'* 

Further,  we  sometimes  read  in  the  New  Testament  of  'lawyers,'  against  whom 
our  Saviour  denounces  woes,  for  opposing  him  and  his  gospel.  This  is  supposed 
by  some  to  be  only  a  different  name  given  to  the  scribes.  For  they  practised  the 
law  in  public  courts  of  judicature,  and  pleaded  causes  in  the  Sanhedrim,  or  taught 
in  their  schools  or  religious  assemblies  ;  and  both  of  these  things  were  done  by  the 
scribes.  The  evangelist  Matthew,  too,  speaks  of  '  a  lawyer '  who  asked  our  Sa- 
viour a  question, '  Which  is  the  great  commandment?' u  while  Mark,  mentioning  the 

o  2  Sam.  xv.  35  ;  xix.  11.  p  See  Luke  iii.  2  ;  Mark  xiv.  53.  q  1  Chron.  xxiv.  6; 

2  Rings  xviii.  18.        r  1  Kings  iv.  4.        s  Ezra  vii.  6.        t  Matt.  vii.  29.        u  Chap,  xxii.  35,  36. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  4GQ 

same  thing,  calls  the  person  '  one  of  the  scribes.' x  The  same  thing,  in  sub- 
stance, seems  to  be  intended  by  both  evangelists.  Some  suppose,  indeed,  that 
there  was  a  difference  between  the  lawyers  and  scribes,  from  its  being  said  that 
when  our  Saviour  had  been  reproving  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  '  one  of  the  law- 
yers said  unto  him;  Thus  saying,  thou  reproachest  us  also, **  where  the  lawyers 
speak  as  though  they  were  distinct  from  the  scribes.  Yet  it  is  evident  that,  how- 
ever they  might  be  distinguished  from  them  in  other  respects,  they  agreed  with 
them  as  engaged  in  expounding  the  law  ;  and  are  said,  in  the  performance  of 
this  work,  to  have  'laden  men  with  heavy  burdens,  grievous  to  be  borne,'  which 
they  themselves  '  would  not  touch  with  one  of  their  fingers. ' 

As  for  those  civil  officers  whom  we  read  of  in  the  Old  Testament  before  the  captiv- 
ity, especially  in  David  and  Solomon's  reign,  they  were  either  such  as  were  set  over 
the  tribute,  the  principal  of  which  was  at  the  head  of  the  treasury,2  or  such  as 
were  employed  under  them,  to  see  that  the  taxes  were  duly  levied  and  paid.  The 
latter  are  called  '  receivers. 'a  Others  were  employed  in  keeping  and  adjusting  the 
public  records.  Of  these  one  was  the  chief ;  who,  by  way  of  eminence,  is  called 
'  the  recorder.'  Others  were  appointed  to  manage  the  king's  domestic  affairs  ;  of 
whom  the  chief  was  '  set  over  the  household.  'b  Another  is  said  to  have  been  '  set 
over  the  host.'0  He  either  had  the  chief  command  of  the  army,  or  was  appointed 
to  muster  and  determine  who  should  go  to  war  or  be  excused  from  it.  There  is 
still  another  officer  whom  we  read  of  once  in  scripture,  namely,  he  who  '  counted  the 
towers  ;'d  whose  business  seems  to  have  been  to  survey  and  keep  the  fortifications 
in  repair.  But  these  not  being  so  frequently  mentioned  in  scripture  as  others,  we 
pass  them  over,  and  proceed  more  especially  to  consider  some  characters  of  persons 
which  we  meet  with  in  the  New  Testament. 

There  was  one  sort  of  officers  who  were  concerned  in  exacting  the  public  reve- 
nues, after  the  Jews  were  made  tributary  to  the  Roman  empire.  These  are  called 
publicans.  The  chief  of  them  were  generally  persons  of  great  honour  and  substance, 
who  sometimes  farmed  a  branch  of  the  revenue ;  and  were,  for  the  most  part,  Ro- 
mans of  noble  extraction.  We  have  an  account  of  them  in  Cicero, e  and  other 
heathen  writers  ;  but  there  is  no  mention  of  them  in  scripture.  This  honourable 
post  was  never  conferred  on  the  Jews.  Yet  we  read  of  Zaccheus,  who  is  said  to 
have  been  'one  of  the  chief  among  the  publicans,'  though  a  Jew.f  The  mean- 
ing is,  that  he  was  the  chief  officer  in  a  particular  port,  and  had  other  publicans  un- 
der him ;  whose  business  was  constantly  to  attend  at  the  ports,  and  take  an  account 
of  the  taxes  which  were  to  be  paid  there  by  those  of  whom  they  were  exacted.  Of 
the  latter  sort  was  Matthew,  who  is  called  '  the  publican,'  that  is,  one  of  the  lowest 
officers  concerned  in  the  revenue.^  These  were  usually  very  profligate  in  their 
morals,  and  inclined  to  oppress  those  of  whom  they  received  taxes,  probably  to 
gain  advantage  to  themselves,  and  were  universally  hated  by  the  Jews. 

There  was  another  sort  of  men,  often  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  who 
made  the  greatest  pretensions  to  religion,  but  were  most  remote  from  it,  and  are 
justly  branded  with  the  character  of  hypocrites, — namely,  the  Pharisees,  who  made 
themselves  popular  by  their  external  show  of  piety.  There  is  not,  indeed,  the  least 
hint  of  there  having  been  such  a  sect  amongst  the  Jews  before  the  captivity  ;  though, 
it  is  true,  the  prophet  Isaiahh  speaks  of  a  sort  of  people  who  much  resembled  them, 
who  said,  '  Stand  by  thyself,  come  not  near  to  me,  for  I  am  holier  than  thou.'  From 
this  passage  it  seems  that  there  were  some  of  similar  principles  in  Isaiah's  day  ; 
unless  we  suppose  that  the  passage  had  its  accomplishment  when  the  sect  of  the  Phari- 
sees appeared  in  the  world  in  a  following  age.     The  time  when  they  appeared  was 

x  Mark  xii.  28.  y  Luke  xi.  44,  45.  z  1  Kings  iv.  6.  a  Isa.  xxxiii.  18. 

b  2  Kings  xviii.  18.         c  1  Kings  iv.  4.  d  Isa.  xxxiii.  18. 

e  Vid.  Cic.  in  Orat.  pro  Plane,  florem  Equitum  Romanorum  ornamentum  civitatis,  firmamentum 
reipublicae  publicanorum  online  eontineri.  And  in  bis  oration,  ad  Quintum  Fratrem,  he  has  many 
things  concerning  the  dignity  of  the  publicans,  and  their  advantage  to  the  commonwealth.  He 
says,  '  Si  Publicanis  adversemur  ordinem  de  nobis  optime  meritum,  et  per  nos  cum  republica  con- 
junctum,  et  a  nobis,  et  a  republica  disjungimus.'  And  in  his  familiar  Epistles,  lib.  xix.  Epist.  x. 
he  calls  them,  '  Ordinem  sibi  semper  commendatissimum  ;*  et  ad  Atticum,  lib.  vii.  Epist.  vii,  he 
Bays,  '  Caesari  amicissimos  fuisse  Publicanos.' 

f  Luke  xix.  2.  g  Matt.  x.  3,  compared  with  chap.  ix.  9.  h  Isa.  lxv.  5. 


470  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE   READ. 

not  long  after  the  reign  of  Alexander  the  Great,1  between  two  and  three  hundred 
years  before  our  Saviour's  time.  They  are  generally  described  in  scripture,  as 
pretending  to  be  more  expert  than  all  others  in  the  knowledge  of  the  law  ;  but,  in 
reality,  making  it  void,  by  establishing  those  oral  traditions  which  were  contrary  to 
its  true  intent  and  meaning.  They  are  described  also  as  setting  up  their  own 
righteousness,  and  depending  on  the  performance  of  some  lesser  duties  of  the  law, 
as  that  from  which  they  expected  a  right  to  eternal  life.  These  were  the  greatest 
enemies,  in  their  conduct,  as  well  as  their  doctrines,  to  Christ  and  his  gospel. 

There  was  another  sect  who  joined  with  the  Pharisees  in  persecuting  and  op- 
posing our  Saviour  ;  though  otherwise  they  did  not  in  the  least  accord  with  them. 
These  were  the  Sadducees,  who  appeared  in  the  world  about  the  same  time  as  the 
Pharisees.  They  were  men  generally  reputed  as  profligate  in  their  morals  ;  and, 
for  that  reason,  they  were  as  much  hated  by  the  common  people,  as  the  Pharisees 
were  caressed  by  them.  They  adhered  to  the  philosophy  of  Epicurus  ;  and  took 
occasion  from  it,  as  they  are  said  in  scripture k  to  have  done,  to  deny  the  resurrec- 
tion, angels,  and  spirits.  It  is  true  they  did  not  desire  to  be  thought  irreligious, 
though  they  were  really  so  ;  yet  our  Saviour  describes  them,  as  well  as  the  Phari- 
sees, as  hypocrites  and  inveterate  enemies  to  his  gospel. 

There  was  another  sort  of  people,  sometimes  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament, 
namely,  the  Samaritans.  These  separated  from  the  Jews,  out  of  a  private  pique, 
and  built  a  distinct  temple  on  mount  Gerizim  ; 1  and  for  doing  this  they  were  ex- 
communicated by  the  Jews,  and  universally  hated,  so  that  there  was  no  intercourse 
between  them,m  especially  in  those  things  in  which  one  might  be  said  to  be  obliged 
to  another.  They  did  very  much  corrupt  the  worship  of  God  ;  so  that  Christ 
charges  them  with  'worshipping  they  knew  not  what.'n  It  is  also  observed  con- 
cerning them,  that  after  the  ten  tribes  were  carried  captive  into  Assyria,  they  who 
were  left  in  the  land  '  feared  not  the  Lord,  and  he  sent  lions  amongst  them. '  °  On 
this  occasion,  a  priest  was  dismissed  by  the  king  of  Assyria,  under  pretence  of  '  in- 
structing them  in  the  manner  of  the  God  of  the  land  ;'  and  he  erected  a  strange 
medley  of  religion,  consisting  partly  of  those  corruptions  which  had  been  practised 
by  the  Israelites  for  some  ages  past,  and  partly  of  the  heathen  idolatry  which 
they  brought  from  Assyria.  On  this  account  it  is  said,  '  They  feared  the  Lord, 
and  served  their  own  gods  after  the  manner  of.  the  nations  whom  they  carried  away 
from  thence. 'p 

There  is  another  sort  of  men,  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  called  Herodians. 
These  seem  to  have  been  a  political  rather  than  a  religious  sect.  Some  of  the  fathers, 
indeed,  think  that  they  were  so  called  because  they  complimented  Herod  with  the 
character  of  the  Messiah  ;i  who,  as  they  supposed,  would  be  a  very  flourishing  prince, 
and  would  reign  over  them,  according  to  the  ancient  prediction  of  the  patriarch 
Jacob,  after  *  the  sceptre  was  departed  from  Judah.'  But  this  seems  to  be  a  very 
improbable  conjecture  ;  for  Herod  the  Great  was  dead,  before  we  read  any  thing 
of  the  Herodians  in  scripture.  Besides,  the  Jews  had  an  opinion,  about  this  time, 
that  the  Messiah  should  never  die/  The  most  probable  opinion  is,  that  these 
Herodians  were,  in  their  origin,  the  favourites  and  courtiers  of  Herod,  and  disposed 
to  adopt  any  alterations  which  he  was  inclined  to  make  in  the  religious  or  civil 
affair  of  the  Jews.8  From  what  is  said  concerning  them  in  scripture,  it  is  supposed 
that  they  were,  for  the  most  part,  Sadducees.  For,  if  we  compare  Matt.  xvi.  6, 
with  Mark  viii.  15,  we  shall  find  that  our  Saviour  warns  his  disciples  on  occasion 
of  their  having  '  forgot  to  take  bread,'  to  'beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees 
and  of  the  Sadducees,'  as  the  former  evangelist  expresses  it,  and  '  of  the  leaven  of 

i  See  Joseph.  Antiq.  lib.  xiii.  cap.  ix.  And  we  have  an  account  of  their  pride  and  insolence  in 
the  same  author,  chap,  xviii.,  and  of  the  great  disturbance  they  made  in  civil  governments,  if  chief 
magistrates  did  not  please  them.  k  Acts  xxiii.  8. 

1  See  Joseph.  Antiq.  lib.  xi.  cap.  viii.  m  John  iv.  9.  n  Verse  22. 

o  2  Kings  xvii.  25.  p  Vt  rse  33.  q  See  Tertull.  in  praescrip.  adv.  Haer.  cap.  xlv. 

and  Epiphanius,  in  Haer.  cap.  xx.  r  John  xii.  34. 

s  That  Herod  was  disposed  to  make  alterations  in  the  Jews'  religion,  by  adding  to  it  a  mixture 
of  several  rites  and  ceremonies,  taken  from  the  heathen,  is  affirmed  by  some.  See  Cunseus  de 
Rep.  Haebr.  lib.  i.  cap.  xvi.,  who  quotes  Josephus  as  saying  that  he  altered  the  ancient  laws  of 
their  country. 


BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  TO  BE  READ.  471 

Herod,'  that  is,  the  Herodians,  as  it  is  in  the  latter.  Now,  though  these  Ilerodians, 
or  court  parasites,  might  take  their  rise  in  the  reign  of  Herod  the  Great ;  yet  a 
party  of  men  succeeded  them  who  held  the  same  principles,  aud  were  disposed  to 
compliment  their  governors  with  their  civil  and  religious  rights.  These,  however, 
more  especially  distinguished  themselves,  by  their  propagating  principles  of  loyalty 
among  the  people.  While  the  Jews,  under  a  pretence  that  they  were  a  free  na- 
tion, were  very  unwilling  to  give  tribute  to  Csesar, — though  they  would  not  venture 
their  lives,  as  Judas  of  Galilee  and  some  others  had  done,  by  refusing  it ;  these 
Herodiaus  laid  it  down  as  an  article  of  their  faith,  that  they  ought  to  pay  tribute 
to  Caesar.  Hence,  when  they  came  with  this  question  to  our  Saviour,  i  Is  it  lawful 
to  give  tribute  unto  Ca?sar,  or  not?'*  he  soon  discovered  their  hypocrisy,  and 
knew  the  design  of  their  question,  as  he  might  easily  do  from  their  being  Hero- 
diaus. Thus  concerning  the  various  characters  of  persons  mentioned  in  scripture, 
as  subservient  to  our  right  understanding  of  it. 

8.  After  all  these  helps  for  understanding  the  sense  of  scripture,  there  is  one 
more  which  is  universally  to  be  observed  ;  namely,  that  no  sense  is  to  be  given  of 
any  text,  but  what  is  agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  faith,  and  has  a  tendency  to  ad- 
vance the  divine  perfections,  stain  the  pride  of  all  flesh  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
promote  practical  godliness  in  all  its  branches.  Scripture  must  be  explained  agree- 
ably to  the  analogy  of  faith.  It  is  supposed  that  there  is  something  we  depend  on, 
which  we  can  prove  to  be  the  faith  of  scripture,  or  demonstrably  founded  upon  it. 
This  we  are  bound  to  adhere  to  ;  otherwise  we  must  be  charged  with  scepticism, 
and  concluded  not  to  know  where  to  set  our  feet  in  matters  of  religion.  Now,  so 
far  as  our  faith  in  the  summary  and  assured  view  of  divine  truth  is  founded  on 
scripture,  every  sense  we  give  of  a  text  must  be  agreeable  to  it ;  otherwise  we  do 
as  it  were  suppose  that  the  word  of  God  in  one  place  destroys  what  in  another  it 
establishes,  which  would  be  a  great  reflection  on  that  which  is  the  standard  and 
rule  of  our  faith.  I  do  not  hereby  mean,  that  our  sentiments  are  to  be  a  rule  of 
faith  to  others  ;  any  farther  than  as  they  are  evidently  contained  in  scripture,  or 
deduced  from  it.  Yet  that  which  we  believe,  thinking  it  to  be  the  sense  of  scrip- 
ture, is  so  far  a  rule  to  us  that,  whatever  sense  we  give  of  any  other  scripture, 
must  be  agreeable  to  it ;  or  else  we  must  be  content  to  acknowledge  that  we  were 
mistaken  in  some  of  those  things  wjiich  we  called  articles  of  faith  as  founded  on 
scripture. 

Again,  no  sense  given  of  scripture  must  be  contrary  to  the  divine  perfections. 
Thus,  when  human  passions  are  ascribed  to  God,  such  as  grief,  fear,  desire,  wrath, 
fury,  indignation,  &c,  they  are  not  to  be  explained  as  when  the  same  passions  are 
ascribed  to  men,  in  which  sense  they  argue  weakness  and  imperfection.  And  when 
any  phrase  of  scripture  seems  to  represent  him  as  defective  in  power,  as  '  Why 
shouldest  thou  be  as  a  man  astonied,  as  a  mighty  man  that  cannot  save  ?'u  we  are 
to  understand  it  as  a  charge  that  would  be  unjustly  brought  against  God,  if  he  did 
not  appear  in  behalf  of  his  people,  by  those  who  are  disposed  to  reproach  and  find 
fault  with  the  dispensations  of  his  providence.  But  as  we  have  taken  occasion,  in 
explaining  many  scriptures  and  doctrines  founded  upon  them,  to  apply  this  rule,  I 
shall  content  myself  at  present  with  having  merely  mentioned  it. 

Further,  we  are  to  explain  scripture  in  such  a  way  that  it  may  have  a  tendency 
to  promote  practical  godliness  in  all  its  branches  :  the  promotion  of  which  is  the 
main  end  and  design  of  scripture.  Many  instances  might  be  given  in  which  this 
rule  is  to  be  applied.  When,  for  example,  we  are  said  '  not  to  be  under  the  law, 
but  under  grace, 'x  we  are  not  to  understand  the  language  as  meaning  that  we  are 
discharged  from  an  obligation  to  yield  obedience  to  whatever  God  commands,  but 
as  denoting  our  having  been  delivered  either  from  the  condemning  sentence  of  the 
law,  or  from  the  ceremonial  law,  to  which  the  gospel-dispensation,  which  is  a  dis- 
play of  the  grace  of  God,  is  always  opposed.  Again,  when  it  is  said,  '  Be  not  righ- 
teous over-much,  neither  make  thyself  over-wise  ;  why  shouldest  thou  destroy  thy- 
self ?''  we  are  not  to  understand  that  there  is  any  danger  of  our  being  too  holy  or 
strict  in  the  performance  of  religious  duties  ;  but  we  are  to  view  the  passage  as 

t  Matt.  xxii.  17  u  Jtr.  xiv.  9.  x  Rom.  vii,  14.  v  EccL  vii.  16. 


472  BY  WHOM  AND  HOW  THE  WORD  IS  BE  TO  READ. 

forbidding  an  hypocritical  appearing  to  be  more  righteous  than  we  are,  or  an  en- 
tertaining of  a  proud  and  vain-glorious  conceit  of  our  own  righteousness  because  we 
perform  some  duties  of  religion.  Moreover,  there  are  scriptures  which  are  some- 
times perverted,  as  though  they  intimated  that  prayer  or  other  religious  duties  were 
not  incumbent  on  wicked  men.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an 
abomination  to  the  Lord  ;'*  *  He  that  turneth  away  his  ear  from  hearing  the  law, 
even  his  prayer  shall  be  abomination;'*  'What  hast  thou  to  do  to  declare  my 
statutes,  or  that  thou  shouldst  take  my  covenant  in  thy  mouth  ?'b  But  these  scrip- 
tures imply,  not  that  the  wicked  are  not  obliged  to  perform  religious  duties,  but 
that  it  is  contrary  to  the  holiness  of  God,  and  a  great  provocation  to  him,  when  they 
regard  not  the  frame  of  spirit  with  which  they  perform  them,  drawing  nigh  to  him 
with  their  lips,  when  their  heart  is  far  from  him,  or  laying  claim  to  the  blessings  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  while  continuing  in  open  hostility  against  him.  To  apply 
this  rule  fully,  would  be  to  go  through  the  whole  of  scripture,  and  to  show  how  all  the 
great  doctrines  of  religion  which  are  founded  upon  it,  have  a  tendency  to  promote 
practical  godliness  in  all  its  branches.  But  this  we  have  endeavoured  to  do  in  all 
those  instances  in  which  we  have  had  occasion  to  give  the  sense  of  scripture  ;  and 
therefore  shall  content  ourselves  with  this  brief  specimen,  and  leave  it  to  every  one 
to  improve  the  rule  in  his  daily  meditations,  in  inquiring  into  the  sense  of  scripture, 
in  order  to  his  being  farther  established  in  that  religion  which  is  founded  on  it. 

z  Pro  v.  xxi.  27.  a  Chap,  xxviii.  9.  b  Psal.  1.  16. 

[Note  U.  Scriptures  '  hard  to  be  understood.' — The  passage,  '  In  Paul's  epistles  are  some  things 
hard  to  be  understood,  which  they  that  are  unlearned  and  unstable  wrest,  as  they  do  also  the  other 
scriptures,  to  their  own  destruction,'  is  so  stoutly  quoted  by  Romanists  against  the  Bible  being 
read  by  the  laity  at  all,  and  so  often  appealed  to  by  careless  Protestants  as  an  excuse  for  its  being 
read  listlessly  and  infrequently,  that  a  few  remarks  upon  it,  additional  to  those  made  by  Dr.  Ridge- 
ley,  may  not  be  improper. 

What  the  passage  refers  to  are  not  words,  but  '  things ;'  and  these  may  be  as  effectually  wrested 
when  heard  as  when  read.  But  must  we  infer  that  to  hear  the  doctrine  of  Christianity,  as  well  as 
to  read  the  word  of  God,  is  prohibited  to  the  laity  ? — Only  '  some  things,'  too,  were  '  hard  to  be 
understood  ;'  so  that,  even  if  a  prohibition  of  scripture  were  a  fair  consequence,  only  some  parts  of 
it,  and  not  all,  should  be  prohibited. — Again,  the  persons  who  wrested  them,  were  not  the  laity  as 
distinguished  from  the  clergy,  but  '  the  unlearned  and  the  unstable,'  as  distinguished  from  the 
learned  and  the  steady.  Are  not  many  of  the  Romish  laity  learned  and  steady,  and  many  of  the 
Romish  clergy  '  unlearned  and  unstable  ?'  Should  not,*then,  the  scriptures,  if  prohibited  at  all,  be 
prohibited  to  a  portion  of  the  clergy,  and  unprohibited  to  a  portion  of  the  laity  ? — But  Peter  does 
not  speak  of '  the  unlearned'  in  the  literary  sense — for  if  he  did  he  would  include  himself  and  the 
other  apostolic  fishermen  of  Galilee :  he  speaks  of  the  unlearned  in  the  moral  sense,  or  in  the  sense 
of  unacquaintance  with  the  doctrine  of  Christianity,  or  inexperience  of  the  teaching  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  What  misled  and  destroyed  the  persons  to  whom  he  refers  was  ignorance.  Had  they 
possessed  the  disposition  of  disciples,  and  'asked  wisdom  of  Him  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally 
and  upbraideth  not,'  they  would  have  found  the  scriptures  unmingled  light  and  life  to  their  souls  ; 
but  because  they  were  uninformed  in  even  the  rudimental  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and  were  so 
unsteady  as  to  be  'tossed  to  and  fro  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,'  and  yet  attempted  to  analyze  and 
probably  affected  to  understand  the  most  profound  portions  of  scripture,  they  wrested  them  to  their 
destruction. — Yet  difficult  as  the  portions  were  which  they  encountered,  they  are  said  to  have  done 
them  damage,  not  by  being  read,  but  by  being  wrested.  Before  even  froward  and  ignorant  profes- 
sors of  religion,  received  injury  from  a  text  '  hard  to  be  understood,'  they  distorted,  racked,  or  dis- 
located it  (<tt£££x nun)  ;  so  that  had  they  treated  it  with  fairness,  and  allowed  it  to  address  them  in  its 
own  freedom  and  energy,  they  would  have  found,  as  it  lodged  itself  in  their  understanding,  not  a 

gory  mass,  but  an  agency  of  life  and  peace The  very  fact,  also,  of  their  wresting  the  scriptures 

is  proof  that  they  read  them, — that  they  enjoyed  unrestricted  access  to  them, — that,  up  to  the  time 
when  Peter  wrote,  the  scriptures  were  laid  freely  open  before  even  the  uninstructed  and  uninitiated. 
Nor  does  Peter  direct  the  warning  which  he  gives  against  the  reading  of  even  '  things  difficult  to 
be  understood :'  he  directs  it  altogether  against  the  wresting  of  them,  and,  in  doing  so,  clearly 
assumes  the  reading  of  them  to  be  at  once  a  common  privilege  and  a  common  duty.  Paul,  indeed, 
had  written  the  things  in  question  '  according  to  the  wisdom  given  to  him,'  and  had  formally  ad- 
dressed them  to  '  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus,' — to  '  all  the  saints  which  are  in  all  Achaia,' — to  '  all 
that  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours,'  Eph.  i.  1 ; 
2  Cor.  i.  1  ;  1  Cor.  i.  2.  Peter  also  formally  addressed  his  first  epistle,  and  he  likewise  practically 
addressed  his  second,  or  that  which  contains  the  very  passage  we  are  examining,  '  to  the  strangers 
scattered  abroad,  throughout  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia :'  he  addressed  them 
dimply  as  professed  believers  in  the  Saviour ;  he  made  no  distinction  of  laity  and  clergy,  or  of  novices 
and  adepts,  but  wrote  indiscriminately  to  all.  Nor  did  he  write  only  on  topics  which  had  not  been 
wrested:  he  wrote,  just  as  truly  as  Paul,  'some  things  which  were  hard  to  be  understood;'  he 
wrote  even  on  the  same  topics  which,  as  discussed  by  Paul,  had  been  wrested  by  the  unlearned, 
2  Pet.  iii.  15,  and  first  clause  of  verse  1G.     Whatever  the  Holy  Spirit  had  dictated  either  by  his 


THE  TREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD.  473 

own  pen  or  by  the  pens  of  Paul  and  other  inspired  writers,  he  expected  to  be  prized,  and  therefore 
read,  heard,  or  known,  by  all  who  named  the  name  of  Christ  *  We  have,'  said  he,  '  a  more  sure 
word  of  prophecy,  whereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  in  your  hearts,'  1  Pet.  i.  19.  But  surely  a  light 
shining  in  a  dark  place — and  shining  upon  all  or  in  the  sight  of  all  who  are  enveloped  in  darkness — 
is  an  emblem  exhibiting  any  idea  rather  than  that  of  a  book  which  is  prohibited  to  all  whom  it  may 
interest,  except  a  select  few.  How  utterly  unwarrantable  then  is  it,  view  Peter's  words  respecting 
the  wresting  of  the  scriptures  as  we  may,  to  regard  them  as,  in  any  sense  or  degree  whatever,  a  pro- 
hibition of  the  Bible  to  the  laity,  or  an  excuse  for  its  being  read  seldom  or  with  inattention  1 — Ed.] 


THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD. 

Question  CLVIII.  By  whom  is  the  word  of  God  to  be  preached  ? 

Answer.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  only  by  such  as  are  sufficiently  gifted,  and  also 
duly  approved  and  called  to  that  office. 

Question  CLIX.  How  is  the  word  of  God  to  be  preached  by  those  that  are  called  thereunto  f 
Answer.  They  that  are  called  to  labour  in  the  ministry  of  the  word,  are  to  preach  sound  doc- 
trine, diligently;  in  season,  and  out  of  season  ;  plainly,  not  in  the  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom, 
hut  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  and  power  ;  faithfully,  making  known  the  whole  counsel  of  Gou; 
wisely,  applying  themselves  to  the  necessities  and  capacities  ol  the  hearers;  zealously,  with  fervent 
love  to  God,  and  the  souls  of  his  people;  sincerely,  aiming  at  his  glory,  and  their  conversion,  edi- 
fication, and  salvation. 

Question  CLX.   What  is  required  of  those  that  hear  the  word  preached  f 

Answer.  It  is  required  of  those  that  hear  the  word  preached,  that  they  attend  upon  it  with  dili- 
gence, preparation,  and  prayer;  examine  what  they  hear,  by  the  scriptures;  receive  the  truth  with 
faith,  love,  meekness,  and  readiness  of  mind,  as  the  word  of  God  ;  meditate,  and  confer  of  it;  hide 
it  in  their  heart,  and  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  it  in  their  lives. 

We  have  considered  what  method  we  are  to  take,  in  our  private  station  or  capacity, 
to  understand  the  word  of  God.  But  we  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful,  that  he 
has  ordained  that  it  should  be  publicly  preached  or  explained,  as  a  farther  means 
conducive  to  this  end.  Accordingly,  we  are  led,  in  these  Answers,  to  show  who 
they  are  whom  God  has  called  to  the  work  of  preaching ;  how  such  ought  to  per- 
form it ;  and  with  what  frame  of  spirit  we  ought  to  attend  on  it. 

By  Whom  the  Word  is  to  be  Preached. 

The  persons  by  whom  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  are  only  such  as  he  has 
qualified  with  gifts  sufficient  for  the  work.  They  ought  also  when  called  to  it,  to 
be  duly  approved  of  by  those  among  whom  the  providence  of  God  directs  them  to 
exercise  their  ministry. 

I.  We  shall  first  say  something  concerning  the  qualifications  which  are  neces- 
sary in  those  who  are  employed  in  preaching  the  gospel.  Here  it  is  observed  in 
general,  that  they  must  be  sufficiently  gifted  for  it.  This  is  so  evident  that  it 
would  be  unreasonable  for  any  one  to  deny  it ;  for  no  one  is  to  attempt  any  thing 
which  he  is  not  able  to  perform, — especially  if  it  be  a  work  of  the  highest  impor- 
tance, and  if  the  unskilful  managing  of  it  may  have  a  tendency  to  do  prejudice  to 
the  interest  of  Christ,  rather  than  advance  it.  It  would  be  a  reflection  on  the  wis- 
dom of  a  master,  to  employ  his  servant  in  a  work  which  he  has  no  capacity  for,  or 
intrust  him  with  an  affair  which  is  likely  to  miscarry  in  his  hands.  In  like  manner, 
we  are  not  to  suppose  that  God  calls  any  to  preach  the  gospel  but  those  whom  he 
has,  in  some  measure,  furnished  for  it.  The  best,  it  is  true,  may  say,  as  the  apos- 
tle does,  '  We  are  not  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  ourselves ;  but 
our  sufficiency  is  of  God.'  Yet  he  adds,  that  they  who  are  employed  by  God  in  this 
work,  are  made  'able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament.'0  It  is,  indeed,  a  difficult 
matter  to  determine  who  are  sufficiently  gifted  for  it ;  the  work  being  so  great,  and 
our  natural  and  acquired  endowments  very  small  if  compared  with  it.  But  that 
we  may  briefly  consider  this  matter,  we  shall  offer  two  particular  observations. 

c  2  Cor.  iii.  5,  6. 

ii.  3  o 


474  THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD. 

1.  Some  qualifications  are  moral ;  without  which,  they  who  preach  the  gospel 
would  be  a  reproach  to  it.  These  qualifications  respect,  more  especially,  the  con- 
versation of  those  who  are  engaged  in  this  work,  which  ought  to  be  blameless  and 
exemplary, — not  only  inoffensive,  but  such  as  they  whom  they  are  called  to  in- 
struct may  safely  copy.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  Ye  are  witnesses,  and  God  also, 
how  holily,  and  justly,  and  unblameably  we  behaved  ourselves  among  you  that  be- 
lieve.'*1 And  he  advises  the  Corinthians  to  be  'followers  of  him;'e  and  commends 
the  church  elsewhere,  for  conforming  themselves  to  his  example,  so  far  as  it  was 
agreeable  to  that  of  our  Saviour ; f  in  which  respect  alone  the  best  of  men  are  to 
be  followed. s  Now,  preachers  being  an  example  to  their  hearers,  supposes  that 
they  have  that  which  we  call  a  moral  qualification,  as  necessary  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  Without  this,  a  person  will  do  more  hurt  by  his  example,  than  he  can 
do  good  by  his  doctrine  ;  for  he  will  lay  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  Christians. 
who  would  be  ready  to  say,  as  the  apostle  does  to  some  of  those  who  were  teachers 
among  the  Jews,  '  Thou  which  teachest  another,  teachest  thou  not  thyself  ?'h  or, 
dost  thou  live  in  the  practice  of  those  crimes,  which  thou  condemnest  in  others, 
and  exhortest  them  to  avoid?  This  qualification,  therefore,  must  be  supposed  to 
be  necessary.  Indeed,  an  experimental  knowledge  of  divine  truths,  will  greatly 
furnish  preachers  to  communicate  these  truths  to  others,  and  incite  them  jealously 
to  use  their  utmost  endeavours  that  their  hearers  may  be  made  partakers  of  the 
same  experiences  which  they  themselves  have  been  favoured  with.  We  are  not  to 
suppose,  however,  that  this  qualification  alone  will  warrant  a  person's  engaging  in 
the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  for  then  every  one  who  has  experienced  the  grace  of 
God,  might  attempt  it,  how  unable  soever  he  be  to  manage  it  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  edification  of  the  church. 

2.  There  are,  therefore,  other  qualifications  more  directly  subservient  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  These  the  apostle  speaks  of  when  he  describes  a  gospel 
minister  as  one  who  is  'apt  to  teach,'1  and  able  'rightly  to  divide  the  word  of 
truth, 'k  and,  'by  sound  doctrine,'  to  exhort  and  'convince  gainsayers.'1  They 
who  take  upon  them  to  explain  scripture,  and  apply  it  to  the  consciences  of  men, 
ought  certainly,  with  great  diligence  and  hard  study,  to  use  their  utmost  endea- 
vours to  understand  it.  They  ought,  also,  to  be  able  to  reason,  or  infer  just  con- 
sequences from  it ;  that  so  they  may  appear  to  be  well-versed  in  those  great  doc- 
trines on  which  our  faith  and  religion  is  founded.  This,  indeed,  must  be  confessed 
to  be  a  work  of  difficulty  ;  and,  they  who  think  themselves  best  furnished  for  it, 
will  have  reason  to  conclude,  as  the  apostle  says,  that  they  '  know  but  in  part,  and 
prophesy  in  part.'m 

Again,  there  are  various  parts  of  learning,  which  may  be  reckoned  in  some  re- 
spects ornamental,  which  would  tend  to  secure  him  who  preaches  the  gospel  from 
contempt.  There  are  also  others  more  immediately  subservient  to  our  understand- 
ing scripture,  namely,  being  well-acquainted  with  those  languages  in  which  the 
Old  and  the  New  Testament  were  written,  and  able  to  make  critical  remarks  on  the 
style  and  mode  of  expression  used  in  each  of  them  ;  and  being  conversant  in  the 
writings  of  those,  whether  in  our  own  or  other  languages,  who  have  clearly  and  judi- 
ciously explained  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  or  led  us  into  the  knowledge  of  those 
things  which  have  a  tendency  to  illustrate  them.  Moreover,  as  preaching  includes 
an  address  to  the  judgments  and  consciences  of  men,  I  cannot  but  reckon  it  a  qual- 
ification necessary  for  it,  that  all  those  parts  of  learning  which  have  a  tendency 
to  enlarge  the  reasoning  faculties,  or  help  us  to  see  the  connection  or  dependence 
of  one  thing  upon  another,  should  be  attended  to,  so  that  we  may  be  fitted  to  con- 
vey our  ideas  with  judgment  and  method.  These  qualifications  are  to  be  acquired. 
We  pass  by  those  which  are  natural,  namely,  a  sufficient  degree  of  parts,  and  such 
an  elocution  as  is  necessary  for  those  who  are  to  speak  to  the  edification  of  an  au- 
dience, without  which  all  other  endeavours  to  furnish  themselves  for  this  work, 
will  be  to  very  little  purpose. 

II.  They  by  whom  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached,  are  to  be  duly  approved 

d  1  These,  ii.' 10.         e  1  Cor.  iv.  16.         f  1  These,  i.  6.         g  1  Cor.  xi.  1.         h  Rom.  ii.  21. 
i  1  Tim.  iii.  2.  k  2  Tim.  ii.  15.        1  Tit.  i.  9.  ml  Cor.  xiii.  9. 


THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD.  475 

and  called  to  that  office.  A  person  may  think  himself  qualified  for  it,  without  suf- 
ficient ground  ;  and  hence  the  question  of  his  being  qualified  ought  to  be  submitted 
to  the  judgment  of  others,  by  whose  approbation  he  is  to  engage  in  this  work.  The 
first  thing  which  is  to  be  inquired  into,  is,  whether  he  is  called  to  it  by  God,  not 
only  by  his  providence,  which  opens  a  door  for  his  preaching  the  gospel,  but  by  the 
success  which  he  is  pleased  to  grant  to  his  endeavours  to  become  qualified  for  it. 
Yet,  as  persons  may  be  mistaken,  and  think  they  have  a  divine  call  to  this  work, 
when  they  have  not ;  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  be  approved  by  those  who 
are  sufficient  judges  of  their  having  such  a  call,  that  they  may  not  be  exposed  to 
temptation,  so  as  to  engage  in  a  work  which  they  are  not  deemed  sufficient  for.  It 
is  not,  indeed,  in  the  power  of  ministers  or  churches,  especially  according  to  the 
present  situation  of  things,  to  hinder  an  unqualified  person,  who  has  too  high 
thoughts  of  his  own  abilities,  from  preaching  to  a  number  of  people  who  are  dis- 
posed to  hear  him  ;  yet  no  one  is  bound,  or  ought  in  prudence  or  in  faithfulness  to 
God  or  man,  to  own  any  to  be  a  minister  whose  gifts  do  not  render  him  fit  to  be 
approved.  Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  can  any  judgment  be  passed  on  any  one's  fit- 
ness, without  sufficient  acquaintance  or  conversation  with  him  ;  that,  by  this  means, 
it  may  be  known  whether  he  be  a  workman  who  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  and 
able  rightly  to  divide  the  word  of  truth. 

Here,  I  think,  there  is  some  difference  between  the  approbation  which  ought  to  be 
passed  on  those  who  first  engage  in  the  work  of  preaching,  and  the  call  to  the  pas- 
toral office.  The  latter  supposes  the  former.  Hence,  a  person  ought  first  to  be 
approved  of,  as  fit  to  preach  the  gospel,  in  the  opinion  of  those  who  are  allowed  to 
be  competent  judges  of  the  matter.  His  being  so  approved  of  is  necessary  to  his  en- 
trance on  that  work  with  reputation  and  acceptance.  Without  it,  he  is  to  stand 
and  fall  to  his  own  Master,  and  acquiesce  in  the  approbation  of  those  who  are  will- 
ing to  sit  under  his  ministry  ;  while  others  are  not  bound,  being  destitute  of  suffi- 
cient evidence,  to  conclude  him  furnished  for  or  called  to  it.  As  to  the  call  to  the 
pastoral  office,  though  no  one  has  a  right  to  impose  pastors  on  churches,  yet  it  is 
the  indispensable  duty  of  every  church  to  inquire,  not  merely  whether  the  person 
whom  they  have  a  desire  to  call  to  that  office,  be  such  an  one  as  is  approved  by  the 
greater  number  of  them,  but  whether  the  step  they  are  taking  be  such  as  has  a  ten- 
dency to  secure  their  reputation  as  a  church  of  Christ,  without  exposing  them  to 
the  just  blame  and  censure  of  others  who  are  in  the  same  faith  and  order  with 
themselves,  that  they  may  do  nothing  which  is  in  the  least  offensive,  or  has  a  ten- 
dency to  weaken  the  interest  of  Christ  in  his  churches.  It  is  true,  no  one  can  put 
a  stop  to  their  proceeding,  if  they  are  resolved  to  set  over  them  one  who  is  not  only 
scandalous  in  his  conversation,  but  inclined  to  preach  what  is  subversive  of  the 
fundamental  articles  of  our  faith  ;  yet  they  cannot  be  said,  in  such  a  proceeding,  to 
act  as  a  church  which  has  obtained  mercy  from  God  to  be  faithful,  or  to  engage  in 
this  important  work  with  judgment.  It  is  hence  expedient  that  churches  should 
set  over  them  ministers  approved  by  others  as  sound  in  the  faith,  as  well  as  reckoned 
by  themselves  able  to  preach  to  their  edification  ;  and,  'in  order  to  this,  it  is  expe- 
dient that  some  ministers  and  members  of  other  churches  should  be  present  at  their 
investiture  in  that  office  to  which  they  have  called  them,  not  merely  to  be  witnesses 
of  their  faith  and  order  in  common  with  ihe  whole  assembly,  but  to  testify  by  their 
presence  their  approbation  of  their  proceedings,  and  give  ground  to  the  world  to 
conclude  that  the  persons  whom  they  have  called  are  owned  by  others  as  well  as  by 
themselves.  It  hence  is  necessary  that  ministers  who  are  to  join  in  begging  the 
blessing  of  God  on  a  church's  proceedings,  and  giving  a  word  of  exhortation  to  them, 
should  be  satisfied  concerning  the  fitness  of  him  whom  they  have  called  to  be  their 
pastor  ;  for  their  being  satisfied  of  his  fitness  is  supposed  by  their  being  present, 
and  bearing  their  respective  parts  in  the  service.  This,  I  think,  is  intended  by 
that  expression  of  the  apostle  in  which  he  advises  Timothy  to  '  lay  hands  suddenly 
on  no  man  ;  and  not  to  be  partaker  of  other  men's  sins  ;  but  to  keep  himself  pure,'n 
that  is,  without  guilt,  as  being  active  in  approving  of  those  whom  he  ought  not  to 
approve  of.     I  do  not,  by  this,  take  the  power  out  of  the  hands  of  the  church,  of 

i)  1  Tim.  v.  22. 


476  THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD. 

setting  a  pastor  over  themselves ;  but  only  argue  the  expediency  of  their  consulting 
the  honour  of  the  gospel  in  that  matter,  and  acting  so  that  they  may  have  the  ap- 
probation of  other  churches. 

How  the  Word  is  to  he  Preached. 

We  are  now  to  consider  how  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  by  those  who  are 
qualified  and  approved  for  the  work  and  called  to  perform  it.  We  shall  consider 
this  both  as  to  the  doctrines  to  be  insisted  on,  and  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  to  be  delivered. 

I.  What  they  are  to  preach,  ought  to  be  sound  doctrine.  We  do  not  mean  that 
it  must  be  sound  merely  in  the  estimation  of  him  who  preaches  it ;  for  there  is 
scarcely  any  one  who  does  not  think  himself  sound  in  the  faith,  how  remote  soever 
his  sentiments  may  be  from  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  the  word  of  God.  But 
we  mean  that  those  doctrines  are  to  be  preached  which  are  called  sound  by  the 
apostle,Q  such  as  are  agreeable  to  that  'form  of  sound  words'  which  is  transmitted 
to  us  by  divine  inspiration,? — ■  the  doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness,  '•*  hav- 
ing a  tendency  to  recommend  and  promote  it.  This  is  styled  elsewhere,  '  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints  ;'  which  is  not  only  to  be  preached,  but  '  earnestly 
contended  for.'r  The  doctrines  in  question  are  such  as  have  a  tendency  to  advance 
the  glory  of  God,  and  do  good  to  the  souls  of  men  ;  such  as  are  relished  by  sincere 
Christians,  who  'know  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,'  and  are  'nourished  up,'  as  the 
apostle  says,  '  in  the  words  of  faith  and  of  good  doctrine.'8  The  teaching  of  these 
doctrines,  as  it  has  a  peculiar  reference  to  the  gospel  and  to  the  way  of  salvation 
contained  in  it,  is  called  '  preaching  Christ,'1  or  a  '  determining  to  know  nothing,' 
that  is,  to  appear  to  know  or  to  discover  nothing,  '  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified,'11 or  to  deliver  nothing  but  what  tends  to  set  forth  the  person  and  offices 
of  Christ,  either  directly  or  in  its  remote  tendency.  Our  Saviour  advises  the  church 
to  '  take  heed  what  they  hear,'*  signifying  that  we  are  to  receive  no  doctrines  but 
what  are  agreeable  to  the  gospel.  Sufficient  intimation  is  thus  given  that  only 
such  doctrines  are  to  be  preached.  The  apostle  calls  the  preaching  of  any  other 
'  perverting  the  gospel  of  Christ ;'  and  adds,  '  Though  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven, 
preach  any  other  gospel  than  that  which  we  have  preached,  let  him  be  accursed.  'J 
These  are  the  only  doctrines  which  God  will  own  ;  because  they  tend  to  set  forth 
his  perfections,  as  they  were  at  first  communicated  by  him  for  that  end. 

II.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  manner  in  which  these  doctrines  are  to  be  preached. 
This  is  laid  down  in  several  Heads. 

1.  They  are  to  be  preached  diligently  and  constantly,  in  season  and  out  of  sea- 
son. A  minister  is  to  consider  the  preaching  of  them  the  main  business  of  life, — 
that  which  he  is  to  'give  himself  wholly  to;'z  and  all  his  studies  are  to  be  subser- 
vient to  this  end.  He  is  to  rejoice  in  all  opportunities  which  he  may  have  for  lead- 
ing those  to  whom  he  is  called  to  minister,  in  the  way  to  heaven  ;  and  be  willing 
to  lay  out  his  strength,  and  those  abilities  which  God  has  given  him,  to  his  glory. 
Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  I  would  very  gladly  spend,  and  be  spent  for  you.'a  The 
word,  therefore,  is  not  merely  to  be  preached  occasionally,  as  though  it  were  to  be 
hid  from  the  world  ;  or  imparted  only  when  the  leisure  or  inclination  of  those 
who  are  called  to  preach  it  will  admit.  The  character  which  the  apostle  gives  of 
gospel  ministers,  is  that  they  'watch  for  the  souls  of  those  to  whom  they  minister;' 
that  is,  they  wait  for  the  best  and  fittest  seasons  to  inculcate  divine  truths  upon 
them.  Their  diligence  in  their  work  is  particularly  expressed  by  '  preaching  the 
word,  and  being  instant  in  season,  and  out  of  season,  reproving,  rebuking,  and  ex- 
horting with  all  long-suffering  and  doctrine.  'b  This  statement  implies  that  the 
word  ought  to  be  preached,  not  only  on  that  day  which  God  has  sanctified  for  pub- 
lic worship,  of  which  preaching  is  a  part,  but  on  all  occasions  when  ministers  are 
apprehensive  that  the  people  are  desirous  to  receive  and  hear  it. 

o  Tit.  i.  9.  p  2  Tim.  i.  13.  q  1  Tim.  vL  3.  r  Jude,  ver.  3. 

«  1  Tim.  iv.  6.  t  Col.  i.  28.  u  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  x  Mark  iv.  24. 

y  Gal.  i.  7,  8.  z  1  Tim.  iv.  15.  a  2  Cor.  xii.  15.  b  2  Tim.  iv.  2. 


THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD.  All 

2.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  plainly.  The  apostle  says,  '  We  use  great 
plainness  of  speech.'  c  This  method  of  preaching  is  inconsistent  with  the  using  of 
unintelligible  expressions  ;  which  is,  as  it  were,  a  speaking  in  an  unknown  tongue, 
or  an  attempting  to  deliver  things  which  neither  the  speakers  nor  their  hearers 
well  understand.  The  style  ought  to  be  familiar,  and  adapted  to  the  meanest 
capacities  ;  and  it  may  be  so  without  being  exposed  to  contempt.  It  is  par- 
ticularly observed  that  preaching  ought  not  to  be  '  in  the  enticing  words  of  man's 
wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  and  of  power. 'd  The  great  design  of 
it  is,  not  to  please  the  ear  with  well-turned  periods,  or  rhetorical  expressions,  or 
an  affectation  of  showing  skill  in  human  learning,  in  those  instances  in  which  it  is 
not  directly  adapted  to  edification,  or  rendered  subservient  to  the  explaining  of  scrip- 
ture. A  demonstrative  way  of  preaching  is  not,  indeed,  opposed  to  the  plainness 
which  is  here  intended  ;  .but  it  is  '  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit.'  This  differs, 
indeed,  from  that  which  the  apostles  were  favoured  with  ;  who  were  led  into  the 
doctrines  they  preached,  by  immediate  inspiration.  Yet  we  are  to  endeavour  to 
prove,  by  strength  of  argument,  that  what  we  deliver  is  agreeable  to  the  mind  and 
will  of  God  ;  and  at  the  same  time,  we  are  to  do  this  with  plainness  of  address,  as 
those  who  desire  to  awaken  the  consciences  of  men,  and  give  them  the  fullest  con- 
viction, proving  from  the  scriptures,  that  what  we  say  is  true.  This  account  the 
apostle  gives  of  his  ministry, e  as  what  was  most  adapted  to  answer  its  valuable  ends. 

3.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  faithfully.  This  supposes  that  they  who 
are  called  to  this  work,  have  the  souls  of  those  to  whom  they  preach  committed  to 
their  care  ;  so  that,  if  these  perish  for  want  of  due  instruction,  they  are,  for  their 
neglect,  found  guilty  before  God.  Thus  God  says  to  the  prophet,  '  Son  of  man,  I 
have  made  thee  a  watchman  to  the  house  of  Israel  ;'f  and  therefore  the  prophet 
was  to  '  give  them  warning.'  If  he  did  this  he  '  delivered  his  own  soul ;'  but  if 
not,  God  intimates  to  him  that '  their  blood  should  be  required  at  his  hand. '  That 
ministers  are  thus  set  to  watch  for  souls  supposes  that  they  are  accountable  to  God 
for  the  doctrines  they  deliver.  Hence,  the  apostle  speaks  of  them  as  '  stewards  of 
the  mysteries  of  God, '  of  whom  it  is  required  that  they  should  '  be  found  faithful. '  & 
As  a  particular  instance,  he  makes  a  solemn  appeal  to  the  elders  of  the  church  of 
Ephesus,  that  he  had  '  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  them,  nor  shunned 
to  declare  all  the  counsel  of  God.'h  This  faithfulness  in  the  exercise  of  the  min- 
istry, is  opposed  to  ministers  having  respect  of  persons  from  some  obligation  which 
they  are  laid  under  to  them,  or  the  prospect  of  some  advantage  which  they  expect 
from  them  ;  so  that  they  are  sparing  in  reproving  those  who  are  blame-worthy,  for 
fear  of  giving  offence  or  losing  their  friendship.  It  is  also  opposed  to  preaching 
those  doctrines  which  are  suited  to  the  humours  and  corruptions  of  men  ;  and  ne- 
glecting to  insist  on  the  most  necessary  and  important  truths,  because  they  appre- 
hend that  these  will  be  entertained  with  disgust.  To  minister  in  the  latter  way,  is 
to  act  as  though  their  main  design  were  to  please  men  rather  than  God,  and  is 
very  remote  from  the  conduct  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  ;  who,  when  he  was  informed 
that  the  people  desired  that  the  prophets  would  '  prophesy  smooth  things '  to  them, 
and  '  cause  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease  from  before  them,'1  took  occasion,  how 
unwilling  soever  they  were  to  receive  his  doctrine,  to  represent  God  as  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  and  to  denounce  the  judgments  which  he  would  bring  upon  them. 
We  may  add  that  those  are  to  be  reckoned  no  other  than  unfaithful  in  their  method 
of  preaching,  who,  under  a  pretence  of  pressing  the  observance  of  moral  duties, 
set  aside  the  great  doctrines  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  justification  by  his  righteous- 
ness, which  is  the  only  foundation  of  our  acceptance  in  his  sight, — a  blessing  con- 
cerning which,  in  connection  with  moral  virtue,  we  may  say,  without  being  supposed 
to  have  light  thoughts  of  the  latter,  that  the  one  ought  in  nowise  to  exclude  the 
other,  ft  or  can  those  be  reckoned  faithful  who  shun  to  declare  those  important 
truths  on  which  the  glory  of  God  and  the  comfort  of  his  people  depend.  Hence, 
if  morality  be  rightly  preached,  it  ought  to  be  inculcated  from  evangelical  motives, 
and  connected  with  other  truths  which  have  a  tendency  more  directly  to  set  forth 

c  2  Cor.  iii.  12.  a  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  e  2  Cor.  iv.  2.  f  Ezek.  iii.  17,  &c. 

g  1  Cor.  iv.  1,  2.  h  Act*  xx.  27.  i  Isa.  xxx.  10.  11. 


478  THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD. 

the  Mediator's  glory.  These  truths  ought  not  to  be  laid  aside  as  controverted  doc- 
trines, which  all  cannot  acquiesce  in,  or  which  the  tempers,  or  rather  the  igno- 
rance and  corruption  of  men,  may  be  supposed  will  not  bear. 

4.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  wisely.  There  is  to  be  wisdom  in  the 
choice  of  those  subjects  which  have  the  greatest  tendency  to  promote  the  interest 
of  Christ,  and  the  good  of  mankind  in  general.  There  are  many  doctrines  which 
must  be  allowed  to  be  true,  which  are  not  of  equal  importance  with  others,  nor  so 
much  adapted  to  promote  the  work  of  salvation,  and  the  glory  of  God  in  that 
work.  There  are  some  doctrines  which  the  apostle  calls  '  the  present  truth,' k  in 
which  he  instructs  those  to  whom  he  writes.  Accordingly,  those  truths  are  to  be 
frequently  inculcated  which,  because  of  their  holmess,  spirituality,  beauty,  and 
glory,  are  most  opposite  to  the  dictates  of  corrupt  nature  and  carnal  reason. — Again, 
those  doctrines  are  to  be  explained  and  supported  by  the  most  solid  and  judicious 
methods  of  reasoning,  which  are  very  much  perverted  and  undermined  by  the  sub- 
tile enemies  of  our  salvation. — Moreover,  whatever  truth  is  necessary  to  be  known, 
as  subservient  to  godliness,  which  multitudes  are  ignorant  of,  is  to  be  frequently 
insisted  on,  that  they  may  not  be  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge  ;  and  those  duties 
which  we  are  most  prone  to  neglect,  in  which  the  life  and  power  of  religion  discov- 
ers itself,  are  to  be  inculcated  as  a  means  to  promote  practical  godliness. 

The  wisdom  of  those  who  preach  the  gospel,  farther  appears  in  suiting  their  dis- 
courses to  the  capacities  of  their  hearers.  Some  of  these,  it  must  be  supposed,  are 
ignorant  and  weak  in  the  faith,  and  cannot  easily  take  in  those  truths  which  are, 
with  much  more  ease,  apprehended  and  received  by  others.  Now,  for  their  sake, 
the  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  with  the  greatest  plainness  and  familiarity  of 
style.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks  of  some  who  needed  to  be  '  fed  with  milk, '  being 
'unskilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness,'  and,  as  it  were,  '  babes'  in  knowledge  ;l 
while  others,  whom  he  compares  to  '  strong  men,'  were  fed  with  ■  meat,'  which  was 
agreeable  to  them.  Here  he  doth  not  mean,  as  I  apprehend,  a  difference  of  doc- 
trines, as  though  some  were  to  have  nothing  preached  to  them  but  moral  duties, 
while  others  were  to  have  the  doctrines  of  justification,  faith  in  Christ,  &c.  preached 
to  them  ;  but  he  means  rather  a  different  way  of  treating  the  subjects,  as  to  the 
closeness  and  connection  of  the  reasoning  by  which  they  are  established,  which 
some  are  better  able  to  improve  and  receive  advantage  from  than  others. — Again, 
some  hearers  must  be  supposed  to  be  wavering,  and  in  danger  of  being  perverted 
from  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  And  for  their  sakes,  the  most  strong  and  cogent 
arguments  are  to  be  made  use  of,  and  well  managed,  in  order  to  their  establishment 
in  that  faith  ;  and  those  objections  which  are  generally  brought  against  it  are  to  be 
answered. — Again,  others  are  lukewarm  and  indifferent  in  matters  of  religion  ;  and 
need  to  have  awakening  truths  insisted  on  with  great  seriousness  and  affection. — 
Moreover,  others  are  assaulted  with  temptations,  and  subject  to  many  doubts  and 
fears  about  the  state  of  their  souls  and  the  truth  of  grace  ;  or,  it  may  be,  their  con- 
sciences are  burdened  with  some  scruples  about  the  lawfulness  or  expediency  of 
things,  and  some  hesitation  of  mind  whether  what  they  engage  in  is  a  sin  or  a  duty. 
Now,  that  the  word  may  be  adapted  to  their  condition,  the  wiles  of  Satan  are  to 
be  discovered,  cases  of  conscience  resolved,  evidences  of  the  truth  of  grace  or  the 
marks  of  sincerity  and  hypocrisy  plainly  laid  down,  and  the  fulness,  ireeness,  and 
riches  of  divine  grace,  through  a  Mediator,  set  forth  as  the  only  expedient  to  fence 
them  against  their  doubts  and  fears,  and  keep  them  from  giving  way  to  despair. 

5.  The  word  of  God  is  to  be  preached  zealously,  with  fervent  love  to  God  and  to 
the  souls  of  his  people.  Thus  it  is  said  concerning  Apollos,  that '  being  fervent  in  the 
spirit,  he  spake  and  taught  diligently  the  things  of  the  Lord.'"1  This  zeal  does  not 
consist  in  a  passionate,  furious  address,  arising  from  personal  pique  and  prejudice, 
or  in  exposing  men  for  their  weakness,  or  expressing  an  urfldue  resentment  oi  some 
injuries  received  from  them;  but  it  is  such  a  zeal  as  is  consistent  with  fervent  love 
to  God  and  to  the  souls  of  men.  The  love  which  is  to  be  expressed  to  God,  dis- 
covers itself  in  the  concern  ministers  have  for  the  advancing  of  his  truth,  name, 
and  glory,  and  the  promoting  of  his  interest  in  the  world,  which  is  infinitely  pre- 

k  2  Pet.  i.  12.  1  Heb.  v.  12—14.  m  Acts  xviii.  25. 


THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD.  479 

ferable  to  all  other  interests  ;  and  their  love  to  the  souls  of  men  induces  them  to 
preach  with  concern  and  sympathy.  Their  hearers  not  only  have  the  same  nature 
in  common  with  themselves,  in  which  they  must  either  be  happy  or  miserable  for 
ever ;  but  they  are  liable  to  the  same  infirmities,  difficulties,  dangers,  and  spiritual 
enemies.  Hence  they  who  preach  the  gospel  should  express  the  greatest  sympathy 
with  them  in  their  troubles,  while  they  are  using  their  utmost  endeavours  to  help 
them  in  their  way  to  heaven.  They  are  to  be  considered  as  being,  by  nature,  in 
a  lost,  undone  condition  ;  and  the  success  of  the  gospel  is  to  be  regarded  as  the 
only  means  to  prevent  their  perishing  for  ever.  With  respect  to  those  in  whom 
the  word  of  God  is  made  effectual  for  their  conversion,  ministers  are  to  endeavour 
to  build  them  up  in  their  holy  faith,  as  persons  who,  they  hope,  will  be  their 
'  crown  of  rejoicing  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  at  his  coming.'11 

6.  The  word  is  to  be  preached  sincerely,  aiming  at  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
conversion,  edification,  and  salvation  of  his  people.  Ministers  must  firmly  believe 
the  doctrines  they  deliver,  and  not  preach  them  because  they  are  the  generally 
received  opinion  of  the  churches.  For  to  preach  them  in  that  light  is  hardly  con- 
sistent with  sincerity  ;  at  least,  it  argues  a  great  deal  of  weakness  or  want  of  judg- 
ment, as  though  ministers  were  wavering  about  those  important  truths  which  they 
think,  in  compliance  with  custom,  they  are  obliged  to  communicate.  Again,  they 
must  have  no  selfish  and  unwarrantable  ends  in  preaching,  namely,  the  gaining  of 
the  esteem  of  men,  or  promoting  their  own  secular  interest.  Though  what  the 
apostle  says  is  true,  that  'the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,'  and,  'they  that 
preach  the  gospel,  must  live  of  the  gospel;'0  the  obtaining  of  temporal  support 
ought  not  to  be  the  principal  end  of  a  minister's  labouring.  The  influence  of  such 
a  motive  is  like  what  was  threatened  against  the  remains  of  the  house  of  Eli,  who 
were  exposed  to  such  a  servile  and  mercenary  temper,  as  to  '  crouch  for  a  piece  of 
silver,  and  to  say,  Put  me,  I  pray  thee,  into  one  of  the  priests'  offices,  that  I  may 
eat  a  piece  of  bread. 'p  The  glory  of  God  is  to  be  the  principal  end  of  their  min- 
istry ;  and,  accordingly,  they  are  to  endeavour  to  approve  themselves  to  him  in  the 
whole  of  their  conduct  in  it.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks  of  himself  as  '  not  seeking 
to  please  men  ;  which,  if  I  do,'  says  he,  '  I  should  not  be  the  servant  of  Christ.' i 
This  method  of  preaching  will  be  a  means  to  beget,  in  the  minds  of  men,  the  high- 
est esteem  for  those  who  practise  it. 

More  especially,  the  glory  of  God  is  to  be  set  forth  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ,  or  discovers  itself  in  the  work  of  salvation,  brought  about  by  him. 
This  is  the  only  expedient  to  render  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  conducive  to  an- 
swer the  most  valuable  ends.  And  as,  next  to  the  glory  of  God,  the  conversion, 
edification,  and  salvation  of  men,  are  to  be  aimed  at,  such  a  method  of  preaching 
is  to  be  used,  as  is  best  adapted  to  promote  them.  Sinners  are  to  be  led  into  a 
sense  of  their  guilt  and  misery,  while  in  an  unconverted  state  ;  of  the  necessity  of 
their  believing  on  Christ  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul ;  and  of  the  methods  prescribed 
in  the  gospel  for  their  recovery,  and  for  their  escaping  the  wrath  to  which  they  are 
liable.  They  are  to  be  made  acquainted  with  the  gospel  call,  in  which  sinners  are 
invited  to  come  to  Christ ;  and  with  his  willingness  to  receive  all  that  repent  and 
believe  in  him.  Moreover,  as  conversion  is  the  peculiar  work  of  the  Spirit,  they 
are  to  pray  and  hope  for  his  grace,  to  give  success  to  his  ordinances,  in  which  they 
wait  for  his  salvation.  [See  Note  V,  page  481.]  If  God  is  pleased  to  send  home 
the  truth  on  the  consciences  of  men,  and  enable  them  to  comply  with  the  gospel 
call,  then  the  word  is  preached  in  a  right  manner,  and  their  labour  is  not  in  vain 
in  the  Lord.  As  for  those  who  are  converted,  their  farther  establishment  and  edi- 
fication in  Christ  is  designed,  together  with  the  increase  of  the  work  of  grace  which 
is  begun  in  them.  Accordingly,  they  are  to  be  told  of  the  imperfection  of  their 
present  state,  and  what  is  still  wanting  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  faith  and 
obedience  ;  and  they  are  to  be  warned  of  the  assaults  which  they  are  likely  to 
meet  with  from  their  spiritual  enemies,  and  of  the  wiles  and  devices  of  Satan,  to 
interrupt  the  actings  of  grace,  overthrow  their  confidence,  or  disturb  their  peace. 
They  are  also  to  be  directed  how  they  may  improve  the  redemption  purchased  by 

n  1  Thess.  ii.  19.  o  1  Cor.  ix.  14.  p  1  Sam.  ii.  36.  q  Gal.  i.  10. 


480  THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD. 

Christ,  for  the  mortifying  of  sin,  the  obtaining  of  victory  over  temptation,  and  tho 
increasing  of  their  faith  in  him.  Ministers,  in  addressing  themselves  to  them,  are 
to  explain  difficult  scriptures,  that  they  may  grow  in  knowledge  ;  and  discover  to 
them  the  evidences  of  the  strength  and  weakness  of  grace,  tending  to  promote  the 
one,  and  prevent  the  other.  The  promises  of  the  gospel  likewise  are  to  be  applied 
to  them  for  their  encouragement ;  and  they  are  to  be  excited  to  go  on  in  the  ways 
of  God,  depending  on  Christ,  and  deriving  strength  from  him,  for  the  carrying  on 
of  the  work  which  is  begun  in  them. 

The  Hearing  of  the  Word. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  the  hearer's  duty  is,  who  desires  to  receive 
spiritual  advantage  from  the  word  preached.  This  respects  his  behaviour  before, 
in,  and  after  his  hearing  the  word. 

1.  Before  we  hear  the  word,  we  are  to  endeavour  to  prepare  ourselves  for  the 
solemn  work  which  we  are  to  engage  in.  We  are  duly  to  consider  how  we  need  in- 
struction, or  at  least,  to  have  truths  brought  to  our  remembrance  and  impressed  on 
our  hearts.  We  are  to  consider  also  that  this  is  an  ordinance  which  God  has  insti- 
tuted lor  that  purpose  ;  and  that,  as  it  is  stamped  with  his  authority,  so  we  may 
depend  on  it  that  his  eye  will  be  upon  us,  to  observe  our  frame  of  spirit  under  the 
word.  We  ought  likewise  to  have  an  awful  sense  of  his  perfections,  to  excite  in  us 
an  holy  reverence  and  the  exercise  of  other  graces,  necessary  to  our  engaging  in 
this  duty  in  a  right  manner  ;  and  inasmuch  as  these  are  God's  gift,  we  are  to  be 
very  importunate  with  him  in  prayer  for  them.  Among  other  things,  we  are  to 
desire  that  he  would  assist  his  ministers  in  preaching  the  word,  so  that  what  shall 
be  delivered  by  them  may  be  agreeable  to  his  mind  and  will ;  that  it  may  be  de- 
livered in  such  a  way  that  it  may  recommend  itself  to  the  consciences  of  those  who 
hear  it ;  that  their  understandings  may  be  enlightened,  and  they  enabled  to  re- 
ceive it  with  faith  and  love  ;  and  that  all  those  corruptions  or  temptations  which 
hinder  the  success  of  it  may  be  prevented.  These  and  similar  things  are  to  be 
desired  of  God  in  prayer  ;  not  only  for  ourselves  in  particular,  but  for  all  those 
who  shall  be  engaged  with  us  in  this  ordinance. 

We  might  here  consider  the  arguments  or  pleas  which  we  may  make  use  of  in 
such  prayer.  These  are  taken  from  those  promises  which  God  has  made  of  his 
presence  with  his  people,  when  engaged  in  public  worship. r  We  may  also  plead 
the  insufficiency  ol  man's  instructions,  without  the  Spirit's  teaching,  or  leading  us 
into  all  truth  ;  and  that  Christ  has  promised  that  the  Spirit  shall  be  given  to  his 
people  for  this  end. s  We  may  also  plead  our  own  inability  to  hear  the  word  of  God 
in  a  right  manner ;  the  violent  efforts  which  are  made  by  our  corrupt  nature 
to  hinder  our  receiving  advantage  by  it ;  and  what  endeavours  Satan  often  uses  in 
conjunction  with  it,  to  'catch  away,'  as  our  Saviour  expresses  it  in  the  parable,* 
that  seed  which  was  sown  in  the  heart,  so  as  to  make  it  become  unfruitful.  We 
may  likewise  plead  the  afflictive  sense  we  have  of  the  ill  consequences  which  will 
attend  our  hearing  the  word  and  not  profiting  by  it,  whereby  the  soul  is  left  worse 
than  it  was  before  ;  as  the  apostle  says  that,  in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  he  was 
to  some  'the  savour  of  death  unto  death. 'u  We  may  also  plead  the  glory  which 
will  redound  to  God,  by  the  displays  of  his  grace,  in  making  the  word  effectual  to 
salvation  ;  and  the  great  honour  he  hereby  puts  on  his  own  institution,  inasmuch 
as  he  thus  sets  his  seal  to  it.  We  may  also  plead  that  through  the  ordinance  of 
the  word  God  usually  dispenses  his  grace  ;  that  he  has  encouraged  us  to  hope  and 
wait  for  it  in  it ;  that  multitudes  of  his  saints,  both  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  have 
experienced  his  presence  with  them  under  the  word,  whereby  they  were  first  en- 
abled to  believe  in  Christ,  and  afterwards  established  more  and  more  in  that  grace 
which  they  were  made  partakers  of  at  first  from  him  ;  and  that,  therefore,  we  hope 
and  trust  that  we  may  be  admitted  to  participate  of  the  same  privilege. 

2.  There  are  several  duties  required  of  us  in  hearing  the  word.  In  particular, 
we  are  to  try  the  doctrines  which  are  delivered,  whether  they  are  agreeable  to 

r  Exod.  xx  24 ;  Matt,  xviii.  20.        s  John  xvi.  13.  14.        t  Matt,  xiii.  19.        u  2  Cor.  ii.  16. 


THE  PREACHING  AND  HEARING  OF  THE  WORD.  481 

scripture,  and  founded  on  it,  that  we  may  not  be  imposed  upon  by  the  errors  of 
men,  instead  of  the  truths  of  God.  Moreover,  we  are  to  endeavour  to  exercise 
those  graces  which  are  suitable  to  the  work  we  are  engaged  in.  We  are,  as  the 
apostle  says,  to  'mix  the  word  with  faith, '*  and  express  the  highest  love  and  esteem 
for  the  glorious  truths  which  are  contained  in  it,  discovering  the  greatest  readiness 
to  yield  obedience  to  every  thing  God  commands,  and  thankfulness  for  whatever 
he  has  promised  to  us.  Moreover,  we  are  to  hear  the  word  with  a  particular  ap- 
plication of  it  to  our  own  condition,  whether  it  be  in  a  way  of  admonition,  reproof, 
exhortation,  or  encouragement,  and  to  see  how  much  we  are  concerned  to  improve 
it  to  our  spiritual  advantage. 

3.  We  are  now  to  consider  those  duties  which  are  to  be  performed  by  us,  after 
we  have  heard  the  word  preached.  Some  of  these  require  privacy  or  retirement 
from  the  world.  We  are,  in  retirement,  to  meditate  on,  digest,  and  apply  what  we 
have  heard ;  and  at  the  same  time,  we  are  to  examine  ourselves,  and  so  take  a  view 
of  our  behaviour,  while  we  were  engaged  in  public  worship,  in  order  to  our  being 
humbled  for  sins  committed,  or  thankful  for  grace  received.  But  this  subject  hav- 
ing been  particularly  considered  under  another  Answer,  relating  to  our  sanctifying 
the  sabbath  in  the  evening  of  it,?  I  shall  pass  it  over  at  present. 

There  is  another  duty  incumbent  on  us,  after  we  have  heard  the  word,  which 
may  conduce  to  the  spiritual  advantage  of  others, — it  is,  that  the  word  which  we 
have  heard  be  the  subject  of  our  conversation.  We  are  to  take  occasion  to  observe 
the  excellency,  beauty,  and  glory  of  divine  truths,  which  are  communicated  in  scrip- 
ture. We  are  not  to  hear  the  word  as  critics,  making  our  remarks  on  the  elegance 
of  style,  the  fluency  of  expression,  or  other  gifts  which  we  are  ready  to  applaud  in 
the  preacher,  on  the  one  hand,  nor  exposing  and  censuring  the  defects  which  we 
have  observed  in  his  method  of  address,  on  the  other.  We  are  rather  to  take  notice 
of  the  suitableness  of  the  truths  delivered  to  the  condition  of  mankind  in  general,  or 
to  our  own  in  particular,  and  observe  how  consonant  the  word  preached  has  been 
to  the  holy  scriptures,  the  standard  of  truth,  and  how  it  agrees  with  the  experiences 
of  God's  people.  We  are  also  to  take  occasion  to  inquire  into  the  meaning  of  scrip- 
ture, especially  some  particular  texts  which  have  been  insisted  on,  or  in  some  mea- 
sure explained,  in  the  preaching  of  the  word,  in  order  to  our  farther  information 
and  improvement  in  the  knowledge  of  divine  things. 

The  last  thing  which  is  observed  in  this  Answer,  is  that,  after  having  heard  the 
word  of  God,  we  are  to  endeavour  to  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  it  in  our  lives.  This 
consists  in  a  conversation  becoming  the  gospel ;  and  in  our  being  induced  by  the 
word  to  '  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and 
godly  in  this  present  world.  'z  We  ought  also  to  express  a  becoming  zeal  for  divine 
truths,  defending  them  when  opposed,  and  endeavouring  to  establish  others  in 
them ;  so  that  we  may  recommend  religion  to  them,  as  that  which  is  the  most  solid 
foundation  for  peace,  and  leads  to  universal  holiness  ;  and  that  thus  we  may  adorn 
the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things. 

x  Heb.  iv.  2.  v  See  Sect.  '  The  Sanctifying  of  the  Sabbath,'  under  Quest,  cxvii,  cxviii. 

z  Tit.  ii.  13. 

[Note  V.  Are  unconverted  persons  to  be  exhorted  to  pray  f — Here,  and  in  other  places,  Dr. 
Ridgeley  speaks  of  unconverted  men  praying;  and  not  a  few  ministers  even  exhort  them  to  practise 
prayer  as  a  means  of  their  conversion.  But  is  an  unconverted  man  able  to  pray  ?  Or — as  in  the 
case  of  believing — is  there  any  warrant  from  scripture  to  expect,  that,  in  his  making  an  effort  to 
pray,  he  will  receive  the  grace  or  Spirit  of  prayer, — or  that  any  adaptation  exists  between  an  unre- 
newed man's  attempting  to  exercise  prayer,  and  the  production  within  him,  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  of 
the  dispositions  and  the  faith  with  which  prayer  is  associated  ?  Prayer,  it  must  be  remembered,  is 
the  act  or  exercise  of  a  believing  soul.  '  He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that 
he  is  the  re  warder  of  those  who  diligently  seek  him.'  A  man  cannot  desire  the  removal  of  evils 
which  he  does  not  believe  to  exist ;  nor  can  he  desire  the  enjoyment  of  blessings  which  either  are 
wholly  unknown  to  him,  or  are  so  figured  out  by  his  mind  as  to  be  utterly  misconceived  and  de« 
preciated.  Even,  in  fact,  when  the  understanding  is  spiritually  enlightened  to  '  know  the  things 
which  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God,'  and  much  more  when  it  is  in  a  state  of  ignorance,  error,  and 
delusion,  it  fails,  without  a  special  accompanying  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  heart,  to  excite 
the  holy  desires  of  genuine  prayer.  Believers  themselves  '  know  not  what  they  should  pray  for  as 
they  ought ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit  maketh  intercession  for  them  with  groanings  which  cannot  be 
uttered.'  How,  then,  can  men  who  are  destitute  alike  of  faith  and  of  spiritual  knowledge  offer 
true  prayer?     '  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God.'     •  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin.' 

u.  3r 


482  THE  PREACHING  AND   HEARING  OF  THE  WORD. 

But  I  may  be  reminded  that  faith  its  If  cannot  be  exercised  by  an  unrenewed  man,  and  that  yet 
be  is  expressly  and  often  enjoined  in  scripture  to  believe.  The  cases  of  believing  and  of  praying', 
however,  are  widely  different.  An  effort  to  believe,  an  inquiry  into  the  truths  which  are  submitted 
to  faith,  a  fixation  of  the  mind  on  the  doctrines  to  which  assent  is  required,  is  just  to  put  the  soul 
into  that  attitude,  to  have  it  brought  into  that  contact  with  the  gospel,  in  which  the  Divine  Spirit 
enlightens  and  renews  it.  '  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God.'  An 
adapted  instrumentality  is  set  up  by  the  renovator  of  the  heart  and  the  enlightener  of  the  under- 
standing, for  performing  his  saving  work  upon  the  sinner  ;  and  this  instrumentality,  as  brought  into 
contact  with  the  mind,  is  the  way,  the  path,  the  approach  by  which  faith  comes.  To  have  the  mind 
fixed  on  vacancy,  or  on  what  is  foreign  to  its  good,  is  to  have  it  directed  to  what  not  even  the 
grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  make  a  means  of  enlightening  it ;  while  to  have  it  fixed,  in  the  way  of 
inquiry,  or  perusal,  or  reflection,  on  the  gospel,  is  to  have  it  directed  to  '  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life 
in  Christ  Jesus,' — to  what  he  makes  '  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God  unto  salvation,' — 
to  the  very  thing  the  spiritual  import  of  which  he  teaches,  the  divine  evidences  of  which  he  dis- 
closes, and  the  details  of  which  he  makes  matters  of  the  soul's  unfeigned  and  joyous  assent.  There 
is  thus  a  direct  adaptation  of  hearing  the  word  to  believing  it,— of  fixing  the  attention  on  divine 
truth  to  receiving  the  grace  of  faith ;  and  this  adaptation  is  exhibited  and  enforced  in  each  of  the 
numerous  instances  in  which  unconverted  hearers  of  the  word  are  directly  commanded  to  believe. 
But  is  there  any  such  adaptation  between  an  effort  to  pray  and  receiving  the  grace  of  prayer, — or 
rather,  between  an  effort  to  pray,  and  the  conversion  of  the  sinner  ?  Is  conversion,  or  the  spirit  of 
true  prayer,  anywhere  said  to  come  by  attempts  to  pray  ?  Is  there  suitable  instrumentality,  or  in- 
strumentality of  any  kind  or  degree,  in  the  thoughts  or  desires-  of  an  unconverted  man's  attempt  at 
devotion,  to  work  the  regeneration  of  his  soul,  or  the  impartation  to  him  of  the  faith  and  holy 
affections  of  true  prayer  ?  Are  commands,  in  any  instance,  addressed  to  the  unrenewed  to  offer 
prayer  as  an  act  of  passing  from  spiritual  death  to  spiritual  life, — or,  still  more,  to  offer  it  as  a  means 
of  experiencing  conversion  ?  Few  persons,  if  any,  will  answer  these  questions  in  the  affirmative  ; 
and  yet  they  would  require  so  to  answer  them,  in  order  even  to  maintain  the  alleged  parallel  be- 
tween the  Bible's  commands  to  unrenewed  men  to  believe,  and  the  exhortations  which  ministers 
frequently  address  to  unrenewed  persons  to  pray. 

Prayer  is,  no  doubt,  the  duty  of  every  man;  but  so  is  love  to  God,  humility,  self-denial,  Sabbath- 
sanctification,  almsgiving,  honesty, — everything,  in  fact,  which  the  divine  law  enjoins.  Yet  who — 
if  he  would  maintain  consistent  or  scriptural  views  of  the  economy  of  salvation — would  inculcate, 
upon  spiritually  dead  men,  moral  duties,  as  means,  or  antecedents,  or  concomitants,  on  their  own 
part,  of  their  being  made  spiritually  alive  ?  To  hear,  to  listen,  to  hearken,  to  consider  one's  ways, 
to  search  the  scriptures,  to  seek  the  Lord,  are  duties  enjoined  on  unconverted  men  which  they  may 
perform  simply  as  enjoying  access  to  the  divine  word  ;  to  believe  and  to  repent,  are  duties  enjoined 
on  them,  which  they  may  perform  by  the  enlightening  and  renovating  work  of  the  Divine  Spirit 
within  them,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  word  which  they  were  hearing  or  considering  ;  and 
to  pray,  to  praise,  to  love,  to  obey,  to  walk  in  all  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of  the  Lord, 
are  duties  enjoined  on  them,  which  they  may  perform  when  they  are  no  longer  unconverted,  but 
are  made  alive  unto  God,  and  have  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus.  True  prayer  is  the  cry 
of  the  new-born  soul, — the  desire  of  the  babe  for  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  —the  hungering  of 
a  spiritually  active  being  for  the  bread  of  life  and  the  righteousness  of  the  reign  of  grace.  '  Behold, 
he  prays !'  said  the  Lord  to  Ananias,  respecting  Saul  of  Tarsus  ;  '  behold,  he  prays  !'  That  the  man 
who  had  breathed  out  slaughter  against  the  disciples,  and  who  had  persecuted  them  even  unto 
strange  cities,  now  prayed, — that  he  breathed  the  affections  and  exercised  the  faith  of  one  who  ap- 
proached with  spiritual  desires  the  throne  of  the  divine  grace, — was  the  evidence  to  which  the  Lord 
of  glory  himself  pointed  that  the  man  bad  been  '  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  his  mind,'  and  had  '  put  on 
Christ.'  Even  the  evangelical  writers  and  preachers,  indeed,  who  incautiously  at  times  recommend 
prayer  as  a  means  of  conversion  or  a  precurrent  duty  to  believing,  in  general  describe  it  as,  in  its 
own  nature,  the  act  or  the  exercise  only  of  a  true  convert  or  believer  in  Jesus, — as  '  the  pulse  of 
the  soul,'  the  breathing  of  sanctified  desires,  the  expression  of  feelings  and  the  uttering  of  thoughts 
which  only  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  God  produces  and  sustains. 

But,  it  may  be  asked,  Is  formal  prayer,  or  an  attempt  to  pray,  on  the  part  of  children,  or  of  nominal 
professors  of  religion  who  furnish  no  satisfactory  evidence  of  being  believers  in  Christ,  to  be  dis- 
couraged ?  This  question  may  be  answered  by  another,  Is  honesty,  veracity,  or  external  obedience 
to  any  divine  command  whatever,  to  be  discouraged  ?  Surely  not.  Yet  while  labour  is  expended 
in  showing  to  all  whom  we  instruct  what  the  divine  law  is,  what  duties  it  requires,  what  intimate 
connexion  there  is  between  each  part  of  obedience  and  true  happiness  or  well-being ;  every  care 
must  be  used  to  exhibit  prominently  the  way  of  salvation, — to  show  that  '  entrance  into  life,'  or 
experience  of  justification  and  regeneration,  is  on  the  foreground  of  all  duty, — to  press  as  of  imme- 
diate obligation  the  commands  to  believe  and  repent, — and  to  guard  most  sedulously  against  the 
impression  being  maintained  or  produced  that  formal  prayer  or  external  moral  obedience,  in  any  form 
whatever,  either  is  life  itself  or  is  a  means  leading  to  its  possession — Ed.] 


THE  SACRAMENTS.  483 


THE  SACRAMENTS. 

Question  CLXI.  How  do  the  sacraments  become  effectual  means  of  salvation  f 
Answer.   The  sacraments  become  effectual  means  of  salvation,  not  by  any  power  in  themselves, 
or  any  virture  derived   from  the  piety  and  intention  of  him  by  whom  they  are  administered  ;  but 
only  by  the  working  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  blessing  of  Christ,  by  whom  they  are  instituted. 

Question  CLXI  I.  What  is  a  sacrament  f 

Answer.  A  sacrament  is  an  holy  ordinance,  instituted  by  Christ  in  his  church,  to  signify,  seal, 
and  exhibit,  unto  those  that  are  within  the  covenant  of  grace,  the  benefits  of  his  mediation  ;  to 
strengthen  and  increase  their  faith,  and  all  other  graces ;  to  oblige  them  to  obedience  ;  to  testify 
and  cherish  their  love  and  communion  one  with  another,  and  to  distinguish  them  from  those  that 
are  without. 

Question  CLXIII.  What  are  the  parts  of  a  sacrament  ? 

Answer.  The  parts  of  a  sacrament  are  two;  the  one,  an  outward  and  sensible  sign,  used  accord- 
ing to  Christ's  own  appointment;  the  other,  an  inward  and  spiritual  grace,  thereby  signified. 

Question  CLXIV.  How  many  sacraments  hath  Christ  instituted  in  his  church,  under  the  New 
Testament  ? 

Answer.  Under  the  New  Testament,  Christ  hath  instituted  in  his  church  only  two  sacraments 
Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

It  has  pleased  God,  in  setting  forth  the  glory  of  his  wisdom  and  sovereignty,  to 
impart  his  mind  and  will  to  man,  in  various  ways,,  besides  the  discovery  which  he 
makes  of  himself  in  the  dispensations  of  his  providence.  These  are  more  especially 
reducible  to  two  general  Heads,  namely,  his  making  it  known  by  words,  which  is 
the  more  plain  and  common  way  by  which  we  are  led  into  the  knowledge  of  divine 
truths  ;  and  his  making  it  known  by  visible  signs,  which  are  sometimes  called 
types,  figures,  or  sacraments.  The  former  we  have  already  insisted  on  ;  the  latter 
we  now  proceed  to  consider.  Here  we  are  first  to  explain  the  nature,  and  show 
what  are  the  parts,  of  a  sacrament,  as  we  have  an  account  of  them  in  the  two  last 
of  these  Answers ;  and  then  we  are  to  consider  how  the  sacraments  become  effectual 
means  of  salvation,  as  explained  in  the  first  of  the  Answers. 

The  Nature  and  Parts  of  a  Sacrament. 

1.  In  order  to  our  understanding  the  nature  and  parts  of  a  sacrament,  we  shall 
first  consider  the  meaning  of  the  word.  It  is  certain  that  the  word  '  sacrament ' 
is  not  to  be  found  in  scripture,  though  the  thing  intended  by  it  is  there  expressed 
in  other  words.  For  this  reason,  some  have  scrupled  to  make  use  of  it,  and  chosen 
rather  to  make  use  of  other  phrases  more  agreeable  to  the  scripture-mode  of  speak- 
ing. But  though  we  are  not  to  hold  any  doctrine  which  is  not  founded  on  scripture  ; 
yet  those  which  are  contained  in  it  may  be  explained  in  our  own  words,  provided 
they  be  consonant  to  it.  The  Greek  church  knew  nothing  of  the  word  'sacrament,' 
it  being  of  Latin  original.  Instead  of  it,  they  used  the  word  'mystery  ;'  thereby 
denoting  that  there  is  in  the  sacraments,  besides  the  outward  and  visible  signs,  some 
secret  or  hidden  mystery  signified.  The  Latin  church  used  the  word  'sacrament,' 
not  only  as  signifying  something  which  is  sacred,  but  as  denoting  that  thereby 
they  were  bound  as  with  an  oath  to  be  the  Lord's.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  •  I 
have  sworn,  and  I  will  perform  it,  that  I  will  keep  thy  righteous  judgments;'3  and 
God  by  the  prophet,  says,  '  Unto  me  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  shall 
swear.' b  The  word  'sacrament'  was  used,  indeed,  by  the  Romans,  to  signify  the 
oath  which  the  soldiers  took  to  be  true  and  faithful  to  their  general,  and  to  fight 
courageously  under  his  banner.  But  the  primitive  Christians  signified  by  the 
word,  that,  when  they  were  called  to  suffer  for  Christ,  which  was,  as  it  were,  a 
fighting  under  his  banner,  they  did  in  the  ordinance  of  the  supper,  as  it  were,  take 
an  oath  to  him,  expressing  their  obligation  not  to  desert  his  cause.  Now,  as  this 
notion  is  agreeable  to  the  end  and  design  of  a  sacrament,  whatever  be  the  origin  of 

a  Psal.  cxiz.  106.  b  Isa.  zlv.  23. 


484  THE  SACUAMENTS. 

the  use  of  the  word,  I  think  we  have  no  reason  to  scruple  the  using  of  it,  though  it 
be  not  found  in  scripture.  Christians,  however,  ouglit  not  to  contend  or  be  angry 
with  one  another  about  this  matter,  it  being  of  no  great  importance,  if  we  adhere 
steadfastly  to  the  explanation  given  of  the  ordinance  in  scripture.  [See  Note  W, 
page  490.  J 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  the  nature  of  a  sacrament,  as  described  in  one  of  the 
Answers  we  are  explaining.  Here  it  is  observed  concerning  it,  that  it  is  '  an  holy 
ordinance,  instituted  by  Christ.'  What  we  are  to  understand  by  an  ordinance, 
and  its  being  founded  on  a  divine  institution,  which  is  our  only  warrant  to  engage 
in  it,  was  formerly  considered.  Indeed,  every  duty  which  is  to  be  performed  by 
God's  express  command,  and  which  he  has  designed  to  be  a  pledge  of  his  presence, 
and  a  means  of  grace,  is  a  branch  of  religious  worship,  and  may  be  truly  styled  an 
holy  ordinance.  Now,  that  the  sacraments  are  founded  on  Christ's  institution,  is 
very  evident  from  scripture.  Thus  he  commanded  his  apostles,  to  'baptize  all  na- 
tions ;'c  and,  as  to  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  he  commanded  them  to  '  do' 
what  is  contained  in  it,  'in  remembrance  of  him. M 

The  persons  for  whom  the  sacraments  were  instituted,  are  the  church,  who  stand 
in  an  external  covenant-relation  to  God,  and,  as  the  apostle  says,  are  'called  to  be 
saints. 'e  It  is  to  them,  more  especially,  that  Christ,  when  he  ascended  upon  high, 
gave  ministers,  as  a  token  of  his  regard  to  them  ;  that  thus  those  may  be  edified 
who  are  styled  '  his  body.'f  And,  though  these  ministers  are  authorized  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  all  nations, — a  work  which  is  necessary  for  the  gathering  of  churches 
out  of  the  world  ;  yet  they  are  never  ordered  to  administer  the  sacraments  to  all 
nations,  nor  indeed  to  any — especially  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper — till 
they  profess  subjection  to  Christ,  and  by  doing  so  join  in  the  fellowship  of  the 
gospel.  As  the  sacraments  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation  were  to  be  ad- 
ministered to  none  but  the  church  of  the  Jews,  the  only  people  in  the  world  who 
professed  the  true  religion  ;  so,  under  the  gospel  dispensation,  none  have  a  right  to 
sacraments  but  those  who  are  professedly  devoted  to  him. 

3.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  matter  of  the  sacraments.  This  is  set  forth  in 
general  terms  ;  and  is  also  called  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining,  the 
parts  of  a  sacrament.  These  are  an  outward  and  visible  sign,  and  an  inward  and 
spiritual  grace  signified  by  it.  Or,  a  sacrament,  as  it  is  otherwise  expressed,  signi- 
fies, seals,  and  exhibits  to  those  who  are  within  the  covenant  of  grace,  the  benefits 
of  Christ's  mediation.  These  words  are  often  used,  but  not  so  well  explained  as 
might  be  desired. 

It  is  called  a  sign,  in  which,  by  a  visible  action,  some  spiritual  benefits  are  signi- 
fied. This  is  undoubtedly  true.  And  it  is  a  reproach  cast  on  God's  holy  institu- 
tions, to  deny,  as  some  do,  that  the  sacraments  are  divine  ordinances,  and  to  style 
them  carnal  ordinances,  beggarly  elements,  or  a  re-establishing  of  the  ceremonial 
law  ;  without  distinguishing  between  significant  signs  which  were  formerly  ordi- 
nances to  the  Jewish  church,  but  are  now  abolished,  and  those  signs  which  Christ 
has  given  to  the  gospel  church.  We  must  consider  that  a  sacrament,  as  a  sign, 
agrees  in  some  things  with  the  preaching  of  the  word.  Christ  and  his  benefits  are 
set  forth,  both  by  it  and  by  preaching,  as  objects  of  our  faith.  The  same  ends  also 
are  desired  and  attained  by  both,  namely,  our  being  affected  with  the  blessings 
purchased  by  him,  and  making  a  right  improvement  of  them,  together  with  our 
enjoying  communion  with  him  ;  and  they  are  both  sacred  ordinances,  instituted  by 
Christ,  and  therefore  to  be  attended  on  in  an  holy  manner.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  they  differ,  with  respect  to  the  way  or  means  by  which  Christ  and  his  bene- 
fits are  set  forth.  In  the  preaching  of  the  word,  there  is  a  narration  of  what  he 
did  and  suffered  ;  and,  on  this  account,  the  apostle  says,  '  Faith  cometh  by  hear- 
ing, and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God.'s  But,  in  the  sacraments,  there  is  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  same  thing  by  signs  ;  on  which  account  we  may  use  in  reference 
to  them  the  words  of  the  prophet, '  Mine  eye  affecteth  mine  heart,' h  as  there  is  the 
external  symbol  of  Christ's  dying  love,  which  is  an  inducement  to  us  to  love  him 

c  Matt,  xxvin.  19.  d  Matt.  xxvi.  26,  27,  compared  with  I  Cor.  xi.  24,  25.  e  Rom.  i.  7. 

f  Eph.  iv.  16.  g  Rom.  x.  17.  h  Lam.  iii.  51. 


THE  SACRAMENTS  4S5 

again.  They  also  differ  in  this,  that,  not  only  are  the  sacraments  designed  to  in- 
struct, but,  in  our  observance  of  them,  we  signify  our  engagement  to  be  the  Lord's. 
The  sacraments  are  also  said  to  seal  the  blessings  which  they  signify  ;  and  ac- 
cordingly they  are  called,  not  only  signs,  but  seals.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  ex- 
plain and  clearly  to  state  the  difference  between  these  two  words,  or  to  show  what 
is  contained  in  a  seal  that  is  not  in  a  sign.  Some  think  that  it  is  a  distinction 
without  a  difference.  The  principal  ground  which  most  divines  proceed  upon, 
when  they  distinguish  between  them,  is  its  being  said'  concerning  Abraham,  '  He 
received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.  'k  But  the 
same  thing  might  have  been  affirmed  concerning  circumcision  or  any  other  signifi- 
cant ordinance,  if  the  words  •  sign '  and  '  seal'  were  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  im- 
port ;  for  it  is  not  said  he  received  the  ordinance  of  circumcision,  which  is  not  only 
a  sign,  but  a  seal, — but  he  received  that  which  was  a  sign,  or  a  seal  of  the  blessing 
about  which  his  faith  was  conversant.  But  that  we  may  explain  this  matter,  with- 
out laying  aside  those  words  which  are  commonly  used  and  distinguished  in  treat- 
ing on  this  subject,  it  may  be  observed  that  a  sign  is  generally  understood  as  im- 
porting any  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to  signify  or  confirm  something  which  is 
transacted,  or  designed  to  be  published  and  made  visible.  Accordingly,  some  signs 
have  a  natural  tendency  to  signify  the  things  intended  by  them  ;  as  the  regular 
beating  of  the  pulse  is  a  sign  of  health,  smoke  the  sign  of  fire.  Other  things  not 
only  signify  but  represent  that  which  they  give  us  an  idea  of,  by  some  similitude 
which  there  is  in  it,  as  the  picture  does  its  original.  Other  things  are  significant 
only  as  they  are  ordained  or  designed  to  be  so  by  custom  or  appointment.  Thus, 
in  civil  matters,  a  staff  is  a  sign  of  power  to  exercise  an  office  ;  the  seal  of  a  bond 
or  conveyance,  is  the  sign  of  a  right  which  is  in  that  document  conveyed  or  made 
over  to  another  to  possess.  It  is  in  this  latter  point  of  view  that  the  sacraments 
are  signs  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  They  do  not  naturally  represent  Christ  and 
his  benefits  ;  but  they  signify  them  by  divine  appointment.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  a  seal,  according  to  the  most  common  acceptation  of  the  word,  imports  a  con- 
firming sign.1  Yet  we  must  take  heed  that  we  do  not,  in  compliance  with  custom, 
include  more  in  our  ideas  of  this  word  than  is  agreeable  to  the  analogy  of  faith. 
Let  it  be  considered,  therefore,  that  the  principal  method  God  has  taken  for  the 
confirming  of  our  faith  in  the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption,  is  his  own  truth  and 
faithfulness,  whereby  the  heirs  of  salvation  '  have  strong  consolation,'"1  or  else  the 
internal  testimony  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  our  hearts.  The  former  is  an  objective 
means  of  confirmation  ;  and  the  latter  is  a  subjective  means,  and  is  called  by  the 
apostle  our  '  being  established  in  Christ,  and  sealed,  having  the  earnest  of  the 
Spirit  in  our  hearts.'11  This,  however,  is  not  the  sense  in  which  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  word  as  applied  to  the  sacraments.  If  we  call  them  confirming  seals,  we 
intend  nothing  else  but  that  God  has,  to  the  promises  that  are  given  us  in  his 
word,  added  these  ordinances  ;  not  only  to  bring  to  mind  the  great  doctrine  that 
Christ  has  redeemed  his  people  by  his  blood,  but  to  assure  us  that  they  who  believe 
in  him  shall  be  made  partakers  of  redemption.  Hence,  these  ordinances  are  a 
pledge  to  them  of  redemption  ;  and  in  regard  to  them  God  has  so  set  his  seal  that, 
in  an  objective  way,  he  gives  believers  to  understand  that  Christ  and  his  benefits 
are  theirs.  At  the  same  time,  they  are  obliged  by  faith,  as  well  as  in  an  external 
and  visible  manner,  to  signify  their  compliance  with  his  covenant ;  and  their 
doing  so  we  may  call  their  setting  to  their  seal  that  God  is  true,  as  we  may 
allude  to  that  expression  of  our  Saviour,  '  He  that  hath  received  his  testimony, 
hath  set  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true.'0  The  sacraments  are  God's  seals,  as  they 
are  ordinances  given  by  him  for  the  confirmation  of  our  faith,  that  he  would  be  our 
covenant  God  ;  and  they  are  our  seals  when  we  profess  in  the  observance  or  them, 
as  we  ought  also  to  do  by  faith,  that  we  give  ourselves  up  to  him  to  be  his  people, 
and  desire  to  be  made  partakers  in  his  own  way,  of  the  benefits  which  Christ  hath 

i    Rom.  IV.  11.  k    Kau  ftlfiUtt  tXa€t  ■ngirofir.s,  trfoaytla,  rr,i  $ix.a.t>rv*r,;  ri)f  ■jrimiuf. 

1  When  these  two  are  distinguished  by  divines,  the  one  is  generally  called  signum  significans , 
the  other,  signum  ronfirmans  ;  or,  the  former  is  said,  s'gn  fit-are  ;  the  latter,  obs'gnare. 
m  Heb.  vi.  17,  18.  n  2  Cor.  i.  21,  22.  John  isi.  33. 


486  THE  SACUAMENTS. 

purchased.     Thus  concerning  the  sacraments,  as  being  signs  and  seals  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace. 

There  is  another  expression,  used  in  this  Answer,  which  needs  a  little  explanation  ; 
namely,  the  sacraments  being  said,  not  only  to  signify  and  seal,  but  to  'exhibit  the 
benefits  of  Christ's  mediation.'  '  To  exhibit'  sometimes  signifies  to  show  or  pre- 
sent to  our  view.  If  the  word  be  so  understood  in  this  place,  it  imports  the  same 
as  when  it  is  said  that  the  sacraments  are  signs  or  seals  of  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
mediation,  or  significant  ordinances  for  directing  and  exciting  our  faith,  as  conver- 
sant about  what  we  are  to  understand  by  them.  Again,  'to  exhibit'  sometimes 
signifies  to  give,  communicate,  or  convey.  And  as  'exhibiting,'  in  the  definition 
which  we  have  of  a  sacrament  in  the  Shorter  Catechism,  is  not  only  distinguished 
from  signifying  and  sealing,  but  is  described  as  that  by  which  Christ  and  his  bene- 
fits are  '  applied '  to  believers  ;  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  is  in  this  latter  sense 
that  the  word  is  to  be  understood  in  the  Answer  which  we  are  explaining.  If  so, 
we  must  distinguish  between  Christ's  benefits  being  conveyed,  made  over,  exhibited, 
or  applied,  by  the  gift  of  divine  grace,  through  the  effectual  working  of  the  Spirit ; 
and  this  being  done  by  an  ordinance,  as  an  external  means  of  grace.  Accordingly, 
I  am  bound  to  conclude  that,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  the  benefits  of  redemption 
to  believers  who  engage  in  a  right  manner  in  the  observance  of  the  ordinances  ;  so 
this  grace  is  represented,  and  God's  people  have  ground  to  expect,  as  far  as  an 
ordinance  can  be  the  means  of  it,  that  they  shall  be  made  partakers  of  these  bene- 
fits. We  may  also  observe  that,  though  the  sacraments  are  appointed  to  signify 
to  all  who  partake  of  them,  that  Christ  has  purchased  salvation  for  his  people,  or 
that  the  work  of  redemption  is  brought  to  perfection  ;  yet  it  is  they  only  who  en- 
gage in  the  observance  of  them  by  faith,  who  can  look  upon  them  as  signs  or  seals 
to  confirm  their  faith,  that  they  have  a  right  to  the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption, 
as  not  only  signified  but  exhibited  or  applied  to  them.  The  sacraments  are  thus 
signs  to  those  who  believe,  in  a  sense  in  which  they  are  to  none  others. 

4.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  persons  to  whom  the  sacraments  are  given.  These 
are  described  as  those  who  are  within  the  covenant  of  grace.  To  be  within  the 
covenant  of  grace,  implies  either  a  being  externally  in  covenant  with  God,  or  a  be- 
ing internally  and  spiritually  so,  as  interested  in  its  saving  blessings.  They  who  are 
externally  in  covenant,  are  such  as  are  visibly  so  ;  who  are  called  by  God's  name, 
professedly  devote  themselves  to  him,  and  lay  claim  to  him  as  their  God.  These, 
if  they  are  no  otherwise  in  covenant,  are  said  to  be  in  Christ  as  the  branch  which 
beareth  no  fruit  is  said  to  be  in  the  vine.P  They  are  like  those  whom  the  prophet 
speaks  of,  when  he  says,  '  Hear  ye  this,  0  house  of  Jacob,  which  are  called  by  the 
name  of  Israel,  which  swear  by  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  make  mention  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  but  not  in  truth  nor  in  righteousness. 'i  They  have  the  ordinances, 
which  must  be  reckoned  a  very  great  privilege  ;  they  have  the  external  overtures 
of  divine  grace,  the  convictions  and  strivings  of  the  Spirit ;  and  thus  they  enjoy 
those  means  by  which  God  is  sometimes  pleased  to  work  special  grace  ;  and  when 
that  special  grace  is  wrought  in  them,  they  may  conclude  themselves  to  have  more 
than  the  external  blessings  of  the  covenant.  Accordingly,  some  are  internally  or 
spiritually  in  covenant,  children  of  God  by  faith.  These  are  such  as  are  true  and 
real  members  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  a  federal  or  conjugal  union  with  him.  They  have 
the  same  mind  as  was  in  him,  and  receive  vital  influences  from  him,  being  made 
partakers  of  the  Spirit.  They  have,  not  only  professedly,  but  by  faith,  embraced 
him  in  all  his  offices  ;  and  have  surrendered  themselves  to  him  to  be  entirely  his, 
their  understandings  to  be  guided  and  directed,  their  wills  and  affections  to  be  gov- 
erned by  him  ;  and  are  desirous  to  be  disposed  of  by  him,  in  the  whole  conduct  of 
their  lives.  As  to  the  privileges  which  they  partake  of,  they  have  not  merely  a 
supposed  but  a  real  interest  in  all  the  benefits  which  Christ  has  purchased  ;  they 
have  a  right  to  his  special  care  and  love,  which  will  render  them  safe  and  happy, 
both  here  and  hereafter. 

Now,  with  respect  to  both  classes,  they  are  supposed  to  attend  on  the  sacraments. 
The  former,  indeed,  have  not  a  right  to  the  saving  blessings  signified  by  them. 

p  John  xv.  2.  q  Isa.  xlviii.  1. 


THE  SACRAMENTS.  487 

Hence,  if  they  know  themselves  to  be  strangers  to  the  covenant  of  promise,  they 
profess,  by  engaging  in  the  ordinance  of  the  supper,  to  lay  claim  to  that  which  they 
have  no  right  to.  Yet,  if  their  wanting  an  interest  in  the  covenant  be  not  discern- 
ible in  their  conversation,  which  is  blameless  in  the  eye  of  the  world  ;  men,  who 
are  not  judges  of  their  hearts,  have  no  warrant  to  exclude  them  from  the  sacra- 
ments. But,  on  the  other  hand,  not  only  have  they  who  are  savingly  or  internally 
in  covenant,  a  right  to  these  ordinances  in  common  with  others,  but  Christ  and 
his  benefits,  as  was  before  observed,  are  exhibited  and  applied  to  them,  as  they 
have  ground* to  conclude  by  faith  that  they  have  an  interest  in  all  the  blessings 
which  he  has  purchased. 

5.  We  are  now  to  consider  what  those  benefits  are  which  Christ  communicates  to 
his  people  in  the  sacraments,  and  which  are  signified  by  them.  Some  are  common 
to  the  whole  church.  These  are  relative  and  external,  rather  than  internal ;  and 
by  possessing  them,  the  church  are  distinguished  from  those  who  are  without.  They 
are  advantages  ;  though  not  such  as  are  of  a  saving  nature.  Thus  the  apostle  says, 
4  What  advantage  hath  the  Jew?  or  what  profit  is  there  in  circumcision?'1-  And 
he  replies,  '  Much  every  way,'  or,  in  many  respects  ;  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Circumci- 
sion is  an  honour  which  God  has  put  on  the  church,  as  taking  them  into  a  visible 
relation,  to  himself,  and  giving  them  the  means  of  grace,  in  possessing  which  they 
are  more  favoured  than  the  rest  of  the  world.'  Again,  there  are  benefits  of  Christ's 
mediation  which  are  more  especially  applicable  to  believers.  God  makes  every  or- 
dinance, and  the  sacraments  in  particular,  subservient  to  the  increase  of  their  faith 
and  all  other  graces.  As  faith  is  wrought  under  the  word,  it  is,  as  will  be  con- 
sidered under  a  following  Answer,  farther  established  and  increased  by  the  Lord's 
supper.  And  as  believers  have,  in  this  ordinance,  an  occasion  to  exercise  their 
love  to  one  another ;  so  they  have  communion  with  Christ.  This  has  a  tendency  to 
carry  on  the  work  of  grace  begun  in  the  soul,  and  to  enhance  their  love  to  Christ, 
who  is  eminently  set  forth  and  signified  in  the  ordinance  ;  and,  from  the  view  they 
have  of  their  interest  in  him,  arises  a  stronger  motive  and  inducement  to  hate  all 
sin  in  the  whole  course  of  their  lives. 

How  the  Sacraments  become  Effectual  Means  of  Salvation. 

We  are  now  to  consider  how  the  sacraments  become  effectual  means  of  salvation ; 
or  whence  their  efficacy  is  derived  to  answer  that  great  end.  Now,  they  do  not  become 
effectual  means  of  salvation  by  any  power  in  themselves.  For  we  are  not  to  sup- 
pose that  they  are  more  than  ordinances,  by  which  God  works  those  graces  which 
we  receive  under  them,  and  which  it  is  his  prerogative  alone  to  confer.  Again, 
the  efficacv  of  the  sacraments  is  not  derived  from  the  piety  or  intention  of  those 
by  whom  they  are  administered  ;  who,  though  they  are  styled  '  stewards  of  the 
mysteries  of  God,'s  as  persons  to  whom  the  administration  of  the  ordinances  is  com- 
mitted, yet  have  not  the  least  power  to  confer  that  grace  which  is  Christ's  gift  and 
work.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  *  Who  then  is  Paul,  or  who  is  Apollos,  but  ministers 
by  whom  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  unto  every  man?'1  The  Papists,  how- 
ever, suppose  that  the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments  arises,  partly  from  an  internal  vir- 
tue which  is  in  them  to  confer  grace,  which  they  illustrate  by  a  far-fetched  simili- 
tude, taken  from  the  virtue  there  is  in  food  to  nourish  the  body,  forgetting  that  no 
external  act  of  religion  can  have  a  tendency  to  nourish  the  soul,  without  the  inter- 
nal efficacious  grace  of  the  Spirit  accompanying  it  ;  and  partly  from  the  design  or 
intention  of  the  priest  who  administers  them,  as  they  are  consecrated  and  designed 
by  him  with  the  view  of  being  efficacious.  There  is  also  an  absurd  notion  main- 
tained by  some  Protestants,  as  well  as  the  Papists,  namely,  that  the  sacrament  of 
baptism,  administered  to  infants,  washes  away  the  guilt  of  original  sin,  and  gives 
them  a  right  and  title  to  heaven ;  so  that  by  virtue  of  it  they  are  saved,  if  they  hap- 
pen to  die  before  they  commit  actual  sin.  This  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  sacraments  become  effectual  to  salvation,  is  absurd  to  the  last  degree  ;  for  it 
puts  a  sanctifying  and  saving  virtue  into  that  which  is  no  more  than  an  outward 

r  Rom.  iii.  1,  2.  i  1  Cor.  iv.  1.  t  Chap.  iii.  5. 


488  THE  SACRAMENTS. 

and  ordinary  means  of  grace.  As  to  the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments  arising  from 
the  intention  of  him  who  administers  them,  it  lays  the  whole  stress  of  our  salvation 
on  the  secret  design  of  men,  in  whose  power  it  is  supposed  to  be  to  render  the  or- 
dinances means  of  grace,  or  to  prevent  them  from  being  so.  But  to  think  thus  is  in 
the  highest  degree  derogatory  to  the  glory  of  God. 

The  sacraments  become  effectual  means  of  salvation  only  by  the  working  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  the  blessing  of  Christ,  by  whom  they  were  instituted.  As,  'with- 
out Christ  we  can  do  nothing,'"1  so  without  his  blessing  we  can  receive  nothing. 
Ordinances  are  only  the  channel  through  which  grace  is  conveyed.  But  Christ  is 
the  author  and  finisher  of  faith  ;  and  he  conveys  his  grace  by  his  Spirit,  when  he 
brings  the  heart  into  a  good  frame,  and  excites  suitable  acts  of  faith  and  love  in 
those  who  are  engaged  in  the  ordinances,  and  maintains  the  lively  impressions  of 
them,  which  have  a  tendency  to  promote  the  work  of  grace  in  the  whole  conduct  of 
their  lives. 

What  the  Sacraments  of  the  Gospel  Dispensation  are. 

We  proceed  to  consider  what  sacraments  Christ  has  instituted  under  the  New 
Testament  dispensation.  It  has  pleased  God,  in  every  age  of  the  world,  to  instruct 
his  people  by  sacramental  signs,  as  an  addition  to  other  ways  in  which  he  commu- 
nicates his  mind  and  will  to  them.  Even  our  first  parents,  in  their  state  of  inno- 
cency,  had  the  tree  of  life  ;  which  was  a  sacrament  or  ordinance  for  their  faith, 
that  if  they  retained  their  integrity,  and  performed  the  conditions  of  the  covenant 
which  they  were  under,  they  would  be  led  into  a  farther  conviction  that  they  should 
certainly  attain  the  blessings  promised  in  that  covenant.  Some  think,  too,  that 
the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  was  another  sacramental  sign,  whereby 
they  were  given  to  understand  that,  if  they  sinned,  they  should  die.  And  para- 
dise in  which  they  were  placed,  was  a  sacrament,  or  kind  of  type  of  the  heavenly 
state;  inasmuch  as  there  is  an  allusion  to  it  in  that  promise,  '  To  him  that  over- 
cometh,  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God  ;'x  and  heaven  is,  in  another  place,  called  '  paradise. 'J  Others  think  the  sab- 
bath was  a  sacramental  sign  to  our  first  parents,  of  that  eternal  sabbatism  which 
they  should  celebrate  in  a  better  world,  in  the  event  of  their  yielding  perfect  obe- 
dience as  the  condition  of  the  covenant  they  were  under.  I  desire,  however,  not 
to  be  too  peremptory  as  to  this  matter.  It  is  enough  to  my  present  purpose,  to 
consider  the  tree  of  life  as  a  sacrament ;  for  from  its  having  been  so,  it  appears 
that  God  instituted  such  signs  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  But  this  sub- 
ject having  been  insisted  on  elsewhere, z  we  pass  it  over,  and  proceed  to  consider 
that,  after  the  fall  of  man,  there  were  sacramental  signs,  instituted  as  ordinances 
for  the  faith  of  the  church  in  the  promised  Messiah.  Sacrifices,  in  particular,  were 
instituted,  which  signified  his  people's  expectation  that  he  would  make  atonement 
for  sin  by  the  shedding  of  his  blood.  Under  the  ceremonial  law  there  was  a  large 
body  of  sacramental  ordinances,  or  institutions,  otherwise  called  types  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  him.  Some  of  these  were  occasional ;  as  manna, 
the  water  out  of  the  rock,  and  the  brazen  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  &c.  Others 
were  standing  ordinances  in  the  church,  as  long  as  the  ceremonial  law  continued ; 
as  circumcision,  the  passover,  and  many  things  contained  in  the  temple-service. 
These  were  the  sacraments  under  the  Old  Testament.  But,  having  taken  occasion 
to  say  something  concerning  them  elsewhere,*  I  shall  confine  myself  to  those  sacra- 
ments which  Christ  has  instituted  under  the  New  Testament ;  which  are  only  two, 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 

The  Papists,  indeed,  have  added  five  more  to  them,  though  without  a  divine 
warrant ;  and,  to  give  countenance  to  what  they  have  done,  they  pervert  the  sense 
of  some  scriptures,  occasionally  brought  for  that  purpose.  One  of  the  sacraments 
which  they  have  added,  is  what  they  call  holy  orders.     By  this  they  authorize 

u  John  xv.  5.  x  Rev.  ii.  7«  y  Luke  xxiii.  43.  z  See  Sect.  '  The  Covenant  with  man 
in  Paradise,'  under  Quest,  xx.  a  See  Sect.  '  The  Ceremonial  Law,'  under  Quest,   xcnii. 

and  Sect.  «  The  Administration  of  the  Covenant  under  the  Old  Testament,'  under  Quest,  xxxiii, 
xxxiv,  xxxv. 


THE  SACRAMENTS.  489 

persons  to  perform  the  office  of  priests,  or  deacons  ;  and  they  do  so  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  hands,  and  at  the  same  time  pretend  to  confer  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  former 
they  suppose  to  be  the  sign,  the  latter  the  thing  signified.  But  this  was  not  de- 
signed to  be  a  sacrament  given  to  the  church  ;  for  the  sacraments  are  ordinances 
which  belong  to  all  believers,  and  not  only  ministers.  As  for  imposition  of  hands, 
whether  it  be  considered  as  an  ancient  form  of  praying  for  a  blessing  on  persons, 
or  as  used  in  setting  others  apart  to  an  office  ;  it  seems  principally  to  have  had  re- 
spect to  those  extraordinary  gifts  which  the  early  Christians  expected  to  qualify 
them  for  the  discharge  of  their  duties.  Now,  as  these  gifts  have  now  ceased,  the 
imposition  of  hands  cannot  be  reckoned  a  sacramental  sign  ;  and  the  blessing  con- 
ferred, namely,  the  Holy  Ghost,  from  whom  they  received  those  extraordinary  gifts, 
is  no  longer  to  be  signified  by  it. 

Another  sacrament  which  the  Papists  add,  is  that  of  confirmation.  By  this 
they  pretend  that  children  who,  in  baptism,  were  made  members  of  Christ,  are 
strengthened  and  confirmed  in  the  faith,  and  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  in  order  to 
their  performing  their  baptismal  vow.  But,  whatever  engagement  they  are  laid 
under  by  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  it  is  God  alone  who  can  confirm  or  strengthen 
them,  and  enable  them  to  walk  conformably  to  their  engagement.  And  the  grace 
which  they  need,  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  men  to  bestow  ;  nor  can  it  be  conferred 
by  any  ordinance. 

Another  sacrament  the  Papists  speak  of,  is  penance.  In  this,  after  auricular 
confession  made  to  the  priest,  and  some  external  marks  of  sorrow  expressed  by  the 
penitent,  the  latter  is  to  perform  some  difficult  service  enjoined,  which  they  call 
penance  ;  whereby  he  makes  satisfaction  for  his  sins,  and  so  is  afterwards  absolved 
from  them.  But  this  is  an  abominable  practice  ;  by  which  persons  are  rather 
hardened  in  sin,  than  delivered  from  it.  It  is  derogatory  to  Christ's  satisfaction, 
and  has  not  the  least  appearance  of  a  sacrament  or  ordinance  of  God's  appoint- 
ment. 

Another  sacrament  which  they  have  added,  is  extreme  unction.  This  they 
found  on  James  v.  14,  15,  where  the  apostle  speaks  of  '  sick'  persons  being  'anoint- 
ed with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;'  and  where  it  is  said,  '  the  prayer  of  faith 
shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up ;  and  if  he  have  committed  sins, 
they  shall  be  forgiven  him.'  But,  though  the  practice  of  anointing  the  sick  with 
oil  was  observed  in  the  first  age  of  the  church,  while  the  miraculous  gift  of  healing 
was  continued  ;  yet,  since  that  miraculous  gift  has  now  ceased,  no  such  significant 
sign  is  to  be  used.  As  for  forgiveness  of  sins,  mentioned  by  the  apostle,  it  seems 
not  to  have  been  conferred  by  the  use  of  that  sign,  but  was  humbly  expected  and 
hoped  for,  as  an  answer  of  prayer.  It  is  therefore  a  very  preposterous  thing  ta 
reckon  this  anointing  among  the  sacraments,  under  the  gospel  dispensation.  [See 
Note  X,  page  490.] 

Another  sacrament  which  the  Papists  add,  is  that  of  matrimony.  For  this  they 
have  very  little  shadow  of  reason.  They  suppose  that  the  apostle  calls  '  matri-, 
mony '  '  a  great  mystery  ;'b  and  this  word  the  Greek  church  used  to  signify  a  sacra-: 
ment.  But  Paul  means,  not  that  marriage  is  a  mystery,  but  that  the  union  be- 
tween Christ  and  his  church,  which  is  illustrated  by  the  conjugal  union,  is  so.c 
Indeed,  matrimony  is  an  ordinance  given,  not  to  the  church,  but  to  mankind  in 
general,  heathens  as  well  as  Christians.  Hence,  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than 
to  suppose  that  it  is  one  of  the  sacraments  Christ  has  instituted  in  the  gospel  church. 
According  to  the  Papists'  opinion,  too,  the  priests  are  excluded  from  this  sacra- 
ment, and  forbidden  to  marry,  just  as  the  laity  are  excluded  from  the  sacrament 
of  holy  orders  ;  so  that  when  they  pretend  to  add  to  those  institutions  which 
Christ  has  given  to  the  church,  or  invent  sacraments  which  he  has  not  ordained, 
they  betray,  not  only  their  folly,  but  their  bold  presumption.  We  must  conclude, 
therefore,  that  there  are  only  two  sacraments  which  Christ  has  given  to  his  church, 
namely,  baptism,  and  the  Lord's  supper.  These  are  particularly  considered  in 
some  following  Answers. 

b  Eph.  v.  32.  c  See  Sect.  *  What  Union  to  Christ  is/  under  Quest.  Ixy. 

II.  3<j 


490  THE  SACRAMENTS. 

[Note  W.  The  Design  of  Observing  the  Lord's  Supp<r — Dr.  Ridgeley,  though  he  afterwards 
exhibits  the  impropriety  of  various  sorts  of  phraseology  on  the  subject  of'  the  Lord's  supper,  not 
used  in  scripture,  is  disposed  to  pas?,  uncensured  the  current  language  which  represents  the  observ- 
ance of  that  ordinance  as  the  taking  of  an  oath  to  the  Lord,  on  the  part  of  soldiers  fighting  under 
his  banner,. that  they  will  not  desert  his  cause.  But  the  rule  appears  to  be  without  exception  that 
whatever  phraseology  complicates  an  idea  as  stated  in  scripture,  or  attaches  to  it  relations  which 
scripture  does  not  represent  as  belonging  to  it,  tends  only  to  obscure  it  or  to  make  false  impressions 
of  it  upon  the  mind.  Even  conceding — as  it  is  difficult  to  do — that  the  passages  in  Psalms  and 
Isaiah,  *  I  have  sworn,  and  I  will  perform  it,  that  I  will  keep  thy  righteous  judgments  ;'  '  Unto  me 
every  knee  shall  bow  and  every  tongue  shall  swear,'  sanction  the  taking  of  an  oath  in  any  literal 
sense  to  God,  or  do  more  than  enjoin  that  general  fidelity  or  that  cleaving  of  heart  to  God  which  may 
well  be  metaphorically  represented  by  a  civil  subject's  taking  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  king;  it 
would  not,  I  suspect,  be  easy  to  show  how  the  taking  of  the  oath  consists  in  observing  the  Lord's 
supper,  or  how  it  is  even  distinctively  connected  with  that  act,  or  connected  with  it  more  than  with 
any  act  of  faith  or  of  prayer,  or  with  any  prominent  part  whatever  of  a  believer's  entire  course  of 
spiritual  obedience.  How,  again,  shall  we  identify  Christian  soldiership  with  the  observance  of  the 
Lord's  supper  ?  A  Christian  is  a  warrior,  and  a  pursuer,  and  a  sentinel,  only  as  he  fights  against 
the  corruptions  of  his  nature,  '  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  dark- 
ness of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickednesses  in  high  places,'  and  as  he  chases  down  into  weak- 
ness and  inaction  the  evil  influences  within  and  without  which  assail  him,  and  keeps  a  vigilant  out- 
look upon  the  lures  of  sin  and  the  movements  and  stratagems  of  his  spiritual  foes.  But  if,  by  any 
effort  of  the  fancy,  his  soldiership  is  to  be  depicted  in  connection  with  his  observing  the  Lord's 
supper,  he  would  be  most  appropriately  represented  in  that  act,  not  as  swearing  fidelity  to  the  ban- 
ner under  which  he  serves,  but  as  uniting  in  a  demonstration  of  public  joy  and  celebration  in  honour 
of  the  glorious  Captain  who  redeemed  him  from  captivity  and  made  him  a  soldier,  and  who  has 
pledged  his  unerring  skill,  and  his  unfailing  faithfulness,  and  his  unconquerable  power,  to  lead  him 
on  to  victory.  But  why  identify  what  is  meant  either  by  the  metaphor  of  swearing  to  the  Lord, 
or  by  that  of  being  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  any  one  specific  act  of  the  Christian's  life, 
and  still  less  with  that  of  his  observing  one  of  the  various  ordinances  of  Christ's  appointment  ?  To 
eat  the  last  supper — according  to  the  view  which  the  scriptures  give  of  the  design  of  the  act — is 
simply  to  '  remember  Christ,' — to  '  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come  '  Why  should  not  this  sim- 
ple and  most  graphic  and  impressive  view  of  its  design  be  esteemed  sufficient  ?  Or  is  anything 
added  to  the  amplitude,  the  clearness,  the  solemnity,  the  deep  significancy  of  the  view,  by  blend- 
ing with  it  the  notions  of  soldiership  and  of  swearing  to  the  Lord  ?  What  illustrating  ray  is 
thrown  upon  the  idea  of '  showing  the  Lord's  death,'  by  speaking  of  Christians  taking  an  oath  to 
the  Lord,  or  of  their  pledging  themselves  not  to  desert  the  banner  under  which  they  fight  ?  Few 
men,  if  they  reflect  a  little,  will  fail  to  feel,  and  to  feel  sensitively,  that  the  mixture  of  ideas  tends 
at  best  to  obscure  and  confuse ;  and,  as  evils  very  numerous  and  of  serious  magnitude  have  resulted 
from  the  use  of  complex  and  mystic  phraseology  on  the  subject  of  the  Lord's  supper,  they  will  pre- 
fer to  speak  of  that  ordinance,  and  of  the  design  and  spirit  of  observing  it,  in  the  beautifully  simple 
and  sublimely  expressive  terms  of  scripture. — Ed.] 

[Note  X.  Extreme  Unction. — The  persons  of  whom  the  Apostle  James  speaks,  were  not — as  in 
the  case  of  extreme  unction  among  the  Romanists — the  dying,  but  the  sick.  The  object  of  anoint- 
ing them,  was  not,  like  that  of  extreme  unction,  to  prepare  them  for  death,  but  to  raise  them  up 
to  health.  The  effective  instrument  or  means  of  benefitting  them,  was,  not  a  sacramental  virtue, 
but  '  the  prayer  of  faith.'  The  '  oil'  with  which  they  were  anointed,  was  not,  like  the  substance 
employed  in  extreme  unction,  a  balsam  or  a  compound  unguent,  but  pure  '  oil,' — olive  oil ;  nor, 
like  the  Romish  balsam,  which  must  be  consecrated  by  a  bishop  in  order  to  its  being  effective, 
was  the  oil  holy,  but  common.  The  anointers  were  -r^taZvri^oi, — a  word  which,  viewed  in  the  light 
of  some  texts  of  scripture,  is  synonymous  with  '  bishops,'  and,  viewed  in  the  light  of  other  texts, 
means  seniors,  Acts  xx.  17,  28;  Tit.  i.  5,  7;  1  Pet.  v.  1 — 5;  1  Tim.  v.  1,2;  Luke  xv.  25;  John 
viii.  9 :  they  were  not,  as  in  the  administration  of  extreme  unction,  one  person,  but  *£ietvrt£oi, 
more  persons  than  one.  Finally,  the  anointing — whether  regarded  as  practised  in  an  ordinary  way, 
or  as  practised  in  connection  with  the  supernatural  gifts  of  the  apostolic  age — was  in  accordance, 
not  with  a  religious  rite,  but  with  the  eastern  mode  of  the  practice  of  physic,  or  medical  science. 

Another  passage,  quoted  by  Romanists  in  support  of  the  doctrine  of  extreme  unction,  is  Mark  vi. 
13,  '  And  they  cast  out  many  devils,  and  anointed  with  oil  many  that  were  sick,  and  healed  them.' 
But  this  passage,  like  the  former,  refers  to  the  use  of  pure  oil,  to  the  application  of  it  to  the  sick, 
to  the  eastern  method  of  dealing  with  diseases,  and  to  the  restoration  of  the  anointed  persons  to 
health.  The  administrators,  too,  were  the  seventy  disciples,  none  of  whom  were  in  those  '  holy 
orders '  which  are  essential  to  the  validity  of  extreme  unction,  but  which,  according  to  the  Roman- 
ists, were  not  instituted  till  the  night  before  our  Lord's  crucifixion ;  and  the  persons  to  whom  the 
anointing  was  administered,  were  not  members  of  the  communion  in  which  extreme  unction  is  prac- 
tised, but  Jews  and  Samaritans,  who  lived  before  the  Christian  church,  and  much  more  the  Romish 
community,  was  organized.  The  anointing,  besides,  was  accompanied  by  the  casting  out  of  devils, 
— a  practice  which  the  Church  of  Rome  affects  to  perpetuate  with  regard  to  infants,  but  which  she 
does  not  sanction  in  connection  with  extreme  unction,  or  in  reference  to  the  dying. 

Strangely  enough,  the  passages  in  the  gospels  which  speak  of  the  woman's  anointing  our  Lord 
with  an  alabaster-box  of  very  precious  ointment,  are  adduced  as  another  argument  in  favour  oi 
extreme  unction,  Matt.  xxvi.  6—13;  Mark  xiv  8,  9;  John  xii.  7.  Though  a  serious  refutation  is 
hardly  requisite,  a  few  of  many  points  of  contrast  between  the  anointing  which  these  passages  men- 
tion and  the  administration  of  extreme  unction,  may  be  stated.  Comparing  the  two,  then,  we  see 
ointment  opposed  to  chrism ;  precious  ointment  of  spikenard,  opposed  to  a  vulgar  compound  of  oil 
and  balsam ;  anointing  of  the  head  or  the  feet,  opposed  to  anointing  of  the  ears,  the  nose,  the  eyes, 


HIE  SACRAMENTS.  491 

the  mouth,  the  hands,  and  the  breast ;  anointing  to  prepare  the  body  for  burial,  opposed  to  anoint- 
ing to  prepare  the  soul  for  the  invisible  state ;  anointing  of  the  Saviour  in  acknowledgment  of  his 
divine  excellencies,  opposed  to  anointing  of  the  sinner  to  '  take  away  the  remainders  of  sins ;' 
anointing  one  in  perfect  health,  opposed  to  anointing  one  in  mortal  sickness ;  anointing  by  a  woman 
belonging  to  the  laity,  opposed  to  anointing  by  a  man  invested  with  'holy  orders;'  anointing 
suited  to  one  who  should  die  by  violence,  opposed  to  anointing  of  such  a  nature  that  they  who  die 
by  violence  are  the  only  persons  to  whom  it  may  not  be  administered ;  anointing  which  cost  the 
administrator  very  large  expense,  opposed  to  anointing  whence  the  administrator  draws  a  consider- 
able portion  of  his  official  gains. 

One  set  of  arguments  against  the  doctrine  of  extreme  unction,  may  be  drawn  from  its  own  in- 
consistencies or  absurd  assumptions  and  consequences.  Extreme  unction  is  said  to  '  cleanse  from 
the  remainders  of  sins;'  but,  as  it  allows  all  or  most  who  enjoy  it  to  pass  into  the  penal  fire  of  pur- 
gatory, it  must  be  an  inefficacious  rite,  or  a  mere  pretence.  All  pretended  grace  or  virtue  derived 
from  it,  evanishes,  or  is  declared  to  be  nugatory,  if  the  patient  be  restored  to  health ;  so  that  it  is 
a  mere  fiction,  existing  only  in  name.  Extreme  unction  is  sold  for  money,  may  be  vitiated  by 
'  want  of  intention'  in  the  priest,  forms  a  chief  source  of  episcopal  revenues,  and  often,  from  the 
suddenness  of  death,  or  the  distance  and  inaccessibility  of  a  priest,  cannot  be  obtained ;  and,  on 
these  grounds,  it  could  hardly  have  been  instituted  as  a  necessary  or  even  an  important  means  of 
preparation  for  dying,  among  a  community  many  of  whom  are  poor,  dispersed,  and  subject  to  dis- 
eases of  summary  operation.  The  administration  of  the  rite,  by  working  on  the  patient's  imagina- 
tion, shutting  him  up  from  food,  and  withdrawing  from  him  medicine  and  cordials  adapted  to  pro- 
mote his  recovery,  very  frequently  puts  a  premature  termination  upon  life,  and  cannot,  for  one 
moment,  be  supposed  to  be  sanctioned  by  Him  who  has  said,  '  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder.' 

Another  set  of  arguments  against  extreme  unction,  may  be  drawn  from  the  want  of  adaptation 
in  the  rite  to  accomplish  its  professed  object,  or  work  out  moral  results.  External  applications,  or 
physical  influences  on  the  body,  cannot  benefit  spirit  or  man's  moral  nature.  Nor  is  sin,  as  to  its 
seat,  or  as  to  the  influences  which  originate,  aggravate,  or  accompany  it,  to  be  found  in  the  out- 
ward organs  of  sense.  Corrupt  thought  is  conceived,  and  guilty  action  is  produced,  not  by  see- 
ing, hearing,  smelling,  tasting,  and  touching,  but  by  willing  and  lusting, — not  by  acts  of  perception 
through  the  bodily  organs,  but  by  acts  of  volition  and  desire  in  the  heart.  The  seat  and  the  instru- 
ments of  moral  disease,  therefore,  are  brought  under  a  healing  influence,  not  when  the  eyes,  nose, 
ears,  mouth,  and  hands,  but  when  the  understanding  and  the  will  are  touched,— not  by  a  ministra- 
tion of  oil  and  balsam,  but  by  the  communication  of  grace,  by  the  influence  of  truth,  by  the  agency 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  the  application  of  the  atoning  merits  of  '  the  Lord  our  righteousness.' 
*  Bodily  exercise  profiteth  little.'  '  Wherefore,  if  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of 
the  world,  why,  as  though  living  in  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances  ( — touch  not,  taste 
not,  handle  not ;  which  all  are  to  perish  with  the  using — )  after  the  commandments  and  doctrines 
of  men  ?'  1  Tim.  iv.  8  ;  Col.  ii.  20—23. 

A  third  set  of  arguments  against  the  doctrine  of  extreme  unction,  may  be  drawn  from  its  incon- 
sistency with  several  great  doctrines  of  revelation.  Christ's  sacrifice  is  sufficient  to  redeem  from 
all  iniquity;  and  it  delivers  from  the  fear  of  death,  and  from  its  sting,  and  leaves  only  its  '  shadow,' 
1  Cor  xv.  55;  Ps.  xxiii.  3;  2  Cor.  v.  1 — 10.  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  God's  Son,  cleanseth 
from  all  sin.'  Believers  in  the  Saviour  are  'justified  from  all  things  from  which  they  could  not  be 
justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.'  '  There  is  now,  therefore,  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ  Jesus  '  Yet  extreme  unction  declares  that,  in  every  Christian,  there  are  '  remainders  of  sins' 
which  it  only,  or  future  penal  fire,  has  efficacy  to  take  away !  Apart,  also,  from  the  administration 
to  them  of  any  rite,  and  viewed  simply  as  persons  justified  through  the  merits  of  Christ's  atone- 
ment, and  sanctified  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Christians  are  represented  in  scripture  as 
enjoying  '  peace,'  'triumph,'  union  to  Christ,  living  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed,  confident  ex- 
pectation of  passing  from  the  body  to  be  present  with  the  Lord.  They  hence  depend  in  no  degree 
upon  anything  outward,  but  altogether  on  the  merits  of  the  Saviour;  and,  be  they  situated  how 
they  may,  they  eventually  '  fall  asleep  in  Jesus.'  See  lfcal.  xxiii.  3  ;  Phil.  iii.  3;  and  many  other 
passages. 

A  fourth  set  of  arguments  against  extreme  unction,  may  be  drawn  from  the  silence  respecting  it 
of  the  divine  word,  and  of  early  Christian  antiquity.  Direct  denunciation  or  incidental  mention  of 
it  in  the  Bible,  would  at  least  prove  that  it  is  not  of  recent  origin,  and  might  afford  scope  for  un- 
principled but  ingenious  criticism  to  attempt  to  find  for  it  a  scriptural  sanction.  But  the  utter 
silence  of  scripture  regarding  either  it,  or  anything  which  resembles  it — for  we  have  shown  that 
James  vi.  14,  15,  and  kindred  passages,  refer  to  matters  entirely  different — proves  it  to  be  destitute 
of  divine  sanction,  and,  at  the  same  time,  excites  a  suspicion  of  its  claiming  no  very  high  antiquity 
Extreme  unction  was  quite  unknown  in  the  early  centuries.  Narratives  of  the  death-bed  scenes 
of  saints,  and  writings  on  the  ordinances,  rites,  and  ceremonies  observed  among  the  Christians,  as 
well  as  theological  and  historical  works  of  other  classes,  afford  no  trace  of  its  having  existed  till 
long  after  the  establishment  of  the  papacy.  Extreme  unction  does  not  date  higher  than  about  the 
ear  900  or  1000 Ed.] 


492  BAPTISM. 


BAPTISM. 


Question  CLXV.  What  is  Baptism? 

Answer.  Baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament,  wherein  Christ  hath  ordained  the 
washing  with  water,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  he  a 
Bign  and  seal  of  ingrafting  into  himself,  of  remission  of  sins  by  his  blood,  and  regeneration  by  his 
Spirit ;  of  adoption,  and  resurrection  unto  everlasting  life ;  and  whereby  the  parties  baptized  are 
solemnly  admitted  into  the  visible  church,  and  enter  into  an  open  and  professed  engagement  to  be 
wholly  and  only  the  Lord's. 

The  method  in  which  we  shall  endeavour  to  explain  this  Answer  is  the  following. 
We  shall  first  prove  that  baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament,  instituted 
by  Christ,  in  which  there  is  to  be,  some  way  or  other,  the  application  of  water. 
We  shall  next  show  that  baptism  is  to  be  performed  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Lastly,  we  shall  explain  what  is  signified  in  bap- 
tism, and  what  engagements  are  laid  upon  the  person  baptized. 

The  Nature  and  Authority  of  Baptism. 

First,  then,  we  are  to  prove  that  baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament,  in- 
stituted by  Christ,  in  which  there  is  to  be,  some  way  or  other,  the  application  of  water. 

1.  There  must  be  the  application  of  water,  either  by  dipping  the  person  who  is  to  be 
baptized  into  the  water,  or  by  pouring  or  sprinkling  water  upon  him ;  otherwise  the 
observance  does  not  answer  the  proper  and  literal  sense  of  the  word  '  baptize.'  It  is 
true,  we  sometimes  find  the  word  used  in  a  metaphorical  sense.  Thus  our  Saviour 
speaks  of  '  the  baptism  that  he  was  to  be  baptized  with  ;' d  whereby  he  intends  the 
sufferings  he  was  to  endure  in  shedding  his  blood  upon  the  cross.  Elsewhere  also 
it  is  taken,  by  a  metonymy,  for  the  conferring  of  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  the  disciples  were  given  to  expect  after  Christ's  ascension  into 
heaven,  and  which  the  apostles  were  made  partakers  of  at  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
when  there  appeared  to  them  cloven  tongues,  like  as  of  fire,  that  sat  upon  each  of 
them,  as  a  sign  that  they  should  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  speak  with 
other  tongues,  and  be  inflamed  with  an  holy  zeal  for  Christ's  glory  and  interest. 
Such  seems  to  be  the  sense  of  the  word  'baptism,'  as  understood  figuratively.  We 
understand  the  word,  however,  in  its  most  proper  sense  ;  and  therefore  suppose 
that  baptism  must  be  performed  with  water. 

As  to  the  mode  of  baptism,  or  the  application  of  water,  whether  the  water  is  to 
be  applied  to  the  person  baptized,  or  he  to  be  put  into  it,  I  purposely  waive  the 
consideration  of  the  subject,  till  we  are  led  to.  speak  concerning  the  subjects  of 
baptism,  that  we  may  insist  on  the  several  matters  in  controversy  between  those 
who  maintain  and  those  that  deny  infant  baptism,  which  we  shall  have  occasion  to 
do  under  the  next  Answer.  For  I  am  ready  to  persuade  myself,  that  what  I  shall 
advance  under  the  present  Answer,  and  also  what  I  shall  afterwards  say  respecting 
the  improvement  of  baptism,  will  not  be  much  contested  by  those  who  differ  from 
us  as  to  the  subjects  of  baptism,  and  the  mode  of  administering  it. 

2.  We  are  now  to  consider  that  baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament. 
It  hence  differs  from  those  baptisms  or  washings  which  were  frequently  practised 
under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation  ;  concerning  which  the  apostle  says,  that  it 
'stood  in  meats  and  drinks,  and  divers  washings, 'e  or  baptisms.f  We  read  of  many 
instances  in  which  persons  were  washed  under  the  ceremonial  law.  Washing  was 
an  ordinance  used  in  the  consecration  of  persons  to  holy  offices ;  as  it  is  said, 
'  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  brought  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  washed  with  water, '«  when  they  were  consecrated  to  be  priests.  Again, 
when  they  ministered  in  holy  things,  or  came  near  the  altar,  it  is  said,  '  they 
washed,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses. 'h     For  this  reason  the  laver  was  set  be- 

d  Matt.  xx.  22 ;  Luke  xii.  50.  e  Heb.  ix.  10.  f  iuttft^it  $a.**i*(Lu%. 

g  Exod.  xxix.  4;  Lev.  viii.  6.  h  Exod.  xl.  32. 


BAPTISM.  493 

tween  the  tent  of  the  congregation  and  the  altar,  and  water  was  put  there  to  wash 
in  ;  and  they  washed  their  hands  and  their  feet  in  it.'  This  ceremony  was  used 
also  when  the  Israelites  were  subject  to  various  uncleannesses.  Thus,  in  the 
method  of  cleansing  the  leper,  he  was  to  'wash  himself;'  and,  'after  that,' he 
might  '  come  into  the  camp.'k  The  same  thing  was  to  he  done  by  those  who  were 
liable  to  uncleannesses  of  another  nature.1  These  ceremonial  washings,  when  ap- 
plied to  persons,  seem  to  have  been  ordained  to  signify  their  consecration  or  dedi- 
cation to  God,  in  some  of  the  instances  before  mentioned  ;  and,  in  others,  they 
signified  the  means  which  God  had  ordained  to  cleanse  the  soul  from  moral  im- 
purity, which  was  denoted  by  the  ceremonial  uncleannesses  which  they  desired  to 
be  purified  from.  These  ordinances,  indeed,  expired  along  with  the  rest  of  the 
ceremonial  law.  Yet  it  is  very  evident  from  the  institution  of  gospel  baptism,  that 
the  sign  is  retained  ;  though  there  are  some  circumstances  in  the  thing  signified 
by  it,  in  which  it  differs  from  those  baptisms  which  were  formerly  used  by  the 
Jewish  church.  The  Israelites  were  hereby  devoted  to  God,  to  observe  that  pecu- 
liar mode  of  worship  which  he  prescribed  by  the  band  of  his  servant  Moses  ;  we 
are  devoted  to  God  as  those  who  hereby  signify  our  obligation  to  walk  according  to 
the  rules  prescribed  by  Christ  in  the  gospel.  They  used  this  ordinance  to  signify 
the  cleansing  virtue  of  the  blood  of  Jesus,  who  was  to  come,  and  the  Spirit  that 
was  to  be  poured  forth  in  consequence  of  his  coming  ;  we  use  it  to  signify  or  ex- 
press our  faith  in  what  Christ  has  accomplished,  and  in  the  grace  which  the  Spirit 
in  consequence  works.     Hence  we  call  it  an  ordinance  of  the  New  Testament. 

3.  Baptism  was  instituted  by  Christ.  This  is  evident  from  the  commission  he 
gave  to  his  apostles,  not  only  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  but  to  '  baptize 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 'm  This  he 
appointed  to  be  a  standing  ordinance  in  the  church,  throughout  all  ages  ;  and  on 
this  account  he  promises,  in  the  following  words,  that  he  will  '  be  with'  his  mini- 
sters, in  fulfilling  the  commission  which  he  gave  them  to  execute,  'unto  the  end  of 
the  world.'  We  must  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  is  a  standing  ordinance  in  the 
church,  and  not  designed  to  be  observed  only  during  the  first  age,  till  Christianity 
universally  obtained.  This  we  assert  in  opposition  to  the  Socinians.  They  sup- 
pose that  baptism  was,  indeed,  instituted  by  Christ ;  but  that  the  design  of  it  was 
only  that  it  should  be  an  external  badge  or  sign  of  the  heathens'  embracing  the 
Christian  religion,  as  they  were  formerly  initiated  into  the  Jewish  church  by  the 
ceremonial  washing  which  was  then  in  use.  The  contrary  to  this  opinion,  however, 
will  appear  from  what  we  shall  have  occasion  to  say  under  a  following  Head,  when 
we  consider  what  baptism  was  a  sign  and  seal  of ;  which  is  as  applicable  to  the 
church  in  our  day  as  it  was  to  those  who  lived  at  the  planting  of  it. 

The  Form  of  Baptism. 

It  is  further  observed  that  baptism  is  to  be  performed  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  this  solemn  act  of  dedication,  there  is  a 
professed  acknowledgment  of  the  divine  Triunity.  Accordingly,  baptism  is  an  act 
of  religious  worship  ;  in  which  God's  right  to  the  persons  baptized  is  publicly 
owned  ;  and  in  which  an  intimation  is  made,  that  all  saving  blessings  which  are 
desired  or  expected  in  the  ordinance,  are  given  by  the  Father,  through  a  Mediator, 
purchased  by  the  Son,  and  applied  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Much  more  is  included 
than  a  being  baptized  by  the  authority  of  these  divine  persons  ;  which  is  all  that 
some  of  the  Antitrinitarians  will  allow  to  be  meant  by  'in  their  name.'  For  though 
no  ordinance  can  be  rightly  performed  but  by  a  divine  warrant,  yet  this  warrant  is 
equally  extended  to  the  administering  or  observing  of  any  other  ordinance.  Hence, 
a  being  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  signifies  more 
than  this  ;  namely,  a  person's  being  dedicated  to  them.  In  this  dedication,  a 
solemn  profession  is  made  that  these  divine  persons  have  a  right  to  all  religious 
worship,  which  we  are  obliged  to  perform,  as  well  as  that  all  our  hope  of  salvation 
is  from  them.    Some  think  that  this  idea,  which  is  principally  intended  in  the  form 

i  Exod.  xl.  30,  SI.  k  Lev.  xiv.  8,  9.  1  Deut.  xxiii.  10,  11.  m  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 


494  BAPTISM. 

of  baptism,  would  be  better  expressed,  if  the  words  of  institution"  were  rendered, 
'  Into  the  name  of  the  Father,'  &c.  The  same  phrase  is  so  rendered  elsewhere  ;° 
as  when  the  apostle  speaks  of  a  person's  being  'baptized  into  Christ, 'p  and  explains 
it  as  denoting  a  'putting  on  Christ,'  or  a  professing,  as  it  is  said,**  that  we  are 
Christ's.  Thus  they  who  are  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  are  denoted  to  be  professedly  their  servants  and  subjects  ;  under  an  indis- 
pensable obligation  to  put  their  trust  in  them,  and  to  hope  for  all  saving  blessings 
from  them,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  gospel. 

It  is  inquired  by  some,  whether  it  be  absolutely  necessary,  in  the  administration 
of  this  ordinance,  explicitly  to  make  mention  of  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost.  Some  assert  that  it  is  not ;  because  we  read  of  persons  being  '  bap- 
tized in  the  name  of  Jesus, 'r  and  '  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,'8  without  any  men- 
tion of  the  name  of  the  Father,  or  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  does  not  appear,  how- 
ever, that  this  was  the  express  form  of  words  used  in  baptizing  those  who  are  men- 
tioned in  the  passages  referred  to  ;  but  it  argues,  only  that  the  ordinance  was  ad- 
ministered, and  that,  in  its  being  so,  Christ's  name  and  glory  were  proclaimed 
Though  the  other  divine  persons  are  not  particularly  mentioned,  it  does  not  fol- 
low that  the  persons  who  administered  the  ordinance  did  not  adhere  to  the  express 
words  of  institution  which  were  given  to  the  apostles.  It  might  as  well  be  argued, 
that  John  did  not  baptize  in  the  name  of  any  of  the  divine  persons,  since,  when  we 
read  of  his  baptism,  it  is  said,  '  I  baptize  you  with  water.'  But  it  does  not  follow 
that  he  did  not  baptize  them  in  the  name  of  God  ;  inasmuch  as  he  plainly  confesses, 
that  '  God  sent  him  to  baptize  with  water.'1  But  that  this  matter  may  be  set  in 
a  just  light,  we  must  distinguish  between  a  person's  omitting  to  mention  the  Son 
or  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  form  of  baptism,  as  denying  them  to  be  divine  persons,— 
in  which  case  the  ordinance  is  invalid ;  and  his  doing  so  for  no  other  reason  but 
because  he  thinks  we  are  not  to  be  tied  up  to  a  particular  form  of  words,  but  may 
sometimes  baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  at 
other  times  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  In  the  latter  case,  I  will  not  say  that  the  ordi- 
nance is  invalid.  Yet  his  manner  of  administering  it  will  be  highly  offensive  to 
many  serious  Christians,  and  can  hardly  be  reckoned  an  instance  of  faithfulness  to 
Christ ;  who  has,  by  an  express  command,  intimated  what  words  are  to  be  used. 

What  Baptism  Signifies  and  Entails. 

We  are  now  to  consider  what  is  signified  in  baptism,  and  what  engagements  are 
laid  on  the  person  baptized.  There  are  some,  especially  among  the  Socinians,  who 
maintain  that  it  is  only  an  external  or  visible  badge  of  Christianity  in  general,  sig- 
nifying a  person's  right  to  be  called  a  Christian,  or  a  professor  of  that  religion  which 
was  instituted  by  our  Saviour.  Their  design  in  advocating  this  notion  seems  to  be, 
that  they  may  evade  the  force  of  the  argument  which  we  bring  to  prove  the  divin- 
ity of  the  Son  and  the  Spirit,  from  their  being  the  object  of  that  religious  worship 
which,  according  to  our  explanation,  is  contained  in  the  form  of  baptism.  Did 
they  intend,  by  being  a  Christian,  the  same  thing  as  we  do,  namely,  a  subjection  to 
Christ  as  a  divine  person,  or  a  professed  obligation  which  we  are  laid  under  to  wor 
ship  God  the  Father,  through  the  Son,  by  the  Spirit,  we  should  have  no  contention 
with  them  about  this  matter.  But  as  we  are  not  agreed  as  to  the  meaning  of  being 
a  Christian,  especially  as  they  mean  no  more  by  it  than  our  being  obliged  to  adhere 
to  a  certain  scheme  of  religious  worship,  prescribed  by  Christ,  of  what  kind  soever 
it  be,  in  the  same  manner  as  a  person  is  called  a  Mahommedan,  because  he  em- 
braces Mahommed's  Alcoran  as  a  rule  of  faith  ;  we  cannot  think  their  account  of 
baptism,  as  being  an  external  badge  of  Christianity,  to  be  a  sufficient  explanation 
of  what  is  intended  by  it  as  a  sign  or  significant  ordinance. 

There  are  several  things,  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  of  which  it  is  said  to  be  a 
sign  and  seal,  namely,  our  ingrafting  into  Christ,  and  obtaining  remission  of  sins  by 
his  blood,  our  regeneration  by  his  Spirit,  our  adoption,  and  resurrection  unto  eter- 

u  Ei»  to  nafiM.  o  Gal.  iii.  27.  p  Ett  Xprrot.  q  Gal.  iii.  29* 

1   Acts  xix.  5.  s  Chap.  viii.  10.  t  Jobn  i.  33 


BAPTISM.  4Q5 

nal  life,  which  include  all  the  benefits  of  Christ's  mediation.  These  have  been  par- 
ticularly explained  under  some  foregoing  Answers.  But  there  is  one  which  con- 
tains all  the  rest.  Accordingly,  baptism  is  generally  described  by  divines,  as  a 
sign  and  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  of  all  the  duties,  obligations,  and  privi- 
leges which  are  either  enjoined  or  bestowed  in  it.  What  this  covenant  is,  what 
its  blessings  are,  and  how  the  grace  of  God  is  manifested  in  it,  have  likewise  been 
considered  under  some  foregoing  Answers."  All  that  I  shall  now  add  concerning  it 
is,  that  it  contains  all  the  promises  in  which  our  salvation  is  included,  and  that  of 
these  there  is  one  which  comprehends  all  the  rest,  and  by  which  the  covenant  is 
often  expressed,— namely,  that  God  will  be  '  a  God  unto  his  people,  'x  '  their  shield 
and  exceeding  great  reward,  'J  that  he  will  '  put  his  laws  into  their  minds,  and  write 
them  in  their  hearts,  and  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  him  a  people.'2 
There  are  very  great  privileges  contained  in  this  relation, — namely,  our  being  un- 
der the  special  care  and  protection  of  Christ ;  having  a  right  to  what  he  has  pur- 
chased, and  to  that  inheritance  which  he  has  laid  up  in  heaven  .for  his  children  ; 
and  enjoying  communion  with  him  here,  and  being  made  happy  with  him  here- 
after. 

Now,  the  main  thing  to  be  considered,  is,  how  baptism  is  a  sign  and  seal  of  the 
covenant.  We  are  not  to  suppose  that  this,  or  any  other  ordinance,  confers  the 
grace  of  the  covenant,  as  the  Papists  pretend  ;a  for  it  is,  at  most,  but  a  significant 
sign  or  seal  of  the  covenant,  while  the  grace  of  the  covenant  is  the  thing  signified  by 
it.  There  are,  as  was  formerly  observed,  two  ways  by  which  persons  may  be  said 
to  be  in  covenant  with  God.  There  is  a  being  in  covenant  professedly  or  visibly  ; 
and  to  exhibit  persons  as  thus  in  covenant,  is  the  immediate  intent  and  design  of 
this  ordinance.  But  there  is  also  a  being  in  covenant,  as  laying  hold  on  the  grace 
of  the  covenant,  when  we  give  ourselves  up  to  Christ  by  faith,  and,  in  consequence, 
lay  claim  to  the  blessings  of  his  redemption.  Now,  baptism  is  a  sign  and  seal  of 
the  covenant  of  grace  in  both  these  senses,  though  in  different  respects.  The  or- 
dinance itself  is  a  professed  dedication  to  God,  or  an  acknowledgment  that  the  per- 
son baptized  is  obliged  to  be  the  Lord's  ;  and  signifies  his  right  to  the  external 
blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  are  contained  in  the  gospel-dispensation. 
There  is  also  more  than  this  contained  in  a  person's  being  given  up  to  God  in 
baptism,  whether  it  be  by  himself,  as  in  those  who  are  baptized  when  adult,  or  by 
his  parents,  as  in  the  case  of  infants  ;  for  the  person  who  dedicates,  expresses  his 
faith  in  Christ,  the  Mediator  of  the  covenant,  and  hopes  for  the  saving  blessings 
which  he  has  purchased  for  his  people.  It  is  one  thing  for  this  ordinance  to  confer 
these  blessings,  and  another  for  it  to  be  an  instituted  means  in  which  we  express 
our  faith  and  hope  that  the  blessings  shall  be  bestowed,  the  person  being  devoted 
to  God  with  that  view. 

There  are  two  things  which  are  more  especially  signified  in  baptism,  namely, 
privileges  expected,  and  obligations  acknowledged.  The  privileges  expected  are 
such  as  accompany  salvation,  and  are  the  special  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  namely, 
the  taking  away  of  the  guilt  and  pollution  of  sin,  and  our  being  made  partakers  of 
all  the  blessings  which  Christ  has  purchased,  and  which  God  the  Father,  in  him, 
has  promised  to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  I  do  not  say  that  all  who  are  baptized  are 
made  partakers  of  these  privileges  ;  but  they  are  given  up  to  God,  or  give  them- 
selves up  to  him  in  this  ordinance,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  them.  Moreover, 
there  is  in  baptism  a  public  profession  or  acknowledgment  of  our  obligation  to  be 
the  Lord's.  This  is,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  implied  in  its  being  a  dedication 
to  God.  When  we  make  a  surrender  of  ourselves  to  him,  we  declare  that  we  are 
willing  to  be  his  servants  and  subjects,  and  entirely  at  his  disposal.  Our  doing 
this  is  contained  in  a  fiducial  act  of  self-dedication  to  God,  and  cannot  be  done  by 
one  in  behalf  of  another.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  many  who  give  themselves  up  to 
God  in  this  ordinance  when  adult,  though  they  make  a  profession  of  their  faith, 
yet  do  not  give  themselves  up  by  faith.     That  matter,  however,  is  known  only  to 

u  See  Quest,  xxxi,  xxxii.  x  Gen.  xv.  1.  y  Chap.  xvii.  7.  %  Heb.  viii.  10. 

a  There  is  a  common  aphorism  among  them,  that  the  sacraments,  and  baptism  in  particular  con- 
fer grace,  ex  opere  operate 


496  B  APTISM. 

the  heart-searching  God.  Now,  as  in  this  ordinance  we  express  our  faith  and  hope 
concerning  the  privileges  just  mentioned  ;  so  we,  in  this  act  of  dedication,  confess 
that  God  has  a  right  to  us,  and  that  it  is  our  indispensable  duty  to  be  his.  Hence, 
by  baptism,  either  we  are  by  our  own  consent,  as  in  self-dedication,  professedly  the 
Lord's  ;  or  our  being  so  is  acknowledged  by  those  who  have  a  right  to  dedicate, 
and  thereby  to  signify  our  obligation  ;  and  as  their  act  is  highly  just  and  reason- 
able, the  persons  devoted  are  obliged  to  stand  to  it,  or  else  are  brought  under  a 
great  degree  of  guilt,  in  not  being  steadfast  in  God's  covenant. 

There  is  one  thing  more  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  namely,  that  the  person 
baptized  is  solemnly  admitted  into  the  visible  church.  But  I  choose  to  pass  over 
this  matter  ;  since  it  is  hard  to  understand  what  some  mean  by  the  visible  church, 
and  by  a  person's  becoming  a  member  of  it  by  baptism.  We  have  elsewhere  con- 
sidered the  difficulties  involved  in  the  description  of  the  visible  church  ;  together 
with  the  admission  of  persons  into  church  communion,  and  their  qualifications  for 
it.b  If  by  being  admitted  into  the  visible  church,  we  are  to  understand  that  a  per- 
son has  a  right  to  all  the  ordinances  of  the  church  by  baptism,  without  being  admitted 
afterwards  into  it  by  mutual  consent ;  the  notion  is  contrary  to  the  faith  and  prac- 
tice of  most  of  the  reformed  churches.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  mean  by  it,  that 
there  is  a  public  declaration  of  our  hope  that  the  person  baptized  shall  be  made 
partaker  of  those  privileges  which  Christ  has  purchased  for  and  given  to  his  church ; 
it  is  no  more  than  what  has  been  already  explained  in  our  considering  the  baptismal 
expectations  and  obligations.  But  whether  this  can  properly  be  called  an  admis- 
sion into  the  church,  I  leave  to  be  determined  by  those  who  better  understand  what 
they  mean,  than  I  do,  when  they  say  that  this  is  done  in  baptism. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

Question  CLXVI.   Unto  whom  is  Baptism  to  be  administered  f 

Answer.  Baptism  is  not  to  be  administered  to  any  that  are  out  of  the  visible  church,  and  tu 
strangers  from  the  covenant  of  promise,  till  they  profess  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  obedience  to  him; 
but  infants  descending  from  parents,  either  both,  or  but  one  of  them,  professing  faith  in  Christ,  and 
obedience  to  him,  are  in  that  respect  within  the  covenant,  and  to  be  baptized. 

Who  are  Excluded  from  Baptism. 

In  this  Answer,  which  principally  respects  the  subjects  of  baptism,  we  have,  first, 
an  account  of  those  who  are  excluded  from  this  privilege,  namely,  such  as  are  out 
of  the  visible  church,  and  so  strangers  from  the  covenant  of  promise.  The  visible 
church  is  here  considered  in  the  most  large  and  less  proper  acceptation  of  the  word, 
as  denoting  all  who  profess  the  true  religion.  In  this  respect  it  is  opposed  to  the 
Jews  and  heathen  ;  and  also  to  those  who,  though  they  live  in  a  Christian  nation, 
are  grossly  ignorant  of  the  gospel,  and  act  as  though  they  thought  that  it  did  not 
belong  to  them,  not  seeing  themselves  obliged  to  make  any  profession  of  it.  These 
may  be  ranked  among  infidels,  as  much  as  the  heathen  themselves ;  and,  according 
to  this  sense  of  the  word,  are  not  members  of  the  visible  church,  and,  while  in  that 
condition,  are  not  to  be  admitted  to  baptism.  That  they  should  be  excluded  from 
this  ordinance  is  agreeable  to  the  sentiments  and  practice  of  most  of  the  reformed 
churches  ;  and  cannot  but  be  reckoned  highly  reasonable,  by  all  who  consider 
baptism  as  an  ordinance  in  which  a  public  profession  is  made  of  the  person's  being 
devoted  to  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  If  he  be  considered  as  adult — 
and  of  such  we  are  now  speaking — there  is  a  signification,  and  thereby  a  profession 
made,  that  he  gives  himself  up  to  God ;  and,  if  the  ordinance  be  rightly  applied, 
there  must  be  an  harmony  between  the  inward  design  of  the  person  dedicating,  and 
the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  the  external  sign  ;  and  this  harmony  is,  by  divine 

b  See  Sect.  '  The  Visible  Church,'  and  « The  Nature  and  Government  of  the  Christian  Church.' 
under  Quest,  lxi — lxiv. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  497 

appointment,  a  visible  declaration  of  his  adhering  by  faitli  to  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  and  embracing  that  salvation  which  takes  its  rise  from  them.  Now, 
this  declaration  must  be  made  by  faith,  else  the  ordinance  is  engaged  in  after  an 
hypocritical  manner,  and  so  will  tend  to  God's  dishonour,  and  the  prejudice  rather 
than  the  advantage  of  him  to  whom  it  is  administered. 

The  Profession  of  Faith  made  in  Baptism. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  necessity  of  those  making  a  profession  of  their  faith 
in  Christ  and  obedience  to  him,  who,  being  adult,  are  admitted  to  baptism.  It  was 
supposed,  under  the  last  Head,  that  if  there  be  not  an  harmony  between  the  inter- 
nal frame  of  spirit  in  the  person  baptized,  and  the  intent  of  the  external  sign,  the 
ordinance  is  not  rightly  applied  to  him,  inasmuch  as  he  pretends  to  dedicate  him- 
self to  God,  while  in  reality  he  does  not  do  so  by  faith.  But  it  is  further  neces- 
sary, that  he  should  make  it  appear  that  he  is  a  believer  by  a  profession  of  his 
faith  ;  otherwise  he  who  administers  the  ordinance,  together  with  the  assembly  who 
are  present,  cannot  conclude  that  they  are  performing  a  service  which  is  acceptable 
to  God.  For  their  sakes,  therefore,  as  well  as  for  his  own,  the  person  to  be  bap- 
tized ought  to  make  a  profession  of  his  subjection  to  Christ,  as  what  is  signified  in 
this  ordinance.  That  he  should  do  so  is  agreeable  to  the  words  of  institution,  'Go 
ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them,'c  &c.  ;  and,  'Go  ye  into  all 
the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ;  he  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized, shall  be  saved, 'd  &c.  I  am  sensible  that  some  who  have  defended  infant 
baptism,  or  rather  attempted  to  answer  an  objection  taken  from  this  and  similar 
scriptures  against  it,  have  endeavoured  to  prove  that  the  Greek  worde  signifies, 
'  make  persons  disciples  ;'  that  it  is  a  metaphor  taken  from  the  practice  of  a  per- 
son's being  put  under  the  care  of  one  who  is  qualified  to  instruct  him,  whose  dis- 
ciple he  is  said  to  be,  in  order  to  his  being  taught  by  him;  and  that,  therefore,  we 
are  made  disciples  by  baptism,  and  afterwards  are  '  taught  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  Christ  hath  commanded.'  This  meaning  of  the  Greek  word  is  taken 
notice  of  in  the  marginal  reading  of  our  Bibles  ;  which  supposes  that  the  passage  may 
be  rendered,  'make  disciples  of  all  nations.'  But,  I  cannot  think  this  sense  of  the 
word  so  defensible,  or  agreeable  to  the  design  of  our  Saviour,  as  that  of  our  trans- 
lation, namely,  '  Go,  teach  all  nations  ;'  which  agrees  with  the  words  of  the  other 
evangelist,  '  Go,  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.'  Besides,  if  we  have  recourse 
to  the  sense  in  question,  to  defend  infant  baptism,  we  do  not  rightly  consider  that 
it  cannot  well  be  applied  to  adult  baptism,  which  the  apostles  were  first  to  practise  ; 
for  it  cannot  be  said  concerning  the  heathen,  that  they  are  first  to  be  taken  under 
Christ's  care  by  baptism,  and  then,  instructed  in  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  by  his 
ministers.f    [See  Note  Y,  page  512.] 

Moreover,  a  profession  of  faith  in  those  who  are  baptized  when  adult,  is  agree- 
able to  the  practice  of  the  Christian  church  at  the  planting  of  it.  Thus  it  is  saidj 
'  They  that  gladly  received  the  word  were  baptized.' s  We  might  also  notice  the 
case  of  the  jailer,  and  of  the  eunuch,  who  were  first  converted,  and  then  baptized.'11 
But,  if  it  be  retorted  upon  us  that  we  are  giving  up  the  cause  of  infant  baptism,  it 
must  be  observed,  that  what  we  have  stated  does  not  in  the  least  affect  it ;  for 
when  our  Saviour  gave  his  commission  to  the  apostles  to  teach  or  preach  the  gos- 
pel to  all  nations  and  baptize  them,  it  is  to  be  supposed  that  their  ministry  was  to 
be  exercised  among  the  adult,  and  that  these  were  then  utter  strangers  to  Christ 
and  his  gospel.  Hence,  it  would  have  been  a  preposterous  thing  to  put  them  upon 
devoting  themselves  to  him,  before  they  were  persuaded  to  believe  in  him;  nor 
could  they  devote  their  children  till  they  had  first  dedicated  themselves  to  him 

Infant  Baptism. 
We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  right  of  infants  to  baptism.     This  right  they 

c  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  d  Mark  xvi.  15.  e  IWhtiw*™.  f  Vid.  Whitby  in  loc 

g  Acts.  ii.  41.  h  Acts  xvi.  31—33 ;  viii.  37,  38. 

II,  3  B 


498  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

I 

have  if  those  who  are  required  to  dedicate  them  to  God  are  believers  ;  or  if  they  are 
the  offspring  of  parents  of  whom  only  one  is  a  believer. 

I.  The  right  of  the  infant-seed  of  believers  to  baptism  will  appear  if  we  consider  bap- 
tism as  an  ordinance  of  dedication.  It  is  the  indispensable  duty  of  believers  to  devote 
themselves,  and  all  they  have,  to  God.  This  duty  is  founded  in  the  law  of  nature,  and 
is  the  result  of  God's  right  to  us  and  ours.  Whatever  we  have  received  from  him, 
is  to  be  surrendered  or  given  up  to  him ;  whereby  we  own  that  he  is  the  proprietor 
of  all  things,  that  we  depend  upon  him  for  them,  and  that  they  are  to  be  improved 
to  his  glory.  This  is,  in  a  particular  manner,  to  be  applied  to  our  infant-seed, 
whom  it  is  our  duty  to  devote  to  the  Lord,  as  we  receive  them  from  him.  Yet, 
there  is  this  difference  between  the  dedication  of  persons  and  the  dedication  of 
things,  to  God,  that  we  are  to  devote  the  former  to  him  in  hope  of  their  obtaining 
the  blessings  which  they  are  at  present  capable  of,  or  shall  stand  in  need  of  from 
him  hereafter.  This,  I  think,  is  allowed  by  all  Christians.  Nothing  is  more  com- 
mon than  for  some,  who  cannot  see  it  their  duty  to  baptize  their  children, 
to  dedicate  or  devote  them  to  God  by  faith  and  prayer ;  and  this  they  do  in  a  very 
solemn  manner,  and  with  expectation  of  spiritual  blessings,  as  an  encouragement 
of  their  faith,  so  far  as  they  apprehend  them  to  be  capable  of  receiving  them.  Now 
baptism,  in  the  general  idea  of  it,  is  an  ordinance  of  dedication  or  consecration  of 
persons  to  God.  If  this  be  not  allowed,  I  cannot  see  how  it  can  be  performed  by 
faith,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  or  how  the  observance  of 
it  can  be  a  visible  'putting  on  of  Christ,'  as  the  apostle  styles  it.1 

It  is  objected  that  this  proposition  would  not  be  denied,  if  baptism  were  to  be 
considered  as  an  ordinance  of  self-dedication.  But  then,  we  are  told,  it  would 
effectually  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism;  for  as  infants  cannot  devote 
themselves  to  God  in  this  ordinance,  it  is  not,  as  an  ordinance  of  self  dedication, 
to  be  applied  to  them.  We  reply,  that  as  there  is  no  other  medium  which,  I  appre- 
hend, can  be  made  use  of  to  prove  that  the  solemn  act  of  conseci  atk.n  or  dedication  to 
God  in  baptism  is  to  be  made  only  by  ourselves,  but  what  is  taken  irom  an  assump- 
tion of  the  question  in  dispute  by  those  who  assert  that  infants  are  not  to  be  bap- 
tized ;  so,  if  this  method  of  reasoning  were  allowed,  we  might  as  well  say,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  infants  are  to  be  baptized,  and  that  therefore  baptism  is  not  an 
ordinance  of  self-dedication,  since  they  cannot  devote  themselves  to  God.  Now, 
this  would  militate  against  what,  I  think,  is  allowed  by  all,  that  baptism,  when  ap- 
plied to  the  adult,  is  an  ordinance  of  self-dedication.  Hence,  what  I  would  more 
directly  assert  in  answer  to  the  objection,  is  that  baptism  is  an  ordinance  of  dedi- 
cation, either  of  ourselves  or  of  others ;  provided  the  person  who  dedicates,  has  a 
right  to  that  which  he  devotes  to  God,  and  can  dedicate  it  by  faith.  When  I  do,  as  it 
were,  pass  over  my  right  to  another,  there  is  nothing  required  but  that  I  can  law- 
fully do  it,  considering  it  as  my  property ;  and  this  is  no  less  to  be  doubted  con- 
cerning the  infant-seed  of  believers  than  I  can  question  whether  an  adult  person 
b«as  a  right  to  himself,  when  he  gives  himself  up  to  God  in  this  ordinance. 

It  follows  then,  that  parents,  who  have  a  right  to  their  infant-seed,  may  devote 
them  to  God  in  baptism,  provided  they  can  do  so  by  faith.  Hence,  a  profession  of 
faith  is  necessary  only  in  those  who  are  active  in  this  ordinance,  not  in  those  who 
are  merely  passive.  This  we  are  obliged  to  maintain  against  those  who  often  inti- 
mate that  children  are  not  to  be  baptized,  because  they  are  not  capable  of  believ- 
ing. Or,  if  we  say  that  they  are  capable  of  having  the  seeds  of  faith,  though  not 
the  acts  of  it,  they  who  are  opposed  to  us  generally  reckon  this  insufficient  to  sup- 
port our  argument ;  inasmuch  as  it  cannot  well  be  determined  what  infants  have 
the  seeds  of  faith,  and  what  not.  I  think,  too,  that  those  arguments  which  are 
generally  brought  to  prove  that  the  infants  of  believing  parents,  as  such,  have  the 
seeds  of  faith,  on  the  account  of  which  they  are  to  be  baptized,  can  hardly  be  de- 
fended ;  because  many  good  men  have  wicked  children.  Hence,  what  we  insist  on 
in  this  argument  is,  that  believing  parents  may  give  up  their  children  to  God  in 
baptism,  in  hope  of  their  obtaining  the  blessings  of  the  covenant,  whether  they  are 
able  to  conclude  that  they  have  the  seeds  of  grace  or  not.     They  may  devote  them 

i  Gal.  iii.  27. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  499 

to  God  in  hope  of  regeneration  ;  though,  they  cannot  know  them  to  he  regenerate  : 
as  all  ordinances  are  to  be  performed  with  the  view  that  tliey  may  be  rendered 
effectual  means  of  grace.  Accordingly,  as  is  observed  in  this  Answer,  infants 
descending  from  parents,  either  both  or  but  one  of  whom  profess  faith  in  Christ,  are 
to  be  baptized.  For  one  parent  has  as  much  a  right  to  the  child  as  the  other ;  so 
that  the  unbelief  of  one  does  not  exclude  the  other  from  giving  it  up  to  God  by 
faith,  in  hope  of  its  obtaining  the  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 

II.  The  right  of  the  infant-seed  of  believers  to  baptism,  may  be  farther  proved 
from  their  being  capable  of  the  privileges  signified  in  it,  and  under  an  indispen- 
sable obligation  to  perform  the  duties  which  they  who  dedicate  them  to  God  make 
'  a  public  profession  of,  as  agreeable  to  the  design  of  this  ordinance.  None  are  to 
be  excluded  from  any  of  those  ordinances  which  Christ  has  given  to  the  church, 
but  they  who,  either  in  a  natural  or  in  a  moral  sense,  are  to  be  deemed  incapa- 
ble subjects  of  them.  Some,  indeed,  are  incapable  of  engaging  in  ordinances  by 
reason  of  a  natural  unmeetness  for  them.  Thus  infants  are  not  to  be  admitted  to 
the  Lord's  supper,  being  under  a  natural  incapacity  ;  and  ignorant  and  profane 
persons  are  not  to  be  admitted  to  it,  being  under  a  moral  incapacity  ;  and,  for  the 
same  reason,  a  wicked  man,  when  adult,  is  not  a  proper  subject  of  baptism.  But 
if  there  be  neither  of  these  bars  to  exclude  persons,  they  are  not  to  be  denied  the 
advantage  of  any  ordinance.  This,  I  think,  will  be  allowed  by  all.  Hence,  the 
only  thing  I  need  prove,  is  that  infants  are  not  incapable  of  the  principal  things 
signified  in  baptism.  That  they  are  not  incapable  of  being  dedicated  to  God,  has 
been  proved  under  the  last  Head  ;  and  now  we  shall  consider  several  privileges  sig- 
nified in  baptism  which  they  are  equally  capable  of. 

1.  Baptism  is  an  external  sign  of  that  faith  and  hope  which  he  has  who  dedicates 
a  person  to  God,  that  the  person  dedicated  shall  obtain  the  saving  blessings  of  the 
covenant  of  grace.  Now,  that  infants  are  capable  of  these  blessings,  none  will 
deny  who  suppose  them  capable  of  salvation.  If  we  suppose  infants  not  to  have 
regenerating  grace,  which  is  neither  to  be  affirmed  nor  denied,  it  being  a  matter 
at  present  unknown  to  us  ;  yet  they  are  capable  of  having  it,  for  the  reason  just 
assigned  ;  and  though  they  cannot,  at  present,  put  forth  any  acts  of  grace,  they 
will  be  capable  of  doing  so  as  soon  as  they  are  able  to  discern  between  good  and 
evil.  They  are  not  excluded  by  their  infant  state,  from  being  under  Christ's  special 
care  ;  which  is,  doubtless,  to  be  extended  to  elect  infants  as  well  as  others.  They 
are  capable  also  of  being  discharged  from  the  guilt  of  original  sin  ;  and  though 
they  are  not  now  capable  of  laying  claim  to  this  privilege,  yet  they  may  be  enabled 
to  do  so  afterwards.  Now,  if  infants  are  capable  of  these  privileges,  certainly  the 
person  who  dedicates  them  to  God, — and  who  has  a  right  to  do  so,  inasmuch  as 
they  are  his  property,  and  he  is  able  to  dedicate  them  by  faith — may  devote 
them  to  God  in  the  exercise  of  this  grace,  and  in  a  fiducial  expectation  that  they 
shall  obtain  these  privileges.  Indeed,  when  we  engage  in  this  ordinance,  we  ought, 
in  consequence,  to  expect  some  saving  blessings,  as  much  as  when  we  engage  in 
any  other  ordinance  of  divine  appointment. 

It  is  objected  that,  though  a  person  may  devote  his  child  to  God  in  hope  of  his 
obtaining  saving  blessings,  yet  he  cannot  exercise  any  act  of  faith  that  he  shall 
obtain  them.  It  is  hence  inferred  that,  though  he  may  perform  this  duty  with  a  de- 
gree of  hope,  or  at  least  of  desire,  yet  he  cannot  do  it  by  faith  ;  so  that  if  children 
are  to  be  devoted  to  God  by  faith,  they  are  not  the  subjects  of  this  ordinance.  But 
we  reply,  that  some  things  may  be  said  to  be  done  by  faith,  when  we  have  not  a 
certain  ground  to  expect  saving  fruits  and  effects.  Suppose  an  infant  expiring, 
and  the  tender  parent  concerned  about  its  salvation,  whether  or  not  he  has  a  certain 
expectation  that  it  shall  be  saved,  he  may  and  ought  to  be  earnest  with  God  by  faith 
and  prayer,  that  the  child  may  be  happy  when  taken  out  of  the  world  ;  and  if  he 
finds  that  he  has  the  lively  exercise  of  faith  with  respect  to  this  matter,  he  will  pos- 
sess some  degree  of  hope  that  God,  who  excited  this  grace  in  him,  will  own  it  by 
giving  the  blessings  which  he  desires  ;  which  is  the  only  comfort  that  a  parent  can 
take  in  the  loss  of  his  infant-seed.  Now,  may  there  not  be  this  act  of  faith,  when 
he  dedicates  him  to  God  in  baptism  ?  Did  we  assert  that  giving  up  our  children  to 
God  by  faith  necessarily  infers  their  obtaining  saving  blessings,  the  objection 


500  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

would  have  some  force.  Or  did  we  assert,  that  there  could  he  no  faith  exercised 
without  our  being  certainly  persuaded  that  there  should  be  a  saving  effect ;  it  might 
then  be  argued,  that  because  we  are  not  certain  that  infants  shall  be  saved,  we 
cannot  give  them  up  to  God  by  faith.  But  if  there  may  be  faith,  where  there  is 
not  this  certain  persuasion,  or  any  ground  by  which  this  matter  may  be  determined, 
I  think  it  will  follow  that  infants  may  be  devoted  to  God  by  faith,  as  well  as  with 
a  desire  of  their  obtaining  saving  blessings.  Hence,  the  objection  in  question  does 
not  take  away  the  force  of  our  argument.  We  are  far  from  supposing  that  baptismal 
dedication  necessarily  infers  saving  blessings,  or  is  inseparably  connected  with  them, 
so  that  the  one  cannot  be  without  the  other.  It  is  sufficient  to  our  purpose  to  sup- 
pose that  infants  are  capable  of  those  blessings  which  faith  desires,  and,  it  may  be, 
hopes  for,  and  consequently  of  those  things  which  are  principally  signified  in  baptism. 

2.  Infants  are  under  an  indispensable  obligation  to  perform  the  duties  which 
are  incumbent  on  those  who  are  given  up  to  God  in  baptism,  and  which  are  signi- 
fied by  that  ordinance.  This  respects  some  things  future  ;  they  being  at  present 
incapable  of  performing  any  duty.  Indeed,  obligations  to  perform  duties  may  re- 
spect the  time  to  come  as  well  as  the  time  present ;  as  when  a  person  is  bound  to 
pay  a  just  debt,  the  obligation  is  valid,  though  it  is  not  expected  that  the  debt 
should  be  immediately  paid.  Thus  infants  are  professedly  bound,  when  given  up  to 
God,  to  be  the  Lord's.  Whether  they  will  ever  give  themselves  up  to  him  by  faith 
or  not,  is  unknown  to  us  ;  yet  the  obligation  will  take  place  as  soon  as  they  are  ca- 
pable of  doing  good  or  evil.  Hence,  the  parent  may  bind  his  child  to  be  the  Lord's, 
inasmuch  as  the  obligation  is  just,  being  founded  in  God's  right  to  obedience. 
And  when  he  has  laid  his  child  under  it  in  this  ordinance,  he  ought  afterwards 
strictly  to  charge  him  to  stand  to  it,  as  he  would  not  contract  double  guilt,  in  ne- 
glecting, not  only  to  perform  an  indispensable  duty,  but  to  pay  that  debt  of  obedi- 
ence which  has  been  so  solemnly  acknowledged  in  this  ordinance.  These  argu- 
ments, taken  from  the  nature  and  design  of  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  give  me  the 
fullest  conviction  concerning  our  warrant  to  apply  it  to  infants.     But, 

3.  It  appears  that  the  infant  seed  of  believers  are  to  be  consecrated  or  devoted 
to  God  in  baptism,  because  they  are  included  in  the  covenant  in  which  God  has 
promised  that  he  will  be  a  God  to  his  people,  and  to  their  seed.  The  latter  are, 
on  this  account,  styled  'holy.'k  Concerning  Israel,  it  is  said,  that  'they  are  the 
seed  of  the  blessed  of  the  Lord,  and  their  offspring  with  them.'1  The  *  branch  '  is 
said  to  be  '  holy,'  together  with  '  the  root.'m  It  is  said,  also,  that  '  the  children  of 
the  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed,'n  that  is,  included  in  that  covenant  in  which 
God  promised  that  he  would  be  a  God  to  children,  together  with  their  parents ;  as 
he  says  to  Abraham,  '  I  will  establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  to 
thy  seed  after  thee,  to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee.'0  In  this 
sense,  I  think,  we  are  to  understand  the  apostle's  words, '  The  unbelieving  husband 
is  sanctified  by  the  '  believing  '  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  by  the  '  believing 
'husband  ;  else  were  your  children  unclean,  but  now  are  they  holy.'P  By  these 
and  other  expressions  of  a  similar  nature,  we  are  not  to  understand  the  special 
saving  grace  of  regeneration  and  sanctification  ;  for  that  is  not  a  privilege  which 
descends  from  parents  to  children  by  birth  ;  as  our  Saviour  says,  '  We  are  bora,  not 
of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God/i  Hence, 
when  some  who  are  on  the  other  side  of  the  question,  think  that  we  intend  hereby 
the  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant,  or  that  holiness  which  is  an  internal  qualifica- 
tion or  meetness  for  heaven,  they  do  not  rightly  understand  our  meaning.  Some, 
indeed,  may  have  given  occasion  to  conclude  that  they  intend  this,  who  speak  of 
the  grace  of  regeneration  as  conferred  in  baptism,  and  assert  that  that  ordinance 
entitles  persons  to  salvation,  if  they  happen  to  die  before  they  are  adult,  and  that, 
if  afterward  they  appear,  by  the  wickedness  of  their  conversation,  to  be  in  an  uncon- 
verted state,  they  fall  from  grace.  This  is  what  I  do  not  well  understand ;  nor  do  I 
intend,  when  I  speak  of  the  infants  of  believers  as  an  holy  seed,  that  they  are  all 
internally  regenerated  or  sanctified  from  the  womb.     What  I  mean  is^  that  they 

k  Ezra  ix.  2.  1  Isa.  lxvi.  23.  m  Rom.  xi.  16.  n  Chap.  ix.  8. 

o  Gen.  xvii.  7.  pi  Cor.  vii.  14.  q  John  i.  13. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  501 

are  included  in  the  external  dispensation  of  the  covenant  of  grace  :  which  must  be 
reckoned  a  greater  advantage  than  if  they  had  descended  from  Indians,  who  are 
strangers  to  it.  I  am  sensible,  indeed,  that  they  who  deny  infant  baptism,  suppose 
that  the  holiness  of  the  children  spoken  of  by  the  apostle,  in  the  scripture  just  re- 
ferred to,  who  descended  from  parents  of  whom  one  only  was  a  believer,  implies  no- 
thing else  but  their  being  legitimate.  But  that  does  not  seem  to  be  his  meaning  ; 
for  marriage  is  an  ordinance  of  the  law  of  nature,  which  all  without  distinction  have 
a  right  to,  heathens  as  much  as  Christians  ;  and  the  children  of  the  one  are  as  legi- 
timate as  those  of  the  other.  There  is  hence  something  else  intended  by  their  being 
•  holy,'  and  this  is  the  same  thing  which  is  meant  in  the  other  scriptures  just  re- 
ferred to,  which  speak  of  an  external  relative  holiness,  whereby  God  must  be  sup- 
posed to  have  a  greater  regard  to  them  than  to  others  who  are  styled  '  unclean. ' 
Now,  if  this  does  not  infer,  as  was  before  observed,  their  being  internally  regener- 
ated or  sanctified ;  it  is  at  least  not  a  word  without  an  idea  affixed  to  it.  We  must 
hence  understand  by  it,  an  holiness  in  the  lowest  sense  of  the  word  ;  as  children 
are  said  to  be  'an  heritage  of  the  Lord,  and  the  fruit  of  the  womb  his  reward. 'r 
Or  it  denotes  the  obligation  they  are  laid  under,  by  the  privilege  of  their  descending 
from  believing  parents,  to  adhere  to  their  fathers'  God  ;  and  this  obligation,  as  has 
been  already  observed,  is  professed  or  acknowledged  when  they  are  dedicated  to 
him  in  baptism.  Such  is  the  use  which  I  would  make  of  this  account  of  them  in 
scripture,  to  prove  their  right  to  be  devoted  to  God  in  this  ordinance. 

Nor,  I  think,  do  we  adopt  the  interpretation  which  we  have  given  without  some 
warrant  from  scripture.  When  God  told  Abraham,  in  the  promise  just  mentioned, 
that  he  would  be  'a  God  unto  him,  and  to  his  seed,'  which  is  the  foundation  of  their 
federal  holiness  ;  this  is  assigned  as  a  reason  why  they  should  be  devoted  to  God 
in  circumcision  ;8  for  we  cannot  but  conclude  circumcision,  as  we  do  baptism,  to 
have  been  an  ordinance  of  dedication  or  separation  to  God.  Again,  *  when  the 
apostle  pressed  the  Jews  amongst  the  mixed  multitude  to  whom  he  had  preached 
to  'repent  and  be  baptized,'  and  encouraged  them  to  hope  for  'the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;'  he  assigned  as  a  reason,  that  '  the  promise  was  to  them,  and  to  their  chil- 
dren,' that  is,  the  promise  of  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham  and  his  seed  ;  and 
he  adds,  'and  to  them  that  are  afar  off,'  that  is,  the  Gentiles,  who  might  claim 
this  promise  when  they  believed,  and  whom  the  apostle  calls  elsewhere,  *  children 
of  the  promise,  as  Isaac  was.'u  These,  who  are  styled  before  conversion  a  people 
'afar  oft,'  were  alter  it  reckoned  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham,  and  so  had  a 
right  to  the  blessings  of  the  covenant,  that  God  would  be  a  God  to  them.  Now, 
by  a  parity  of  reason,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  seed  of  Abraham  were  chil- 
dren of  the  promise,  the  seed  of  all  other  believers  are  to  be  reckoned  so,  till,  by 
their  own  act  and  deed,  they  renounce  their  external  covenant  relation.  We  may 
hence  infer,  that  if  they  stand  in  this  relation  to  God,  their  doing  so  is  publicly  to 
be  owned ;  and  accordingly  they  are  to  be  given  up  to  him  in  baptism,  there  being 
in  this  ordinance  a  professed  declaration  of  their  covenant  relation. 

It  has  just  been  inferred,  that  as  the  infant  seed  of  believers  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament had  a  right  to  circumcision,  because  they  were  included  in  the  covenant 
which  God  made  with  their  fathers  ;  so  they  have  a  right  to  baptism.  Now,  this 
inference  is  not  to  be  wholly  passed  over  ;  though  I  am  sensible,  they  who  deny 
infant  baptism  will  not  allow  it.  Some  have  argued  in  opposition  to  it,  that  cir- 
cumcision was  ordained  to  be  a  sign  and  seal  of  that  covenant  of  peculiarity  which 
God  made  with  the  Jewish  church,  or  of  those  blessings  which  they  were  made 
partakers  of,  as  a  nation  excelling  others,  in  name,  honour,  and  glory.  But  this 
view  of  circumcison,  I  think,  comes  far  short  of  what  the  apostle  says  respecting  it, 
namely,  that  it  was  'a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith. 'x  Indeed,  when  we  call  that 
dispensation  a  covenant  of  peculiarity,  we  intend  nothing  else  but  some  external  privi- 
leges annexed  to  the  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Hence,  Abraham's 
faith  was  conversant  both  on  the  righteousness  of  faith,  which  respected  his  own 
salvation  and  that  of  his  spiritual  seed,  and  on  those  privileges  of  a  lower  nature 

r  Psal.  cxxxvii.  7.  s  Gen.  xvii.  10.  t  Acts  ii.  39. 

u  Gal.  iv.  28.  x  Rom.  ir.  11. 


502  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

which  they  who  were,  in  other  respects,  his  seed,  were  made  partakers  of  hy  virtue 
of  the  covenant  in  which  God  promised  that  he  would  be  a  God  to  him  and  to  his 
seed.  Moreover,  it  is  generally  denied  by  those  who  are  on  the  other  side  of  the 
question,  that  baptism  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision.  This,  therefore,  remains 
to  be  proved,  in  order  to  our  establishing  the  consequence,  that  as  children  were 
to  be  devoted  to  God  by  circumcision  under  the  law,  so  they  are  to  be  devoted  unto 
him  by  baptism  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  Now,  that  this  may  appear,  let 
it  be  considered  that  God  has  substituted  some  ordinances,  under  the  gospel-dis- 
pensation, for  others  which  were  observed  under  the  ceremonial  law.  Thus  the 
Lord's  supper  is  instituted  in  the  room  of  the  passover ;  otherwise  the  apostle  would 
never  have  alluded  to  the  one  when  he  speaks  of  the  other,  saying,  '  Christ,  our 
passover,  is  sacrificed  for  us  ;  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  'y  &c.  Now,  we  have 
as  much  ground  to  conclude  that  baptism  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision,  as 
we  have  that  any  gospel  ordinance  comes  in  the  room  of  any  other  which  belonged 
to  the  ceremonial  law.  For  the  apostle  says,  •  In  whom  ye  are  circumcised  by  the 
circumcision  made  without  hands,  buried  with  him  in  baptism.'2  Here  he  speaks 
of  the  thing  signified  by  circumcision  and  of  baptism  as  being  the  same,  namely, 
our  communion  with  Christ  in  his  death  ;  so  that  the  thing  signified  by  baptism,  is 
styled,  as  it  were,  a  spiritual  circumcision.  Now,  as  these  two  ordinances  signify 
in  substance  the  same  thing,  and  are  set  the  one  against  the  other  in  this  scripture, 
we  may,  I  think,  infer  that  baptism  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision.  Besides, 
as  the  first  visible  profession  which  the  Israelites  made,  especially  by  any  signifi- 
cant ordinance,  that  they  were  the  Lord's,  which  is  what  we  understand  by  an 
initiating  ordinance,  was  made  in  the  observance  of  circumcision  ;  it  follows  that, 
if  baptism  is  the  only  initiating  ordinance  under  the  gospel,  as  circumcision  was 
under  the  law,  it  comes  in  the  room  of  it ;  or  else  no  other  ordinance  does.  But  if 
it  be  said  that  no  ordinance  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision,  then  the  privileges  of 
the  church  under  the  present  dispensation,  are,  in  a  very  disadvantageous  circum- 
stance, less  than  they  were  under  the  former  ;  and  if  infants  received  any  advan- 
tage by  being  devoted  to  God  by  circumcision  of  old,  but  are  not  to  be  devoted  to 
him  by  baptism  now,  their  condition  is  much  worse  than  that  of  those  who  were 
the  children  of  such  as  lived  under  the  legal  dispensation.  We  know,  however, 
that  God  has  not,  under  the  present  dispensation,  abridged  the  church  of  its  privi- 
leges, but  rather  increased  them. 

It  is  objected  that  infants  have  no  right  to  baptism,  because  they  cannot  believe 
and  repent.  These  graces,  it  is  said,  are  often  mentioned  in  scripture  as  a  neces- 
sary qualification  of  those  who  have  a  right  to  this  ordinance  ;  as  might  be  suffi- 
ciently proved  from  those  scriptures  in  which  persons  are  said  first  to  believe  and 
repent,  and  then  to  be  baptized.  Hence,  in  order  to  men's  believing  and  repenting, 
and  then  being  baptized,  the  gospel,  according  to  our  Saviour's  direction, a  was  first 
to  be  preached.  We  read  also  of  persons  '  gladly  receiving  '  it,  and  '  then  being 
baptized  ;'b  and  therefore  Philip  would  not  baptize  the  eunuch  till  he  professed 
his  faith  in  Christ.0  Moreover,  say  the  objectors,  baptism  is  called  an  ordinance 
of  repentance  :  as  none  have  a  right  to  it  but  those  who  repent.  Thus  it  is  said, 
*  John  preached  the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins  ;'d  and  elsewhere, 
that  he  '  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  repentance,  saying  to  the  people,  that  they 
should  believe  on  him  which  should  come  after  him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus.'8 
Now,  we  do  not  deny  the  necessity  of  faith  and  repentance  to  baptism  in  those  who 
are  adult.  Under  a  foregoing  Head,  we  considered  that  none  are  to  be  baptized  if 
adult,  till  they  profess  faith  in  Christ  and  obedience  to  him;  and  that  their  pro- 
fession ought  to  be  accompanied  with  repentance,  otherwise  it  is  not  true  and  gen- 
uine. We  there  freely  owned  also,  that  the  gospel  was  to  be  preached  by  the  apos- 
tles to  those  who  were  immediately  concerned  in  their  ministry,  before  either  them- 
selves or  their  infant-seed  were  to  be  baptized.  Yet  these  concessions  do  not  over- 
throw the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism  ;  for  that,  as  was  before  proved,  depends  upon 
different  qualifications.     Faith  is,  no  doubt,  necessary  in  the  person  who  dedicates 

y  1  Cor.  v.  7.  8.  z  Col.  ii.  11,  12.  a  Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  b  Acts  ii.  41. 

c  Acts  viii.  37,  38.  d  Mark  i.  4.  e  Acts  xix.  4. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  503 

or  devotes  to  God.  But  if,  as  has  been  stated,  every  one  who  is  able  to  dedicate 
his  child  to  God  by  faith,  is  under  obligation  to  do  so, — as  much  as  he  who  is  able 
to  dedicate  himself  to  him  by  faith  when  adult,  is  bound  to  do  it ;  then  we  are  to 
have  regard  only  to  the  faith  of  him  who  dedicates,  and  to  hope  for  the  saving  privi- 
leges of  faith  and  repentance,  and  all  other  graces,  as  divine  blessings  to  be  be- 
stowed on  the  person  devoted  to  God,  as  the  great  end  which  we  have  in  view  in 
this  solemn  action. 

There  is  another  objection,  which  is  concluded  by  some  to  be  unanswerable, — 
namely,  that  there  is  neither  precept  nor  example  in  the  New  Testament,  which 
gives  the  least  countenance  to  our  baptizing  infants;  so  that  it  cannot  be  reckoned 
a  scripture  doctrine,  and  consequently  is  not  from  heaven  but  of  men.  We  reply, 
that  consequences  justly  deduced  from  scripture  are  equally  binding  with  the 
words  or  examples  contained  in  it.  If  this  be  not  allowed,  we  shall  hardly  be  able 
to  prove  many  doctrines  which  we  reckon  to  be,  not  only  true,  but  of  great  impor- 
tance. It  would  be  endless  to  enter  into  a  detail  of  particulars,  to  illustrate  and 
confirm  this  matter ;  and  I  cannot  but  think  it  unnecessary,  since  they  who  deny 
infant  baptism,  do  not  deny  the  validity  of  just  scripture  consequences.  Hence, 
all  I  need  say  is,  that,  if  the  method  we  have  taken  to  prove  infant  baptism  ap- 
pears to  be  just,  and  if  the  premises  be  true,  the  conclusion  deduced  must  be  al- 
lowed, namely,  that  the  infants  of  believing  parents  are  to  be  baptized,  though  a 
command  to  baptize  them  is  not  found  in  express  words  in  scripture.  I  cannot 
but  think  that  the  objection  would  equally  hold  good  against  Christ's  dying  for  in- 
fants as  well  as  others,  or  against  their  being  capable  of  justification,  regeneration, 
and  the  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  It  might  also  be  as  well  inferred 
that  they  are  not  to  be  devoted  to  God  in  other  instances  than  that  of  baptism,  or 
that  we  have  not  the  least  ground  to  expect  their  salvation  ;  for  it  would  be  as  hard 
to  prove  these  points  from  express  words  of  scripture  as  that  they  are  to  be  baptized. 

Here  I  cannot  but  take  notice  of  the  method  which  the  learned  Dr.  Lightfoot 
takes  to  account  for  the  silence  of  scripture  as  to  this  matter.1  It  is,  in  substance, 
as  follows : — He  says,  that  baptism  was  well  enough  known  to  the  Jews,  as  prac- 
tised by  them  under  the  ceremonial  law ;  by  which  he  means  the  ordinance  in  gen- 
eral, as  including  a  consecration  to  God,  to  worship  him  in  the  way  which  he  then 
instituted  ;  and  accordingly  they  are  said  to  have  been  '  baptized  into  Moses.'  He 
adds,  that  the  apostle,  speaking  concerning  this  matter,  and  referring  to  what  was 
done  '  in  the  cloud,  and  in  the  sea,'&  supposes  that  the  whole  congregation,  of  which 
the  infants  they  had  in  their  arms  were  a  part,  were  solemnly  devoted  to  God  at 
that  time.  Now,  this  I  cannot  but  conclude  to  be  more  agreeable  to  the  sense  of 
the  word  '  baptize,'  than  that  which  some  critics  give,  who  suppose  that  nothing  is 
intended  by  it,  but  their  being  wet  or  sprinkled  with  the  water  of  the  sea,  as  they 
passed  through  it ;  for  that  was  only  an  occasional  baptism,  which  could  not  be  well 
avoided.  But,  if  I  may  be  allowed  a  little  to  alter  or  improve  on  his  method  of  reason- 
ing, I  rather  think  that  the  apostle's  meaning  is,  that  the  whole  congregation  was 
'  baptized  into  Moses,'  soon  after  they  were  delivered  from  the  Egyptians,  while 
they  were  encamped  at  the  sea-shore.  At  that  time,  God,  for  their  security,  spread 
a  cloud  for  a  covering  to  them  ;  and  then,  as  the  kind  hand  of  providence  had  led 
the  way,  and  brought  them  under  a  renewed  engagement,  they  expressed  their 
gratitude,  and  their  obligation  to  be  God's  people,  by  their  universal  dedication  to 
him  in  baptism.  But,  to  return  to  the  author  just  mentioned,  he  adds  that,  when 
Jacob  was  delivered  from  Laban,  and  set  about  the  work  of  reforming  his  household, 
he  ordered  them,  not  only  to  'put  away  the  strange  gods  that  were  among  them,' 
but  '  to  be  clean  ;'h  by  which,  as  he  observes,  the  Jews  confess  that  baptism,  or  a 
dedication  to  God  bv  washing,  is  intended.  He  also  observes,  that  the  ordinance 
of  baptism  in  general,  before  Christ  instituted  gospel  baptism,  was  so  well  known 
by  the  Jewish  church,  that  they  no  sooner  heard  that  John  baptized,  than  they 
came  to  his  baptism  ;  and  they  did  not  ask  him,  Why  dost  thou  make  use  of  this 
rite  of  baptizing  ?  But,  What  is  thy  warrant,  or  '  Who  sent  thee  to  baptize?'  He 
farther  adds,  that  both  John  and  Christ  took  up  baptism  as  they  found  it  in  the 

f  See  his  works,  vol.  ii.  pages  1129,  1132,  1133.  g  1  Cor.  x.  2.  h  Gen.  xxxv.  2. 


504  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

Jewish  church  ;  by  which  lie  means  the  ordinance  in  general,  without  regard  to 
some  circumstances  in  which  Christ's  baptism  differed  from  that  which  was  prac- 
tised under  the  ceremonial  law.  Now,  this  ordinance  was  as  he  observes,  applied 
by  the  Jewish  church  to  infants  as  well  as  grown  persons.  Hence,  our  Saviour 
had  no  occasion,  when  he  instituted  this  ordinance  with  those  circumstances,  agree- 
able to  the  gospel  state,  *in  which  it  differs  from  the  baptism  which  was  before  prac- 
tised, to  command  his  apostles  to  baptize  all  nations,  that  is,  all  who  were  the  sub- 
jects of  baptism,  and  infants  in  particular. 

It  is  farther  objected  that  our  Saviour  was  not  baptized  in  his  infancy  ;  that 
his  example  is  to  be  followed ;  and  that,  therefore,  no  one  is  to  be  baptized  tilJ 
he  be  adult.  We  reply,  that  every  circumstance  or  action  in  the  life  of  Christ 
is  not  designed  to  be  an  example  to  us.  Indeed,  there  were  some  things  signified 
in  his  baptism  which  are  not  in  ours  ;  inasmuch  as  in  its  application  to  him, 
it  did  not  signify  his  being  cleansed  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin.  The  only 
thing  in  which  what  was  signified  in  his  baptism  agrees  with  ours,  is  that  he 
devoted  himself  to  God  ;  not,  indeed,  as  expecting  salvation  through  a  Mediator 
as  we  do,  but  as  denoting  his  consent  to  engage  in  the  work  for  which  he  came  into 
the  world,  which  he  now  began  to  perform  in  a  public  manner,  and  which  he  ful- 
filled in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  while  he  went  about  doing  good.  Now,  it  was 
not  convenient  that  this  devotement  of  himself  should  be  done  in  his  infancy  ;  for 
though  the  work  of  redemption  began  from  that  time,  yet  his  proving  himself  to 
be  the  Messiah,  especially  his  doing  so  in  a  public  manner,  did  not  take  place  till 
he  was  thirty  years  of  age  ;  and  then  he  was  baptized,  that  his  baptism  might  be 
an  ordinance  for  the  faith  of  his  church,  that  he  was  engaged  in  the  work  of  our 
redemption.  Moreover,  it  must  be  considered  that  John's  baptism,  which  circum- 
stantially differed  from  that  which  was  practised  in  the  Jewish  church,  as  well  as 
our  Saviour's,  was  not  instituted  till  the  year  before  Christ  was  baptized.  Hence, 
our  Saviour  could  not  be  baptized  agreeably  to  the  alteration  that  was  made  in 
baptism  at  this  time,  had  he  been  baptized  in  his  infancy. 

It  is  farther  objected  that  infant  baptism  is  a  novelty,  and  was  not  practised  by 
the  church  in  the  earliest  ages  from  the  apostles'  time.  But,  even  if  this  could  be 
proved  to  be  true,  I  should  regard  arguments  deduced  from  scripture  consequences 
much  more  than  the  sense  of  antiquity.  The  principal  use  of  the  writings  of  the 
fathers,  in  my  opinion,  is  to  lead  us  into  the  knowledge  of  what  relates  to  the  his- 
torical account  of  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  their  respective  ages.  The  main 
thing  supposed  in  the  objection  is,  that  infant  baptism  was  not  practised  in  the 
early  ages  of  the  church.  But  the  contrary  to  this  will  appear,  if  we  consider 
some  things  mentioned  by  the  fathers.  Thus  Justin  Martyr  says,  that  we  have 
not  received  the  carnal  but  the  spiritual  circumcision  by  baptism  ;  and  that  all  per- 
sons are  enjoined  to  receive  it,  in  like  manner,  as  they  were  enjoined  to  receive 
circumcision  of  old.  Here  he  refers  to  that  saying  of  the  apostle,  '  We  are  circum- 
cised with  the  circumcision  made  without  hands,  buried  with  him  in  baptism.'' 
Hence  he  supposes  that  baptism  comes  in  the  room  of  circumcision.  He  likewise 
speaks  of  their  being  brought  to  the  water,  and  there  regenerated,  by  which  he 
means,  baptized,  in  the  same  manner  as  we  are,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.k  Cyprian  also,  in  a  council  in  which  there 
were  sixty-six  bishops  convened — in  answer  to  a  question  under  debate,  whether  the 
time  in  which  this  ordinance  was  to  be  performed,  ought  to  be  the  same  with  that  in 
which  children  were  circumcised  under  the  law1 — delivered  it,  not  only  as  his  opinion, 
but  as  one  which  he  supposes  to  have  been  received  by  all,  that  infants  ought  to  be 
baptized  before  the  eighth  day.  Irenaeus™  speaks  of  Christ's  sanctifying  and  saving 
persons  of  every  age,  infants  not  excepted ;  and  says  that  they  are  therefore  to  be  regen- 
erated,— by  which  he  means,  baptized,  as  the  fathers  often  put  the  thing  signified  for 
the  sign.  Gregory  Nazianzen  speaks  to  the  same  purpose,11  that  baptism  may  be  per- 
formed as  circumcision  was,  on  the  eighth  day ;  but  that  it  ought  not  to  be  omitted  any 

i  Col.  ii.  11,  12.  k  Vid.  Just.  Martyr,  Quest,  et  Resp.  Quest,  cii.  et  ejusd.  Apol.  ii. 

Vid.  Cyp.  in  Epist.  ad  Fid.  lib.  iii.  Ep,  viii.  m  Vid.  Iren.  lib.  ii.  cap.  xxxix. 

n  Vid.  Ejusd.  Orat.  xl. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  5(K) 

UmsOT  than  till  the  children  are  two  or  three  years  old.  I  might  add  the  testimony 
0  Augu*tin,  who  asserts  that  the  baptism  of  infants  had  been  practised  by  the 
church,  in  foregoing  ages,  from  our  Saviour's  time.  Now,  had  this  not  been  matter 
of  fact,  it  would,  doubtless,  have  been  disproved  by  Pelagius  and  his  other  anta- 
gonists.0 

It  is  farther  objected,  by  those  who  deny  infant  baptism,  that  the  practice  of 
many,  in  the  ancient  church,  who  deferred  baptism  till  they  were  adult,  argues  that 
they  did  not  think  it  lawful  for  any  to  be  baptized  in  infancy.  Thus  Constantino 
the  Great,  as  Eusebius  observes,  was  not  baptized  till  a  little  before  his  death.  It 
is  well  known,  also,  that  Gregory  Nazianzen,  Chrysostom,  Ambrose,  Augustin,  and 
others  of  the  fathers,  were  not  baptized  till  they  came  to  a  state  of  manhood  ;  and 
Tertullian,  who  lived  in  the  second  century,  exhorts  persons  to  defer  baptism,  and 
adds,  that  it  is  the  safest  way  to  delay  the  baptism  of  infants  till  they  are  capable  of 
engaging  for  themselves,  having  arrived  at  years  of  discretion.?  But  particular  in- 
stances, or  the  sentiments  of  some  of  the  fathers,  are  not  sufficient  to  prove  that  infant 
baptism  was  not  practised  by  the  ancient  church.  As  to  what  is  alleged  concerning 
Constantine  not  having  been  baptized  till  a  little  before  his  death,  and  Gregory  Na- 
zianzen, Chrysostom,  &c,  not  till  they  were  adult,  the  facts  may  be  accounted  for,  by 
supposing  that  their  parents  did  not  embrace  the  Christian  religion  while  they  were  in- 
fants ;  so  that  they  ought  not  to  be  baptized  till  they  could  give  themselves  up  to  G'od 
by  faith.  This  a  late  learned  writer  attempts  to  prove. P  Moreover,  some  who  have 
been  converted,  have  neglected  baptism,  out  of  a  scruple  they  have  had  of  their  unfit- 
ness for  it,  as  many,  in  our  day,  do  the  Lord's  supper.  Others,  it  may  be,  might  have 
neglected  to  baptize  their  infants,  or  to  be  baptized  themselves  till  they  apprehended 
themselves  near  death  ;  being  misled  by  a  false  supposition,  which  was  imbibed  by 
several,  that  baptism  washed  away  sin,  so  that  the  nearer  they  were  to  their  end,  the 
more  prepared  they  would  be,  by  this  ordinance,  for  a  better  world.  But  whether 
baptism  was  neglected  for  this  or  any  other  reason,  does  not  much  affect  the  argu- 
ment we  are  maintaining  ;  our  design  being  principally  to  prove,  that  it  was  prac- 
tised in  the  early  ages  of  the  church  ;  and,  in  what  instances  soever  it  was  omitted, 
it  was  not  because  they  denied  that  the  infants  of  believing  parents  had  a  right  to 
it.  As  to  several  things  mentioned  by  the  authors  before  cited,  and  others  who  treat 
on  the  subject,  whereby  they  seem  to  maintain  the  absolute  necessity  of  baptism  to 
wash  away  the  pollution  of  sin,  or  as  to  their  asserting  that  it  is  as  necessary  to  sal- 
vation as  regenerating  grace,  we  have  nothing  to  say  to  their  sentiments.  Yet  what- 
ever they  speak  in  defence  of  infant  baptism  is  a  sufficient  evidence  that  it  is  not  a 
practice  of  late  invention.  As  to  Tertullian 's  advice,  to  defer  baptism  till  persons  were 
capable  to  engage  for  themselves,  his  caution  argues  that  infant  baptism  was  prac- 
tised by  some  ;  and  this  is  the  principal  thing  designed  to  be  proved.  Besides,  the 
reason  he  assigns  for  the  neglect  of  baptism,  is  that  the  sureties  who  undertook  to 
instruct  the  baptized  in  the  doctrines  of  religion,  often  promised  more  than  they 
made  conscience  of  performing,  and  so  brought  themselves  into  a  snare  ;  and  that 
hence,  for  their  sakes,  infant  baptism,  which  could  not  be  administered  without 
sureties,  had  better  be  delayed.  Now  this  proves  only  that  he  was  against  infant 
baptism  for  some  prudential  reasons  ;  not  that  he  thought  it  was  in  itself  unlawful 
to  be  practised.  We  may  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  objection  taken  from  int. 
fant  baptism  being  supposed  to  be  a  novelty,  does  not  weaken  the  cause  we  &te 
maintaining.1"     Thus  concerning  the  subjects  of  baptism. 

o  Vi«l.  Augustin.  de  peccat.  merit,  et  remiss,  lib.  i.  cap.  xxviii.  Parvulos  baptizandos  esse  coiir 
ceduut  qui  contra  autoritatem,  universae  ecclesiae  proculduhio  per  dominum,  et  Apostolus  traditam 
venire  nun  possunt.  And  in  Sermon,  x.  de  verbis  Apostoli,  speaking  concerning  infant  baptism,  he 
says,  Nemo  voids  susurret  doctriuas  alienas :  Hoc  ecclesia  semper  babuit,  semper  tenuit;  hoc  a 
majorum  tidr  percepit ;  hoc  usque  in  finem  perseverauter  custodit. 

p  Vul.  Tertull.  lib.  de  Baptism,  cap.  xviii. 

q  See  Wall's  History  of  Infant  Baptism,  part  ii.  pages  $2 — 86. 

r  They  who  would  see  more  on  this  subject  may  consult  G.  F.  Voss.  de  Baptismo  Disput.  xir. 
Forbes.  Instruct.  Hist.  Theol.  lib.  x.  cap.  v.  and  Wall's  History  of  Infant  Baptism,  vol.  i. 

ii.  3  a 


506  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 


The  Mode  of  Baptism. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  mode  of  baptism,  or  what  we  are  to  understand 
by  the  word  'baptism.'  It  is  said,  in  the  foregoing  Answer,  to  be  the  washing 
with  water,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
There  has  been  a  great  dispute  in  the  world  concerning  the  meaning  of  the  word 
p««rr/^ai,  by  which  this  ordinance  is  expressed  ;  and  from  this  dispute  have  arisen 
different  modes  of  administration.  Some  think  that  the  word  signifies  only  the 
putting  of  a  person  or  thing  into  water,  so  that  it  is  covered,  or  as  it  were  buried 
in  it.  This  is  otherwise  expressed  by  the  word  '  dipping.'  Others,  whose  opinion 
I  cannot  but  acquiesce  in,  conclude  that  baptism  may  as  well  be  performed  by  the 
application  of  water,  though  in  a  different  manner,  either  by  pouring  or  sprinkling. 
Accordingly,  they  think  that  the  word  signifies  using  the  means  of  cleansing  by  the 
application  of  water,  whatever  be  the  form  or  mode.  This  argument  depends  very 
much  upon  the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  applied  to  the  action  denoted  by  it, 
either  in  scripture  or  in  other  writings.  But,  as  the  sense  of  it,  as  used  in  scripture 
and  other  writings,  is  well  explained  by  the  learned  and  judicious  Dr.  Owen,  Agree- 
ably to  the  view  we  have  given  of  the  word,  I  have  no  occasion  to  make  any  criti- 
cal remarks  upon  it  by  referring  to  those  writers  in  which  the  word  is  found. s  Be- 
sides, the  greater  number  of  Christians  are  not  so  well  versed  in  the  Greek  lan- 
guage as  to  be  able  to  judge  whether  those  methods  of  reasoning,  which  are  taken 
from  the  use  of  the  word  which  we  render  'baptize,'  are  sufficiently  conclusive. 
Hence,  when  it  is  asserted  that  many  who  are  undoubtedly  very  good  masters  of 
the  Greek  tongue,  have  determined  that  it  signifies  all  manner  of  washing  with 
water,  as  well  as  dipping  into  it,  they  will  reckon  any  critical  inquiry  into  the 
meaning  of  the  word  very  fruitless  and  unprofitable.    Yet,  we  are  obliged  to  mention 

s  See  Dr.  Owen's  complete  collection  of  sermons,  pages  580,  581,  of  Dipping.  He  there  observes 
that  fictTra.  when  use<l  in  Luke  xvi.  24,  and  John  xiii.  26,  is  translated  '  to  dip.'  And,  in  Rev. 
xix.  13,  where  we  read  of  'a  vesture  dipped  in  blood  ;'  it  is  better  rendered  'stained,'  by  sprink- 
ling blood  upon  it  ;  and  all  these  scriptures  denote  only  a  touching  of  one  part  of  the  body,  and  not 
plunging.  In  other  authors  it  signifies, '  tiugo,  iinmergo,  lavo,  abluo  ;'  but  in  no  author  do<  s  it  ever 
signify  to  dip,  but  only  in  order  to  washing,  or  as  the  means  of  washing.  As  for  the  Hebrew 
word  bau,  it  is  rendered,  by  the  LXX.  in  Gen.  xxxvi.  31,  by  ftoXvva,  '  to  stain  by  sprinkling,'  or 
otherwise,  mostly  by  ^urra,  In  2  Kings  v.  14,  thev  render  it  b\  /3««r<r<£»,  and  nowhere  else.  In 
ver.  10,  Elisha  commands  Naaman  to  wash  ;  and  accordingly,  verse  14,  pursuant  to  this  order,  it 
is  saiii,  'he  dipped  himself  seven  times:'  the  word  is  baU'T  ;  which  the  LXX.  render  tSutrnraTd. 
In  Exod.  xii.  22,  where  the  word  b3U  is  used,  which  we  render  dip,  speaking  concerning  the  dip- 
ping of  the  bunch  of  h\ssop  in  the  blood,  the  LXX.  render  it  by  the  word  p>a.xra>.  In  1  Sam.  xiv. 
27.  it  is  said  that  Jonathan  dipped  the  end  of  his  rod  in  an  honey-comb;  the  word  here  is  also 
bau*1,  and  the  LXX.  render  it  tSa-^tt ;  in  which  place  it  cannot  be  understood  of  his  dipping  it  by 
plunging.  In  Lev.  iv.  6.  17»  and  chap.  ix.  9,  the  priest  is  said  to  nip  his  ringer  in  the  blood,  which 
only  intends  his  touching  the  blood,  so  as  to  sprinkle  it ;  and  therefore  does  not  signify  plunging.  This 
learned  author  likewise  observes  that  /3a*-r<£«  signifies  to  wash.  Instanci  s  out  of  all  authors  may  be 
given;  and  he  particularly  mentions  Suidas,  Hes\  chius,  Julius  Pollux,  Phavoriuus,  and  Eustachius. 
He  adds,  that  it  is  first  used  in  the  scripture,  in  Maik  i.  8;  John  i.  33;  and  to  the  same  purpose, 
Acts  i.  5,  in  which  places  it  signifies  'to  pour;'  for  the  expression  is  equivocal,  '  I  baptize  you 
witli  water,  but  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Xjihost ;'  which  is  an  accomplishment  of  the 
promise  that  'the  Holy  Ghost  should  be  poured  on  them.'  As  for  other  places,  in  Maik  vii.  2,  4, 
vtitTv,  which  signifies  to  wash,  and  is  so  translated,  is  explained  in  the  worcs  immediately  follow- 
ing, as  signifying  to  baptize.  And,  in  Luke  xi.  38,  it  is  said,  that  the  Pharisee  marvelled  that  our 
Saviour  hail  not  '  washed  before  dinner.'  The  word  in  the  Greek  is  t£a.*riv6n,  to  whom  he  replies  in 
the  following  verse,  '  Ye  Pharisees  make  clean  the  outside,'  &c,  so  that  the  word  /3«tt/|»>  signifies 
there  'to  cleanse.'  or  to  use  the  means  of  cleansing.  Dr.  Owen  also  observes  that,  though  the  original 
and  natural  signification  of  the  w  ord  imports,  to  dip,  to  plunge,  to  dye  ;  yet  it  also  signifies  to  wash 
or  cleanse.  Yet  he  thinks  that  it  is  so  lar  from  signify  mg  nothing  else  hut  to  dip  or  plunge,  that 
when  it  is  to  be  understood  in  that  sense,  the  word  ought  to  be  i(tGa*ra>,  or  t/*C«i«"n£*>,  lather 
than  (j«r™,  or  (aaxri^n ;  and  aLo,  that  it  nowhere  signifies  to  dip,  but  as  denoting  a  mode  of  and 
in  ordei  to  washing  ;  and  that  it  signifies  to  wash  in  all  good  authors.  He  also  refers  to  Scapula 
and  Stephaniis,  as  translating  the  worn  /3a<rT<£«  by  '  lavo,'  or  'abluo  ;'  and  Suidas,  as  rendering  it 
by  * madefacio,'  '  lavo,'  'abluo,'  '  purgo,'  '  inunuo.'  And  be  speaks  of  some  authors  that  he  had 
searched  in  every  place  wherein  they  mentioned  baptism,  and  that  he  found  not  one  word  to  the  pur- 
pose; and  therefore  concludes,  that  he  was  obliged  to  say,  and  was  ready  to  make  it  good,  that  no 
honest  mail  why  understands  the  Greek  tongue,  can  deny  that  the  word  signifies  to  '  wash,'  as  well 
as  to  '  dip.' 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  507 

the  subject ;  because  great  stress  is  usually  laid  on  the  sense  of  the  word,  to  estab- 
lish that  mode  of  baptism  which  is  always  used  by  those  who  are  on  the  other  side 
of  the  question.  I  shall  only  add  to  what  the  learned  Dr.  Owen  has  observed,  that 
it  does  not  appear  to  me  that  the  word  jWr/?>  always  signifies  to  wash,  by  dipping 
into  water,  but  that  it  also  means  to  wash  by  the  application  of  water  in  some  other 
way  ;  because  it  is  sometimes  applied  to  things  which  were  too  large  and  cumber- 
some, and  therefore  could  not  well  be  cleansed  in  that  way.  Thus  it  is  said  that 
the  Pharisees  '  held  the  washing,'  or,  as  it  is  in  the  Greek,  the  baptism  not  only  'of 
cups  and  pots,  and  brazen  vessels,' *  which  might,  indeed,  be  washed  by  immersion, 
but  of  '  tables,'  or,  as  it  may  be  rendered,  of  '  beds,'  or  those  seats  on  which  the 
Jews,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  eastern  nations,  lay  at  their  ease  when  they 
eat  their  meals.  These,  I  conceive,  were  washed  in  some  way  different  from  that 
of  dipping  or  plunging  in  water ;  and  even  if  it  were  possible  that  they  might  be 
washed  in  that  way,  still  the  word  may  be  applied  to  innumerable  things  which 
cannot  be  baptized  by  immersion.  Hence,  the  general  sense  which  we  have  given 
of  it,  that  it  signifies  to  wash,  whether  by  dipping  into  the  water,  or  by  the  appli- 
cation of  water  to  the  thing  washed,  may  justify  our  practice  with  respect  to  the 
mode  of  baptism  commonly  used  by  us. 

It  is  objected  that  the  mode  used  by  us  is  not  properly  baptism,  but  rantism  ; 
or,  that  to  sprinkle  or  pour,  is  not  to  baptize.  But  this  method  of  begging  the 
question  in  controversy,  is  never  reckoned  a  fair  way  of  arguing.  If  baptism  be  a 
using  of  the  means  of  cleansing  by  the  application  of  water,  which  is  the  thing  we 
contend  for,  then  the  word  'baptize '  may  as  well  be  applied  to  sprinkling  or  pour- 
ing as  to  any  other  mode  of  washing.  Besides,  if  the  thing  signified  by  the  action 
of  baptizing,  namely,  the  blood  of  Jesus,  together  with  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the 
Spirit  which  are  applied  to  those  to  whom  God  makes  baptism  a  saving  ordinance, 
be  sometimes  set  forth  by  sprinkling  or  pouring  clean  water  upon  a  person,  then  it 
cannot  well  be  concluded  that  sprinkling  or  pouring  is  not  baptizing,  though  it 
differs  very  much  from  that  which  they  who  contend  with  us  about  this  matter 
generally  call  baptizing.  That  the  word  sprinkling  or  pouring  is  sometimes  used 
in  scripture,  to  signify  the  conferring  of  those  spiritual  gifts  and  graces  which  are 
signified  in  baptism,  is  very  evident.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin  ;'u  and  the  blood  of  Christ  is  called  'the  blood  of 
sprinkling.'1  In  a  spiritual  sense,  therefore,  sprinkling  is  called  cleansing  from  sin. 
Moreover,  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  conferred  in  regeneration,  are  represented  by 
'  sprinkling  clean  water  ;'y  and  this  mode  of  speaking  would  never  be  used,  were 
not  sprinkling  a  means  of  cleansing.  Some  think,  too,  that  the  apostle,  when  he 
speaks  of  our  '  drawing  near  to  Cod,  having  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water,'2 
intends  the  ordinance  of  bapti.-ni  ;  and  that  he  refers  to  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
it  when  he  speaks  of  having  ■  the  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience.'  But, 
if  his  words  do  not  denote  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  they  at  least  allude  to  the 
ceremonial  cleansings  under  the  law,  which  were  often  performed  by  sprinkling. 
We  cannot  but  assert,  therefore,  that  sprinkling  water  in  baptism,  is  as  much 
cleansing  as  any  other  mode  used.  Moreover,  sometimes  the  thing  signified  in 
baptism,  is  represented  by  a  metaphor  taken  from  pouring  ;  which,  if  our  mode  of 
baptizing  be  just,  will  not  seem  disagreeable  to  it.  Perhaps,  indeed,  the  explana- 
tion of  the  metaphor  turns  upon  this  mode  of  baptizing  ;  as  the  conferring  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  they  who  were  baptized  were  given  to  expect,  is  often  called 
'pouring  out  the  Spirit. 'a 

There  is  another  objection  which  is  concluded  by  many  to  be  unanswerable, 
namely,  that  when  we  read  of  baptism  in  the  New  Testament,  the  person  baptized 
is  said  to  have  'gone  down  into  the  water.'  This  the  eunuch  did  ;b  and  imme- 
diately afterwards  he  is  said  to  have  '  come  up  out  of  the  water.'  Now  this  lan- 
guage, it  is  supposed,  can  be  applied  to  no  other  mode  of  baptism  than  that  of  im- 
mersion. The  whole  strength  of  this  objection  depends  upon  the  sense  which  is 
given  of  the  Greek  particles  which  we  often  render  'into'  and  'out  of.'c     Hence, 

t  Mi.rk  vii.  4.  u  1  John  i.  7.  x  Heb.  xii.  24 ;  1  Pet.  i.  2.  y  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25—27. 

z  Hib.  x.  22.  a  Acts  ii.  17,  18;  chap.  x.  45.  b  Chap.  viii.  38.  c  E,t  and  ig. 


508  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

the  objection  will  have  no  weight  with  any  but  those  who  are  unacquainted  with 
the  Greek  language  ;  for  it  is  well  known  to  all  who  understand  it,  that  the 
former  of  these '  particles  often  signifies  'to,'  as  well  as  'into,'  and  the  latter 
1  from,'  as  well  as  '  out  of.'  Innumerable  instances,  were  it  needful,  might  easily 
be  given  from  scripture  and  other  Greek  authors,  in  which  the  words  are  applied 
to  things  which,  according  to  the  natural  signification,  cannot  be  understood  a« 
denoting  'into'  or  'out  of.'  There  is  one  scripture  which  no  one  can  suppose 
is  to  be  taken  in  any  other  sense  but  what  is  agreeable  to  our  present  purpose, 
—namely,  that  in  which  our  Saviour  bids  Peter  'go  to  the  sea,d  and  cast  a  hook, 
and  take  up  the  fish  that  first  cometh  thence, ' e  &c.  Here,  by  'go  to  the  sea,' 
we  can  understand  nothing  else  but,  go  to  the  sea-shore;  and  yet  the  word  is  the 
same  as  that  which  is,  in  some  other  places,  rendered  'into.'  There  are  other 
scriptures  in  which  persons  are  said  to  'go  to  the  mountain,'  or  some  other  places, 
in  respect  to  which  it  would  be  very  improper  to  say,  that  they  went  into  them  ; 
though  the  word  is  the  same  as  that  which  in  other  instances  we  render  'into.' 
Again,  the  wordf  which  is  sometimes  rendered  ',out  of,' is  frequently  rendered 
'from,'  and  can  be  understood  in  no  other  sense.  Thus,  when  it  is  said,  'The 
queen  of  the  south  came  from  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth,  to  hear  the  wisdom  of 
Solomon  ;'s  the  words  cannot  be  understood  of  her  coming  '  out  of '  but  '  from '  the 
parts  of  the  earth  referred  to.  But,  this  matter  being  so  well  known  to  all  who 
read  the  New  Testament  in  the  original,  it  is  needless  for  me  to  give  any  other  in- 
stances.11 As  to  the  eunuch's  'going  into  the  water,'  I  cannot  think  any  thing  else 
is  intended,  but  that  he  descended  or  alighted  from  his  chariot  to  the  water,  that  is, 
by  a  metonymy,  to  the  water-side,  in  order  to  his  being  baptized  by  Philip.  It  is 
no  uncommon  mode  of  speaking,  to  say  that  a  person  goes  down  to  the  river-side 
to  take  water,  or  to  the  well  to  draw  it;  so  that  the  interpretation  I  have  given  is 
no  strain  on  the  sense  of  the  word.  I  am  the  rather  inclined  to  adopt  this  opinion 
that  some  modern  travellers,  taking  notice  of  the  place  where  the  eunuch  was  bap- 
tized, intimate  that  it  was  only  a  spring  of  water,  and  therefore  without  sufficient 
depth  to  plunge  the  body  in.  Some  ancient  writers,  who  lived  between  three  and 
four  hundred  ^ears  after  our  Saviour's  time,  as  Jerome  and  Eusebius,  intimate  the 
same  thing.  If  it  be  said,  that  these  may  be  mistaken  as  to  the  place,  inasmuch 
as  the  particular  spot  of  ground  in  which  this  water  was,  is  not  mentioned  in  scrip- 
ture ;  I  will  not  lay  much  stress  upon  the  matter.  I  cannot  but  observe,  however, 
that  the  place  is  represented  by  a  diminutive  expression  ;  for  it  is  said,  '  they  came 
to  a  certain  water, 'that  is,  probably,  a  brook  which  was  by  the  way-side;  not  a 
river,  or  a  great  collection  of  water.  It  is  observed,  too,  that  Philip,  as  well  as 
the  eunuch,  '  went  down  into  the  water ;'  though  none  suppose  that  he  was  plunged 
in  the  water.  It  does  not,  therefore  certainly  appear,  from  the  sense  of  the  word, 
that  the  eunuch  was  plunged,  unless  the  matter  in  controversy  be  taken  for  granted, 
that  baptism  can  be  performed  in  no  other  way  than  by  plunging.  Moreover,  '  to 
go  down  to  the  water,'  does  not  always  signify,  in  other  scriptures,  going  down  to 
the  bottom  of  the  water.  Thus,  when  the  psalmist  speaks  of  those  who  '  go  down 
to  the  sea  in  ships,'1  he  does  not  mean  those  who  go  down  to  the  bottom  of  it ;  so  that 
going  down  to  the  water,  does  not  always  signify  being  plunged  in  it.  As  for  what  is 
said  concerning  Philip  and  the  eunuch's  'coming  up  out  of  the  water,'  it  may  very 
fairly  be  understood  of  their  returning  from  the  water-side,  and  of  the  eunuch's  going 
up  again  into  his  chariot.  Besides,  I  cannot  but  think  that,  in  this  and  all  other  places 
where  persons  are  said  to  '  come  up  out  of  the  water,'  the  expression  denotes  an  action 
performed  with  design,  and  in  the  perfect  exercise  of  the  understanding  on  the  part  of 
him  who  does  it.  But  this  idea  does  not  correspond  with  the  situation  of  one  who  is  at 
the  bottom  of  the  water,  and  cannot  well  come  up  thence,  unless  by  the  help  of  him 
who  baptizes  him.   The  sense  which  we  have  given  of  the  words  '  coming  up  out  of  the 

d  Eit  e*»  6aXa*»tt.i.  e  Matt.  xvii.  27.  f  E»-  g  Luke  xi.  31. 

h  If  any  one  h«s  a  miikl  to  see  how  these  particles,  at  and  i«,  are  used  in  the  New  Testament, 
he  may  consult  Schmid.  Concord,  in  voc.  u$  mid  ix,  where  there  are  a  great  number  of  places  men- 
tioned, in  which  these  words  are  used ;  and  it  will  hardly  he  thought,  by  any  impartial  reader, 
that  the  greater  part  of  them  can  be  rendered  bv  '  into '  or  '  out  of/  but  rather  'to  *  or  '  from.' 

i  Psal.  cvii.  23. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE   OF  BAPTISM.  bQd 

water,'  i^  agreeable  to  what  ia  said  ronceinhig  our  Saviour  at  his  baptism,  'Jesus 
went  up  straightway  out  of  the  water. 'k  But  here  there  seems  to  be  a  mistake  in 
our  translation ;  for  the  words  ««■«  rou  Hares  should  have  been  rendered  '  from  the 
water;'  and  the  idea  expressed  by  them  is  of  the  same  import  as  the  sense  of  the 
Greek  particle  i»,  when  a  person  is  said  to  'come  up  out  of  the  water.' 

It  is  further  objected,  that  it  seems  very  evident  that  John  the  Baptist  used  no 
mode  but  that  of  immersion  ;  because  he  chose  those  places  to  exercise  this  part  of 
his  ministry  in,  which  were  well  supplied  with  water,  sufficient  for  this  purpose.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  first  read  of  his  removing  from  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  in  which  'he 
preached  the  doctrine  of  repentance,'  and  told  the  people  that  'the  kingdom  of 
heaven,'  that  is,  the  gospel-state,  which  was  to  begin  with  the  appearing  of  the 
Messiah,  '  was  at  hand  ;'  then  we  read  of  his  removing  to  the  banks  of  the  river 
Jordan,  for  the  conveniency  of  baptizing  those  who  came  to  him  for  that  purpose  ; 
and  afterwards,  we  read  of  another  station  in  which  he  resided,  namely,  '  iEnon, 
near  to  Salim,'  it  being  assigned  as  the  reason  that  'there  was  much  water  there.'1 
Now,  say  the  objectors,  if  he  had  baptized  by  sprinkling  or  pouring  a  little  water 
on  the  face,  he  had  no  need  to  remove  out  of  the  wilderness  of  Judea  ;  for  what- 
ever scarcity  of  water  there  might  be  there,  it  was  no  difficult  matter  for  him  to  be 
supplied  with  enough  to  serve  his  occasion,  had  this  been  his  mode  of  baptizing. 
But  though  John  removed  to  Jordan  and  iEnon,  that  he  might  be  well  supplied 
with  water,  as  he  daily  wanted  large  quantities  of  it ;  it  does  not  necessarily  fol- 
low, that  he  did  this  for  the  sake  of  practising  immersion.  Nor  does  it  sufficiently 
appear  to  me,  thatiEnon  afforded  water  deep  enough  for  a  person  to  be  immersed; 
for  it  seems  to  have  been  but  a  small  tract  of  land,  in  which  it  is  hardly  probable 
that  there  were  many  lakes,  or  rivers  of  water,  which  is  as  much  as  can  be  said 
concerning  a  well- watered  country.  I  think,  the  words  m  ought  to  have  been  ren- 
dered '  many  waters  ;'  by  which  we  are  to  understand,  as  Dr.  Lightfoot  observes, 
that  JEnon  was  a  place  of  springs'1  or  small  brooks  of  water.  This  place  John 
chose  that  he  might  be  supplied  with  water  for  his  use  ;  but  it  does  not,  I  think, 
necessarily  follow,  that  he  baptized  by  immersion.  Besides,  if  there  had  been  a 
great  collection  of  waters  there,  there  would  have  been  some  indications  of  them 
at  this  day  ;  but  I  believe,  it  would  be  hard  to  prove  that  there  are  any  such.  As 
to  the  other  part  of  the  objection,  that  it  was  a  very  easy  matter  for  him  to  have 
been  supplied  with  water  in  the  wilderness  of  Judea,  to  baptize  by  sprinkling  or 
pouring,  by  his  having  it  brought  to  him  in  vessels  for  that  purpose  ;  we  reply,  that 
if  he  had  only  poured  water  on  the  head  or  face,  there  is  no  need  to  suppose  that 
he  was  so  sparing  of  it  as  not  to  use  above  a  spoonful,  especially  when  it  was  so 
easy  a  matter  for  him,  by  his  removing  to  another  station,  to  be  better  supplied. 
If  there  was  but  a  little  water  poured  on  every  one  who  came  to  be  baptized  by 
him,  it  would  require  a  very  great  quantity  of  water  to  baptize  the  vast  multitudes 
who  came  ;  for  it  is  said,  that  '  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the  region  round 
about  Jordan,  were  baptized  of  him.'  It  is  one  thing  for  a  little  water  to  be  brought 
in  a  bason  to  baptize  a  person  or  two,  and  another  thing  for  this  to  be  done  in  the 
case  under  consideration.  Moreover,  it  is  certain,  that  in  hot  countries,  particu- 
larly in  Judea,  and  more  especially  in  the  wilderness  of  that  country,  there  was  a 
very  great  scarcity  of  water.  Accordingly,  we  read  that  sometimes  water  was  so 
valuable  a  thing,  that  it  was  reckoned  a  very  considerable  part  of  a  man's  estate. 
Thus  Isaac  was  envied  by  the  Philistines  for  all  the  wells  his  father's  servants  had 
digged ;  and  then  we  read  of  their  stopping  them  up,  and  of  his  digging  other  wells ; 
and  also  of  the  strife  between  the  herdsmen  of  Gerar  and  his  herdsmen,  for  the 
possession  of  them.0  We  read  likewise, p  that  when  Abraham  sent  Hagar  away 
from  him  with  Ishmael,  he  gave  her  bread,  and  'a  bottle  of  water ;'  and  that  'when 
the  water  was  spent  in  the  bottle,  she  cast  the  child  under  one  of  the  shrubs,'  de- 
spairing of  his  life  ;  which  she  needed  not  have  done,  if  water  was  so  easy  to  come 
by  as  is  supposed  in  the  objection.  It  is  certain  that  a  person  may  travel  many 
miles  in  those  desert  places  without  finding  water  to  quench  his  thirst.     This  far- 

k  Matt.  iii.  16.  1  John  iii.  23.  in  '"tiara.  xoXXa.  n  See  Lightfoot's  works, 

vol.  i.  page  500.  o  Gen.  xxvi.  14 — 20.  p  Gen.  xxi.  14 — 16. 


510  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

ther  appears  from  Samson's  having  been  'ready  to  die  for  thirst,'  after  the 
great  victory  he  obtained  over  the  Philistines.  On  that  occasion,  God  wrought 
a  miracle  to  supply  him, q  a  fact  which  can  hardly  be  accounted  for,  if  there  had 
been  as  great  plenty  of  water  in  that  country  as  there  is  in  ours.  The  scarcity  of 
water,  then,  I  apprehend  to  have  been  the  reason  of  John's  removal  to  Jordan  and 
jEnon  ;  so  that  that  removal  does  not  necessarily  prove  that  his  design  was  to  bap- 
tize in  the  way  pleaded  for  by  those  on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  Moreover, 
as  it  does  not  sufficiently  appear  to  me,  from  any  thing  contained  in  the  objection, 
that  John  used  immersion  in  baptism  ;  so  it  seems  most  agreeable  to  some  circum- 
stances which  attended  it,  to  conclude  that  he  did  not.  There  was,  for  example, 
no  conveniency  for  the  change  of  their  garments,  nor  servants  appointed  to  help 
them  in  changing  them  ;  though  attention  to  this  matter  would  seem  to  have  been 
necessary  to  answer  the  occasion.  Some  have  supposed,  too,  that  immersion  might 
endanger  the  health  of  those  who  were  infirm  among  them  ;  and  especially  that 
John's  health  would  be  endangered,  who  was  obliged  to  stand  many  days  together 
in  the  water,  or  at  least  the  greater  part  of  each  day,  while  he  was  administering 
this  ordinance.  They  who  were  baptized  must  immediately  have  retired  when  the 
ordinance  was  over,  or  their  health  would  have  suffered  ;  unless  we  have  recourse 
to  a  dispensation  of  providence,  which  must  have  been  next  to  miraculous.  I  am 
sensible,  indeed,  that  some  say  that  none  ever  suffered  by  being  immersed  in  bap- 
tism in  our  day  ;  and  if  the  observation  be  true,  it  is  a  kind  providence  which  they 
ought  to  be  thankful  for. 

But  if,  after  all  that  has  been  said  on  this  matter,  it  will  not  be  allowed  that 
baptism  signifies  any  thing  else  but  dipping  in  water  ;  then  I  might  farther  allege 
that  it  might  be  done  by  dipping  the  face,  which  is  the  principal  part  of  the  body, 
without  plunging  the  whole  body.  This  might  answer  the  design  of  the  ordinance 
as  well  as  the  other  ;  since  it  is  not  the  quantity  used  in  a  sacramental  sign,  which 
is  so  much  to  be  regarded  as  the  action  performed,  together  with  the  matter  of  it. 
If  the  smallest  piece  of  bread,  and  a  spoonful  of  wine  are  used  in  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, they  are  generally  reckoned  as  well-adapted  to  answer  the  design  of  the  ordi- 
nance, as  if  a  great  quantity  of  each  were  received  by  every  one  who  partakes. 
Now,  as  to  our  present  argument,  the  washing  of  a  part  of  the  body  is  deemed 
sufficient  to  signify  the  thing  intended,  as  much  as  if  the  whole  body  were  washed. 
We  see  an  illustration  of  this  in  the  instance  of  our  Saviour's  washing  his  disciples' 
feet.  When  he  told  Peter,  that  '  if  he  washed  him  not,  he  had  no  part  in  him,'r 
he  called  washing  his  feet,  washing  him,  by  a  synecdoche,  of  a  part  for  the  whole ; 
and  when  Peter  replied,  '  Not  my  feet  only,  but  also  my  hands  and  my  head,' 
Jesus  answered,  '  He  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash  his  feet,  but  is  clean 
every  whit.'s  Here,  I  think,  he  means  that  the  action  signified  that  the  cleansing, 
which  is  the  spiritual  meaning  of  washing,  was  as  complete  as  if  the  whole  body 
had  been  washed  with  water ;  for  though  one  design  of  the  action  might  be  to  teach 
the  disciples  humility  and  brotherly  kindness,  yet  it  also  signified  their  being  washed 
or  cleansed  by  his  blood  and  Spirit. 

There  is  another  objection  on  which  very  much  stress  is  generally  laid,  which  I 
should  not  do  justice  to  the  cause  I  am  maintaining,  if  I  should  wholly  pass  over. 
This  objection  is  taken  from  these  words  of  the  apostle,  '  So  many  of  us  as  were 
baptized  into  Christ  Jesus,  were  baptized  into  his  death.  Therefore  we  were  buried 
with  him  by  baptism  into  death  ;  that,  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead 
by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life.  For 
if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in 
the  likeness  of  his  resurrection.'*  From  this  passage  it  is  argued  that  there  ought 
to  be  a  similitude  between  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified,  and,  consequently,  that 
baptism  should  be  performed  in  such  a  way  that,  by  being  covered  with  water, 
there  might  be  a  resemblance  of  Christ's  burial,  and  by  being  lifted  up  out  of  the 
water,  a  resemblance  of  his  resurrection.  Hence,  say  the  objectors,  this  ordinance 
signifies  not  only  the  using  of  the  means  of  cleansing  with  water,  but  the  mode, 
namely,  being  plunged,  or  as  it  were  buried,  in  water.    We  reply,  that  it  is  not  agree- 

q  Judges  xv.  18,  19.  r  John  xiii.  5,  &c.  s  Ver.  10.  t  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  5. 


THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM.  511 

able  to  the  nature  of  a  sacramental  sign  in  any  other  instance,  that  there  should 
be  an  analogy  between  the  thing  done,  and  what  is  signified  by  it,  any  otherwise 
than  by  divine  appointment.  Accordingly,  we  observed  under  the  foregoing  Answer, 
that  a  sacrament  has  not  a  natural  tendency  to  signify  Christ  and  his  benefits. 
Thus  eating  bread  and  drinking  wine  do  not  signify  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
any  otherwise  than  as  this  signification  is  annexed  by  our  Saviour  to  the  action 
performed.  Now,  the  same,  1  think,  may  be  applied  to  baptism  ;  especially  our 
consecration  and  dedication  to  God  in  it.  If  any  other  external  sign  had  been  in- 
stituted, to  signify  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  we  should  have  been  as 
much  obliged  to  make  use  of  it  as  we  are  of  water.  I  conceive,  then,  that  the 
apostle,  in  this  scripture,  refers,  not  to  our  being  buried  in  water  or  taken"  out  of 
it,  as  a  natural  sign  of  Christ's  burial  and  resurrection,  but  to  our  having  com- 
munion with  him  in  his  burial  and  resurrection.  This,  I  think,  would  hardly  be 
denied  by  many  on  the  other  side  of  the  question,  did  not  the  objection  just  men- 
tioned, and  the  cause  they  maintain,  render  it  expedient  for  them  to  understand 
the  words  in  another  sense.u 

I  forbear  to  say  more  as  to  the  subjects  and  the  mode  of  baptism.  As  I  should 
have  been  unfaithful  had  I  said  less  ;  so  I  have  not  the  least  inclination  to  treat 
in  an  unfriendly  way  those  who  differ  from  me,  having  a  just  sense  of  their  har- 
mony with  us,  especially  a  great  part  of  them,  in  those  doctrines  which  have  a 
more  immediate  reference  to  our  salvation. 

Abuse  of  the  Ordinance  of  Baptism. 

As  there  are  some  who  appear  to  be  grossly  ignorant  of  the  thing  signified  in 
baptism,  who  seem  to  engage  in  it  as  though  it  were  not  a  divine  institution,  con- 
cluding it  to  be  little  more  than  an  external  rite  or  form  to  be  used  in  giving  the 
child  a  name,  and  induced  to  observe  it  rather  by  custom  than  by  a  sense  of  the 
obligation  they  are  under  to  give  up  their  children  to  God  by  faith  ;  so  there  are 
others  who  attribute  too  much  to  it.  They  assert  that  infants  are  regenerated  by 
it ;  and  that  if  they  die  before  they  commit  actual  sin,  they  are  undoubtedly  saved, 
inasmuch  as  they  are  by  baptism  made  members  of  Christ,  children  of  God,  and 
heirs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  opinion  seems  to  be  an  ascribing  of  that  to 
the  ordinance,  which  is  rather  expected  or  desired  in  it  than  conferred  by  it. 

As  for  the  child  being  signed  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  signifying  hereby  that 
he  should  not  be  asbamed  to  confess  the  faith  of  Christ  crucified,  but  should  man- 
fully fight  under  his  banner  against  sin,  the  world,  and  the  devil ;  how  much  soever 
these  duties  may  be  a  branch  of  that  baptismal  obligation  which  he  is  professedly 
laid  under,  I  cannot  see  what  warrant  persons  have  to  make  use  of  this  external 
sign  and  symbol ;  for  it  can  be  reckoned  no  other  than  an  ordinance  for  their  faith, 
though  destitute  of  a  divine  institution. 

There  is  another  thing  practised  by  some  in  baptism  which  is  greatly  abused, 
namely,  requiring  that  some  should  be  appointed  as  sureties  for  the  child.  These 
personate  it,  and  engage,  in  a  solemn  manner,  in  its  behalf,  that  it  shall  fulfil  the 
obligation  which  it  is  laid  under.  They  thus  not  only  undertake  more  than  what 
is  in  their  power  to  perform  ;  but,  the  greater  part  of  them,  it  is  to  be  feared, 
hardly  think  themselves  obliged  to  show  any  concern  about  the  children  afterwards. 
What  is  farther  exceptionable  in  this  matter  is,  that  the  parents,  who  are  more 
immediately  obliged  to  give  their  children  up  to  God,  seem  to  be,  as  it  were,  ex- 
cluded from  having  any  hand  in  the  matter.  I  have  nothing  to  except  against 
the  origin  of  this  practice  ;  which  was  in  the  second  century,  when  the  church  was 
tinder  persecution.  The  design  of  it  was  laudable  and  good,  namely,  that  if  the 
parents  should  die  before  the  child  came  of  age,  so  that  it  would  be  in  danger  of 
being  seized  by  the  heathen,  and  trained  up  in  their  superstitious  and  idolatrous 
mode  of  worship,  the  sureties  promised,  that  they  would  deal  with  it  as  if  it  were 
their  own  child,  and  bring  it  up  in  the  Christian  religion.  Yet  this  kind  and 
pious  concern  for  its  welfare  might  have  been  better  expressed  at  some  other  time 

u  See  Sect.  '  The  Covenant  of  Grace  as  made  with  Man,'  under  Quest,  xxxi ;  and  Sect.  !  Ex- 
amination of  Arguments  lor  Universal  Redemption,'  under  Quest,  xliv. 


512  THE  SUBJECTS  AND  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

than  at  its  baptism  ;  and  so  have  prevented  it  from  being  thought  an  appendix  to 
that  ordinance.  Now,  however,  through  the  goodness  of  God,  the  children  of  be- 
lieving parents  are  not  reduced  to  those  hazardous  circumstances  ;  and  therefore 
the  obligation  to  have  sureties  is  less  needful.  But  to  vow,  and  not  perform,  is 
not  only  useless  to  the  child,  but  renders  that  only  a  matter  of  form  which  the 
sureties  promise  in  this  sacred  ordinance  to  do. 

The  only  thing  I  shall  add  under  this  Answer,  is,  that  if  we  have  been  baptized, 
either  in  our  infancy,  or  when  adult,  we  are  obliged,  in  faithfulness,  as  we  value 
our  own  souls,  to  improve  it  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  our  spiritual  welfare  in  the 
whole  conduct  of  our  lives.  And  this  leads  us  to  what  is  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing Answer. 

[Note  Y.  The  Connexion  of  Discipleship  and  Baptism The  verb  p.u&»nvi*,  both  from  its  ety- 
mology, and  from  the  use  made  of  it  in  passages  in  which  it  occurs,  certainly  appears  to  mean  '  to 
make  disciples,'  or  '  to  disciple.'  If  a  person  is  discipled  to  Christ,  or  placed  in  the  ranks  of 
Christian  discipleship,  by  being  drawn  out  from  the  world,  and  brought,  in  real  or  presumptive 
position,  into  connexion  with  the  work  and  cause  of  the  Saviour,  he  may  clearly  be  said  to  be  dis- 
cipled, if  an  adult,  when  he  makes  a  firm  and  consistent  profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  if  an 
infant,  when  his  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Redeemer  is  recognised,  and  his  circumstances  are 
such  as  afford  a  warrant,  should  he  survive  his  infantile  state,  of  his  being  '  brought  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.'  Though  we  cannot  kno-v  who  among  infants  shall  die  in 
infancy,  and  who  among  them  shall  live  till  years  of  understanding ;  yet  we  must  recognise  infants 
as  such,  or  all  of  mankind  who,  by  dying  in  infancy,  are  distinctively  of  the  infantile  class,  as  par- 
takers of  the  great  salvation,  and  as  ranking  with  believers  in  Christ.  See  Note  headed  '  Infant 
Salvation,'  appended  to  Quest,  xxvii.  Sect.  '  The  Condition  of  those  who  die  in  Infancy.'  Now 
while,  on  this  ground,  we  do  not  seem  warranted  to  regard  all  infants  whatever  as  in  a  state  of 
discipleship,  we  certainly  do  seem  warranted — and  not  only  warranted,  but  commanded — to  regard 
all  as  eligible  to  be  put  into  that  state, — and  to  be  put  into  it  simply  by  being  brought  to  the  Sa- 
viour. '  Then  were  there  brought  unto  Jesus  little  children,  that  he  should  put  his  hands  on 
them  and  pray:  and  the  disciples  rebuked  them.  But  Jesus  said,  Suffer  little  children,  and  forbid 
them  not,  to  come  unto  me;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And  he  laid  his  Iramta  on 
them,  and  departed  thence;'  (Matt.  xix.  13 — 15;)  or,  as  another  evangelist  reports,  'he  took  thnn 
up  in  his  arms,  put  his  hands  upon  them,  and  blessed  them,'  Mark  x.  16.  Here  little  children  or 
infants  are  distinctly  commanded  to  be  brought  to  Christ, — to  be  brought  to  him,  on  the  ground 
that  '  of  them  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven;'  and,  in  connexion  jointly  with  their  being  of  the  v\a*i 
who  as  such,  or  dying  in  infancy,  are  all  saved,  and  with  their  being  brought  to  the  Redei'mer, 
they  have  conferred  upon  them  external  marks  of  his  favour  as  distinguishing  as  any  which  lie 
ever  conferred  upon  adults  who  professed  to  renounce  the  world  and  follow  him, — they  are  taken 
into  his  arms,  have  his  hands  placed  upon  them,  and  receive  his  blessing.  Are  they  not,  then, 
placed  truly  and  literally  in  the  condition  of  discipleship?  The  very  language  used  in  reference 
to  their  being  brought  to  Christ,  is,  in  fact,  exactly  that  which  the  scriptures  currently  employ  in 
reference  to  the  discipling  of  adults.  '  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,'  said  the  Saviour  in 
reference  to  infants ;  and,  '  Come  unto  m  ,  all  ye  that  are  weary  and  heavy  laden,'  he  says  ill  refer- 
ence to  adults.  For  an  adult,  therefore,  to  renounce  idolatry  and  irreligion,  and  make  an  open  and 
credible  profession  of  attachment  to  the  Saviour,  seems  to  be  no  more,  as  to  the  position  into 
which  it  puts  him,  or  the  external  character  with  which  it  invests  him,  than  for  an  infant  to  be 
brought  to  Christ, — to  be  carried  to  him  to  receive  his  blessing, — to  be  placed  in  circumstances  in 
which  he  shall,  from  the  first  openings  of  his  understanding,  hear  the  Saviour's  name,  and  witness 
the  true  worship  of  God,  and  enjoy  the  benefits  of  evangelical  instruction.  An  infant  in  thesp 
circumstances,  then,  or  one  who  is  born  of  devout  parents,  or  who  is  daily  commended  to  God  in 
prayer  by  devout  guardians,  or  who  breathes  the  same  air  with  a  true  Christian  who  tends  him, 
and  watches  over  him,  and  ■  gives  him  to  the  Lord,'  is  really  discipled, — he  is  in  the  school  of 
Christ, — he  ranks,  not  with  a  community  of  idolaters  or  of  practical  infidels,  but  with  the  commu- 
nity of  those  who  have  said,  '  We  are  the  Lord's,  and  have  called  themselves  by  the  name  of  Jacob; 
who  have  subscribed  with  their  hand  unto  the  Lord,  and  surnamed  themselves  by  the  name  of 
Israel,'  and  to  whom  the  Most  High  has  promised,  '  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  your  seed,  and  my 
blessing  upon  your  offspring;  and  they  shall  spring  up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by  the 
water-courses,*  Isa.  xliv.  3 — 5. 

If  infants  brought  to  Christ,  then,  are  discipled,  what  follows  but  that  they  must  be  baptized?  The 
command  is,  '  Go  ye  and  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you.'  The  discipling  appears  clearly  to  be  quite  distinct  from  both  the  baptizing  and  the  teaching, 
and  to  be  the  basis,  the  antecedent,  or  the  limit  of  their  being  administered.  Persons,  in  the  first 
instance,  are  to  be  brought  to  Christ, — to  be  inducted  into  his  school, — to  be  led  into  a  fair  pro- 
fession of  adhesion  to  him,  if  adults,  and  placed  in  circumstances  of  Christian  nurture,  if  infants; 
and  then,  as  many  as  are  thus  discipled,  are  to  be  baptized  or  made  subjects  of  the  initiatory  Chris- 
tian ordinance,  and  afterwards  taught  all  those  lessons  which  are  suitable  to  the  condition  of  Chris- 
tian discipleship.  The  apostles,  in  other  words,  were  commanded,  in  our  Lord's  commission,  to 
make  disciples,  to  administer  baptism,  and  to  instruct  believers, — to  draw  men  into  the  condition 
cf  Christ's  followers,  to  organize  thern  into  churches,  and  to  impart  to  them  all  the  elements  and 
details  un<l  higher  departments  of  a  believer's  knowledge.     According  to  Mark,  indeed,  the  first 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  BAPTISM.  513 

part  of  the  commission  was,  *  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,' 
Mark  xvi.  15.  But  we  are  not,  from  this  reading  in  Mark,  to  infer,  as  Dr.  Ridgeley  does,  that 
preaching  the  gospel  and  discipling  are  convertible  terms, — and  still  less,  tliat  discipling  all  nations 
is  the  same  thing  as  '  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  Christ  had  commanded.' 
Kngwiriiv  to  wttyyiKiov,  the  phrase  used  by  Mark,  and  translated  to  '  preach  the  gospel,'  is,  as  every 
one  admits,  of  radically  the  same  import  as  the  verb  toxyyiki£u» :  indeed,  both,  when  the  latter  is 
used  in  Feference  strictly  to  the  gospel,  are  capable  only  of  one  and  the  same  translation.  Now, 
it  is  said  respecting  Paul  and  Harnabas  at  Derbe,  '  When  they  had  preached  the  gospel  to  that 
city,  and  had  discipled  many,  ivayyiXirafttnti  r%  t»v  *o\i*  ixuvnt,  x«  f*a&r,rivirizvris  ixavov;,  they  re- 
turned again  to  Lystra.'  Here  preaching  the  gospel  and  discipling  are  quite  distinct:  the  former 
had  reference  to  '  the  city,'  or  the  general  body  of  the  inhabitants,  while  the  latter  had  reference, 
only  to  '  many,'  or  to  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  were  induced  to  renounce  Judaism  or  idolatry, 
and  profess  apparently  sincere  adoption  of  the  Christian  faith.  Discipling,  therefore,  was  not  the 
work  of  preaching  the  gospel,  but  the  aim  of  those  who  engaged  in  it,  and  the  outward  or  visible 
result  of  their  labours.  The  apostles  are  hence  said,  by  one  evangelist,  to  have  been  commis- 
sioned to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature, — and,  by  another  evangelist,  to  have  been  commis- 
sioned to  disciple  all  nations,  simply  because  they  are  viewed  by  the  former  in  reference  to  their 
work  itself,  and  by  the  latter  in  reference  to  its  object, — or  by  the  one  in  reference  to  the  means 
they  should  employ,  and  by  the  other  in  reference  to  the  end  they  should  accomplish.  Discipling 
and  pieaching  are  related  to  each  other  as  a  work  and  its  result,  or  as  an  instrument  and  its  effect. 
Nor  is  discipling,  on  the  other  hand,  to  be  identified  with  ■  teaching  all  things  whatsoever  Christ  had 
commanded.'  The  apostles  themselves  were  made  disciples  when  they  knew  only  the  general 
truths  respecting  the  work  and  person  of  the  Messiah,  and  were  called  disciples,  and  treated  as 
such  during  the  whole  period  of  their  learning  his  detailed  commands,  or  his  particular  instruction! 
regarding  the  nature  of  his  kingdom  and  the  duties  of  his  subjects.  If  discipling  were  effected 
only  by  'teaching  all  things  whatsoever  Christ  has  commanded,'  or  by  men's  acquiring  all  the  par- 
ticulars of  Christian  knowledge,  no  persons  whatever  could,  in  any  propriety  of  language,  be 
viewed  as  disciples  till  they  join  '  the  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect,'  or  till  at  least  they  be- 
come old  men  and  fathers  in  Christ.  But  if  the  teaching  mentioned  in  the  apostolic  commission 
be  distinct  from  discipling,  so  also  is  baptizing.  Either  baptizing  men  and  teaching  them  all 
things  must  jointly  constitute  the  discipling  of  them,  since  the  two  are  mentioned  conjointly  after 
the  command  to  disciple;  or  they  must  both  be  distinct  from  it,  and  subsequent  to  it,  in  order  and 
occurrence.  Discipling,  therefore,  being  manifestly  distinct  from  the  '  teaching  of  all  things,'  it  is 
no  less  distinct  from  baptizing;  nor,  as  I  have  already  shown,  is  it  less  distinct  from  preaching  the 
gospel.  It  follows  the  last  of  these,  and  precedes  the  first  and  the  second.  The  order  of  the  four 
is,  "preaching  the  gospel,  discipling,  baptizing,  and  teaching  all  things  which  our  Lord  has  com 
manded.  What,  then,  is  discipling, — what  can  it  be  but  bringing  men  into  the  position  of  dis- 
ciples of  the  Saviour, — drawing  them  away  from  the  world,  and  attaching  them  to  his  cause, — 
attracting  them  from  the  school  of  error  and  delusion,  and  placing  them  in  the  school  of  the  Re- 
deemer? But  all  adults  who  make  a  consistent  profession  of  believing  the  gospel,  and  all  infants 
who  are  brought  to  Christ,  or  placed  in  circumstances  to  be  'trained  up  in  the  nurture  and  admo- 
nition of  the  Lord,'  are  thus  discipled.  What  follows,  then,  but  that  all  such  infants,  as  well 
as  adults,  are  to  be  baptized, — the  command  being,  '  Go  ye  and  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost?' — Ed.] 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  BAPTISM. 

Question  CLXVII.  How  is  our  baptism  to  be  improved  by  us  ? 

Answer.  The  needful,  but  much  neglected  duty  of  improving  our  baptism,  is  to  be  performed  by 
us  all  our  life  long;  especially  in  the  time  of  temptation,  and  when  »e  are  present  at  the  adminis- 
tration of  it  to  others,  by  serious  and  thankful  consideration  of  the  nature  ol  it,  and  of  the  ends  for 
which  Christ  instituted  it;  the  privileges  and  benefits  conferred  and  si  aleii  thereby,  and  our  solemn 
vow  made  therein,  by  being  humbled  for  our  sinful  defilement,  our  lalhug  short  of,  and  walking 
contrary  to,  the  grace  of  baptism  and  our  engagements,  by  growing  up  10  assurance  of  pardon  of 
sin,  and  of  all  other  blessings  sealed  to  us  in  that  sacrament,  by  drawing  strength  from  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  Christ,  into  whom  we  are  baptized,  for  the  mortih  ing  of  sin.  ami  quickening  of 
grace,  and  by  endeavouring  to  live  by  faith,  to  have  our  conversation  in  holiness  and  righteousness, 
as  those  that  have  therein  given  up  their  names  to  Christ,  and  to  walk  in  brotherly  love,  as  being 
baptized  by  the  same  Spirit,  into  one  body. 

Our  obligation  to  improve  Baptism. 

In  explaining  this  Answer  we  may  observe  that  our  baptism,  together  with  the 
engagements  which  we  are  therein  laid  under  to  be  the  Lord's,  is  to  be  improved 
by  us.  This  duty  is  too  much  neglected.  As  baptism  is  an  ordinance  or  means  of 
grace  for  our  attaining  spiritual  blessings,  we  are  not  only  guilty  of  a  sinful  ne- 
glect, but  we  lose  the  advantage  which  might  otherwise  be  expected,  if  we  do  not 
ii.  3t 


514  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  BAPTISM. 

improve  it  so  as  to  answer  its  valuable  end.  And  when  we  consider  it  as  a  profess- 
ed dedication  to  God,  or  as  a  bond  and  obligation  laid  on  us  to  be  entirely  and  for 
ever  his,  it  cannot  but  be  reckoned  the  highest  affront  offered  to  the  divine  Majesty, 
and  a  being  unsteadfast  in  his  covenant,  for  us  practically  to  disown  the  engagement, 
or,  in  effect,  to  deny  his  right  to  us. 

Now,  it  is  farther  observed,  that  this  duty  is  much  neglected  ;  and  the  reasons  of 
neglecting  it  are  various.  Many  have  very  low  thoughts  of  this  ordinance,  and  un- 
derstand not  its  spiritual  intent  or  meaning,  or  what  it  is  to  improve  it.  These  reckon 
it  no  more  than  an  external  rite,  established  by  custom,  and  commonly  observed  in 
a  Christian  nation,  without  duly  weighing  the  end  and  design  for  which  it  was  insti- 
tuted, or  what  is  signified  by  it.  Others  suppose  that  there  is  nothing  in  it  but  a 
public  declaration,  that  the  person  baptized  is  made  a  Christian,  or  has  that  char- 
acter put  upon  him.  They  know  not  what  it  is  to  be  a  Christian  indeed,  being  utter 
strangers  to  the  life  and  power  of  religion,  and  the  spiritual  blessings  hoped  for  in  our 
baptismal  dedication,  or,  through  the  grace  of  God,  consequent  upon  it.  Others  have, 
indeed,  right  apprehensions  of  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified  ;  yet,  through  the  pre- 
valency  of  corruption,  and  the  pride  and  deceitfulness  of  their  hearts,  they  do  not  fidu- 
cially  give  themselves  up  to  God,  nor  desire  the  spiritual  and  saving  blessings  of  the 
Covenant  of  grace.  These,  therefore,  do  not  improve  their  baptism  ;  and  it  is  to  be 
feared,  that  this  is  the  condition  and  character  of  the  greater  number  of  professors. 

How  Baptism  is  to  be  improved. 

We  are  thus  led  to  consider  how  baptism  is  to  be  improved  by  us.  We  shall 
notice  this  in  several  instances. 

1.  We  are  to  improve  baptism  when  we  are  present  at  the  administration  of  it  to 
others.  We  are  not,  indeed,  at  that  time,  so  immediately  concerned  in  the  ordi- 
nance, as  the  person  who  is  publicly  devoted  to  God  in  it,  yet  we  are  not  to  behave 
ourselves  as  unconcerned  spectators. 

We  are  to  join  in  the  celebration  of  the  ordinance  with  suitable  acts  of  faith 
and  prayer,  as  the  nature  of  the  ordinance  calls  for  them  ;  and  to  adore  the  per- 
sons in  the  Godhead,  whose  name  and  glory  are  mentioned  in  it.  We  are  also  to 
apply  ourselves  to  God  for  the  grace  of  the  covenant  which  is  signified  by  it,  that 
he  would  be  our  God,  as  well  as  the  God  of  the  person  who  is  particularly  given  up 
to  him  in  baptism.  We  are  likewise  to  bewail  the  universal  depravity  of  human 
nature,  and  that  guilt  which  we  bring  with  us  into  the  world,  which  is  signified  in 
infant  baptism.  This,  together  with  the  habit  of  sin  which  we  have  contracted,  is 
confessed  by  those  who  are  baptized  when  adult,  which  we  cannot  but  see  a  great 
deal  of  in  our  daily  experience.  We  ought  also  to  entertain  becoming  thoughts  of 
the  virtue  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  alone 
can  take  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  render  this  ordinance  effectual  to  salvation ; 
and  we  are  to  desire,  not  only  with  respect  to  the  person  baptized,  but  with  respect 
to  ourselves,  that  we  may  be  made  partakers  of  that  grace  which  they  and  we 
equally  stand  in  need  of. — Again,  we  ought  to  confess  before  God,  with  sorrow  and 
shame,  how  defective  we  have  been,  as  to  the  improvement  of  our  baptismal  en- 
gagements,— that,  though  we  have  been  devoted  to  him,  our  hearts  and  affections 
have  been  very  prone  to  depart  from  him.  And  we  ought  to  adore  and  acknow- 
ledge the  goodness  and  faithfulness  of  God,  in  that,  though  we  have  been  unstead- 
fast in  his  covenant,  through  the  treachery  and  deceitfulness  of  our  hearts,  yet  he  has 
been  ever  mindful  of  that  covenant,  and  made  good  its  promises  to  all  his  servants 
who  have  put  their  trust  in  him. 

2.  Our  baptism  is  to  be  improved  by  us,  in  the  time  of  temptation,  in  order  to 
our  resisting  it,  and  preventing  our  being  entangled  and  overcome  by  it.  If  the 
temptation  takes  its  rise  from  the  world,  or  we  are  induced  from  our  prosperous 
circumstances  to  lay  aside  or  be  remiss  in  our  duty  to  God,  we  should  consider 
that,  in  having  been  devoted  to  God  in  our  infancy,  or  in  having  given  ourselves 
up  professedly  to  him  when  adult,  it  has  been  intimated  and  acknowledged  that  ho 
is  our  portion,  better  to  us  than  all  that  we  can  enjoy  in  the  world.  Hence,  we  ought 
to  acquiesce  in  him  as  such,  and  say,  ■  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  BAPTISM.  515 

there  is  none,'  or  nothing,  'upon  the  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee.'* — More- 
over, if  we  are  tempted  to  he  uneasy  and  to  repine  at  the  providence  of  God,  by 
reason  of  the  many  evils  which  befall  us  in  the  world,  we  ought  to  consider  that, 
when  we  were  given  up  to  God,  we  came  under  an  implied  obligation  to  be  con- 
tent to  be  at  his  disposal,  and  to  be  satisfied  with  whatever  he  allots  for  us,  not 
questioning  the  care  and  justice  of  his  providence,  in  which  we  were  under  an  in- 
dispensable obligation  to  acquiesce.  Hence,  when  God  tries  us,  by  bringing  us 
under  various  afflictions,  our  baptismal  engagement  obliges  us  to  say,  '  It  is  the 
Lord,  let  him  do  with  us  what  seemeth^ood  in  his  sight.' — Again,  if  we  are  ex- 
posed to  the  temptations  of  Satan,  or  those  inward  suggestions  whereby  sinful  ob- 
jects are  presented  to  our  thoughts,  and  a  false  gloss  put  upon  them  to  induce  us 
to  desire  them,  we  are  to  improve  our  baptismal  engagement,  by  considering  that 
it  contains  a  solemn  acknowledgment  of  God's  right  to  us,  exclusive  of  all  right  to 
us  on  the  part  of  others.  We  hence  shall  dread  the  thoughts  of  submitting  to  be 
vassals  to  Satan,  which  is,  in  effect,  to  disown  that  allegiance  which  we  owe  to 
God,  and  to  say  that  other  lords  shall  have  dominion  over  us  ;  and  we  shall  feel 
induced  to  adhere  steadfastly  to  God,  as  the  result  of  our  having  been  devoted  to 
him  in  this  ordinance. — Further,  if  we  are  afraid  of  being  ensnared  by  those  wiles 
and  methods  of  deceit  which  Satan  often  makes  use  of,  and  which  are  not  always 
discerned  by  us,  we  are  to  consider  that  we  have  been  devoted  to  Christ  in  bap- 
tism, and  that- — if  we  have,  in  any  instance,  improved  this  solemn  transaction — we 
have  given  ourselves  up  to  him,  in  hope  of  being  under  his  protection,  and  inter- 
ested in  his  intercession,  so  that  though  we  are  '  sifted  as  wheat,'  our  '  faith  may 
not  fail.'  y — Moreover,  when  we  are  assaulted,  and,  as  it  were,  wounded  with  Satan's 
fiery  darts,  whereby  great  discouragements  are  thrown  in  our  way,  the  guilt  of  sin 
magnified  as  though  it  were  unpardonable,  and  the  stain  and  pollution  of  it  repre- 
sented to  be  such  as  can  never  be  washed  away  ;  and  when  we  are  ready  to  con- 
clude that  our  state  is  hopeless,  and  that  the  comforts  we  once  enjoyed  are  irre- 
coverably lost ;  we  are  to  improve  our  baptism  by  considering  that  remission  of 
sins  was  the  blessing  desired  and  hoped  for  in  our  observing  the  ordinance,  inas- 
much as  it  was  signified  by  it.  We  are  hence  to  be  sensible  that  the  blood  of  Christ 
cleanseth  from  all  sin,  and  that,  as  we  were  given  up  to  him  in  hope  of  obtaining 
this  privilege,  and  have  been  enabled  since  then  to  give  ourselves  up  to  him  by 
faith,  and  by  doing  so  to  improve  our  baptismal  engagement,  so  we  trust  that  he 
will  appear  for  us,  rebuke  the  adversary,  establish  our  comfort,  and  enable  us  to 
walk  as  those  who  desire  to  recommend  his  grace  to  others,  that  they  may  be  en- 
couraged to  adhere  to  him,  by  the  comfortable  sense  which  we  have  of  his  love 
shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

3.  Our  baptismal  engagement  is  to  be  improved  by  us,  before  and  after  we  are 
brought  into  a  converted  state.  Unregenerated  persons  are  to  improve  it,  as  it 
should  afford  them  matter  of  deep  humiliation  that,  though  they  have  been  devoted 
to  God,  and  called  by  his  name,  and  made  partakers  of  the  external  blessings  of  his 
covenant,  yet  they  have  been  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  and  strangers  to  the 
internal  saving  blessings  of  the  covenant.  There  was  a  profession  made  in  baptism, 
that  they  stood  in  need  of  Christ's  mediation  to  deliver  them  from  the  guilt  of  sin, 
and  of  being  cleansed  from  the  pollution  of  it,  which  is  of  a  spreading  nature  ; 
but  they  have,  notwithstanding,  given  way  to  it,  and,  how  pure  soever  they  have 
been  'in  their  own  eyes,  are  not  yet  washed  from  their  filthiness.'2  Now,  such 
may  take  occasion  from  their  baptismal  engagement  to  plead  earnestly  with  God 
for  converting  grace.  Their  receiving  of  this  is  the  only  means  whereby  they  may 
know  that  he  has  accepted  of  their  solemn  dedication  to  him ;  or  that  they  are  born 
not  only  of  water  but  of  the  Spirit,  and  are  made  partakers  of  the  thing  signified 
in  baptism,  without  which  the  external  sign  will  not  afford  any  saving  advantage. 
We  may  also  plead  with  God,  that  as  we  are  professedly  his,  he  would  assert  his 
own  right  to  us,  overcome  us  to  himself,  and  make  us  '  willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power. 'a 

Again,  if  we  are  brought  into  a  state  of  grace,  our  baptismal  engagement  is  con- 

x  Psal.  lxxiii.  25.  y  Luke  xxii.  31,  32.  z  Prov.  xxx.  12.  a  Psal.  ex.  3. 


£16  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  BAPTISM. 

stantly  to  be  improved  by  us,  in  order  to  the  growth  and  increase  of  grace.  If, 
especially,  we  are  sensible  of  great  declensions  in  it,  or  that  it  is  not,  in  all  respects, 
with  us  as  it  once  was  ;  if  we  are  sensible  of  deadness  and  stupidity  in  holy  duties, 
and  stand  in  need  of  being  quickened,  excited,  and  brought  into  a  lively  frame  of 
spirit,  or  to  be  restored  after  great  backslidings  ;  if  we  would  have  sin  mortified, 
and  its  secret  workings  in  our  heart  subdued;  we  ought  to  consider  that,  having 
been  '  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,'  we  were  '  baptized  into  his  death,'  and  that  we 
are  in  consequence  obliged  to  'walk  in  newness  of  life,'  so  that  'sin  should  not 
reign  in  our  mortal  bodies. 'b  If  we  hope  and  trust  that  we  are  made  partakers 
of  the  saving  blessings  signified  in  this  ordinance,  we  then  desire  to  improve  the 
relation  we  stand  in  to  Christ,  as  a  matter  of  encouragement  that,  when  we  are 
oppressed,  he  will  undertake  for  us.  If  we  are  destitute  of  assurance  of  his  love, 
and  of  our  interest  in  him,  we  are  to  improve  the  consideration  of  our  being  his, 
not  only  by  professed  dedication,  but  by  a  fiducial  adherence  to  him ;  and  our  doing 
so  will  encourage  us  to  hope  that  he  will  enable  us  to  walk  holily  and  comfortably 
before  him,  and  lift  up  the  light  of  his  countenance  upon  us,  as  our  reconciled  God 
and  Father.  Moreover,  in  the  whole  course  of  our  conversation,  it  will  be  of  use 
for  promoting  the  life  of  faith,  which  consists  in  an  entire  dependence  on  him  as 
those  who  are  sensible  that  we  can  do  nothing  without  him,  to  consider  that,  when 
we  were  first  devoted  to  him,  it  was  acknowledged,  and  from  the  time  when  we 
were  enabled  to  give  ourselves  up  to  him  by  faith,  we  have  been  always  sensible, 
that  we  stand  in  need  of  daily  supplies  of  grace  from  him,  as  all  our  springs  are  in 
him.  Our  baptismal  engagement  is  further  to  be  improved,  as  it  is  an  induce- 
ment to  us  to  have  our  conversation  in  holiness  and  righteousness.  Practical  reli- 
gion will  be  promoted  in  all  its  branches,  when  we  consider  that  we  are  not  our  own, 
and  therefore  dare  not  think  of  living  as  we  list,  or  of  serving  divers  lusts  and 
pleasures,  but  that  we  are  obliged  to  make  his  revealed  will,  whose  we  are  and 
whom  we  desire  to  serve,  the  rule  of  all  our  actions.  Lastly,  we  ought  to  walk  in 
brotherly  love,  as  being  '  baptized  by  the  Spirit  into  one  body.'  °  They  who  are 
partakers  of  the  saving  blessings  signified  by  baptism,  have  ground  to  conclude 
themselves  members  of  Christ's  mystical  body,  or  of  the  invisible  church  of  which 
he  is  the  head.  This  is  a  spiritual  baptism,  being  the  effect  of  divine  power,  and 
the  special  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  certainly  it  will  be  an  inducement  to  all 
who  are  partakers  of  it,  to  walk  together  in  brotherly  love,  as  those  who  are  favour- 
ed with  the  same  privileges,  and  hope  to  enjoy  that  complete  blessedness  in  which 
they  who  were  before  devoted  to  Christ  s*hall  be  for  ever  with  him.  Thus  con- 
cerning the  ordinance  of  baptism. 

b  Rom.  vi.  3,  4, 12.  el  Cor.  xii.  13. 


THE  LORDS  SUPPER.  5J7 


THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Question  CLXVIII.   What  is  the  Lord's  Supper  f 

Answer.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament,  wherein,  by  giving  and  re- 
ceiving hread  and  wine,  according  to  the  appointment  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  death  is  showed  forth; 
and  they  that  worthily  communicate,  feed  upon  his  body  and  blood,  to  their  spiritual  nourishment 
and  growth  in  grace,  have  their  union  and  communion  with  him  confirmed,  testify  and  renew  their 
thankfulness,  and  engagement  to  God,  and  their  mutual  love  and  fellowship  each  with  other,  as 
members  of  the  same  mistical  body. 

Question  CLXIX.  How  hath  Christ  appointed  bread  and  wine  to  be  given  and  received  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Suppirf 

Answer.  Christ  hath  appointed  the  ministers  of  his  word,  in  the  administration  of  this  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper,  to  set  apart  the  bread  and  wine  from  common  use,  by  the  word  of  in- 
stitution, thanksgiving,  and  prayer,  to  take  and  break  the  bread,  and  to  give  both  the  bread  and 
the  nine  to  the  communicants,  who  are,  by  the  same  appointment,  to  take,  ami  eat  the  bread,  and 
to  drink  the  wine,  in  thankful  remembrance,  that  the  body  of  Christ  was  broken  and  given,  and 
bis  blood  shed  for  them. 

Question  CLXX.  How  do  they  that  worthily  communicate  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  feed  upon  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  therein  f 

Answer.  As  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  not  corporally  or  carnally  present  in,  with,  or 
under  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  yet  are  spiritually  present  to  the  faith  of  the 
receiver,  no  less  truly  and  really  than  the  elements  themselves  are  to  their  outward  senses  ;  so  they 
that  worthily  communicate  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  do  therein  feed  upon  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  not  alter  a  corporal,  or  carnal,  but  in  a  spiritual  manner,  yet  truly  and  really, 
while  by  faith  they  receive  and  apply  unto  themselves  Christ  crucified,  and  all  the  benefits  of  his 
death. 

We  are  now  led  to  speak  concerning  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper.  This 
is  considered  either  absolutely  in  itself,  or  as  compared  with  baptism.  Accordingly, 
it  is  inquired,  wherein  these  ordinances  agree  or  differ.  In  considering  the  nature 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  it  is  farther  inquired,  how  they  who  are  to  partake  of  it 
ought  to  prepare  themselves  for  it  before  they  engage  in  it.  There  are  also  two 
cases  of  conscience  answered  :  the  one  respects  those  who  are  not  satisfied  concern- 
ing their  meetness  for  observing  the  ordinance  ;  the  other  respects  those  who  ought 
to  be  kept  from  it,  however  desirous  they  may  be  to  partake  of  it.  We  have  also 
an  account  of  the  duties  of  communicants  while  the  v  are  engaged  in  this  ordinance  ; 
or  those  that  are  incumbent  on  them  after  they  have  attended  on  it.  These 
things  are  particularly  insisted  on  in  the  Answers  which  we  are  now  led  to  consider, 
and  in  some  others  which  follow.  In  explaining  them  we  shall  observe  the  follow- 
ing method.  First,  we  shall  notice  the  general  description  of  this  ordinance,  as  it 
is  called  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament ;  and  here  we  shall  be  led  to  speak 
concerning  the  person,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  it,  in  common  with  other 
ordinances,  was  instituted.  Secondly,  we  shall  consider  the  persons  by  whom  the 
Lord's  supper  is  to  be  administered,  namely,  the  ministers,  or  pastors  of  particular 
churches  ;  inasmuch  as  it  is  an  ordinance  given  only  to  those  who  are  in  church- 
communion.  Thirdly,  we  shall  consider  the  matter  of  it,  or  the  outward  elements, 
namely,  bread  and  wine.  Fourthly,  we  shall  consider  the  minister's  act,  antece- 
dent to  the  church's  partaking  of  this  ordinance,  in  setting  apart  the  elements  from 
a  conftnon  to  a  sacred  use  ;  which  is  to  be  done  by  the  word  and  prayer,  joined  with 
thanksgiving.  Fifthly,  we  shall  notice  the  actions,  both  of  the  minister  and  of  the 
people :  the  one  breaks  the  bread,  and  pours  out  the  wine,  in  order  to  their  being 
distributed  among  those  who  are  to  receive  them ;  the  other,  namely,  the  communi- 
cants, partake  of  them,  and  join  with  him  in  eating  the  bread  and  drinking  the 
wine.  Sixthly,  we  shall  consider  what  is  signified  by  this  ordinance,  namely,  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ:  these  are  supposed  to  be,  not  corporally  and  carnally, 
but  spiritually  present  to  the  faith  of  the  receivers ;  and  on  this  account,  they  may 
be  said  to  feed  upon  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and  to  apply  the  benefits  of  his 
death  to  themselves.  Lastly,  we  shall  notice  the  persons  who  hope  to  enjoy  these 
privileges,  and  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper  in  a  right  manner :  these  are  said 
worthily  to  communicate ;  and  here  we  shall  consider  also  the  ends  which  they 


618  the  louu's  suiter. 

ought  to  have  in  view,  namely,  their  spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in  grace, 
their  enjoying  communion  with  Christ,  and  that  love  which  they  are  obliged  to 
express  to  one  another  as  members  of  the  same  mystical  body. 

The  Lord's  Supper  an  Ordinance  of  the  New  Testament. 

"We  are  first  to  consider,  then,  that  the  Lord's  supper  is  an  ordinance  of  the  New 
Testament,  instituted  by  our  Saviour.  That  it  is  an  ordinance,  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  founded  on  a  divine  command  ;  and  that  it  is  so  founded,  appears 
from  the  words  of  institution,  '  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body ;  and  he  took  the  cup, 
and  gave  it  to  them,  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it,'d  &c.  Its  being  founded  on  divine 
authority  is  intimated  also  by  the  apostle,  when,  speaking  particularly  concern- 
ing it,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be  observed,  he  says,  '  I  have  received 
of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you.'e  Moreover,  there  is  a  bless- 
ing annexed  to  our  partaking  of  it  in  a  right  manner.  This  may  plainly  be 
inferred  from  the  apostle's  distinguishing  those  who  receive  it  '  worthily '  from 
others  who  receive  it '  unworthily,'  or  in  an  unbecoming  manner.  The  former  are 
said  to  'come  together  for  the  better,'  the  latter  'for  the  worse  ;'f  and  to  partake 
of  the  Lord's  supper  for  the  better,  is  to  partake  of  it  for  our  spiritual  advantage, 
which  supposes  that  there  are  some  blessings  annexed  to  it  which  render  it  not 
only  a  duty,  but  an  ordinance  or  means  of  grace.  Again,  that  if  is  a  gospel  ordi- 
nance of  the  New  Testament,  appears  from  the  time  of  its  being  instituted  by  our 
Saviour,  as  well  as  from  the  end  and  design  of  it.  It  is  particularly  intimated 
that  Christ  instituted  this  ordinance  immediately  before  his  last  sufferings,  as  a 
memorial  of  his  dying  love.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  The  same  night  in  which  he 
was  betrayed  he  took  bread.  '*  And  that  it  was  designed  to  continue  as  a  standing 
ordinance  in  the  church  throughout  all  ages,  appears  from  what  he  adds,  '  As  often 
as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come.'h 

Some  modern  enthusiasts,  however,  deny  it  to  be  an  ordinance,  as  they  also  do 
baptism  ;  concluding  that  no  ceremony,  or  significant  sign,  is  consistent  with  the 
gospel  dispensation.  As  for  our  '  showing  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,'  they 
suppose  that  by  this  phrase  is  meant,  till  he  come  by  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit ;  and 
they  hence  infer  that  if  it  was  an  ordinance  at  first,  it  ceased  to  be  so  when  the 
Spirit  was  poured  forth  on  the  church,  in  the  beginning  of  the  gospel  dispensation. 
Now,  in  reply  to  this  opinion,  and  the  reasons  assigned  for  it,  let  it  be  observed 
that  ceremonial  institutions  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  gospel  dispensation. 
They  may  not  be  designed  to  signify  some  benefits  to  be  procured  by  Christ,  as 
those  did  which  were  instituted  under  the  ceremonial  law  ;  but  they  may  be  con- 
sidered as  rememorative  signs  of  the  work  of  redemption,  which  has  been  brought 
to  perfection  by  him.  Again,  when  the  apostle,  in  the  scripture  just  mentioned, 
says,  'we  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,'  his  words  cannot  be  meant  concern- 
ing our  Lord's  coming  in  the  plentiful  effusion  of  the  Spirit ;  inasmuch  as  this 
privilege  was  conferred  on  the  church  in  the  apostle's  days,  at  the  very  time  when 
he  speaks  of  their  showing  forth  his  death.  Hence,  he  doubtless  intends  by  the  ex- 
pression Christ's  second  coming,  when  this  ordinance  and  all  others  which  are  now 
observed  in  the  church,  as  adapted  to  its  present  imperfect  state,  shall  cease.  We 
must  conclude,  therefore,  that  the  Lord's  supper  was  designed  to  be  continued  in 
the  church  in  all  ages,  as  it  is  at  this  day. 

By  whom  the  Lord's  Supper  is  to  be  Administered. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  persons  by  whom  this  ordinance  is  to  be  adminis- 
tered. These  are  only  such  as  are  lawfully  called,  and  set  apart  to  the  pastoral 
office,  whose  work  is  to  feed  the  church,  not  only  by  the  preaching  of  the  word,  but 
by  the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  which  are  ordinances  lor  the  church's 
faith,  in  which  they  are  said  to  receive  and  spiritually  feed  upon  Christ  and  his 
benefits.     Hence,  God  promises  to  4  give  his  people  pastors  according  to  his  own 

d  Matt,  xx vi.  26,  27.  e  1  Cor.  xi.  23.  f  Verse  17- 

g  1  Cor.  xi.  23.  h  Verse  26. 


the  lord's  supper.  519 

heart,  who' should  feed  them  with  knowledge  and  understanding.' i  Now,  that 
none  hut  these  are  appointed  to  administer  this  ordinance,  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  they  who  partake  of  it  are  said  to  have  communion  with  him  and  with  one 
another  in  it  for  their  mutual  edification  and  spiritual  advantage.  It  hence  belongs, 
not  to  mankind  in  general,  but  to  the  church  in  particular.  And,  to  prevent  con- 
fusion, Christ  has  appointed  one  or  more  proper  officers  in  his  churches,  to  whom 
the  management  of  this  work  is  committed  ;  who  are  called  to  it  by  the  providence 
of  God,  and  the  consent  and  desire  of  the  church  to  whom  they  are  to  minister. 

The  Elements  used  in  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  matter  or  the  outward  elements  to  be  used  in  the 
Lord's  supper.  These  are  bread  and  wine.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Jesus  took  bread  ;'k 
and  '  he  also  took  the  cup.'  Here  '  the  cup '  is,  by  a  metonymy,  put  for  the 
wine  ;  for  our  Saviour,  referring  to  this  action,  speaks  of  his  '  drinking  the  fruit  of 
the  vine.'1  As  to  the  bread  which  is  to  be  used  in  this  ordinance,  there  was  a 
very  warm  debate  between  the  Latin  and  the  Greek  church  concerning  it.  The 
former,  as  the  Papists  do  at  this  day,  regard  it  as  absolutely  necessary  that  it 
should  be  unleavened  bread,  inasmuch  as  that  kind  of  bread  was  used  by  our  Lord 
when  he  instituted  the  ordinance ;  for  the  time  at  which  he  did  so  was  that  of  the 
passover,  when  no  leaven  was  to  be  found  in  their  houses.  Those  who  advocate 
this  opinion  also  make  the  unleavened  bread  a  significant  sign  of  the  sincerity  and 
truth  with  which  the  Lord's  supper  ought  to  be  eaten  ;  for  which  they  refer  to 
these  words  of  the  apostle,  *  Let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with 
the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and 
truth. 'm  But  there  seems  here  to  be  an  allusion  only  to  the  use  of  unleavened 
bread  in  the  passover  ;  which,  it  may  be,  might  have  a  typical  reference  to  that 
sincerity  and  truth  with  which  all  the  ordinances  of  God  are  to  be  engaged  in. 
Nor  does  it  sufficiently  appear  that  the  apostle  intends  that  the  bread  used  in  the 
Lord's  supper  should  be  of  this  kind,  or  that  it  wa.5  designed  to  signify  the  frame 
of  spirit  with  which  this  ordinance  is  to  be  celebrated.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Greek  church  thought  that  the  bread  ought  to  be  leavened,  according  to  our  com- 
mon practice  at  this  day,  it  being  the  same  that  was  used  at  other  times.  Thig 
opinion  seems  most  eligible,  as  it  puts  a  just  difference  between  the  bread  used  in 
the  passover,  which  was  a  part  of  the  ceremonial  law,  and  that  used  in  a  gospel 
institution,  which  is  distinct  from  it.  But,  I  think,  there  is  no  need  to  debate 
either  side  of  the  question  with  too  much  warmth,  it  being  a  matter  of  no  great 
importance.  As  for  the  wine  which  is  to  be  used  in  this  ordinance,  it  is  a  necessary 
part  of  it ;  and  hence  the  Papists  are  guilty  of  sacrilege  in  withholding  the  cup 
from  the  common  people.11     [See  Note  Z,  page  524. J 

The  Setting  Apart  of  the  Elements  in  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  are  now  to  consider  what  the  minister  is  to  do  antecedent  to  the  church's 
partaking  of  the  Lord's  supper.  He  is  to  set  apart  the  outward  elements  of  bread 
and  wine  from  a  common  use  to  this  particular  holy  use.  On  this  account,  the 
elements  may  be  said  to  be  '  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer.'0  The 
words  of  institution  contain  an  intimation  that  these  elements  are  to  be  used  in 
the  ordinance  by  Christ's  appointment ;  for  without  that  appointment,  no  signifi- 
cant sign  could  be  used  in  any  religious  matters.  As  for  prayer,  the  offering  01  it 
is  agreeable  to  Christ's  practice  ;  tor  he  '  took  bread  and  blessed  it,'  or  prayed  for 
a  blessing  on  it.  It  appears,  too,  from  the  apostle's  words,  that  this  action  was 
accompanied  with  thanksgiving,  '  When  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it  ;'P  and 
the  giving  of  thanks  is  agreeable  to  the  nature  and  design  of  the  ordinance,  as 

i  Jer.  iii.  15.  k  Matt.  xxvi.  26.  1  Ver.  29.  m  1  Cor.  v.  8. 

n  This  was  done  by  the  council  at  Constance,  A.  D.  1415.  Before  that  time,  indeed,  there  were 
several  disputes  about  the  matter  or  form  of  the  cup,  in  which  the  wine  was  contained  ;  but  the 
cup  «as  never  taken  away  from  the  common  people  till  then. 

o  1  Tim.  iv.  5.  p  Matt.  xxvi.  26;   1  Cor.  x\.  24. 


520  the  lord's  supper. 

herein  we  pray  for  the  hest  of  blessings,  and  express  our  thankfulness  to  God  for 
the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption. 

Here  I  cannot  but  observe  how  the  Papists  pervert  this  ordinance  in  the  manner 
of  consecrating  the  bread.  This  the  priest  does  only  by  repeating  these  words 
in  Latin:  'This  is  my  body.'  They  thence  take  occasion  to  advance  the  absurd 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation  ;  and  suppose  that,  by  these  words  pronounced,  the 
bread  is  changed  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  This  they  assert  contrary  to 
all  sense  and  reason,  as  well  as  the  end  and  design  of  the  ordinance.  For,  from 
this  opinion  it  will  follow,  that  man  has  a  power  to  make  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ.  Another  consequence  of  it  will  be  that  the  human  nature  of  Christ  is 
omnipresent ;  an  idea  which  is  inconsistent  with  a  finite  nature,  and  with  those 
properties  which  belong  to  it  as  such,  and  from  which  it  is  to  be  concluded  that  his 
human  nature  is  nowhere  but  in  heaven.  Besides,  there  is  the  greatest  contra- 
diction in  supposing  that  it  is  bread,  as  having  all  the  qualities  of  bread,  while  our 
senses  are  so  far  imposed  on  that  we  must  believe  that  it  is  not  so,  but  Christ's 
body.  The  opinion  also  supposes  that  Christ  has  as  many  bodies  as  there  are  con- 
secrated wafers  in  the  world  ;  which  is  a  monstrous  absurdity.  It  likewise  con- 
founds the  sign  with  the  thing  signified,  and  is  very  opposite  to  the  sense  of  those 
words  of  scripture,  '  This  is  my  body.'  For  the  words  imply  no  more  than  that 
the  bread,  which  is  the  same  in  itself,  after  the  words  of  consecration  that  it  was 
before,  is  an  external  symbol  of  Christ's  body,  that  is,  of  the  sufferings  which  he 
endured  in  it  for  his  people.     [See  Note  2  A,  page  525.] 

The  Actions  performed  in  observing  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  actions  both  of  the  minister  and  of  the  church,  when 
engaged  in  the  Lord's  supper,  namely,  breaking,  distributing,  eating  the  bread, 
pouring  forth  and  drinking  the  wine,  for  the  ends  appointed  by  Christ  in  institut- 
ing this  ordinance.  Whether  our  Saviour  gave  the  bread  and  wine  to  every  one 
of  the  disciples  in  particular,  is  not  sufficiently  determined  by  the  words  of  in- 
stitution. For  though  Matthew  and  Mark  say,  '  He  gave  the  bread  and  the  cup 
to  the  disciples  ;'«  Luke,  speaking  concerning  either  the  cup  used  in  the  passover, 
or  that  in  the  Lord's  supper,  represents  our  Saviour  as  saying  to  his  disciples,  '  Take 
this  and  divide  it  among  yourselves. 'r  Now,  these  words  seem  to  intimate  that  he 
distributed  it  to  one  or  more  of  them,  to  be  conveyed  to  the  rest,  that  they  might 
divide  it  among  themselves.  This  corresponds  with  the  practice  of  several  of  the 
reformed  churches  in  our  day,  and  seems  most  expedient  when  the  number  of  the 
communicants  is  very  great,  and  the  elements  cannot  be  so  conveniently  given  by 
the  pastor  into  the  hand  of  every  one. 

Here  I  may  observe  how  the  Papists  pervert  this  part  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
They  will  not  permit  the  common  people  to  touch  the  bread  with  their  hands,  lest 
they  should  defile  it ;  but  the  priest  puts  it  into  their  mouths.  For  this  purpose  it 
is  made  up  into  small,  round  wafers  ;  and  the  people  are  ordered  to  take  great  care 
that  they  do  not  use  their  teeth  in  chewing  it,  and  are  told  that  to  do  so  would  be, 
as  it  were,  a  crucifying  of  Christ  afresh,  as  offering  a  kind  of  violence  to  what  they 
call  his  body.  But  these  things  are  so  very  absurd  and  unscriptural,  that  they 
confute  themselves.  And  their  consecrating  a  wafer  to  be  reserved  in  a  case  pre- 
pared for  that  purpose,  and  set  upon  the  altar  in  the  church  to  be  worshipped  by 
all  who  come  near  it,  savours  of  gross  superstition  and  idolatry. — We  may  farther 
observe,  that  they  deny  the  people  the  cup  in  this  ordinance,  but  not  the  priests ; 
for  what  reason  it  is  hard  to  determine.  They  also  mix  the  wine  with  water.  This 
custom,  though  it  does  not  seem  to  be  agreeable  to  Christ's  institution,  was  often 
practised  by  the  ancient  church,  whence  the  Papists  took  it.  But  their  making  it 
a  sacramental  sign  of  Christ's  divine  and  human  nature,  united  in  one  person,  is 
much  more  unwarrantable.  Nor  can  I  approve  of  what  others  suppose,  namely, 
that  it  signifies  the  blood  and  water  which  came  out  of  his  side,  when  he  was  pierced 
on  the  cross.— Moreover,  I  can  hardly  think  some  Protestants  altogether  free  from 

q  Matt.  xxvi.  26,  27  ;  Mark  xiv.  22,  23.  r  Luke  xxii.  17. 


the  lord's  supper.  52l 

the  charge  of  superstition,  when  they  so  tenaciously  adhere  to  the  use  of  red  wine, 
as  hearing  some  small  resemblance  to  the  colour  of  Christ's  blood.  Others  choose 
to  bear  their  testimony  against  this  ungrounded  opinion,  by  the  using  of  white 
wine,  without  supposing  that  any  thing  is  signified  by  it  more  than  by  red  ;  and 
others  choose  to  use  one  sort  at  one  time,  and  another  at  another,  to  signify  that 
this  is  an  indifferent  matter.  The  latter,  I  think,  are  most  in  the  right. — Again, 
the  practice  of  the  Papists  and  some  others,  in  receiving  the  Lord's  supper  lasting, 
in  order  that  the  consecrated  bread  may  not  be  mixed  with  undigested  food,  is  not 
only  unwarrantable,  but  superstitious,  as  well  as  contrary  to  our  Saviour  and  his 
apostles  having  partaken  of  the  Lord's  supper  at  its  institution,  immediately  after 
having  eaten  the  passover,  and  to  what  the  apostle  suggests,  when  he  reproves  the 
church  at  Corinth  for  eating  and  drinking  to  excess  immediately  before  they  par- 
took of  the  Lord's  supper,  advising  them  to  '  eat  and  drink,'  though  with  modera- 
tion, '  in  their  own  houses. 's — Further,  the  administering  of  the  Lord's  supper  pri- 
vately, as  the  Papists  and  others  do,  to  sick  people,  seems  to  be  contrary  to  the 
design  of  its  being  a  church  ordinance.  And  when,  to  give  countenance  to  this 
practice,  it  is  styled,  as  by  the  Papists, '  a  viaticum,'  or  a  means  to  convey  the  soul, 
if  it  should  soon  after  depart  out  of  the  body,  to  heaven,  they  are  much  more  re- 
mote from  our  Saviour's  design  in  instituting  this  ordinance  ;  nor  do  they  rightly 
understand  the  sense  of  the  scripture  whence  they  infer  the  necessity  of  it,  '  Except 
ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you,'* 
when  they  apply  it  to  this  purpose. 

There  is  another  thing  which  must  not  be  wholly  passed  over,  namely,  the  vari- 
ous gestures  used  in  receiving  the  Lord's  supper.  The  Papists  not  only  receive  it 
kneeling,  but  they  allege  that  they  ought  to  do  so,  being  obliged  to  adore  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which,  as  they  absurdly  suppose,  is  really  present,  inas- 
much as  the  bread  is  transubstantiated,  or  turned  into  Christ's  body  and  blood. 
The  Lutherans,  with  equal  absurdity,  assert  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  really, 
though  invisibly,  present  in  the  bread ;  and  this  they  call  consubstantiation.  Some 
other  Protestants,  indeed,  plead  for  the  receiving  of  the  Lord's  supper  kneeling, 
supposing  Christ  to  be  spiritually,  though  not  corporally,  present  in  it.  They  do 
not  worship  the  bread  and  wine,  but  our  Saviour  ;  and  this,  they  suppose,  they 
ought  to  do  with  the  becoming  reverence  of  kneeling.  What  I  would-  take  leave 
to  say  on  this  subject,  is,  that  we  humbly  hope  and  trust  that  Christ,  according  to 
his  promise,  is  present  with  his  people  in  all  his  ordinances  ;  yet  it  is  not  supposed 
that  we  are  obliged  to  engage  in  every  one  of  them  kneeling.  But  what  determines 
the  faith  and  practice  of  all  reformed  churches  who  do  not  use  this  gesture  in  the 
Lord's  supper,  is,  that  it  is  contrary  to  the  example  of  our  Saviour  and  his  apostles 
when  it  was  first  celebrated  ;  for  that  example  ought  to  be  a  rule  to  the  churches  in 
all  succeeding  ages.  It  maybe  said,  that  this  is  a  gesture  most  agreeable  to  prayer,  or 
at  least  that  sitting  is  not  so.  But  the  Lord's  supper  is  not  an  ordinance  principally 
or  only  designed  for  prayer ;  for  whatever  prayers  we  put  up  to  God  in  observing  it 
are  short,  ejaculatory,  and  mixed  with  meditations,  and  they  may  be  per.ormed  with 
an  awful  reverence  of  the  divine  Majesty,  such  as  we  ought  to  have  in  other  acts  of 
religious  worship,  though  we  do  not  use  the  gesture  of  kneeling.  Besides,  we  think 
ourselves  obliged  to  receive  the  Lord's  supper  sitting,  that  being  a  table  gesture  in  use 
among  us,  in  the  same  manner  as  that  which  our  Saviour  and  his  apostles  used  was 
among  the  eastern  nations.  As  for  the  reformed  Gallican  churches,  they  receive 
the  Lord's  supper,  for  the  most  part,  standing ;  which,  being  a  medium  between 
the  extremes,  they  suppose  to  be  most  eligible.  But  this  not  being  a  table  gesture, 
and  so  not  conformed  to  that  which  was  used  by  our  Saviour  and  his  apostles,  I 
cannot  think  it  warrantable.  Some,  however,  make  the  gesture  of  standing  or 
sitting  a  significant  sign.  The  former  they  regard  as  a  sign  of  our  being  servants, 
ready  to  obey  the  will  of  Christ,  our  great  Lord  and  Master,  or,  as  others  explain 
it,  a  sign  of  our  being  travellers  to  the  heavenly  country  ;  and  the  latter,  or  sitting, 
they  regard  as  a  sign  of  our  familiarity  or  communion  with  Christ.  But  these 
opinions  are  rather  the  result  of  human  invention,  than  founded  on  a  divine  insti- 

•  1  Cor.  xi.  21,  22.  t  John  vi.  53. 

II.  3u 


522  the  lord's  supper. 

tution  ;  for  we  have  not  the  least  account  in  scripture  of  such  things  heing  signified 
•by  the  gesture  used. 

What  is  Signified  in  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  the  thing  signified  in  this  ordinance,  and  in  what 
respect  Christ  is  said  to  be  present  in  it,  together  with  the  benefits  expected  from 
him,  as  we  are  said  to  feed  upon  him  by  faith  for  our  spiritual  nourishment  and 
growth  in  grace.  I  cannot  but  think  that  the  general  design  of  the  ordinance  is 
not  much  unlike  that  institution  of  the  ceremonial  law  which  ordained  that,  aiter 
the  sacrifice  was  offered,  part  of  it  should  be  reserved  to  be  '  eaten  in  the  holy 
place.'"  This  was  a  significant  feast  upon  a  sacrifice.  In  like  manner,  the  Lord's 
supper,  which  comes  in  the  room  of  the  passover,  is  ordained  to  be  a  feast  on  Christ's 
sacrifice.  So  the  apostle  speaks  of  it  when  he  says,  '  Christ,  our  passover,  is 
sacrificed  for  us  ;  therefore,  let  us  keep  the  feast,  'x  &c.  The  fiducial  application 
of  Christ  and  the  benefits  of  his  death,  is  the  principal  thing  to  be  considered  in 
this  gospel  festival.  There  are,  however,  some  cautions  necessary  to  be  observed 
with  respect  to  the  things  signified  in  it,  which  may  be  useful  to  us  in  directing  us 
how  our  faith  may  be  exercised  in  a  right  manner. 

1.  Though  the  Lord's  supper  was  instituted  in  commemoration  of  Christ's  love, 
expressed  in  his  death,  which  was  the  last  and  most  bitter  part  of  his  sufferings 
for  our  redemption  ;  yet  he  did  not  design  by  it  to  exclude  his  other  sufferings  in 
life,  nor,  indeed,  his  whole  course  of  obedience  from  his  incarnation  to  his  death. 
For,  it  is  very  evident  that  the  death  of  Christ  is  often  considered  in  scripture,  by 
a  synecdoche,,  as  denoting  his  whole  course  of  obedience,  both  active  and  passive, 
which  is  the  matter  of  our  justification.  Hence,  the  whole  of  his  obedience  is  to 
be  the  object  on  which  our  faith  is  to  be  conversant  in  the  Lord's  supper,  as  well 
as  his  sufferings  in  or  immediately  before  his  death. 

2.  When  Christ's  sufferings  upon  the  cross  are  said  to  be  signified  by  the  bread 
and  wine,  we  are  not  to  conclude  that  these  sufferings  are  to  be  so  distinctly  or 
separately  considered  that  the  bread  broken  is  designed  to  signify  the  pains  which 
he  endured  upon  the  cross,  when  his  body  was  as  it  were  broken,  its  tendons,  nerves, 
and  fibres  snapped  asunder,  and  his  joints  dislocated,  by  being  stretched  on  the 
cross,  and  the  wine  poured  forth  to  signify  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  when  his 
hands  and  feet  were  pierced  with  the  nails  and  his  side  with  the  spear.  For  all 
these  things  are  to  be  made  the  subject  of  our  affectionate  meditation  in  every  part 
of  this  ordinance,  while  we  are  taken  up  with  the  contemplation  of  his  last  suffer- 
ings. That  they  should  thus  be  jointly  meditated  on  seems  to  give  countenance 
to  the  practice  of  many  of  the  reformed  churches,  in  consecrating  and  distributing 
the  bread  and  wine  together.  It  is  true,  many  think,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the 
elements  are  to  be  separately  consecrated,  as  well  as  separately  distributed,  this 
practice  being  most  agreeable  to  what  is  said  concerning  Christ's  blessing  the  bread 
and  giving  it  to  his  disciples,  and  afterwards  taking  the  cup  and  giving  it  to  them.? 
Still,  if  this  be  allowed,  it  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  infer  that  each  of  the  elements 
is  designed  to  signify  some  distinct  part  of  Christ's  sufferings  on  the  cross  ;  but 
only  that  the  ordinance  is  to  be  continued,  the  whole  including  two  external 
and  visible  signs,  each  of  which  signifies  the  means  whereby  he  procured  our  re- 
demption. Indeed,  when  the  wine  is  poured  forth,  and  set  apart  for  another  part 
of  this  ordinance,  we  are  not  so  much  to  enter  on  a  new  subject  in  our  meditation, 
though  the  sign  is  different  from  that  of  the  bread,  as  to  proceed  in  thinking  on  and 
improving  the  love  of  Christ,  in  his  'humbling  himself,  and  becoming  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.'2  Now,  all  this  is  signified  by  this  sign,  as  well 
as  the  other  ;  and  neither  of  them  is  adapted  to  this  end,  otherwise  than  by  divine 
appointment. 

3.  We  must  take  heed  that  we  do  not  make  more  significant  signs  in  the  bread 
and  wine  than  Christ  has  done.  Some  suppose  that  almost  every  ingredient  or  ac- 
tion used  is  to  be  applied  to  signify  some  things  which  he  did  or  suffered  for  our 

u  Lev.  vi.  16.  *    x  1  Cor.  v.  7,  8.  y  Matt.  xxvi.  26,  27.  z  Phil.  ii.  8. 


tue  lord's  supper.  523 

redemption.  It  is  a  very  great  liberty  which  some  take  in  expatiating  on  this  sub- 
ject, and  applying  it  to  this  ordinance.  We  have  a  specimen  of  this  in  a  hymn, 
composed  to  be  sung  as  a  thanksgiving  after  receiving  the  Lord's  supper.8.  In  that 
hymn  the  corn,  as  first  living  and  growing,  and  afterwards  cut  down,  and  by 
thrashing,  separated  from  the  husk,  and  then  ground  in  the  mill,  and  baked  in  the 
oven,  are  all  made  significant  signs  of  the  sufferings  and  torments  which  our  Sa- 
viour endured.  The  corn  being  united  in  one  loaf,  is  made  a  sign  of  the  union 
between  Christ  and  his  church.  In  like  manner,  the  grapes  being  gathered, 
pressed,  and  made  into  wine,  is  supposed  to  signify  our  spiritual  joy,  arising  from 
Christ's  shedding  his  blood.  Many  grapes  making  one  vine,  is  also  supposed  to 
signify  that  believers  should  be  united  by  faith  and  love.  What  lengths  is  it  possi- 
ble for  the  wit  and  fancy  of  men  to  run,  when  they  have  a  fruitful  invention,  and 
are  disposed  to  make  significant  signs,  and  apply  them  to  this  ordinance  without  a 
divine  warrant ! 

4.  When  we  meditate  on  Christ's  sufferings,  our  faith,  as  Dr.  Goodwin  observes,1* 
is  not  principally  to  be  fixed  on  the  grievousness  of  them.  We  are  not  to  endea- 
vour only  to  have  our  hearts  moved  to  a  relenting,  and  compassion  expressed  to- 
wards him,  and  indignation  against  the  Jews  who  crucified  him,  together  with  an 
admiring  of  his  noble  and  heroical  love  displayed  in  his  sufferings.  Some  persons, 
if  they  can  get  their  hearts  thus  affected,  judge  and  account  what  they  feel  to  be 
grace  ;  whereas,  it  is  no  more  than  what  any  similar  tragical  story  of  some  great 
and  noble  personage,  full  of  heroic  virtues  and  ingenuity,  yet  inhumanly  and  un- 
gratefully used,  does  ordinarily  work  in  ingenuous  spirits,  who  read  or  hear  of  it. 
When  our  contemplation  of  Christ's  sufferings  reaches  no  higher  than  this,  it  is  so 
far  from  being  faith,  that  it  is  but  a  carnal  and  fleshly  devotion,  and  such  as 
Christ  himself,  at  his  suffering,  found  fault  with,  as  not  being  spiritual,  when  he 
said,  '  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  for  yourselves  and  for  your 
children,'0  that  is,  not  so  much  for  my  being  thus  unworthily  handled  by  those  for 
whom  I  die,  as  for  yourselves.  Moreover,  it  was  not  the  malice  of  the  Jews,  the 
falseness  of  Judas,  the  fearfulness  of  Pilate,  the  iniquity  of  the  times  he  iell  into, 
that  wrought  our  Saviour's  death.  God  the  Father  had  a  higher  design  in  that 
event ;  and  this  our  faith  is  constantly  to  be  conversant  about,  considering  the 
death  of  Christ  as  the  result  of  an  eternal  agreement  between  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  and  of  that  covenant  which  he  came  into  the  world  to  fulfil,  and  of  his  being 
made  sin  for  us,  to  take  away  our  sins  by  atonement.  We  may  add,  that  the  high- 
est and  most  affecting  consideration  in  Christ's  sufferings,  ought  to  include  the  idea 
of  his  being  a  divine  person ;  which  is  the  only  thing  that  argued  them  sufficient  to 
answer  the  great  ends  designed  by  them,  as  it  rendered  them  of  infinite  value  ;  and 
it  was  on  this  account  that  his  condescension,  expressed  in  his  sufferings,  might  truly 
be  said  to  be  infinite.  These  things,  I  say,  we  are  principally  to  rest  in,  when 
we  meditate  on  Christ's  sufferings  in  this  ordinance  ;  though  the  sufferings  them- 
selves, which  are  exceedingly  moving  and  affecting  in  their  kind,  are  not  to  be 
passed  over  ;  since  the  Holy  Ghost  has,  for  this  end,  given  a  particular  account  of 
them  in  the  gospels,  not  merely  as  an  historical  relation  of  what  was  done  to  Christ, 
but  as  a  convincing  evidence  of  the  greatness  of  his  love  to  us.  Thus  concerning 
Christ's  death,  showed  forth  or  signified  in  this  ordinance. 

We  are  farther,  under  this  Head,  to  consider  how  Christ  is  present,  and  how 
they  who  engage  in  it  aright  feed  on  his  body  and  blood  by  faith.  We  are  not  to 
suppose  that  Christ  is  present  in  a  corporal  way,  so  that  we  should  be  said  to  par- 
take of  his  body  in  a  literal  sense.  But  he  being  a  divine  person,  and  consequently 
omnipresent ;  and  having  promised  his  presence  with  his  church  in  all  ages  and 
places,  when  met  together  in  his  name  ;  in  this  respect  he  is  present  with  them, 
just  as  he  is  in  other  ordinances,  to  supply  their  wants,  hear  their  prayers,  strengthen 
them  against  corruption  and  temptation,  and  remove  their  guilt  by  the  application 
of  his  blood,  which  is  presented  as  an  object  for  their  contemplation  in  a  more 
peculiar  manner  in  this  ordinance.     As  for  our  feeding  on  or  being  nourished  by 

a  This  hymn  is  inserted  after  Sternhold  and  Hopkins'  version  of  the  Psalms. 

b  See  Dr   Goodwin's  Christ  set  forth,  §  2.  chap.  ii.  c  Luke  xxiii.  28. 


524  the  lord's  supper. 

the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  these  are  metaphorical  expressions,  taken  from  and 
adapted  to  the  nature  and  quality  of  the  bread  and  wine  by  which  Christ's  body 
and  blood  are  signified.  What  we  are  to  understand  by  them  is,  our  graces  being  far- 
ther strengthened  and  established,  our  being  enabled  to  exercise  them  with  greater 
vigour  and  delight,  and  our  deriving  these  blessings  from  Christ,  particularly  as 
founded  on  his  death.  Our  being  said  to  feed  upon  him,  in  particular,  denotes  the 
application  of  what  he  has  done  and  suffered,  to  ourselves  ;  and,  in  order  to  this, 
we  are  to  bring  our  sins,  with  all  the  guilt  which  attends  them,  as  it  were,  to  the 
foot  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  confess  and  humble  our  souls  for  them  before  him,  and 
by  faith  plead  the  virtue  of  his  death,  in  order  to  our  obtaining  forgiveness,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  renew  our  dedication  to  him,  while  hoping  and  praying  for  the 
blessings  and  privileges  of  the  covenant  of  grace  which  were  purchased  by  him. 

There  is  another  thing  signified  in  this  ordinance,  as  a  farther  end  for  which  it 
was  instituted, — namely,  we  are  to  have  communion  with  one  another,  and  thereby 
to  express  our  mutual  love  as  members  of  Christ's  mystical  body,  who  have  the 
same  end  in  view,  and  make  use  of  the  same  means,  namely,  Christ  crucified,  as 
we  attend  on  the  same  ordinance  in  which  this  is  set  forth,  and  have  the  same 
common  necessities,  infirmities,  and  corruptions,  and  the  same  encouragements  for 
our  faith.  Hence,  we  ought  to  sympathize  with  one  another,  and,  by  faith  and 
prayer,  be  helpful  to  those  with  whom  we  join  in  this  ordinance,  while  we  are  re- 
presenting our  own  case  in  common  with  theirs,  before  the  Lord. 

The  Qualifications  of  Communicants. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  ought  to  be  the  qualifications  of  those  who  have 
a  right  to  the  Lord's  supper,  and  are  obliged  to  partake  of  it.  These  are  expressed 
in  general  terms,  by  the  apostle,  by  '  discerning  the  Lord's  body.'d  Now,  this  a 
person  cannot  do,  who  is  ignorant  of  the  design  of  his  death  ;  so  that  there  must 
be  some  degree  of  knowledge  in  those  who  are  qualified  for  this  ordinance.  There 
must  also  be  an  afflictive  sense  of  the  weight  and  burden  of  the  guilt  of  those  sins 
which  are  daily  committed  by  us,  and  an  apprehension  arising  thence  of  our  need 
of  the  merits  of  Christ  to  take  them  away,  and  that  his  death  is  designed  to  answer 
this  end.  And,  that  the  ordinance  may  be  observed  for  our  real  advantage,  as  we 
are  said  to  feed  on  Christ  by  faith,  it  is  supposed  that  this  grace  is  wrought  in  us, 
or  that  we  are  effectually  called  out  of  a  state  of  unregeneracy  to  partake  of  gra- 
cious communion  with  Christ ;  whereby  we  may  be  said  to  be  fitted  to  have  fellow- 
ship with  him  in  this  ordinance,  and  so  partake  of  it  in  a  right  manner,  for  our 
spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in  grace. 

d  1  Cor.  xi.  29 

[Note  Z.  Half  Communion Romanists  defend  their  practice  of  withholding  the  cup  in   the 

ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper  from  the  laity,  chiefly  by  arguments  which  assume  the  truth  of 
the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  and  which,  in  consequence,  beg  not  only  the  question  at  issue, 
jut  another  question  of  higher  import.  When  they  say  that  the  wafer  is  a  whole  Christ,  and  does 
not  need  to  be  accompanied  by  the  cup, — that  the  putting  of  the  cup  into  the  hands  of  the  laity 
would  endanger  '  the  spilling  of  the  blood,'  or  expose  it  to  sacrilegious  or  unsanctified  usage, — 
that  whole  communion  could  not  be  practised  consistently  with  due  attention  to  a  supreme  adora- 
tion of  both  the  blood  and  the  wafer, — they  do  little  else  than  exhibit  some  awkward  consequences 
which  follow  from  their  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  and  furnish  tools  which  might  be  effectively 
used  for  uncasing  that  doctrine,  and  laying  open  its  deformity. 

They  say,  however — as  an  argument  founded  on  the  highest  authority — that  our  Lord,  in  insti 
tuting  the  eucharist,  gave  the  cup  to  the  apostles  in  their  official  capacity,  and  not  as  church- 
members,  and  therefore  gave  it  to  them  alone.  But  how  came  our  Lord's  form  of  address,  when 
giving  the  cup,  to  be  exactly  the  same  as  when  giving  the  bread?  Did  he  give  the  bread  also  to 
the  apostles  officially,  and  so  make  no  institution  whatever  of  the  ordinance  for  the  people?  What 
authority,  too.  have  the  Romish  priests  to  take  the  cup?  Are  they  the  apostles,  or  even  their 
successors?  Besides,  the  principle  on  which  the  argument — or  rather  the  allegation — rests,  would 
set  aside  almost  every  divine  command.  For  if  it  were  admitted  that  the  command,  '  Drink  ye  all 
of  this  cup  of  the  new  covenant  in  my  blood,'  was  addressed  to  the  apostles  alone,  it  might,  with 
equal  justice,  be  maintained  that  the  decalogue,  or  written  moral  law,  was  addressed  to  the  Israel- 
ites alone, — the  charges  as  to  being  '  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves,'  to  the  seventy  alone, 
. — the  commission  to  carry  the  gospel  to  kings  and  princes,  to  Paul  alone, — the  command,  '  Give 
thyself  to  reading,'  to  Timothy  alone, — the  injunctions  as  to  church-order  and  discipline  and  mles 


THE  LOUD  S  SUPPER.  525 

of  prophesying,  to  the  Corinthians  alone, — and  most  of  our  Lord's  discourses,  especially  the  con- 
solatory discourse  on  the  eve  of  his  passion,  to  the  twelve  alone.  All  the  Bible  was,  in  the  first 
instance,  addressed  to  particular  communities  and  individuals,  except  only  the  Catholic  epistles; 
and  even  these  were  addressed  to  Christians  of  the  first  century,  residing  within  certain  limits. 
Yet  all  scripture  is  authoritative  to  every  person  in  every  age  to  whom  it  comes,  and  is  profitable 
to  '  the  man  of  God,'  or  every  individual  who  believes  it,  that  he  may  be  'thoroughly  furnished 
unto  every  good  work.'  '  Whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were  written  for  our  learn- 
ing, that  we,  through  faith  and  patience  of  the  scriptures,  might  have  hope.' 

Another  argument  in  favour  of  the  practice  of  half  communion,  is  founded  on  the  disjunctive 
'or,'  in  the  words,  'Whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread,  or  (*»)  drink  this  cup  of  the  Lord,'  1  Cor. 
xi.  27.  But  the  words,  in  order  to  suit  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  quoted,  would  require  to 
be,  *  Whosoever  eateth  of  this  bread,  or  whosoever  drinketh  of  this  cup.'  As  they  stand,  they 
contain  only  one  nominative  to  both  clauses,  and  can  designate  only  one  party, — who,  tb^refore, 
both  'eats'  and  'drinks.'  Besides,  if  the  argument  founded  on  them  were  conceded,  it  would 
prove  half  communion  as  truly  by  using  the  cup  to  the  exclusion  of  the  bread,  as  by  using  the 
bread  to  the  exclusion  of  the  cup ;  and  would,  in  consequence,  upset  all  the  usages,  and  some  of 
the  opinions,  which  the  Church  of  Rome  has  connected  with  the  withholding  of  the  cup  from  the 
laity — Again,  the  Corinthians,  to  whom  the  words  in  question  were  primarily  addressed,  commu- 
nicated in  both  kinds, — *  What!'  says  the  apostle,  'have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  to  drink  in?' 
Not  some  of  them  appear  to  have  communicated  in  both  kinds,  but  all. — Further,  an  exact  parallel 
to  the  words  occurs  just  two  verses  after,  and  it  there  stands,  '  He  that  eateth  and  drinketh,'  km 
*/»»».  Indeed,  in  .  compass  of  eight  verses,  within  which  the  words  in  question  lie,  the  phrase 
'eateth  and  drinfa*h'  occurs  five  times,  and  is  implied  as  many  times  more, — proving,  along  with 
the  entire  scope  o'  *he  passage,  that,  to  observe  the  eucharist  at  all,  was  to  observe  it  in  the  way 
of  communion  u  ^oth  kinds — Finally,  the  verse  to  which  the  Romanists  appeal  is  the  only  one 
on  the  subject  a  which  the  disjunctive  'or'  is  found;  and  even  it,  in  several  manuscripts  of  the 
New  Testament  of  considerable  authority,  is  read  with  the  copulative  '  and.' 

A  very  brief  summary  of  arguments  against  half  communion  will  serve  to  expose  it.  The 
Church  of  Rome  practised  communion  in  both  kinds  till  the  I5th  century;  and  yet,  in  the  teeth  of 
a  total  alteration  of  her  practice,  she  affects  and  boasts  to  be  '  semper  eadem.'  Half  communion 
was  first  decreed  by  the  council  of  Constance ;  and,  before  that  period,  is  proved  by  liturgies, 

catechisms,  canons,  papal  bulls,  and  all  history,  to  have  been  unpractised  and  unknown Christ 

instituted  and  gave  the  cup  exactly  as  he  did  the  bread, — '  in  like  wise,'  or  '  after  the  same  man- 
ner,' ufaurm;  (l  Cor.  xi.  25;  Luke  xxii.  20;)  and,  in  consequence,  placed  them  on  equal  footing, 
or  made  the  use  of  them  of  coextensive  obligation.  Nor  did  he  only  give  the  cup,  but  commanded 
it  to  be  used  in  the  same  manner  as  the  bread,  saying,  in  reference  to  the  one,  as  he  said  in  refer- 
ence to  the  other,  '  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me,'  1  Cor.  xi.  24,  25 The  cup,  besides,  pos- 
sesses a  distinctive  character  or  object  in  the  ordinance,  and  must  be  used  in  order  to  the  due 
significancy  of  the  eucharist  being  realized.  Our  Lord,  in  reference  to  the  bread,  says,  '  This  is 
my  body  broken  for  you;'  but,  in  reference  to  the  cup,  says,  '  This  is  the  new  covenant  in  my 
blood ;'  and  while  he  leaves  the  use  of  the  former  to  be  connected  simply  or  specially  with  faith 
in  his  atonement,  he  directs  the  use  of  the  latter  to  be  associated  with  the  hope  of  heaven, — say- 
ing, *  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with 
^ou  in  my  Father's  kingdom,'  Matt.  xxvi.  29.  The  use  of  the  bread,  therefore,  fixes  the  at- 
tention particularly  on  the  atonement;  and  the  use  of  the  cup  fixes  it,  in  addition,  on  the  ratifying 
or  establishing  by  our  Lord's  death  of  the  everlasting  and  well-ordered  covenant  of  mercy,  and 

on  the  glorious  and  celestial  results  which  follow  in  the  experience  of  his  people Again,  the 

practice  of  the  apostolic  churches,  in  communicating  in  both  kinds,  is  mentioned  in  scripture  in 
an  authoritative  manner,  or  with  assumption  of  its  correctness.  '  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we 
bless,'  says  Paul,  '  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The  bread  which  we  break, 
is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ?'     '  Let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him 

eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup,'  1  Cor.  x.   16;  xi.  2S Finally,  communion  in  both 

kinds  is  directly  commanded.  •  As  often,'  says  the  Lord  by  his  apostle,  '  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and 
drink  this  cup,  show  ye  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,'  1  Cor.  xi.  26.  The  act  here  stated  is 
'eating  the  bread  and  drinking  the  cup,'  and  the  duty  enjoined  is  '  showing  the  Lord's  death;'  but 
as  the  duty  consists  simply  in  performing  the  act  in  a  right  spirit  or  with  a  proper  motive,  it  neces- 
sarily includes  the  act,  and,  therefore,  renders  'the  drinking  of  the  cup'  as  really  imperative  as 
'  the  eating  of  the  bread.' — Ed.] 

[Note  2  A.   Transubstantiation The  Romanists  pretend  to  understand  the  words,  '  This  is 

my  body,'  literally ;  yet  they  read  them,  or  construct  upon  them  the  doctrine  of  transubstantia- 
tion, as  if  they  stood,  '  This  is  my  body,  and  blood,  and  soul,  AND  DIVINITY  1'  If  this  be  a 
fair  example  of  literal  interpretation,  they  may,  even  from  texts,  about  the  meaning  of  which  there 
is  no  dispute,  easily  prove  any  dogma  of  their  creed,  or  almost  any  conceivable  point  which  they 
may  choose  to  adopt.  The  saying  of  the  apostle  Peter,  for  example,  '  I  also  am  an  elder,'  might, 
in  a  strictlv  parallel  way,  be  read,  '  I  also  am  an  elder,  and  a  prelate,  or  the  bishop  of  Rome,  and 

THE  HEAD*  OF  THE  UNIVERSAL  CHURCH  ON  EARTH,   AND  THE  INFALLIBLE  VICEGERENT 

OF  CHRIST  1*  But  who  would  call  this  literal  interpretation?  Yet  it  is  exactly  such  literal 
interpretation  as  is  put  upon  the  words,  '  This  is  my  body,'  in  order  to  bring  out  of  them  the  doc- 
trine of  transubstantiation The  idiom  of  scripture,  however,  does  not  allow  the  words  to  be 

understood  literally  in  reference  to  the  mere  body  of  Christ.  '  The  kine  are  seven  years,'  '  the 
candlesticks  are  the  churches,'  '  the  rock  was  Christ,'  '  the  field  is  the  world,' — are  phrases  in 
accordance  with  current  scripture  language,  and,  along  with  a  multitude  of  their  class,  prove 
the  substantive  verb  to  be  used  in  the  sense  of  'signify,'  '  symbolize,' or  'represent.' — Besides, 
when  the  verb  »//*<  bears  its  radical  or  substantive  signification,  it  means  existence  in  the  ab- 


526  the  lohd's  surPEit. 

stract,  and  is  not  employed  to  denote  existence  in  the  sense  of  having  hccomc.  Had  our  Lord's 
words  comported  with  the  idea  that  the  bread  had  been  transubstantiated  into  his  body,  they 
would,  I  presume,  have  been,  not  touto  irn  to  voipa  fttv  but  touto  yiiiTai  or  toutd  yiyitnrm  ro  coiu.% 
fiov.  The  Syriac  language — that  most  probably  in  which  our  Lord  addressed  the  disciples  when 
instituting  the  supper — did  not,  I  believe,  contain  a  verb  corresponding  to  our  word  '  signify,'  or 
'  represent,'  and.  like  the  Hebrew  and  the  Hebraistic  Greek,  always  employed  the  substantive 
verb  when  the  idea  expressed  by  that  word  was  intended.  But  even  our  own  language — rich 
though  it  be  in  verbs  to  denote  every  phasis  of  the  idea  of  representing — very  often  employs  'is' 
in  the  sense  of  '  represents.'  How  often  do  we  say.  pointing  to  a  book,  a  picture,  or  an  artificial 
mark  on  a  map,  'This  is  Homer' — 'this  is  Newton' — '  this  is  London!' — Again,  what  shall  be 
said  respecting  our  Lord's  words  when  giving  the  cup. — '  This  cup  is  the  new  covenant  in  my 
blood?'  1  Cor.  xi.  25:  Luke  xxii.  20.  If,  in  the  language  he  employed  when  instituting  the 
eucharist,  the  part  which  referred  to  the  bread  is  to  be  literally  understood,  the  part  which  referred 
to  the  wine  must — not  only  in  common  consistency,  but  in  order  to  sustain  the  Romish  belief  in 
the  transubstantiation  of  both  elements — also  be  literally  understood.  Just,  then,  as  the  words 
in  the  one  case  are  construed  to  mean  that  the  bread  in  the  eucharist  is  transubstantiated  into 
Christ's  body,  so  must  the  words  in  the  other  case  be  construed  to  mean  that  the  cup  is  transub- 
stantiated into  the  new  covenant !  Every  man  who  knows  the  meaning  of  words  revolts  from  this 
consequence,  yet  sees  it  to  be  fair ;  and  he'will,  therefore,  conclude  that,  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
case,  the  language  used  in  instituting  the  eucharist  was  figurative. — Finally,  The  context  of  the 
words  of  institution  expressly  assumes  that  no  change,  no  transubstantiation.  took  place  on  the  bread 
and  wine.  Our  Lord,  after,  as  the  Romanists  say,  he  had  consecrated  the  wine,  or  after  he  had 
'blessed 'or  'given  thanks.'  distinctly  called  the  contents  of  the  cup,  '  this  fruit  of  the  vine ;' 
(Matt,  xx vi.  29;  Mark  xiv.  "25;  Luke  xxii.  18;)  and  the  apostle  Paul,  speaking  also  of  the  bread 
after  consecration,  or  after  '  blessing.'  or  '  giving  thanks,'  and  even  speaking  of  it  when  in  the 
process  of  being  eaten,  distinctly  calls  it  'this  bread,'  1  Cor.  xi.  27;  x.  16,  17.  See  also  Acts 
ii.  42  ;  xx.  7. 

Dr.  Ridgeley  confutes  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  by  pointing  out  some  of  the  absurdities 
or  impossibilities  which  it  involves.  In  addition  to  those  he  mentions — that  it  represents  a  crea- 
ture as  making  his  Creator,  the  human  nature  of  Christ  as  omnipresent,  the  bread  and  wine  to 
retain  all  their  native  properties  while  they  are  totally  changed  in  substance,  and  the  bodies  of 
Christ  to  be  as  numerous,  and  in  as  many  places  entire  and  complete,  as  there  are  consecrated 
wafers, — I  may  observe  that  it  assumes  the  five  senses  to  be  concurrently  deceived,  the  capacity 
of  the  mouth  or  stomach  of  a  communicant  to  be  literally  immense,  the  same  thing  to  be  in  the  same 
sense  only  one  and  yet  thousands,  the  body  of  Christ  to  be  at  once  of  its  proper  size,  of  the  size  of 
a  mere  wafer,  and  of  the  size  or  capacity  of  ubiquity.  But  an  absurdity  quite  as  great,  though 
not,  at  first  sight,  so  obvious  as  any,  is  to  say  that  the  most  wondrous  of  all  miracles,  the  tran- 
substantiation of  bread  into  the  Saviour,  takes  place  without  anything  occurring  to  overawe  or 
even  attract  the  senses,  and  that  the  Lord  of  glory  is  literally  present  with  his  people  on  earth 
in  the  same  incarnate  and  glorified  state  in  which  the  disciples  saw  him  ascending  up  into  hea- 
ven, amid  such  an  utter  absence  of  any  mark,  or  token,  or  manifestation  of  his  presence,  that 
witnesses  have  no  other  intimation  of  the  fact  than  the  sound  of  a  little  bell  rung  by  an  offi- 
ciate of  the  place  J  Miracles  recorded  in  the  Bible  were  all  manifest,  sensible,  glorious,  and 
deeply  affecting  changes ;  and  even  when  of  small  import  compared  with  what  is  alleged  in  tran- 
substantiation, they  so  displayed  the  Saviour's  glory  as,  not  only  to  arrest  in  the  strongest  man- 
ner the  attention  of  his  disciples,  but  to  command  their  faith,  John  ii.  11. 

Christ's  body.  Dr.  Ridgeley  remarks  in  the  way  of  further  refutation,  "  is  nowhere  else  but 
in  heaven."  |  Whom  the  heaven,'  says  the  apostle  Peter,  '  must  receive  until  the  times  of  res- 
titution of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  since  the 
world  began,'  Acts  iii.  21.  Nor  is  Christ's  human  nature  any  more  connected,  as  the  doctrine 
of  transubstantiation  represents  it,  with  the  state  of  being  offered  up  in  sacrifice.  'But  this 
man,'  says  Paul,  '  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand 
of  God,  from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool,'  Heb.  x.  12.  13.  His 
manhood,  besides,  is  of  a  nature  or  substance,  not  which  originates  in  a  supernatural  change 
upon  bread  or  wine,  but  which  was  conceived  and  born  of  the  body  of  a  woman;  his  human 
loul  is  not  such  as  may  be  'broken 'and  'eaten,' but  is  cogitative  and  inedible;  and  his  person 
as  mediator  is  in  a  state  of  exaltation,  and  remains  enthroned  in  glory,  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
divine  Majesty, — Acts  i.  11;  Heb.  ix.  27,  28,  and  many  other  texts. 

The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  incompatible  with  all  the  views  which  the  scripture  gives 
of  the  nature  of  the  eucharist.  That  ordinance  is  celebrative,  not  of  a  present  sacrifice,  but  of  one 
which  was  completed  in  the  offering  up  once  for  all  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ :  it  is  an  ordinance 
of  strictly  a  commemorative  character.  '  This  do,'  said  the  Redeemer,  when  commanding  that  the 
bread  be  eaten,  and  again  when  commanding  that  the  cup  be  drunk, — '  This  do  in  remembrance  of 
me.'  The  ordinance,  therefore,  is  not  an  exhibition  of  Jesus  as  present,  but  a  memorial  of  him  as 
having  died,  and  risen,  and  '  passed  into  the  heavens.'. — Again,  the*  eucharist  is  a  social  ordinance. 
It  is  not  such  as  may  be  observed  and  entire  in  one  person  partaking  of  it,  or  in  each  person  of  a 
number  partaking  of  it  singly  or  apart  from  the  rest;  but  such  as  requires  joint  participation  or 
fellowship  on  the  part  of  a  church  or  congregation.  '  Wherefore,  my  brethren,'  says  the  apostle 
Paul  to  the  church  at  Corinth,  '  when  ye  come  together  to  eat'  the  Lord's  supper,  'tarry  one  for 
another,'  1  Cor.  xi.  33.  Nor  does  the  ordinance  admit  of  an  entire  bread — be  it  called  '  loaf," 
or  '  wafer,'  or  whatever  else — being  received  by  each  individual ;  but  it  requires  that  one  bread  or 
one  loaf  be  participated  by  a  society,  or  divided  amongst  them,  in  token  of  their  fellowship  with 
one  another,  and  of  their  common  union  to  the  Saviour.  '  The  loaf  which  we  break,'  ro>  a^m*  it 
KXufitr,  says  Paul,  '  is  it  not  the  communion,'  the  joint  participation,  *«/»»*/«,  '  of  the  body  of  Christ? 


the  lord's  sltper.  527 

For  we,  being  many,  fire  one  loaf,  one  body,  tk  «£t«j,  iv  <rup.a ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  the  one 
loaf,'  i*  rou  tvaf  a^rcu,  1  Cor.  x.  16,  17. — Further,  the  eucharist,  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
bread  is  used,  or  as  to  the  form,  breaking,  and  distribution  of  the  bread,  resembles  a  social  repast. 
One  phrase,  '  the  breaking  of  bread,'  is  employed  in  scripture  in  reference  both  to  it  and  to  a  social 
meal;  and  '  he  brake  the  bread' — the  loaf  or  the  cake,  t»»  a^ro*, — is  the  scriptural  description  of 
the  treatment  both  of  the  bread  in  an  ordinary  repast,  and  of  the  bread  in  the  eucharist.  Conip.  Matt, 
vii.  6;  xii.  4;  xiv.  17;  xxvi.  26;  Mark  xiv.  22;  1  Cor.  x.  16;  Acts  ii.  42,  46;  Luke  xxiv.  35. 
Now  the  bread  used  among  the  Jews  in  their  common  meals,  or  that  which  the  scriptures  designate 
agrof,  'bread,'  or  'a  loaf,'  was  a  flat  cake,  such  as  in  English  would  be  termed  a  biscuit.  Hence 
the  force,  and  even  the  mere  meaning  of  the  phrase.  '  the  breaking  of  bread,' — '  he  brake  the  bread, 
and  gave  it  to  them.'  The  «fr«$,  or  bread,  however,  cannot  thus  be  understood  in  consistency 
either  with  the  idea  of  transubstantiation,  or  with  that  of  a  bread  or  u^rot  being  given  entire,  as 
the  Romish  wafer  needs  to  be,  to  one  individual. 

The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  opposed  also  to  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  gospel  respect- 
ing the  ground  of  a  believer's  hope,  and  the  spirit  in  which  he  acts  and  worships.  He  is  justified 
through  the  blood  of  Christ,  not  as  supernaturally  transubstantiated  out  of  bread,  nor  as  received 
into  his  mouth  and  stomach,  but  as  shed  on  the  cross,  or  poured  out  once  for  all  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Christian  dispensation, — (Heb.  ix.  26,  28;  x.  14,)  not  as  reproduced  under  the  appearance 
of  a  solid  wafer,  but  as  visibly  shed,  and  actually  offered  in  sacrifice  by  the  Saviour  himself,  the 
high-priest  of  his  profession,  Heb.  ix.  22.  He  is  saved,  not  by  an  act  of  his  own  in  corporeally 
receiving  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  but  by  grace,  making  him  a  new  creature,  and  enabling  him 
in  a  spiritual  manner  to  contemplate  Christ  in  God's  word  and  ordinances,  Eph.  ii.  8 — 10,  and 
many  other  texts.  He  lives,  and  worships,  and  approaches  God  in  ordinances,  not  by  tasting, 
touching,  seeing,  or  otherwise  exercising  outward  sense,  but  by  faith  as  opposed  to  sense, — by 
beholding  the  Saviour,  or  enjoying  union  with  him,  not  in  any  physical  manner,  but  with  his  in- 
tellect or  soul,  Isa.  Iv.  2 ;  John  i.  29 ;  xx.  29.  All  his  religious  services,  even  when  external 
symbols  are  employed,  are  strictly  spiritual.  He  worships  Him  who  is  a  Spirit,  in  spirit  and  in 
truth.  He  rejoices  in  Christ  Jesus,  serves  God  in  the  spirit,  and  has  no  confidence  in  the  flesh. 
The  kingdom  of  God,  which  is  within  him,  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  John  iv.  4 ;  vi.  63  ;  Col.  ii.  20—23  ;  Matt.  xv.  11,  17  ;   Mark  vii.  18,  19. 

Finally,  The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  rendered  utterly  inadmissible  by  all  those  texts  on 
the  subject  of  the  eucharist  which,  referring  to  the  wine,  call  it  metonymically,  this  cup,  or  refer- 
ring to  the  bread  and  the  wine  after  what  the  Romanists  term  '  consecration,'  or  after  blessing,  or 
giving  thanks,  call  them  '  this  bread,'  •  this  fruit  of  the  vine.'  See  Matt.  xxvi.  27,  29  ;  Mark  xiv. 
25;  Luke  xxii.  18,  20;  xxiv.  35;  Acts  ii.  42;  xx.  7  ;  1  Cor.  x.  16,  17  ;  xi.  25,  27 Ed.] 


.  PREPARATION  FOR  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Question  CLXXI.  How  are  they  that  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  to  prepare 
themselves  before  they  come  unto  it  ? 

Answer.  They  that  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  are,  before  they  come,  to  pre- 
pare themselves  thereunto,  by  examining  themselves,  of  their  being  in  Christ,  of  their  sins,  and 
wants,  of  the  truth  and  measure  of  their  knowledge,  faith,  repentance,  love  to  God  and  the  breth- 
ren, charity  to  all  men,  forgiving  those  that  have  done  them  wrong,  of  their  desires  after  Christ, 
and  of  their  new  obedience ;  and  by  renewing  the  exercise  of  these  graces,  by  serious  meditation, 
arid  fervent  prayer. 

The  Lord's  supper  being  a  sacred  and  solemn  ordinance,  it  ought  not  to  be  engaged 
in  without  due  preparation  in  those  who  partake  of  it.  The  duties  mentioned  in 
this  Answer,  which  are  preparatory  for  it,  are  self-examination,  the  renewing  of 
the  exercise  of  those  graces  which  are  necessary  to  our  partaking  of  it  aright,  serious 
meditation  on  the  work  in  which  we  are  about  to  be  engaged,  and  fervent  prayer 
for  the  presence  and  blessing  of  God  in  it. 

Self- Examination. 

As  to  the  duty  of  self-examination,  we  must,  in  order  to  perform  it,  retire  from 
the  hurry  and  encumbrances  of  the  world,  that  our  minds  may  be  disengaged 
from  them,  and  not  filled  with  distracting  thoughts,  which  will  be  an  hinderance 
to  us  in  our  inquiries  into  the  state  of  our  souls.  We  must  also  resolve  to  deal 
impartially  with  ourselves,  and  consider  what  really  makes  against  us,  as  matter  of 
sorrow,  shame,  and  humiliation,  as  well  as  those  things  which  are  encouraging  and 
occasions  of  thanksgiving  to  God.  We  must  also  endeavour  to  be  acquainted  with 
the  word  of  God,  to  which  our  actions  and  behaviour  are  to  be  applied,  and  by 


528  PREPARATION   TOR  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

which  we  are  to  determine  the  goodness  and  badness  of  our  state,  in  general,  or 
the  frame  of  spirit  in  which  we  are,  in  particular.  Now,  there  are  several  things, 
concerning  which  we  are  to  examine  ourselves  before  we  come  to  the  Lord's 
supper. 

1.  We  are  to  examine  whether  we  are  in  Christ  or  not ;  since  persons  must  be 
first  in  him  before  they  can  have  spiritual  communion  with  him.  There  are  some 
things  which,  if  we  find  them  in  ourselves,  would  give  us  ground  to  determine  that 
we  are  not  in  Christ.  In  particular,  that  man  is  not  in  Christ  who  is  an  utter 
stranger  to  his  person,  natures,  offices,  and  the  design  of  his  coming  into  the  world, 
together  with  the  spiritual  benefits  purchased  by  his  death.  Neither  is  he  in  Christ 
who  never  saw  his  need  of  him,  or  that  there  is  no  hope  of  salvation  without  him. 
Again,  he  is  not  in  Christ  who  obstinately  refuses  to  submit  to  his  government, 
lives  in  a  wilful  contempt  of  his  laws,  resolutely  persists  in  the  commission  of 
known  sins,  or  in  the  total  neglect  of  known  duties.  Again,  he  is  not  in  Christ 
who  is  ashamed  of  his  doctrine,  his  gospel,  his  cross,  which  a  true  believer  counts 
his  glory  ;  as  the  apostle  says,  '  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross 
of  Jesus  Christ. 'e  He  also  must  be  reckoned  out  of  Christ  who  is  stupid  and  pre- 
sumptuous, and  who,  though  he  may  hope  to  be  saved  by  him,  yet  desires  not  to 
have  communion  with  him,  but  expects  to  be  made  partaker  of  his  benefits  without 
faith  ;  or  whose  faith,  if  he  pretends  to  have  any,  is  only  an  assent  to  some  truths, 
without  being  accompanied  with  repentance  and  other  graces  which  are  inseparably 
connected  with  that  faith  which  is  saving. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  may  know  that  we  are  in  Christ,  if  we  can  truly  say 
that  we  have  received  a  new  nature  from  him,  whence  proceed  renewed  actions, 
which  discover  themselves  in  the  whole  course  of  our  lives.  '  If  any  man  be  in 
Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ;  old  things  are  passed  away  ;  behold  all  things  are 
become  new.'f  We  must  also  inquire  whether  we  endeavour  constantly  to  adhere 
to  his  revealed  will,  not  merely  as  the  result  of  some  sudden  conviction,  but  as 
making  it  the  main  business  of  life  to  approve  ourselves  to  him  in  well-doing  ;  as 
our  Saviour  says,  '  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed.  '* 
Again,  converse  with  Christ  in  ordinances,  is  another  evidence  of  our  being  in 
him.  For,  as  a  man  is  said  to  be  known  by  the  company  he  keeps,  or  delights  to 
be  in  ;  so  a  true  Christian  is  known,  as  the  apostle  says,  by  his  '  having  fellowship 
with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 'h  Further,  we  must  inquire 
whether  we  have  a  great  concern  for  his  glory  and  interest  in  our  own  souls,  and 
an  earnest  desire  that  his  name  may  be  known  and  magnified  in  the  world  ;  and 
whether  this  desire  be  accompanied  with  using  our  utmost  endeavours  in  our  vari- 
ous stations  and  capacities  in  order  to  the  attainment  of  the  end. 

2.  The  next  thing  which  we  are  to  examine  ourselves  about,  before  we  come  to 
the  Lord's  supper,  is  what  sense  we  have  of  sin,  whether  we  are  truly  humbled  for 
it,  and  desirous  to  be  delivered  from  it.  It  is  not  sufficient  for  us  to  take  a  general 
view  of  ourselves  as  sinners,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  mankind,  without  being 
duly  affected  with  it.  We  must  consider  the  various  aggravations  of  sin,  with  a 
particular  application  to  ourselves  ;  and  how  much  we  have  exceeded  many  others 
in  sin,  either  before  or  since  we  were  called  by  the  grace  of  God.  By  this  means  we 
may  take  occasion  to  say,  as  the  apostle  does  concerning  himself,  that  we  are  '  the 
chief  of  sinners  ;*'  and  a  sense  of  our  guilt,  when  duly  considered,  will  give  us  oc- 
casion to  lie  very  low  at  the  foot  of  God.  We  are  also  to  take  notice  of  our  natural 
propensity  and  inclination  to  sin,  and  the  various  ways  by  which  this  has  discovered 
itself  in  our  actions.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  we  have  sinned  know- 
ingly, wilfully,  presumptuously,  and  obstinately  ;  or  whether  we  have  been  surprised 
into  sin,  or  ensnared  by  some  sudden  and  unforeseen  temptation,  and  have  commit- 
ted it  without  the  full  bent  of  our  wills  ;  whether  we  have  striven  against  it,  or  have 
given  way  to  it,  and  suffered  ourselves  to  be  prevailed  upon  without  making  resist- 
ance. We  must  also  inquire  whether  we  have  continued  in  sin,  or  unfeignedly 
repented  of  it ;  whether  sin  sits  light  or  heavy  on  our  consciences  ;  or  if  our  con- 
sciences are  burdened  with  it,  whether  we  seek  relief  against  it  in  that  way  which 

e  Gal.  vi.  14.  f  2  Cor.  v.  17.  g  John  viii.  31.  h  1  John  i.  3.  i  1  Tim.  i.  15. 


PREPARATION  FOR  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER.  529 

Christ  has  prescribed  in  the  gospel.  We  must  also  inquire  whether  there  are  not 
some  sins  which  more  frequently  and  easily  beset  us  ;  what  they  are,  and  whether 
we  are  daily  watchiul  against  them,  and  use  our  utmost  endeavours  to  avoid  them. 
We  must  also  inquire  whether  we  have  not  frequently  relapsed  into  the  same  siu 
which  we  have  resolved  against  at  various  times,  and  in  particular,  at  the  Lord's 
table,  and  thus  have  broken  our  engagements  ;  and  if  so,  whether  we  did  not  rely 
too  much  on  our  own  strength,  when  we  made  resolutions  against  sin.  We  are 
likewise  to  inquire  whether  sin  gets  ground  upon  us,  so  that  grace  is  weakened  ; 
or  whether,  though  we  commit  it,  we  find  its  strength  abated,  and  ourselves  en- 
abled, in  some  measure,  to  mortify  it,  though  we  do  not  wholly  abstain  from  it ; 
as  the  apostle  says,  '  That  which  I  do,  I  allow  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  that  do  I.'k 
We  are  also  to  inquire  whether  our  sins  have  not  involved  a  great  neglect  of  Christ, 
his  blood,  his  grace,  his  benefits,  we  not  thinking  of  them,  admiring  or  prizing 
them  above  all  things,  nor  laying  hold  on  them  by  faith,' and  so  not  making  a  right 
use  of  his  dying  love,  which  is  signified  in  the  Lord's  supper. 

3.  We  are  to  examine  ourselves,  before  we  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  as  to  what 
particular  wants  we  have  to  be  supplied.  Our  Saviour  is  to  be  considered  in  this 
ordinance,  not  only  as  signified  by  the  external  elements,  but  as  present  with  his 
people  when  met  together  in  his  name,  with  earnest  expectation  of  enjoying  com- 
munion with  him.  And  as  he  is  appointed  to  apply  redemption  to  us,  as  well  as 
purchase  it  for  us,  we  must  consider  him  as  having  his  hands  full  of  spiritual  bless- 
ings, to  impart  to  his  necessitous  people  who  come  to  him  for  them.  Hence,  they 
ought,  before  they  go,  to  inquire  not  only,  as  has  been  already  observed,  what  are 
their  sins  to  be  confessed  and  bewailed  before  him,  but  what  it  is,  more  especially, 
that  they  stand  in  need  of  from  him.  The  question  which  Christ  will  ask  them 
when  they  go  there,  is,  What  is  thy  petition,  and  what  is  thy  request?  What  are 
those  wants  which  thou  desirest  a  supply  of?  Accordingly,  we  are  beforehand  to 
inquire  whether,  though  we  have  some  little  hope  that  we  have  experienced  the 
grace  of  God  in  truth,  yet  we  do  not  want  a  full  assurance  of  our  interest  in  Christ, 
*  that  we  may  know  that  we  have  eternal  life,'1  together  with  the  joy  of  faith  ac- 
companying its  actings  ;  and  whether  we  do  not  want  enlargement  of  heart,  and 
raised  affections  in  holy  duties,  which  the  psalmist  seems  to  intend,  when  he  says, 
'  Bring  my  soul  out  of  prison,  that  I  may  praise  thy  name.'m  Again,  we  are  to 
inquire  whether  we  do  not  want  many  experiences  which  we  formerly  had  of  the 
grace  of  God,  and  of  his  special  presence  in  holy  duties ;  or  have  not  occasion  to  say 
with  Job,  '  Oh  that  it  were  as  in  months  past,  as  in  the  days  when  God  preserved, 
me  ;  when  his  candle  shined  upon  my  head,  and  by  his  light  I  walked  through, 
darkness  !'n  Moreover,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  we  do  not  want  a  greater  degree 
of  establishment  in  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  or  to  be  kept  steady  in  a  time 
of  temptation ;  and  whether  we  do  not  want  a  greater  degree  of  zeal  for  the  honour, 
of  God,  in  a  day  in  which  many  professors  are  lukewarm,  as  our  Saviour  ob- 
serves concerning  the  church  of  Laodicea,  that  'they  were  neither  cold  nor  hot  ;**" 
or  whether  we  do  not  want,  together  with  this  zeal,  a  compassion  to  the  souls 
of 'others  who  make  shipwreck  of  faith,  not  having  a  good  conscience,  which  may. 
induce  us,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  In  meekness  to  instruct  those  that  oppose  them- 
selves, if  God  peradventure  will  give  them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the 
truth  ;'p  and  whether  we  are  duly  affected  with  the  degeneracy  of  the  age  in  which 
we  live,  and  are  not  too  negligent  in  bearing  our  testimony  against  the  errors  ad- 
vanced in  it ;  or  whether  we  understand  the  meaning  of  those  various  dispensa- 
tions of  providence  which  we  are  under,  and  what  is  our  present  duty  in  compliance 
with  them.  These  things  are  of  a  more  general  nature,  and  to  be  made  the  subject 
of  our  inquiry,  whenever  we  draw  nigh  to  Christ  in  any  ordinance  in  which  we  hope 
for  a  supply  of  our  wants.  But  there  are  other  things  which  we  ought,  to  have  a 
more  particular  regard  to  in  our  inquiries,  when  we  are  to  engage  in  the  ordinance 
of  the  Lord's  supper. 

In  order  to  our  partaking  of  it  aright,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  we  do  not  want ! 

k  Rom.  vii.  15.  1  1  John  v.  13.  m  Peal,  cxlii.  7. 

n  Job  xxix.  2,  3.  o  Rev.  iii.  15.  p  2  Tim.  ii.  25.  ■ 

II.  3x 


530  PREPARATION  FCK.  THE   LORD'S  SUPPER. 

a  clear  and  distinct  apprehension  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  its  seals ;  how  we 
are  to  act  faith  in  a  way  of  self-dedication  ;  and  how  we  ought  to  renew  our  cove- 
nant engagements  with  God,  which  we  are  more  especially  called  to  do  in  this  or- 
dinance. We  are  also  to  inquire  whether  we  do  not  want  a  broken  heart,  suitably 
affected  with  the  dying  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  signified  in  the  ordinance,  that  we  may 
'look  on  him  who  was  pierced,  and  mourn. 'i  We  are  likewise  to  inquire  whether 
we  do  not  want  to  be  led  into  the  true  way  of  improving  Christ  crucified,  to  answer 
all  those  accusations  which  are  brought  in  against  us,  either  by  Satan  or  our  own 
consciences ;  and  how  this  is  an  expedient  for  taking  away  the  guilt  and  power 
of  sin.  We  are  further  to  inquire  whether  we  do  not  want  to  be  made  more  like 
Christ,  and  conformed  to  his  death,  that,  while  we  behold  him  represented  as  dying 
for  us,  we  may  '  reckon  ourselves  as  dead  to  sin,'  and  to  the  world,  and  may  reckon 
also  that  '  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  de- 
stroyed, that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin.'r  We  are  also  to  inquire  whether 
we  do  not  want  an  abiding  impression  of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  a  greater  steadfast- 
ness in  our  resolution  to  adhere  to  him  ;  that  so,  whatever  grace  we  may  be  en- 
abled to  act,  by  strength  derived  from  him,  may  be  maintained  and  exercised,  not 
only  when  we  are,  but  also  when  we  are  not,  immediately  engaged  in  that  ordinance. 
These  things  we  are  to  examine  ourselves  concerning,  that  we  may  spread  our 
wants  before  the  Lord  at  his  table. 

To  induce  us  to  this  work  of  self-examination,  we  may  consider  that  our  corrupt 
nature  is  very  prone  to  think  ourselves  better  than  we  really  are  ;  so  that,  how  in- 
digent and  distressed  soever  we  may  be,  we  are  ready  to  conclude,  with  the  church 
of  the  Laodiceans,  that  '  we  are  rich  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of 
nothing.'8  Moreover,  if  we  are  not  truly  sensible  of  our  necessities,  we  shall  not 
value  Christ's  fulness,  or  the  rich  provision  he  has  made  for  his  people,  and  is 
pleased  to  dispense  in  this  ordinance  ;  as  it  is  said,  '  The  whole  need  not  a  physi- 
cian, but  they  that  are  sick.'*  We  must  consider  also  that  a  great  part  of  our 
work  in  observing  this  ordinance  consists  in  ejaculatory  prayer,  which  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  put  up  in  a  right  manner  if  we  are  not  sensible  of  our  wants.  One  rea- 
son why  we  are  so  often  at  a  loss  in  prayer,  or  go  out  of  the  presence  of  God 
empty,  is  that  our  hearts  are  not  enlarged  in  it.  Now,  they  cannot  be  enlarged  in 
prayer  unless  we  are  affected  with  a  sense  of  our  necessities.  We  have  full  encour- 
agement, however,  to  examine  ourselves  concerning  them,  before  we  partake  of  the 
Lord's  supper.  Christ  invites  us  to  draw  nigh  to  him  in  that  ordinance,  that  he 
may  take  occasion  to  communicate  the  blessings  of  his  redemption  which  are  signi- 
fied by  it,  that  he  may  supply  our  wants,  satisfy  our  desires,  surmount  our  difficul- 
ties, and  apply  to  us  the  great  and  precious  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 
But  these  are  to  be  sought  for  at  his  hands  by  faith  and  prayer  ;  which  supposes 
the  performance  of  this  duty  of  s,elf-examination,  with  respect  to  the  blessings  which 
we  stand  in  need  of  from  him. 

4.  We  are,  before  we  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper,  to  examine  ourselves  concern- 
ing the  truth  and  measure  of  our  knowledge  in  divine  things  ;  inasmuch  as  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  these  the  heart  cannot  be  good,  nor  any  spiritual  duty  en- 
gaged in  in  a  right  manner.  A  perfect  comprehensive  knowledge  of  divine  truths, 
indeed,  is  not  to  be  expected,  by  reason  of  the  weakness  of  our  capacitie?,  and  the 
imperfection  of  the  present  state  ;  in  which,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  we  see'  but 
'through  a  glass  darkly  ;'u  or,  as  it  is  said  elsewhere,  '  We  are  but  of  yesterday, 
and  know,'  comparatively,  'nothing.'*  There  is,  however,  a  degree  of  knowledge 
which  is  not  only  attainable,  but  necessary  to  our  right  engaging  in  this  ordinance. 
This  does  not  consist  merely  in  our  knowing  that  there  is  a  God,  or  that  he  is  to 
be  worshipped,  or  that  there  was  such  a  person  as  our  Saviour,  who  lived  in  the 
world,  was  cnicified,  rose  again  from  the  dead,  ascended  into  heaven,  and  shall 
come  again  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  For  a  person  may  have  a  general 
notion  of  all  these  things,  and  yet  be  unacquainted  with  the  end  and  design  of 
Christ's  death,  and  the  blessings  and  privileges  of  the  covenant  of  grace  which  he 

q  Zech.  xii.  10.  r  Rom.  vi.  6,  10.  8  Rev.  iii.  17. 

t  Matt.  ix.  12.  u  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  x  Job  viii.  9. 


PREPARATION  FOR  THE  LORDS  SUPPER.  531 

procured  by  his  death,  or  with  the  claim  which  a  person  may  lay  oy  faith 
to  them.  Bat  without  being  acquainted  with  these  things,  there  is  not  a  sufficient 
knowledge,  such  as  the  apostle  calls  '  a  discerning  the  Lord's  body,'*  which  we  ought 
to  have  in  this  ordinance.  The  knowledge  of  divine  truths  which  ought  to  be 
pressed  after,  and  as  to  our  attainments  in  which  we  are  to  examine  ourselves, 
respects  the  person  of  Christ,  as  God-man,  Mediator,  and  the  offices  which  he  exe- 
cutes as  such.  More  particularly,  it  respects  the  manner  and  end  of  his  executing 
his  priestly  office,  in  which  he  offered  himself  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  which  we  are 
more  especially  to  commemorate  in  this  ordinance.  We  must  also  have  an  affecting 
sense  or  knowledge  of  the  guilt  of  sin  ;  and,  as  a  relief  against  it,  must  be  acquainted 
with  the  doctrine  of  the  free  grace  of  God,  displayed  in  the  gospel,  and  founded  in 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  whereby  sin  is  pardoned.  We  are  also  to  be  fully  convinced  of 
the  almighty  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  whereby  alone  sin  can  be  subdued,  and  of 
the  method  he  takes  to  make  the  redemption  purchased  by  Christ  effectual  to  an- 
swer that  end.  Again,  we  are  to  endeavour,  in  some  measure,  to  know  God  as  our 
Father,  and  covenant-God  in  Christ,  who  bestows  on  his  people  the  rich  and  splen- 
did entertainment  of  his  house,  and  satisfies  them  with  the  abundance  of  his  good- 
ness, pursuant  to  what  Christ  has  purchased.  We  must  also  know  what  it  is  to 
deal  with  him  as  those  who  see  themselves  obliged  to  devote  themselves  to  him  as 
their  God  ;  and  what  large  expectations  they  may  have  from  him  whom  he  has 
avouched  to  be  his  peculiar  people  ;  and  how  these  expectations  are  a  foundation 
of  that  humble  'boldness'  with  which  they  are  encouraged  to  'come  unto  the 
throne  of  grace,  that  they  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of 
need.'z  Moreover,  we  are  to  inquire,  not  only  whether  we  have  conceptions  of  the 
excellency,  glory,  and  suitableness  of  those  great  things  which  are  revealed  in  the 
gospel,  to  answer  our  particular  exigencies,  and  render  us  happy  in  the  enjoyment 
of  God,  but  whether  the  knowledge  of  them  makes  a  due  impression  on  our  hearts, 
is  of  a  transforming  nature,  and  has  a  tendency  to  regulate  the  conduct  of  our  lives, 
and  put  us  on  the  application  of  these  great  things  to  ourselves. 

As  to  the  degree  of  our  knowledge,  we  must  inquire  whether  it  be  only  a  simple 
apprehension  that  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  true,  or  at  most,  contains  some 
general  ideas  of  their  being  excellent  and  worthy  of  the  highest  esteem.  We  must 
also  inquire  whether  we  can  prove  them  to  be  true,  and  render  a  reason  of  our 
faith.  Without  this,  our  knowledge  may,  indeed,  be  rightly  placed  as  to  its  ob- 
ject ;  but  it  cannot  be  said  to  be  deeply  rooted,  and  therefore  is  exposed  to  greater 
danger  of  being  foiled,  weakened,  or  overthrown  by  temptation.  We  must  also 
inquire  whether  we  grow  in  knowledge  in  proportion  to  those  opportunities  or 
means  of  grace  which  we  are  favoured  with.  This  the  apostle  calls  '  growing  in 
grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 'a 

5.  We  are  to  examine  ourselves  concerning  the  truth  and  degree  of  our  faith, 
and  other  graces  which  are  inseparably  connected  with  it.  As  for  faith,  we  are  to 
inquire  whether  it  be  a  living  iaith,  or  what  the  apostle  calls  a  'dead  faith, 'b  as 
being  '  alone,'  and  destitute  of  those  good  works  which  ought  to  proceed  from  it ; 
whether  it  contains  only  an  assent  to  the  truth  of  divine  revelation  ;  or  whether 
it  puts  us  upon  closing  with  Christ,  embracing  him  in  all  his  offices,  and  trusting 
in  him  for  all  those  benefits  which  he  has  purchased  by  his  blood.  We  must  also 
inquire  what  fruits  or  effects  it  produces,  and  what  other  graces  accompany  or  flow 
from  it ;  whether  it  inclines  us  to  set  the  highest  value  on  Christ,  as  being,  in  our 
esteem,  altogether  lovely,  and  gives  us  low  thoughts  of  ourselves,  as  having  nothing 
but  what  we  depend  on  him  for,  or  derive  from  him  ;  whether  it  be  attended  with 
some  degree  of  holiness  in  heart  and  life,  as  the  apostle  speaks  of  'the  heart  being 
purified  by  faith;'0  whether  it  be  such  a  faith  as  'overcomes  the  world, 'd  and 
prevents  our  being  easily  turned  aside  from  God,  by  the  snares  which  we  meet 
with  ;  whether  we  are  inclined  by  it  to  confess  ourselves  to  be  '  strangers  and  pil- 
grims on  the  earth,'6 and  to  '  desire  a  better  country. 'f  There  are  many  other  fruits 
and  effects  of  faith,  which  the  apostle  mentions  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the 

y  1  Cor.  xi.  29.  z  Heb.  iv.  16.  a  2  Pet.  iii.  18.  b  James  ii.  17,  18. 

c  Acts  xv.  9.  d  1  John  v.  4.  e  Heb.  xi.  13.  f  Verse  16. 


532  PIIEPAKATION   FOR  THE   LORD'S  SUPPER. 

epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  by  which  we  may  examine  ourselves  concerning  the  truth 
and  sincerity  of  this  grace.  There  are  also  several  graces  mentioned  in  this  An- 
swer which  are  connected  with  faith,  concerning  which  we  must  inquire  whether 
they  are  found  in  us, — particularly  repentance.  This  must  of  necessity  be  exer- 
cised in  this  ordinance  as  well  as  faith  ;  inasmuch  as  by  the  one,  we  behold  Christ's 
glory,  and  by  the  other,  we  take  a  view  of  sin's  deformity.  And  it  is  such  a  re- 
pentance as  inclines  us  not  only  to  hate  sin,  but  to  forsake  and  turn  from  it,  as  seeing 
the  detestable  and  odious  nature  of  it,  in  what  Christ  endured  to  make  satisfaction 
for  it.  But  as  faith  and  repentance  were  particularly  considered  under  a  former 
Answer,  together  with  the  nature,  properties,  and  effects  of  them,*  we  shall  pass 
them  over,  and  consider  the  graces  of  love  to  God,  desire  after  Christ,  and  our 
using  endeavours  to  approve  ourselves  his  servants  and  subjects,  by  constant  acts 
of  obedience  to  him.  These  things  are  to  be  the  subject  of  our  inquiry,  before  we 
engage  in  this  ordinance. 

It  is  very  suitable  to  the  occasion,  to  inquire  whether  we  love  Christ  or  not ; 
inasmuch  as  we  are  to  beheld  and  be  affected  with  the  most  amazing  instance  of 
love  which  he  has  expressed  to  us.  We  ought  therefore  to  inquire  whether  our 
love  to  him  be  superlative,  far  exceeding  that  which  we  bear  to  all  creatures,  how 
valuable  soever  they  may  be  to  us,  how  nearly  soever  we  may  be  related  to  them, 
or  whatever  engagements  we  may  be  laid  under  to  esteem  and  value  them.  We 
may  also  try  the  sincei'ity  of  our  love  to  God,  by  inquiring  whether  it  puts  us  on 
performing  the  most  difficult  duties  for  his  sake,  with  the  greatest  cheerfulness  ; 
and  whether  we  are  encouraged  by  it  to  bear  the  most  afflictive  evils  with  patience, 
because  it  is  his  pleasure  that  we  should  be  exercised  with  them.h  We  ought  also 
to  inquire  whether  we  love  him  with  all  our  heart,  or  whether  our  love  is  divided 
betwixt  him  and  the  creature,  so  that  our  affections  are  often  drawn  aside  from 
him  ;  whether  our  love  to  him  puts  us  upon  improving  our  time,  strength,  and  all 
our  other  talents  to  his  glory  ;  whether  we  have  no  interest  separate  from  his, 
which  we  cannot  but  preier  to  our  chief  joy  ;  whether  his  glory  be  the  very  end  of 
our  living,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  For  me  to  live  is  Christ ;''  whether  we  are  ear- 
nestly desirous  to  bring  others  to  him,  not  only  by  recommending  his  glory  to  them 
in  words,  but  by  expressing  the  esteem  and  value  we  have  for  him,  in  the  whole 
course  of  our  conversation  ;  whether  we  are  inclined  by  our  love  to  him  to  hate 
every  thing  which  he  hates,  as  the  psalmist  says,  '  Ye  that  love  the  Lord,  hate 
evil  ;'k  and  whether  we  make  those  things  the  object  of  our  choice  which  he  delights 
in.  Moreover,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  we  have  had  any  communion  with  him  in 
ordinances,  and  particularly  in  this  ordinance,  at  other  times.  And  when  he  is 
pleased  to  withhold  this  privilege  from  us  in  any  degree,  in  order  that  we  may  see 
that  all  our  comforts  flow  from  him,  or  that  he  may  humble  us  for  those  sins  which 
provoke  him  to  depart  from  us,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  we  are  earnestly  desirous 
of  his  return,  and  cannot  be  satisfied  with  any  thing  short  of  him. 

As  for  our  desires  after  Christ,  which  we  are  farther  to  examine  ourselves  about, 
we  must  inquire  whether  that  which  moves  or  inclines  us  to  desire  him,  be  the 
view  we  have  of  the  glory  of  his  Person,  and  the  delight  which  arises  from  our 
contemplating  his  divine  excellencies  ;  or  whether  we  desire  him  only  for  the  sake 
of  his  benefits,  or  only  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  the  wrath  to  come  ;  whether 
we  desire  Christ  only  when  his  service  is  attended  with  the  esteem  of  men,  or  as  a 
means  to  gain  some  worldly  advantage  from  them ;  or  whether  we  desire  to  adhere 
to  him,  when  we  are  called  to  suffer  reproach  "or  even  the  loss  of  all  things  for  his 
sake, — which  will  be  a  convincing  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  our  desires  after  him, 
and,  consequently,  of  our  love  to  him.  We  are  farther  to  inquire  whether  our 
love  to  Christ,  and  desire  after  him,  discovers  itself  by  renewed  acts  of  obedience 
to  him ;  particularly,  whether  our  obedience  be  universal  or  partial,  constant  or 
wavering,  performed  with  delight  and  pleasure,  or  with  some  reluctance  ;  and  whe- 
ther it  puts  us  upon  universal  holiness,  we  being  induced  to  practise  it  from  the  in- 

g  See  Sect.  'The  Objects  and  Acts  of  Saving  Faith,'  and  following  sections,  under  Quest,  lxxii, 
lxxiii.     See  also  Quest.  Ixxvi,  lxxxv — lxxxvii. 
h  1  Sam.  iii.  18.  i  Phil.  i.  21.  k  Psal.  xcvii.  10. 


PREPARATION  FOR  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER.  533 

fluence  of  gospel-motives.  Thus  concerning  our  examining  ourselves  about  our 
faith,  repentance,  love  to  Christ,  desire  after  him,  and  our  endeavour  to  yield 
obedience  to  him  in  all  things. 

The  next  thing  we  are  to  examine  ourselves  concerning,  is  whether  we  have 
Buch  a  love  to  the  brethren,  and  charity  to  all  men,  as  disposes  us  to  exercise 
forgiveness  to  those  who  have  done  us  any  injuries.  The  Lord's  supper  being  an 
ordinance  of  mutual  fellowship,  we  are  obliged  to  behave  ourselves  toward  one 
another  as  members  of  the  same  body,  subjects  of  the  same  Lord,  engaged  in  the 
same  religious  exercise  ;  and,  consequently,  are  obliged  so  to  love  one  another 
that  it  may  appear  that  we  are  Christ's  disciples.1  This  love  consists  in  our  de- 
siring and  endeavouring  to  promote  the  spiritual  interest  of  one  another,  in  order 
that  Christ  may  be  glorified  ;  and  it  includes  that  charity  which  casts  a  vail 
over  others'  failures  and  defects,  and  our  forgiving  those  injuries  which  they 
have  at  any  time  done  to  us.  This  frame  of  spirit  is  certainly  becoming  the 
nature  of  the  ordinance ;  in  which  we  hope  to  be  made  partakers  of  the  fruits  and 
effects  of  Christ's  love,  and  to  obtain  forgiveness  from  him  of  all  the  injuries  we 
have  done  against  him.  It  is  therefore  very  necessary  for  us  to  inquire,  concern- 
ing our  love  to  the  brethren,  whether  it  be  such  as  is  a  distinguishing  character  of 
those  who  are  Christ's  friends  and  followers,  or  such,  according  to  the  apostle's  ex- 
pression, as  will  afford  an  evidence  to  us  that  we  have  'passed  from  death  unto 
life.'m  In  order  to  our  discovering  this,  let  us  examine  ourselves  whether  we  love 
the  brethren  because  we  behold  the  image  of  God  in  them,  which  is,  in  effect,  to 
love  and  'glorify  God  in  them  ;'n  and  whether  our  love  to  men  leads  us  to  desire 
and  endeavour  to  be  a  common  good  to  all,  according  to  the  utmost  of  our  ability. 
Thus  it  is  said  of  Mordecai,  that  '  he  was  accepted  of  the  multitude  of  his  brethren, 
seeking  the  wealth  of  his  people,  and  speaking  peace  to  all  his  seed.'0  Again,  we 
are  to  inquire  whether  our  love  be  more  especially  to  the  souls  of  men,  as  well  as 
their  outward  concerns.  This  consists  in  our  using  all  suitable  endeavours  to  bring 
them  under  conviction  of  sin,  by  faithful  and  well-timed  reproofs ;  for  the  contrary 
to  this,  or  our  refusing  to  rebuke  our  neighbour  or  brother,  and  so  '  suffering  sin 
upon  him,'  is  reckoned  no  other  than  a  '  hating  '  of  him.**  We  are  also  to  express 
our  love  to  the  souls  of  men,  by  endeavouring  to  persuade  them  to  believe  in  Christ, 
if  they  are  in  an  unconverted  state,  or  to  walk  as  becomes  his  gospel,  if  they  have 
been  made  partakers  of  its  grace.  Thus  the  apostle  expresses  his  love  to  those  to 
whom  he  writes,  when  he  says,  '  I  travail  in  birth  again,  till  Christ  be  formed  in 
you ;'  i  and  elsewhere,  he  signifies  to  another  of  the  churches,  how  '  affectionately 
desirous  he  was  of  them  ;'  so  that  he  was  '  willing,  not  only  to  impart  the  gospel  of 
God,  but  his  own  soul ;  because  they  were  dear  unto  him.'r  Again,  we  must  in- 
quire whether  our  love  puts  us  upon  choosing  those  to  be  our  associates  who  truly 
iear  the  Lord,  whom  we  count  as  the  psalmist  expresses  it,  '  the  excellent,  in  whom 
is  all  our  delight  ;'8  and,  on  the  other  hand,  whether  we  avoid  the  society  of,  or 
intimacy  with,  those  who  are  Christ's  open  enemies.  Thus  the  prophet  reproves 
good  Jehoshaphat  for  associating  with  improper  persons,  when  he  says,  '  Shouldest 
thou  help  the  ungodly,  and  love  them  that  hate  the  Lord?'*  Again,  we  ought  to 
inquire  whether  our  love  to  men  is  then  expressed  when  it  is  most  needed  ;  as  it 
is  said, '  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times,  and  a  brother  is  born  for  adversity.'"  We  are 
to  inquire  also  whether  we  are  inclined  to  all  the  acts  of  that  charity  which  covers  a 
multitude  of  faults ;  as  the  apostle  describes  it.  that  it  '  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind, 
envieth  not,  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly, 
seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil,  rejoiceth  not  in  ini- 
quity, but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth;  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth 
all  tilings,  and  endureth  all  things.'* 

Again,  we  are  to  inquire  whether  our  love  to  men  be  expressed  in  forgiving  in- 
juries. This  is  a  frame  of  spirit  absolutely  necessary  for  our  engaging  in  any  or- 
dinance. Accordingly,  our  Saviour  says,  '  If  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and 
there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  ought  against  thee,'*  that  is,  if  there  be 

1  John  xiii.  35.  m  1  John  iii.  14.  n  Gal.  i.  24.  o  Esth.  x.  3. 

p  Lev.  xix.  17.  q  Gal.  iv.  19.  r  1   Tbess.  ii.  8.  8  Psal.  xvi.  3. 

t  2  Chron.  xix.  2,  u  Prov.  xvii.  17.  x  1  Cor.  xiii.  4 — 8.  y  Matt.  v.  23,  24 


534  PREPARATION   FOR  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

a  misunderstanding  between  you,  whoever  be  the  aggressor,  or  gave  the  first  occa- 
sion for  it,  '  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  thy  way,  first  be  recon- 
ciled to  thy  brother,'  that  is,  do  whatever  is  in  thy  power  in  order  to  effect  a  recon- 
cilement, and  *  then  come  and  offer  thv  gift.'  Such  an  exercise  of  a  forgiving 
spirit  is  especially  necessarv  when  we  engage  in  this  ordinance  ;  in  which  we  hope 
to  obtain  forgiveness  of  the  many  offences  which  we  have  committed  against  God. 
Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  ■  Let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  neither 
with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but  .with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sin- 
cerity and  truth.'2  It  is  no  difficult  matter  for  us  to  know  whether  we  are  disposed 
to  forgive  those  who  have  injured  us.  Hence,  the  principal  thing  we  are  to  exa- 
mine ourselves  about,  is,  whether  we  exercise  forgiveness  in  a  right  frame  of  spirit, 
considering  how  prone  we  are  to  do  things  ourselves  which  may  render  it  necessary 
for  us  to  be  forgiven,  both  by  God  and  man;  and  whether,  as  the  consequence  of 
forgiving  others,  though  we  were  formerly  inclined  to  overlook  those  graces  which 
are  discernible  in  them,  we  now  can  love  them  as  brethren,  and  glorify  God  for 
what  they  have  experienced,  and  be  earnestly  solicitous  for  their  salvation  as  well 
as  our  own.  Thus  concerning  the  first  duty  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  namely, 
our  examining  ourselves  before  we  engage  in  this  ordinance. 

Various  Duties  of  Preparation  for  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  now  proceed  to  consider  some  other  duties  mentioned  in  this  Answer.  One 
of  these  is  the  renewing  of  the  exercise  of  those  graces  which  are  necessary  to  our 
right  engaging  in  it,  so  that  the  sincerity  and  truth  of  them  may  be  discerned. 
As  faith,  repentance,  and  several  other  graces  ought  to  be  exercised  in  this  ordi- 
nance, it  is  necessary  for  us  to  give  a  specimen  of  them  before  we  engage  in  it.  As 
the  artificer  tries  the  instrument  he  is  to  make  use  of  in  some  curious  work  before 
he  uses  it,  so  the  truth  and  sincerity  of  our  faith  are  to  be  tried  before  it  be  exercised 
in  this  ordinance. 

Another  duty  preparatory  to  the  Lord's  supper,  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  is 
serious  meditation.  We  are  to  perform  this  duty  that  we  may  not  engage  in  the 
ordinance  without  considering  the  greatness  of  the  Majesty  with  whom  we  have  to 
do,  together  with  our  own  vileness  and  unworthiness  to  approach  his  presence. 
We  must  also  consider  his  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  to  encourage  us  to  hope 
for  those  supplies  of  grace  from  him  which  we  stand  in  need  of ;  and  we  are  to 
have  an  awful  sense  of  his  omnipresence  and  omniscience,  as  he  is  an  heart-search- 
ing God,  that  we  may  be  excited  to  an  holy  reverence,  and  guarded  against  the 
wandering  of  our  thoughts  and  affections  from  him,  or  any  unbecoming  behaviour 
in  his  presence.  More  particularly,  we  are  to  consider  beforehand,  the  end  and 
design  of  Christ's  instituting  this  ordinance, — namely,  that  his  dying  love  to  sin- 
ners might  be  signified  and  showed  forth,  as  an  encouragement  to  our  faith,  and 
an  inducement  to  thanksgiving  and  praise. 

It  is  farther  observed  that  we  are  to  endeavour  to  prepare  for  this  ordinance  by 
fervent  prayer,  being  sensible  that,  when  we  have  done  our  best,  we  shall  be  too 
much  unprepared  for  it,  unless  we  have  the  special  assistance  of  God  when  engaging 
in  it.  To  this  case  may  be  applied  the  words  of  Hezekiah,  '  The  good  Lord  par- 
don every  one  that  prepareth  his  heart  to  seek  God,  the  Lord  God  of  his  fathers ; 
though  he  be  not  cleansed  according  to  the  purification  of  the  sanctuary.'  a  We 
are  to  be  earnest  with  God  that  he  would  give  us  a  believing  view  of  Christ  cruci- 
fied, and  especially  of  our  interest  in  him,  that  we  may  be  able  to  say  as  the  apostle 
does,  '  He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me  ;'b  and  that  he  would  apply  to  us 
those  blessings  which  he  has  purchased  by  his  death,  which  we  desire  to  wait  upon 
him  for  when  engaging  in  this  ordinance,  that  our  drawing  nigh  to  him  in  it  may 
redound  to  his  glory  and  our  spiritual  advantage. 

l  1  Cor.  v.  8.  a  2  Chron.  xxz.  18,  .19.  b  Gal.  ii.  20. 


THE  PARTAKERS  OF  THE  LORD'S  SCTPER.  535 


THE  PARTAKERS  OP  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Question  CLXXII.  May  one  who  doubteth  of  his  being  in  Christ,  and  of  his  due  preparation, 
come  to  the  Lord's  supper  f 

Answer.  One  who  doubteth  of  his  being:  in  Christ,  or  of  his  due  preparation  to  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord'*  supper,  may  have  true  interest  in  Christ,  though  he  be  not  yet  assured  thereof;  and  in 
God's  account,  hath  it,  if  he  be  duly  affected  with  the  apprehension  of  the  want  of  it,  and  unfeign- 
eillv  desires  to  be  found  in  Christ,  and  to  depart  from  iniquity,  in  which  case  (because  promises  are 
made,  and  this  sacrament  is  appointed  for  the  relief  even  of  weak  atid  doubting  Christians^  he  is 
to  bewail  his  unbelief;  and  labour  to  have  his  doubts  resolved,  and  so  doing,  be  may,  and  ought  to 
come  to  the  Lord's  supper  that  he  may  be  farther  strengthened. 

Question  CLXXIII.  May  any  who  profess  the  faith,  and  desire  to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper,  be 
kept  from  it  f 

Answer.  Such  as  are  found  to  be  ignorant  or  scandalous,  notwithstanding  their  profession  of 
the  faith,  and  desire  to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper,  may,  and  ought  to  be  kept  from  that  sacrament 
by  the  power  which  Christ  bath  left  in  his  church,  until  thev  receive  instruction,  and  manifest 
their  reformation. 

In  these  Answers  we  have  an  account  of  those  who  ought  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  and  of  those  who  must  be  kept  from  it.  The  former  Answer  respects,  more 
especially,  doubting  Christians,  who  desire  to  receive  satisfaction,  whether  they 
ought  to  engage  in  the  ordinance  or  not ;  the  latter  respects  persons  who  are  ready 
to  presume  that  they  are  qualified  for  it,  and  ought  to  partake  of  it,  though  they 
are  such  as  are  to  be  excluded  from  it. 

The  Case  of  Doubting  Professors. 

As  to  the  case  of  one  who  doubteth  of  his  being  in  Christ,  and  duly  prepared 
for  the  Lord's  supper,  there  are  several  things  which  may  afford  matter  of  encour- 
agement to  him. 

1.  Though  his  being  duly  prepared  for  the  Lord's  supper  is  a  matter  of  doubt  to 
him,  he  being  destitute  of  assurance  of  his  being  in  Christ ;  yet  he  may  be  mis- 
taken in  the  judgment  which  he  passes  concerning  himself.  Assurance,  as  was  for- 
merly observed,  is  not  of  the  essence  of  saving  faith  ;c  for  a  person  may  rely  on 
Christ,  or  give  himself  up  to  him,  by  a  direct  act  of  faith,  who  cannot,  at  the  same 
time,  take  the  comfort  that  would  otherwise  arise  from  thence,  that  Christ  has 
loved  him  and  given  himself  for  him.  Many  have  reason  to  complain  of  the  weak- 
ness of  their  faith,  and  the  great  resistance  and  disturbance  which  they  meet  with 
from  the  corruption  of  nature.  Others,  too,  who  at  present  have  assurance  of  their 
interest  in  Christ,  may  afterwards,  through  divine  desertion,  lose  the  comfortable 
sense  of  it.  Hence,  we  must  not  conclude  that  every  doubting  believer  is  destitute 
of  faith.  Those  are  to  be  tenderly  dealt  with,  and  not  discouraged  from  attending 
on  the  Lord's  supper,  whom  others  who  converse  with  them  cannot  but  think  to 
have  a  right  to  it,  and  to  be  habitually  prepared  for  it ;  though  they  themselves  very 
much  question  whether  they  are  actually  meet  for  it,  being  apprehensive  that  they 
cannot  exercise  those  graces  which  are  necessary  to  their  partaking  of  the  ordinance 
in  a  right  manner. 

Let  it  be  considered,  then,  that  there  are  some  things,  which,  if  duly  considered 
by  a  weak,  doubting  Christian,  would  afford  him  ground  of  hope;  though,  it  may 
be,  he  cannot  sufficiently  improve  them  to  his  own  comfort.  Thus,  if  he  be  truly 
affected  with  his  want  of  assurance,  and,  in  consequence,  is  filled  with  uneasiness  in 
his  own  mind,  laments  his  condition,  and  can  take  no  comfort  in  any  outward  en- 
joyments, while  destitute  of  it;  if  he  is  importunate  with  God  in  prayer,  that  he 
would  lift  up  the  light  of  his  countenance  upon  him,  and  grant  him  the  exercise  as 
well  as  the  joy  of  faith  ;  if  he -frequently  examines  himself  with  impartiality,  and 
with  an  earnest  desire  to  be  satisfied  as  to  his  state,  yet  still  walks  in  darkness,  and 

c  See  Quest,  lxxxi. 


536  THE  PARTAKERS  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER, 

his  doubts  and  fears  prevail  against  him  ;  he  has  some  ground  to  conclude  that  he 
is  better  than  he  apprehends  himself  to  be,  provided  he  is  truly  humbled  for  those 
sins  which  may  be  reckoned  the  procuring  cause  of  his  doubts  and  fears,  and  deter- 
mines to  be  still  waiting  till  God  shall  be  pleased  to  discover  to  him  his  interest  in 
forgiving  grace,  and  thereby  resolve  his  doubts  and  expel  his  fears,  which  render 
him  so  very  uneasy.  Moreover,  a  person  lias  some  ground  of  hope,  if  he  can  say 
that  he  unfeignedly  desires  Christ  and  grace  above  all  things,  and  can  find  satis- 
faction in  nothing  short  of  him ;  for  in  this  case,  it  may  be  said  that  Christ  is  pre- 
cious to  him,  as  he  is  to  those  who  believe.  We  may  add,  that  he  has  some  ground 
of  hope,  if  he  desires  to  forsake  all  sin,  as  being  offensive  and  contrary  to  him,  so 
that  when  he  commits  it,  he  can  truly  say  with  the  apostle,  '  That  which  I  do,  I 
allow  not ;  for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not ;  but  what  I  hate  that  do  I ;'  and  hence 
concludes  himself  'wretched,'  and  earnestly  desires  to  be  'delivered  from  the  body 
of  this  death. 'd 

Again,  there  are  some  promises  which  a  weak  doubting  Christian  may  lay  hold 
on  for  his  encouragement.  If  the  guilt  of  sin  lies  as  a  heavy  burden  upon  him, 
and  is  the  occasion  of  his  doubts  about  his  being  in  Christ  ;  there  are  promises  of 
forgiveness. e  If  he  complains  of  the  power  of  sin,  and  its  prevalency  over  him  ; 
there  is  a  promise  which  is  suited  to  his  case  :  '  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
you  ;  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace. 'f  If  Satan's  temptations  are 
very  grievous  to  him,  and  such  as  he  can  hardly  resist ;  there  are  promises  suited 
to  his  case,  that  '  God  will  not  suffer'  his  people  '  to  be  tempted  above  that  they 
are  able,  but  will,  with  the  temptation,  make  a  way  to  escape  ;'s  and,  '  The  God  of 
peace  shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly.'11  If  he  wants  enlargement  and 
raised  affections  in  prayer  or  other  religious  duties,  so  that  he  is  very  greatly  dis- 
couraged, these  promises  may  afford  him  some  relief:  '  I  will  pour  upon  the  house 
of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  of  suppli- 
cations;'1 and  '  Lord,  thou  hast  heard  the  desire  of  the  humble;  thou  wilt  prepare 
their  heart ;  thou  wilt  cause  thine  ear  to  hear. ' k  If  our  doubts  arise  from  frequent 
backslidings,  and  relapses  into  sin,  we  may  apply  these  promises  :  'He  restoreth  my 
soul,'1  &c. ;  and  '  I  will  heal  their  backsliding,  I  will  love  them  freely  ;  for  mine  anger 
is  turned  away  from  them.'m  We  may  also,  in  this  case,  apply  to  him  Isa.  lvii.  1< , 
18,  where  it  is  supposed  that  God  was  wroth,  and  hid  himself  from  his  people  for 
their  iniquity  ;  and  where,  though  they  are  described  as  '  going  on  frowardly  in 
the  way  of  their  heart,'  yet  God  says,  '  I  have  seen  his  ways,  and  will  heal  him  ; 
I  will  lead  him  also,  and  restore  comforts  unto  him,  and  to  his  mourners.'  We  may 
likewise  apply  Hos.  xi.  7 — 9,  where,  though  God's  people  are  described  as  bent  to 
backslide  from  him,  yet  he  determines  not  to  destroy  them,  but  says,  in  a  very 
moving  way,  '  How  shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim?  How  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Is- 
rael, &c.  Mine  heart  is  turned  within  me,  my  repentings  are  kindled  together. 
I  will  not  execute  the  fierceness  of  mine  anger,  I  will  not  return  to  destroy  Ephraim ; 
for  I  am  God  and  not  man,  the  Holy  One  in  the  midst  of  thee.'  Again,  if  we  want 
communion  with  God,  or  his  preseuce  with  us  in  his  ordinances,  and  are  hence  led 
to  conclude  that  we  are  not  in  Christ;  let  us  consider  these  texts:  '  I  said  not  unto 
the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  me  in  vain;'n  and,  'For  a  small  moment  have  I 
forsaken  thee  ;  but  with  great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid 
my  face  from  thee  for  a  moment ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy 
on  thee.'0  If  we  are  under  frequent  convictions  which  soon  wear  off,  and  are  led 
to  fear,  from  their  want  of  permanency,  that  we  never  experienced  a  thorough  work 
of  conversion  ;  let  us  consider  the  following  texts  :  '  Shall  I  bring  to  the  birth,  and 
not  cause  to  bring  forth,  saith  the  Lord?'P  '  Who  hath  despised  the  day  of  small 
things  ?'*J  '  As  the  new  wine  is  found  in  the  cluster,  and  one  saith,  Destroy  it  not, 
for  a  blessing  is  in  it ;  so  will  I  do  for  my  servants'  sake,  that  I  may  not  destroy 
them  all.'r     If  we  are  in  a  withering  and  declining  condition,  and  want  reviving  ; 

d  Rom.  vii.  15,  24.  e  Mic  vii.  18,  19;  Isa.  lv.  7,  8.     •     f  Rom.  vi.  14.  g  1  Cor.  x.  13. 

b  Rom.  xvi.  20.  i  Zech.  xii.  10.                                k  Psal.  x.  17.  1  P«al.  xxiii.  3; 

m  Hos.  xiv.  4.  n  Isa.  xlv.  19.                                  o  Chap.  liv.  7,  8.  p  Chap.  lxvi.  9. 

q  Zech.  iv.  10.  r  Isa.  lxv.  8. 


THE  PARTAKERS  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  537 

or,  if  we  complain  of  barrenness  under  the  means  of  grace,  so  that  we  attend  upon 
them,  as  we  apprehend,  to  very  little  purpose  ;  there  are  some  promises  suited  to 
our  case,  as  Hos.  xiv.  7,  8  ;  Isa.  xlviii.  17.  If  our  doubts  arise  from  the  hardness 
of  our  hearts,  so  that  we  cannot  mourn  for  sin  as  we  ought  to  do,  or  would  do,  let 
us  consider  what  God  has  promised  in  Ezek.  vii.  16;  Deut.  xxx.  6  ;  Acts  v.  31. 
If  we  are  under  the  visible  tokens  of  God's  displeasure,  so  that  we  are  ready  to 
conclude  that  he  distributes  terrors  to  us  in  his  anger  ;  and  if,  in  consequence,  we 
walk  in  darkness,  and  are  far  from  peace  ;  there  are  many  promises  suited  to  our 
case,  as  Jer.  iii.  5  ;  Psal.  ciii.  8 — 10 ;  Isa.  xii.  1  ;  Joel  ii.  13  ;  Isa.  1.  10  ;  Psal. 
lxxix.  15  ;  and  xlii.  11. 

2.  We  have  a  farther  account  how  those  who  are,  at  present,  discouraged  from 
coming  to  the  Lord's  table  ought  to  manage  themselves.  It  is  observed  that 
they  ought  to  bewail  their  unbelief,  to  labour  to  have  their  doubts  resolved  ; 
and  that,  instead  of  being  discouraged,  they  should  come  to  the  Lord's  supper  to 
be  farther  strengthened.  This  advice  is  not  given  to  stupid  sinners,  or  such 
as  are  unconcerned  about  their  state,  or  never  had  the  least  ground  to  conclude 
that  they  have  had  communion  with  God  in  any  ordinance, — especially  if  their 
distress  of  conscience  arises  rather  from  a  slavish  fear  of  the  wrath  of  God,  than 
from  a  filial  fear  of  him,  or  if  they  are  more  concerned  about  the  dreadful  con- 
sequences of  sin,  than  about  the  intrinsic  evil  of  it ;  I  say,  this  advice  is  not  given 
to  such.  But  it  is  given  to  those,  who,  as  formerly  described,  lament  after  the 
Lord ;  earnestly  seek  him,  though  they  cannot,  at  present,  find  him  ;  and  have  fer- 
vent desires  for  his  presence,  though  no  sensible  enjoyment  of  it ;  and  appear  to 
have  some  small  degrees  of  grace,  though  it  be  very  weak.  In  this  case  a  few 
words  of  advice  ought  to  be  given  to  them.  In  particular,  they  should  take  heed 
of  giving  way  to  any  hard  thoughts  of  God  ;  but  should,  on  the  other  hand,  lay  the 
whole  blame  of  their  state  on  themselves.  Thus  God  says  by  the  prophet,  '  Hast 
thou  not  procured  this  unto  thyself,  in  that  thou  hast  forsaken  the  Lord  thy  God, 
when  he  led  thee  by  the  way?'6  They  should  also  give  glory  to,  depend  on,  and 
seek  relief  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Comforter,  who  glorifies  himself  by  sealing 
believers  till  the  day  of  redemption,  and  bestows  those  comforts  on  them  which 
they  stand  in  need  of.  They  must  likewise  endeavour,  to  their  utmost,  to  act 
grace,  and  so  go  forward  in  the  ways  of  God,  though  they  do  not  go  on  comfort- 
ably ;  and  must  not  say,  '  Why  should  I  wait  on  the  Lord  any  longer  ?'  Are  they 
sometimes  afraid  that  they  shall  not  arrive  safely  at  the  end  of  their  race  ?  They 
should  nevertheless  resolve  not  to  give  up  or  to  run  no  longer  in  it.  And  because 
their  way  is  attended  with  darkness,  or  hedged  up  with  thorns,  they  should  not 
determine,  for  that  reason,  to  go  backward,  as  though  they  had  never  set  their 
faces  heavenward.  Again,  they  ought  to  lie  at  God's  foot,  acknowledging  their 
unworthiness  of  that  peace  which  they  desire  but  are  destitute  of ;  and  should  plead 
for  his  special  presence,  which  would  give  an  happy. turn  to  the  frame  of  their 
spirits,  as  that  which  they  prefer  to  all  the  enjoyments  of  life  ;  as  the  psalmist  says, 
4  There  be  many  that  say,  Who  will  show  us  any  good  ?  Lord,  lift  thou  up  the 
light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us.'*  Further,  it  would  be  advisable  for  them  to 
contract  an  intimacy  and  frequently  converse  with  experienced  Christians,  who 
know  the  depths  of  Satan,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart  of  man,  and  the 
methods  of  divine  grace  in  restoring  comforts  to  those  who  are,  at  present,  desti- 
tute of  them,  agreeably  to  what  they  themselves  have  experienced  in  a  similar 
case."  Finally,  they  ought,  for  the  strengthening  of  their  faith,  and  the  establish- 
ing of  their  comforts,  to  wait  on  God  in  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper,  hoping 
for  Christ's  presence  in  it.  Many  have  found,  in  observing  it,  that  they  have  been 
enlivened,  quickened,  and  comforted  ;  while  others,  through  the  neglect  of  it,  have 
had  their  doubts  and  fears  increased. 

The  Case  of  Ignorant  and  Immoral  Professors. 
We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  is  contained  in  the  latter  of  the  Answers  we 

s  Jer.  ii.  17.  t  Psal.  iv.  6.  u  2  Cor.  i.  4. 

ii.  3y 


538  THE  PARTAKERS  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

are  explaining.  _  This  relates  to  those  who  desire  to  come  to  the  Lord's  supper,  but 
are  to  be  kept  from  it.  Here  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  all  are  not  to  be  admitted 
to  this  ordinance  ;  though,  it  may  be,  they  make  a  general  profession  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith,  and  are  not  willing  that  any  should  question  their  right  to  it.  These 
are  described  in  this  Answer  as  being  ignorant  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
and  consequently  unacquainted  with  Christ,  whom  they  never  truly  applied  them- 
selves to,  nor  received  by  faith.  Hence,  they  cannot  improve  this  ordinance 
aright,  or  have  communion  with  Christ  in  it. — Again,  those  are  to  be  excluded 
from  the  Lord's  supper,  who  are  scandalous  or  immoral  in  their  practice,  whatever 
pretensions  they  make  to  the  character  of  Christians.  These  are  described  by  the 
apostle  as  persons  who  '  profess  that  they  know  God,  but  in  works  deny  him,  being 
abominable,  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every  good  work  reprobate.'1  Such  ought 
not  to  have  communion  with  those  whom  the  apostle  describes  as  '  called  to  be 
saints. 'y  Nor  can  they  partake  of  this  ordinance  aright ;  for  they  are  not  apprized 
of  the  end  and  design  of  it,  and  they  are  not  able,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  to 
'discern  the  Lord's  body.'z  If  they  are  straugers  to  themselves,  how  can  they 
apply  the  benefits  of  Christ's  redemption  to  their  own  case  ?  If  they  neglect  the 
preparatory  duty  of  self-examination,  so  that  they  do  not  know  their  own  wants, 
how  can  they  go  to  Christ  in  this  ordinance  for  a  supply  of  them  ?  If  they  do  not 
desire  the  spiritual  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  what  right  can  they  have  to 
make  use  of  its  seals  ?  If  they  are  openly  and  visibly  of  another  family,  under  the 
dominion  of  the  powers  of  darkness,  what  right  have  they  to  the  privileges  which 
Christ  has  purchased  for  those  who  are  members  of  his  family  and  spiritually  united 
to  him  ? 

To  what  has  been  said  concerning  those  who  are  to  be  excluded  from  this  ordi- 
nance, it  is  objected  that  it  appears  that  both  good  and  bad  have  a  right  to  it,  from 
what  our  Saviour  says  in  the  parable  of  the  wheat  and  the  tares,"  both  of  which  are 
said  to  'grow  together  until  the  harvest,'  when  the  '  reapers'  will  be  sent  to  'gather 
first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them,  and  the  wheat  into  the 
barn.'  Hence,  say  the  objectors,  hypocrites  and  sincere  Christians  are  to  continue 
together  in  the  same  church,  and  consequently  to  partake  of  the  same  ordinances. 
But  the  interpretation  assumed  in  the  objection  is  not  the  sense  of  the  parable. 
Our  Saviour  explains  it  otherwise,  when  he  says,  '  The  field  is  the  world  ;  the  good 
seed  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked 
one.'b  We  may  hence  infer  that  good  and  bad  men  are,  through  the  forbearance  of 
God,  suffered  to  live  together  in  the  world  ;  but  the  passage  gives  no  countenance 
to  the  supposition  that  the  wicked  ought  to  be  joined  with  the  godly  as  members  of 
the  same  church.  Not  that  hypocrites  may,  and  often  do,  intrude  themselves  into 
the  churches  of  Christ ;  yet  as  their  doing  so  is  not  known  to  the  churches,  they 
are  not  to  blame  for  it,  the  heart  of  man  being  known  to  God  alone.  The  judg- 
ment which  we  are  to  pass  concerning  those  who  are  admitted  into  church-fellow- 
ship, or  to  the  Lord's  supper  in  particular,  is  to  be  founded  on  their  credible  profes- 
sion ;  and  though,  in  making  that  profession,  it  is  possible  for  them  to  deceive 
others,  yet  the  guilt  and  ill  consequence  of  their  doing  so  will  affect  only  them- 
selves. 

It  is  farther  objected,  that  Judas  was  at  the  Lord's  supper  when  it  was  instituted 
by  our  Saviour,  though  he  knew  that  he  was  an  hypocrite  and  a  traitor,  and  that  he 
would  speedily  execute  what  he  had  designed  against  his  life.  It  is  hence  inferred 
that  all  ought  to  be  admitted  to  this  ordinance.  The  reason  generally  assigned  for 
believing  that  Judas  was  present  at  the  institution  of  the  ordinance  is,  that  it  is  said, 
*  When  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down,  and  his  twelve  apostles  with  him.'c  We 
likewise  read  afterwards  that  '  he  took  bread  and  brake  it,  &o.  and  also  the  cup 
after  supper, 'd  &c.  ;  and  then  it  is  said,  '  Behold  the  hand  of  him  that  betraveth 
me  is  with  me  on  the  table.' e  This  is  supposed,  by  the  objectors,  to  have  been 
spoken  by  Christ  when  they  were  eating  the  Lord's  supper ;  and  they  hence  con- 
clude that  Judas  was  there.     We  reply,  however,  that  it  seems  much  more  pro- 

x  Tit.  i.  16.  y  Rom.  i.  7.  i  1  Cor.  xi.  27.  a  Matt.  xiii.  29. 

b  Ver.  38.  c  Luke  xxii.  14.  d  Ver.  19.  e  Ver.  21. 


THE  PARTAKERS  OF  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER.  539 

bable  that  he  was  not  present  when  the  Lord's  supper  was  administered,  though  he 
joined  with  Christ  and  the  other  apostles  in  eating  the  passover.  The  passover  and 
the  Lord's  supper  were  celebrated,  the  one  immediately  alter  the  other,  at  the  same 
table,  or  sitting  ;  so  that  the  hand  of  Judas  might  be  with  Christ  on  the  table,  in 
the  former,  though  not  in  the  latter.  Hence,  though  these  words,  '  the  hand  of  him 
that  betray eth  me,  is  with  me  on  the  table, '  are  inserted  after  the  account  of  both  these 
ordinances  being  concluded  ;  yet  we  have  ground  to  suppose  that  they  were  spoken 
while  they  were  eating  the  passover,  when  Judas  was  present.  Moreover,  it  ap- 
pears yet  more  probable  that  he  was  not  present  at  the  Lord's  supper,  from  the 
account  which  John  gives  of  the  matter.  According  to  that  account,  our  Savi- 
our tells  the  disciples  that  '  one  of  them  should  betray  him  ;'f  and  he  thens  discov- 
ers that  he  meant  Judas,  by  giving  him  the  sop  ;  and  it  is  said,  that  '  having 
received  the  sop,  he  went  immediately  out.'h  Now  it  is  certain  there  was  no  sop 
in  the  Lord's  supper,  as  there  was  in  the  passover,  inasmuch  as  there  was  no  flesh 
used  in  it.  Hence,  Judas  went  out  when  they  were  eating  the  passover,  before 
they  began  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper  ;  being,  as  we  may  reasonably  suppose, 
in  a  rage  that  his  hypocrisy  should  be  detected,  and  that  he  should  be  marked  out 
as  a  traitor,  who  was  previously  reckoned  as  good  a  man  as  any  of  them.  We 
have  not  sufficient  ground,  therefore,  to  conclude,  from  the  case  of  Judas,  that 
wicked  men  ought  to  be  admitted  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper. 

It  is  farther  objected,  that  for  Christians  to  exclude  any  from  the  Lord's  supper, 
would  argue  a  great  deal  of  pride,  or  vain-glorious  boasting,  and  would  be,  as  it 
were,  to  say  to  those  who  are  excluded,  Stand  off,  for  we  are  holier  than  you.  But 
a  believer  may,  with  thankfulness,  acknowledge  the  distinguishing  grace  of  God 
vouchsafed  to  him  and  not  to  others,  and  also  bless  him  that  he  has  given  him  a 
right  to  the  privileges  of  his  house  which  all  are  not  admitted  to  partake  of ;  with- 
out being  guilty  of  any  boasting.  He  may  say  with  the  apostle,  '  By  the  grace  of 
God,  I  am  what  I  am  ;' '  and  yet  deal  faithfully  with  those  who  are  destitute  of  this 
grace.  He  may  bless  God  for  the  right  which  he  hopes  he  has  to  the  ordinance  of  the 
Lord's  supper;  and  yet  not  think  it  his  duty  to  admit  those  to  it  who  have  no 
right.  Again,  it  is  one  thing  not  to  admit  persons  who  are  unqualified  to  this  or- 
dinance, and  another  thing  to  despise  them  on  this  account.  Our  business  is,  not  to 
reproach  them,  but  to  treat  them  with  meekness  ;  if  peradventure  God  may  give 
them  repentance  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth,  that  so  they  may  appear  to 
have  a  right  to  it. 

It  is  farther  objected,  that  if  wicked  men  are  to  be  excluded  from  one  ordinance 
which  Christ  has  instituted  in  his  church,  they  may,  for  the  same  reason,  be  excluded 
from  all,  and  so  may  as  well  be  debarred  the  privilege  of  hearing  the  word,  and  joining 
with  the  church  in  public  prayer.  We  reply,  that  there  is  not  the  same  reason  for 
excluding  wicked  men  from  hearing  the  word,  or  joining  in  prayer  with  the  church,  as 
there  is  for  refusing  to  admit  them  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper.  Prayer  and 
preaching  the  word,  are  God's  appointed  means  for  working  the  grace  of  faith,  in- 
structing the  ignorant,  awakening  the  stupid  and  secure  sinner,  and  putting  him  on 
complying  with  that  method  of  salvation  which  God  has  prescribed  in  the  gospel,  and 
embracing  Christas  offered  in  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Lord's  supper  is  an  ordinance 
which  supposes  the  soul  to  have  previously  received  Christ  by  faith.  The  commu- 
nicant is  to  feed  upon  Christ,  and  to  take  comfort  from  what  he  has  done  and  suf- 
fered for  him,  as  conducive  to  the  farther  mortification  of  indwelling  sin ;  and  this 
supposes  that  he  has  previously  had  some  experience  of  the  grace  of  God  in  truth. 
Thus  concerning  the  exclusion  from  the  Lord's  supper  of  ignorant  or  immoral  per- 
sons, on  account  of  their  not  being  qualified. 

Here  we  may  farther  observe,  that  they  who  bring  these  and  similar  objections, 
with  a  design  to  open  the  door  of  the  church  so  wide  that  all  may  be  received  into 
it,  and  partake  of  those  ordinances  by  which  it  is  more  particularly  distinguished 
from  the  world,  are  very  ready,  in  defence  of  their  own  cause,  to  charge  others  with 
being  too  severe  in  their  censures,  and  refusing  to  admit  any  into  church  commu- 
nion who  cannot  tell  the  very  time  in  which  they  were  converted,  and  the  means 

f  John  xiii.  31.  g  Ver.  26.  h  Ver.  30.  i  1  Cor.  xv.  10. 


540  THE  PARTAKERS  OF  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER. 

by  which  this  work  was  begun  and  carried  on.     They  allege,  too,  that  candidates 
for  admission  are  obliged  to  profess  their  faith  in  so  public  a  manner,  that  many 
are  denied  the  privilege  of  partaking  of  this  ordinance,  for  a  mere  circumstance  ; 
and  they  say  that  this  severe  course  is  an  extreme  as  much  to  be  avoided,  as  the 
receiving  of  unqualified  persons  to  the  Lord's  supper.     But  as  this  charge  is  rather 
the  result  of  surmise  than  founded  on  sufficient  evidence,  it  deserves  to  have  less 
notice  taken  of  it.     Yet  I  would  say  in  answer  to  it,  that  I  never  observed  it  to  be 
the  practice  of  any  church  of  Christ  to  exclude  persons  from  its  communion  be- 
cause they  knew  not  the  time  or  means  of  their  conversion.     The  conversion  of  per- 
sons may  sometimes  be  occasioned  by  their  having  been  favoured  with  the  blessing 
of  a  religious  education  and  restraining  grace  from  their  childhood,  so  that  they  have 
not  run  those  lengths  in  sin  which  others  have  done ;  and,  hence  the  change  which 
is  wrought  in  conversion,  especially  as  to  the  time  and  manner  of  it,  is  less  dis- 
cernible.    Sometimes  the  work  is  begun  with  a  less  degree  of  the  terrors  of  con- 
science, under  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  condemning  sentence  of  the  law, 
than  others  have  experienced.     Persons  in  whom  it  has  thus  commenced  have  been 
drawn  with  the  cords  of  love  ;  and  the  grace  of  God  has  descended  upon  them  in- 
sensibly, like  the  dew  upon  the  grass  ;  so  that  all  that  can  be  perceived  by  them, 
or  that  is  to  be  required  of  them  as  a  necessary  qualification  for  their  being  admitted 
to  the  ordinances  and  privileges  which  belong  to  believers,  is  their  discovering 
those  fruits  of  faith  which  are  discernible  in  the  conversation  of  such  as  have  ex- 
perienced the  grace  of  God  in  truth. — As  to  the  other  part  of  the  charge,  which 
pretends  that  some  churches  insist  on  such  terms  of  communion  as  are  merely  cir- 
cumstantial, so  as  to  refuse  to  receive  any  who  cannot  comply  with  them  ;  it  is  to 
be  answered  by  those  who  appear  to  be  liable  to  it.     All  that  I  shall  add  under 
this  Head,  is,  that  as  a  visible  profession  of  faith  in  Christ  is  to  be  made,  as  neces- 
sary to  constitute  a  visible  church,  and  the  conversation  of  those  who  make  it  ought 
to  be  apparently  agreeable  to  it ;  and  as  none  are  obliged  to  make  known  to  the 
church  anything  which  involves  the  least  appearance  of  dishonour  or  reflection  on 
their  character  in  the  world,  but  are  required  only  to  testify  and  give  a  proof  of 
their  steady  adherence  to  Christ,  and  their  desire  to  embrace  him  in  all  his  offices, 
as  well  as  worship  him  in  all  his  ordinances  ;  the  requiring  of  a  profession  of  faith 
from  them  cannot  justly  be  reckoned  an  unnecessary  circumstance,  or  making  that 
a  term  of  communion  which  Christ  has  not  made,  and  so  excluding  those  who  have 
a  right  to  the  Lord's  supper. 

The  Use  of  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  Civil  Test. 

We  have  now  considered  the  terms  of  communion,  and  the  qualifications  for  it, 
as  well  as  the  spiritual  privileges  which  are  to  be  expected  by  those  who  have  a 
right  to  it.  Here,  I  cannot  but  observe  how  these  are  abused,  and  practically  dis- 
owned, by  those  who  engage  in  this  ordinance  merely  as  a  qualification  for  a  civil 
employment.  A  person  may  certainly  be  a  good  member  of  a  commonwealth  and 
very  fit  to  be  intrusted  with  the  administration  of  its  civil  affairs,  who  has  little  or 
nothing  to  say  concerning  his  experience  of  the  grace  of  God.  To  assert  that  a 
right  to  a  civil  employment  is  founded  on  the  same  qualifications  which  give  a  per- 
son a  right  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper,  would  be  to  advance,  not  only  what  is 
indefensible,  but  what  would  be  almost  universally  denied,  unless  it  could  be  proved 
Jiat  all  might  partake  of  the  ordinance,  the  contrary  to  which  we  have  endeavoured 
to  maintain.  Moreover,  when  Christ  instituted  this  ordinance,  his  people  were  in 
no  expectation  of  bearing  any  part  in  the  civil  government ;  so  that  its  being  used 
as  a  test  of  qualification  for  such  a  situation,  was  most  remote  from  its  first  intent 
and  design.  We  often  find,  too,  that  the  use  of  it  as  a  civil  test  is  a  temptation  to 
men  to  profane  it,  and  lays  a  burden  on  the  consciences  of  those  who  know  them- 
selves unprepared  for  it,  who  had  little  or  nothing  in  view  but  the  securing  of  their 
secular  interest.  It  is  hence  to  be  feared  that  many  of  them  eat  and  drink  un- 
worthily, and,  instead  of  receiving  advantage  by  it,  bring  their  consciences  under 
such  entanglements  as  they  cannot  easily  extricate  themselves  from.  Thus  con- 
cerning those  who  are  to  be  admitted  to  be  partakers  of  the  Lord's  supper,  though 


DUTIES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE  OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.     541 

doubting  of  their  meetness  for  it ;  and  concerning  others  being  excluded,  who  have 
no  right  to  it. 

The  last  thing  observed  in  this  Answer,  is  that  they  who  are  not,  at  present, 
deemed  fit  for  this  ordinance,  may  afterwards  be  admitted  to  it,  when  they  have 
received  instruction,  and  manifested  a  thorough  reformation.  If,  by  their  diligent 
attendance  on  other  ordinances  or  means  of  grace,  accompanied  with  the  divine  bless- 
ing, that  which  at  present  disqualifies  them  is  removed,  they  may  humbly  and 
thankfully  wait  on  God  in  this  ordinance  and  hope  for  his  presence  and  blessing  ; 
and  then  the  church  will  have  reason  as  well  as  themselves,  to  bless  God  for  that 
grace  which  they  have  experienced,  whereby  they  may  come  to  the  ordinance  for 
the  better  and  not  for  the  worse. 


DUTIES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE  OBSERVANCE  OF  THE 
LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Question  CLXXIV.  What  is  required  of  them  that  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper 
in  the  time  of  the  administration  of  it? 

Answer.  It  is  required  of  them  that  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  that  during  the 
time  of  the  administration  of  it,  with  all  holy  reverence  and  attention  they  wait  upon  God  in  that 
ordinance,  diligently  observe  the  sacramental  elements  and  actions,  needfully  discern  the  Lord's 
body,  and  affectionately  meditate  on  his  death  and  sufferings,  and  thereby  stir  up  themselves  to  a 
vigorous  exercise  of  their  graces,  in  judging  themselves  and  sorrowing  for  sin,  in  earnest  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  Christ,  feeding  on  him  by  faith,  receiving  of  his  fulness,  trusting  in  his  merits, 
rejoicing  in  his  love,  giving  thanks  for  his  grace,  in  renewing  of  their  covenant  with  God,  and  love 
to  all  the  saints. 

Question  CLXXV.  What  is  the  duty  of  Christians  after  they  have  received  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper  1 

Answer.  The  duty  of  Christians  after  they  have  received  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper, 
is,  seriously  to  consider  how  they  have  behaved  themselves  therein,  and  with  what  success;  if 
they  find  quickening  and  comfort,  to  bless  God  for  it,  beg  the  continuance  of  it,  watch  against  re- 
lapses, fulfil  their  vows,  and  encourage  themselves  to  a  frequent  attendance  on  that  ordinance; 
but  if  they  find  no  present  benefit,  more  exactly  to  review  their  preparation  to,  and  carriage  at  the 
sacrament;  in  both  which,  if  they  can  approve  themselves  to  God  and  their  own  consciences,  they 
are  to  wait  for  the  fruit  of  it  in  due  time;  but  if  they  see  they  have  failed  in  either,  they  are  to  be 
humbled,  and  to  attend  upon  it  afterward  with  more  care  and  diligence. 

These  two  Answers  respect  our  behaviour  in  and  after  our  engaging  in  this 
ordinance. 

Duties  while  observing  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  are  to  consider  with  what  frame  of  spirit  we  are  to  engage  in  the  ordinance, 
how  our  meditations  are  to  be  employed,  and  what  graces  are  to  be  exercised. 
Here  is  something  observed  which  is  common  to  it  with  all  other  ordinances, 
namely,  that  we  are  to  wait  on  God  with  an  holy  reverence  arising  from  a  becom- 
ing sense  of  his  divine  perfections,  and  the  infinite  distance  we  stand  at  from  him ; 
and  we  are  to  impress  on  our  souls  an  awful  sense  of  his  omniscience  and  omnipre- 
sence. For  he  knows  better  than  we  do  ourselves,  with  what  frame  of  spirit  we 
draw  nigh  to  him  ;  and  highly  resents  every  thing  which  is  contrary  to  his  holi- 
ness, or  unbecoming  the  character  of  those  who  are  worshipping  at  his  footstool. 
But  there  are  other  things  peculiar  to  this  ordinance,  which  are  necessary  in  order 
to  our  engaging  in  it  in  a  right  manner. 

1.  We  are  diligently  to  observe  the  sacramental  elements  and  actions,  which 
contain  the  external  part  of  the  duty  required  of  us.  The  bread  and  wine,  together 
with  the  actions  to  be  performed  in  our  receiving  them  by  Christ's  appointment, 
are,  as  was  formerly  observed,  significant  and  instructive  signs  of  his  death,  and  of 
the  benefits  which  he  has  procured  for  us  by  it ;  and  these  are  to  be  attended  to, 
and  brought  to  our  remembrance  in  this  ordinance.  Moreover,  we  are  to  consider 
that,  while  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace  are  signified  by  the  sacramental 
elements  and  actions,  as  instituted,  not  as  natural  signs,  the  gospel  in  which  we 


542  DUTIES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE 

have  an  account  of  what  Christ  did  and  suffered  for  us,  is  a  largo  and  sufficient  ex 
planatiou  for  the  direction  of  our  faith,  when  conversant  about  them. 

2.  We  are  affectionately  to  meditate  on  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ,  which 
are  signified  in  the  ordinance.  Meditation  is  a  great  part  of  the  work  we  are  to  be 
engaged  in  ;  and  the  death  of  Christ  is  the  principal  subject  of  it.  Accordingly, 
we  are  to  consider  his  condescending  love  in  giving  his  life  a  ransom  for  us  :  and, 
in  order  to  our  being  affected  with  this,  and  excited  to  admiration  and  thankfulness 
for  it,  we  must  contemplate  the  divine  excellency  and  glory  of  his  Person,  which 
adds  an  infinite  value  to  every  part  of  his  obedience  and  sufferings.  We  must 
consider  also  the  kind  of  death  he  died;  which  is  called  his  being  'wounded,' 
•  bruised, 'k  'cut  off,'1  and  is  represented  as  having  had  the  external  mark  of  the 
curse  of  God  annexed  to  it,  so  that  he  is  said  to  have  been  made  a  curse  for  us.m 
We  are  to  consider  also  the  character  of  the  persons  for  whom  he  laid  down  his 
life  ;  who  are  described  as  being  '  without  strength'  or  ability  to  do  what  is  good, 
and  '  ungodly,'  and  so  open  enemies  to  him  ;n  so  that  there  was  nothing  in  us 
which  could  induce  him  to  suffer  and  die  for  us.  We  are  to  consider  also  that  ho 
died  in  our  room  and  stead,  'bearing  our  griefs,  and  carrying  our  sorrows,'0  and 
being  'delivered  for  our  offences.'?  We  are  to  consider  likewise  the  great  ends 
designed ;  that  God  is  glorified,  and  his  holiness  and  justice  in  demanding  and  re- 
ceiving a  full  satisfaction  for  sin,  illustrated  in  the  highest  degree  ;  so  that  he  de  • 
clares  himself  '  well-pleased'  in  what  Christ  has  done  and  suffered, i  and  '  well- 
pleased'  likewise,  as  the  prophet  expresses  it,  'for  his  righteousness'  sake.'1"  We 
are  to  consider  also  the  great  advantage  which  we  hope  to  receive  ;  that  '  being 
justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath  through  him.'s  This  is  the 
highest  inducement  to  us,  to  give  ourselves  entirely  up  to  him. 

3.  We  are,  in  this  ordinance,  to  stir  ourselves  up  to  a  vigorous  exercise  of  those 
graces  which  the  nature  of  the  ordinance  requires.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  judge 
ourselves  ;  as  the  apostle  says,  '  If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be 
judged.'*  This  we  ought  to  do,  by  accusing,  condemning,  and  passing  sentence 
against  ourselves,  for  those  sins  which  we  have  committed  against  Christ,  whereby 
we  were  plunged  into  the  utmost  depths  of  misery,  in  which  we  should  for  ever 
have  continued,  had  he  not  redeemed  us  by  his  blood.  We  are  also  to  acknowledge 
our  desert  of  God's  wrath  and  curse  ;  so  that  '  if  he  should  mark  iniquities,  we 
could  not  stand.'"  Our  sense  of  sin  ought  to  be  particular,  including  a  view  of 
those  transgressions  which  are  known  to  none  but  God  and  ourselves  ;  and  we  ought 
to  make  a  particular  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  for  the  forgiveness  of  them. 
To  act  thus  is  certainly  very  suitable  to  the  nature  of  the  ordinance,  Christ  being 
there  set  forth  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin.  And  we  are  led,  at  the  same  time,  to  be  duly 
affected  with  our  malady,  and  the  great  remedy  God  has  provided  ;  and  in  conse- 
quence are  incited  to  increased  praise  and  thankfulness  to  him  who  loved  us,  and 
gave  himself  for  us.  Again,  we  are  to  exercise  a  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  which  is  the 
ground  of  all  that  distress  and  misery  to  which  we  are  liable.  We  are  first  to  be- 
wail our  corruption  of  nature,  whence  all  actual  sins  proceed  ;  and  we  are  next  to 
bewail  our  sins  of  omission,  as  well  as  commission, — our  neglect  to  perform  duties 
which  are  incumbent  on  us,  as  well  as  those  sins  which  have  been  committed  by 
as  with  the  greatest  presumption,  deliberation,  wilfulness,  and  obstinacy,  and  which 
contain  the  highest  ingratitude  and  contempt  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  the  method 
of  salvation  by  him.  Our  sorrow  for  sin  ought  also  to  produce  the  good  effects  of 
praying  and  striving  against  it,  and  of  endeavouring  to  return  to  God  from  whom 
we  have  backslidden.  The  apostle  calls  it  'sorrowing  after  a  godly  sort;'  and 
speaks  of  it  as  attended  with  '  carefulness,'  that  we  may  avoid  it  for  the  future, — 
'  clearing  of  ourselves,'  that  we  may  either  be  encouraged  to  hope  that  we  have  not 
committed  the  sins  which  we  are  ready  to  charge  ourselves  with,  or  that  the  guilt 
of  them  is  taken  away  by  the  atonement  which  Christ  has  made  for  us.  It  ought 
also  to  produce  an  holy  '  indignation,'  and  a  kind  of  '  revenge '  against  sin,  as  that 

k  Isa.  liii.  5.  1  Dan.  ix.  26.  m  Gal.  iii.  13.  n  Rom.  v.  6,  8,  10. 

o  Isa.  liii.  4.  p  Rom.  iv.  25.  q  Matt.  iii.  17.  r  Isa.  xlii.  21. 

b  Rom.  v.  9.  t  1  Cor.  xi.  31.  u  Psal.  cxxx.  3. 


OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  543 

which  has  been  so  prejudicial  to  us  ;  likewise  a  'fear'  of  offending,  a  'zeal'  for  the 
glory  of  God,  whom  we  have  dishonoured,  and  '  a  vehement  desire  '  of  those  bless- 
ings which  we  have  forfeited.  It  ought  to  proceed  from  an  inward  loathing  and 
abhorrence  of  sin  ;  and  the  degree  of  it  ought  to  bear  some  proportion  to  the  re- 
spective aggravations  of  sin,  and  the  dishonour  we  have  brought  to  God  by  it ;  for 
if  we  thus  view  sin,  we  shall  be  effectually  inclined  to  abhor  ourselves,  and  repent 
in  dust  and  ashes.  To  feel  in  this  way  is  very  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  ordi- 
nance we  are  engaged  in,  since  nothing  tends  more  to  enhance  the  vile  and  heinous 
nature  of  sin,  than  the  consideration  of  its  having  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory.  The 
fact,  too,  of  Christ  having  died  on  account  of  sin,  is  to  be  the  immediate  subject  of 
our  meditation  in  observing  the  ordinance.  We  read  that  Christ,  in  his  last  suffer- 
ings, was  'exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death.'1  Now,  this  extreme  sorrow 
could  not  proceed  from  the  afflictive  view  which  he  had  of  the  pains  and  indigni- 
ties he  was  to  suffer  in  his  crucifixion  ;  for  to  suppose  that  it  did,  would  argue  him 
to  have  had  a  less  degree  of  holy  courage  and  resolution  than  some  of  the  martyrs 
have  expressed  when  they  have  endured  extreme  torments  and  most  ignominious 
reproaches  for  his  sake.  Hence,  his  sorrow  proceeded  from  the  afflictive  sense 
which  he  had  of  the  guilt  of  our  sins  which  he  bore.  Now,  if  he  not  only  suffered, 
but  his  soul  was  exceedingly  sorrowful  for  our  sins,  we  ought  to  be  excited  to  the 
exercise  of  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  in  this  ordinance,  in  which  Christ's  suffering  for  it 
is  brought  to  our  remembrance. 

3.  We  are  to  hunger  and  thirst  after  Christ ;  and  so  to  have  an  ardent  desire  of 
enjoying  communion  with  him.  Thus  the  church  says,  '  With  my  soul  have  I  de- 
sired thee  in  the  night ;  yea,  with  my  spirit  will  I  seek  thee  early  ;*J  and  the 
psalmist  compares  a  believer  cherishing  this  desire  to  the  hunted  '  hart,'  ready  to 
die  for  thirst,  which  'pants  after  the  water-brooks. 'z  This  desire  arises  from  a 
deep  sense  of  our  need  of  Christ,  and  of  farther  supplier  of  grace  from  him  ;  and 
is  attended  with  a  firm  resolution  that  nothing  short  of  him  shall  satisfy  us,  as  not 
being  adapted  to  supply  our  wants.  Such  a  frame  of  spirit  is  agreeable  to  the  ordi- 
nance we  are  engaged  in  ;  since  Christ  is  there  represented  as  having  purchased 
and  being  ready  to  apply  to  his  people,  those  blessings  which  are  of  a  satisfying  and 
comforting  nature. 

4.  We  are  to  feed  on  Christ  by  faith,  and  so  receive  of  his  fulness  ;  as  he  is  fre- 
quently represented  in  scripture,  under  the  metaphor  of  '  food.'  Thus  he  styles 
himself,  '  the  bread  of  life  ;'a  the  blessings  he  bestows,  are  called,  '  the  meat  which 
perisheth  not,  but  endureth  to  everlasting  life  ;'b  and  the  gospel  dispensation  is 
set  forth  under  the  metaphor  of  '  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees, 
of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well  refined.'0  Under  the  same 
metaphor,  our  Saviour  represents  that  dispensation  in  the  parable, d  in  which  he 
commands  his  servants  to  invite  those  who  were  bidden  to  the  marriage  feast,  by 
telling  them,  as  an  encouragement  to  their  faith,  what  things  he  had  prepared  for 
their  entertainment.  Thus,  when  drawing  nigh  to  Christ  in  this  ordinance,  we  are 
to  consider  that  fulness  of  grace  which  is  in  him,  of  merit  for  our  justification,  of 
strength  to  enable  us  to  mortify  sin  and  resist  temptations,  of  wisdom  to  direct  us  in 
all  emergencies  and  difficulties,  of  peace  and  comfort  to  revive  and  encourage  us  un- 
der all  our  doubts  and  fears,  and  to  give  us  suitable  relief  when  we  are  ready  to  faint 
under  the  burdens  we  complain  of.  All  these  blessings  are  to  be  apprehended  and 
applied  by  faith  ;  otherwise  we  cannot  conclude  that  they  belong  to  us.  Nor  can 
anything  be  more  adapted  to  this  ordinance  than  this  apprehending  and  applying 
of  these  blessings  ;  for  Christ  is  there  represented  as  having  all  those  blessings  to 
bestow  which  he  has  purchased  by  his  blood,  and  there  also  they  are  signified  or 
showed  forth. 

5.  We  are,  in  this  ordinance,  to  trust  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  or  to  exercise  an 
entire  confidence  in  him  ;  who,  by  his  death,  has  purchased  for  us  all  spiritual  and 
saving  blessings.  This  ought  to  be  attended  with  an  humble  sense  of  our  own  un- 
worthiness,  as  being  '  less  than  the  least  of  all  God's  mercies,'6  and  as  deserving 

x  Matt,  xx vi.  38.  y  Isa.  xxvi.  9.  z  Psal.  xlii.  1.  a  John  vi.  35. 

b  John  vi.  27.  c  Isa.  xxv.  6.  d  Matt.  xxii.  4.  e  Gen.  xxxii.  10. 


544  THE   DUTIES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE 

nothing  but  his  fierce  wrath  for  our  iniquities.  And,  as  Christ  has  paid  a  full  and 
satisfactory  price  of  redemption  for  us,  and  so  procured  the  blessings  which  we  had 
forfeited,  and  which  have  a  tendency  to  make  us  completely  happy,  we  ought  to 
lay  the  whole  stress  of  our  salvation  on  him,  being  sensible  that '  he  is  able  to  save 
to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.'f 

6.  We  are  to  rejoice  in  Christ's  love  ;  which  is  infinitely  greater  than  what  can 
be  in  the  heart  of  one  creature  towards  another.  This  love  of  Christ  has  several 
properties.  It  consists,  not  merely  in  his  desiring  our  good  or  wishing  that  we 
were  happy,  but  in  making  us  so ;  nor  does  it  consist  only  in  his  sympathizing  with 
us  in  our  miseries,  but  also  in  his  delivering  us  from  them,  and  discovering  himself 
as  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble. — Again,  as  Christ's 
love  to  his  people  did  not  take  its  motive  at  first  from  any  beauty  or  excellency 
which  lie  found  in  them,  who  were  deformed,  polluted,  and  worthy  to  be  abhorred 
by  him,  but  afterwards  were  adorned  and  '  made  comely  through  his  comeliness 
put  upon  them  ;'&  so,  when  they  forfeit  his  love  by  their  frequent  backslidings, 
and  deserve  to  be  cast  oif  by  him,  it  is  nevertheless  unchangeably  fixed  upon 
them,  inasmuch  as  *  having  loved  his  own  which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them 
unto  the  end.'h — Further,  Christ's  love  is  infinitely  condescending.  Its  conde- 
scension arises  not  only  from  the  infinite  distance  which  there  is  between  him  and 
his  people,  but  from  his  remembering  them  in  their  low  estate,  having  compassion 
on  them  whom  no  eye  pitied,  and  saving  them  when  they  were  in  the  utmost  depths 
of  despair  and  misery,  'saying  to  them  when  they  were  in  their  blood,  Live.'1 — 
Again,  his  love  is  not  like  the  love  of  strangers,  which  contents  itself  with  some 
general  endeavours  to  do  good  to  persons  whom  they  designed  not  to  contract  an 
intimacy  with ;  but  it  is  attended  with  the  highest  acts  of  friendship  and  communion, 
imparting  his  secrets  to  them,  as  he  promises  '  to  love  them,  and  manifest  himself 
to  them,'k  and  tells  his  disciples,  'Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants;  for  the 
servant  knoweth  not  what  his  lord  doeth.  But  I  have  called  you  friends  ;  for  all 
things  that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father,  I  have  made  known  unto  you.'1 — More- 
over, it  is  such  a  love  as  forgives  all  former  injuries,  and  upbraids  not  his  people 
for  what  they  have  done  against  him,  either  before  or  since  they  believed  in  him. 
Thus  God  is  said  to  'pardon  the  iniquity  and  pass  by  the  transgression  of  the  rem- 
nant of  his  heritage  ;'  to  '  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea  ;'m  and  to 
'blot  out  their  transgressions  for  his  own  sake,  and  not  to  remember  their  sins.'n — 
Again,  it  is  such  a  love  as  affords  us  all  seasonable  and  necessary  help  in  times  of 
our  greatest  straits  and  difficulties,0  and  makes  provision  for  our  future  neces- 
sities. Thus  he  told  his  disciples,  '  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.'P  that  they 
might  be  assured  of  being  happy  in  another  world  ;  and  accordingly  he  said,  in 
his  mediatorial  prayer,  '  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory. '°- — Further,  it  is  such  a 
love  as  puts  him  upon  reckoning  all  injuries  done  against  his  people  as  though  they 
were  done  against  himself,  and  the  kindnesses  expressed  to  them  as  though  they 
were  expressed  to  him.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  He  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth  the 
apple  of  his  eye  ;'r  and,  '  He  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me.'s  And  when  he 
takes  notice  of  those  expressions  of  kindness  which  his  people  had  shown  to  one 
another,  he  says,  '  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.'* — Finally,  it  is  such  a  love  as  inclines  him  to 
interpose  between  his  people  and  all  danger  ;  and  so  he  prevents  their  being  over- 
come by  their  enemies.  Indeed,  he  not  only  hazarded,  but,  as  '  a  good  shepherd, 
gave  his  life  for  his  sheep.'"  This,  then,  is  that  love  which  is  to  be  the  subject  of 
our  meditation  in  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper.  Accordingly,  we  are  first  to 
endeavour  to  make  out  our  interest  in  it  by  faith,  which  will  be  evinced  by  those  acts 
of  love  to  him  that  flow  from  it ;  and  then  we  may  rejoice  in  it  as  a  constant  spring 
of  peace  and  blessedness. 

f  Heb.  v  i.  25.  p  Ezek.  xvi.  14.  h  John  xiii.  1.  i  Ezek.  xvi   o'. 

k  John  xiv.  21.  1  Chap.  xv.  15.  m  Micah  vii.  18,  19.  n  Isa.  xliii.  25. 

o  PshI.  xlvi.  1.  p  John  xiv.  2.  q  Chap.  xvii.  24.  r  Zech.  ii.  8. 

s  Luke  x.  16.  t  Matt.  xxv.  40.  u  John  x.  11. 


OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER.  645 

7.  The  next  grace  to  be  exercised  in  this  ordinance,  is  thankfulness.  We  are 
to  adore  and  praise  God  that  he  has  been  pleased  to  extend  compassion  to  us  in 
bestowing  those  blessings  which  are  the  result  of  his  discriminating  grace.  The 
instances  of  this  grace  are  various  :  he  delivers  us  from  the  ruin  which  sin  would 
have  inevitably  brought  upon  us  ;  bestows  upon  us  the  blessings  of  goodness,  and 
restrains  the  breaking  forth  of  our  corruptions,  which  would  otherwise  have  in- 
clined us  to  commit  the  vilest  abominations  ;  more  especially,  he  renews  our  nature, 
changes  our  hearts,  creates  us  unto  good  works,  and  then  quickens  and  excites  that 
grace  in  us  which  his  own  hand  has  wrought,  comforts  us  when  our  spirits  are  over- 
whelmed with  sorrow,  enables  us  to  go  on  in  his  way  rejoicing,  and  so  carries  on 
the  work  which  he  has  begun  in  us,  till  it  be  completed  in  glory.  There  is  nothing 
which  we  have,  either  in  hand  or  in  hope,  but  what  will  afford  matter  for  the  exer- 
cise of  thankfulness.  In  particular,  our  hearts  ought  to  be  excited  to  it  from  the 
consideration  of  the  benefits  which  are  signified  in  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  sup- 
per ;  especially  if  we  are  enabled  to  receive  them  by  faith. 

8.  We  are,  at  the  Lord's  supper,  to  renew  our  covenant  with  God.  That  this 
may  be  rightly  understood,  we  must  consider  what  it  is  for  a  believer  to  enter  into 
covenant  with  God,  which  he  is  supposed  to  have  done  before.  This  does  not  con- 
sist in  our  promising  that  we  will  do  those  things  which  are  out  of  our  power,  or 
that  we  will  exercise  those  graces  which  none  but  God,  who  works  in  his  people 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  can  enable  us  to  put  forth  ;  but  it  consists  in  our  making  a 
surrender  of  ourselves  to  Christ,  and  depending  on  him  for  the  supply  of  all  our 
spiritual  wants,  humbly  hoping  and  trusting  that  he  will  enable  us  to  adhere  stead- 
fastly to  him,  working  in  us  all  that  grace  which  he  requires  of  us  ;  and  if  he  is 
pleased  to  grant  us  this  blessing,  we  shall  be  enabled  to  perform  all  the  duties  which 
are  incumbent  on  us,  how  difficult  soever  they  may  be.  This  is  an  unexception- 
able way  of  entering  into  covenant  with  God,  as  it  contains  an  acknowledgment  of 
our  own  inability  without  him  to  do  that  which  is  good,  and  a  desire  to  give  the 
glory  of  all  to  him  ;  on  whom  we  steadfastly  rely,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy  from 
him  to  be  faithful.  Moreover,  to  renew  our  covenant,  is  to  declare  that,  through 
his  grace,  we  are  inclined  steadfastly  to  adhere  to  our  solemn  dedication  to  him,  not 
in  the  least  repenting  of  what  we  did  in  it ;  and  that  we  have  as  much  reason  to 
depend  on  his  assistance  now  as  we  had  at  first,  since  grace  is  carried  on  as  well  as 
begun  by  him  alone.  Accordingly,  while  we  express  our  earnest  desire  to  be  stead- 
fast in  his  covenant,  we  depend  on  his  promise  that  he  will  never  fail  us,  nor  for- 
sake us.  And  we  especially  avail  ourselves  of  observing  the  Lord's  supper  to  renew 
our  dedication  to  him,  as  our  doing  so  is  very  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  this  ordi- 
nance ;  in  which  we  have  the  external  symbols  of  his  love  to  us,  which  lays  us  under 
the  highest  obligation  to  be  dedicated  to  him. 

9.  We  are  in  this  ordinance  to  show  our  readiness  to  exercise  a  Christian  love  to 
all  saints.  This  consists  more  especially  in  our  earnest  desire  that  all  grace  and 
peace  may  abound  in  them,  as  in  our  own  souls ;  that  so  they  and  we  may 
have  occasion  to  glorify  God  together,  and  show  concern  for  one  another's  spiritual 
welfare.  We  are  to  bless  God  for  the  grace  they  are  enabled  to  exercise,  though, 
it  may  be,  we  cannot  exercise  it  in  the  same  degree  ourselves.  As  for  others,  we 
are  to  sympathize  with  them  in  their  weaknesses,  grieve  for  their  falls  and  miscar- 
riages, and  be  very  ready  to  make  abatements  for  such  of  their  frailties  and  infir- 
mities as  we  ourselves  are  sometimes  liable  to,  especially  if  they  are  not  inconsis- 
tent with  grace,  and  we  are  to  cast  a  mantle  of  love  over  these,  not  knowing  but  we 
may  be  exposed  to  and  fall  by  the  same  temptations  which  have  overcome  them. 
This  love  to  all  Christians  is  to  be  expressed,  more  especially  in  the  ordinance  of 
the  Lord's  supper ;  inasmuch  as  we  are  to  consider  all  saints  as  members  of  Christ's 
mystical  body,  children  of  the  same  God  and  Father,  partakers  of  the  same  grace 
with  us,  fellow-travellers  to  the  same  heavenly  country,  where  we  hope  to  meet 
them  at  last,  though  now  they  are  liable  to  the  same  difficulties  with  ourselves, 
and  exposed  to  those  assaults  and  temptations  which  we  often  meet  with  from  our 
spiritual  enemies.  Moreover,  though  our  love  is  to  be  more  immediately  and 
directly  extended  to  the  society  who  join  in  communion  with  us ;  yet  it  is  not  to  be 
confined  within  such  narrow  limits,  but  includes  the  highest  esteem  for  all  who  are 

ii.  3  z 


546  THE  DUTIES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE 

sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saint?,  though  their  place  of  abode  be  re- 
mote, and  they  are  not  known  to  us  in  the  flesh. 

Duties  After  Observing  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  duty  of  Christians  after  they  have  received  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper.  This  consists  in  inquiring  how  they  behaved 
themselves  in  it ;  and  whether  they  have  any  ground  to  conclude  that  they  were 
favoured  with  the  special  presence  of  God  in  it,  so  that  it  has  been  made  a  means 
of  grace  to  them. 

As  to  the  frame  of  our  spirits,  while  engaging  in  this  solemn  duty,  we  shall 
sometimes  find  that  it  has  been  such  as  affords  matter  for  deep  humiliation  and 
self-abasement  in  the  sight  of  God,  when  we  reflect  upon  it.  In  particular,  we  have 
reason  to  blame  our  conduct  in  this  ordinance,  when  our  minds  and  affections  have 
been  conversant  about  those  things  which  are  altogether  unsuitable  to  the  work  we 
have  been  engaged  in  ;  and  when,  instead  of  conversing  with  Christ  in  the  ordi- 
nance, we  have  had  our  thoughts  and  meditations  taken  up  chiefly  with  worldly 
matters.  Or  even  if  they  have  been  conversant  about  religious  affairs,  we  may, 
in  some  measure,  see  reason  to  blame  ourselves,  if  these  have  been  altogether 
foreign  to  the  great  end  and  design  of  the  ordinance  we  have  been  engaged  in. 
There  are  many  portions  of  scripture,  or  topics  in  divinity  founded  upon  it,  which 
we  may  employ  our  thoughts  about  at  other  times,  with  great  advantage,  but 
which  may  not  be  altogether  adapted  to  our  receiving  spiritual  advantage  from 
Christ  crucified,  or  to  our  making  a  right  improvement  of  him,  as  the  nature  of 
this  ordinance  requires.  Again,  they  behave  themselves  unbecomingly  in  this  or- 
dinance, who  meditate  on  the  thing  signified  in  it,  namely,  the  dying  love  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  though  they  were  unconcerned  spectators  ;  having  only  an  historical 
faith,  and  contenting  themselves  with  the  knowledge  of  what  merely  relates  to  the 
life  and  death  of  Christ,  without  considering  the  end  and  design  of  them,  namely, 
that  he  might  make  atonement  for  sin,  or  considering  their  particular  concern  in 
that  atonement,  so  as  to  improve  it  as  an  expedient  tor  taking  away  the  guilt  and 
power  of  sin  in  their  own  souls.  Further,  we  may  reflect  on  our  behaviour  in  this 
ordinance,  when  we  have  given  way  to  deadness  and  stupidity,  without  using  those 
endeavours  which  are  necessary  for  the  exciting  of  our  affections  ;  when  a  subject 
so  affecting  as  Christ's  pouring  out  his  soul  unto  death,  being  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  bleeding  and  dying  on  the  cross,  and 
in  the  midst  of  his  sufferings  crying  out,  '  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?'  has  not  had  an  efficacy  to  raise  our  affections,  any  more  than  if  it  were 
a  common  subject.  Moreover,  we  have  reason  to  blame  our  behaviour  in  this  or- 
dinance, when  we  have  attended  on  it  with  a  resolution  to  continue  in  any  known 
sin,  without  being  earnest  with  God  to  mortify  it,  or  desiring  strength  and  grace 
from  Christ,  and  improving  his  death,  in  order  to  the  accomplishment  of  that  end. 
Thus  we  have  sometimes  reason  to  reflect,  with  grief  and  sorrow  of  heart,  on  our 
behaviour  at  the  Lord's  supper,  as  what  has  been  disagreeable  to  the  nature  of  the 
ordinance. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  may  sometimes,  in  taking  a  view  of  our  behaviour 
at  the  Lord's  supper,  find  matter  of  encouragement ;  when,  abating  for  human 
frailties,  and  the  imperfection  of  grace,  which  inseparably  attend  the  present  state, 
we  can  say,  to  the  glory  of  God,  that  we  have,  in  some  measure,  behaved  ourselves 
as  we  ought  to  do.  In  particular,  if  our  hearts  have  been  duly  affected  with  the  love 
of  Christ,  and  we  have  had  the  exercise  of  corresponding  graces  ;  and  if  we  can  say 
that  we  have  had  some  communion  with  him,  and  have  not  been  altogether  destitute 
of  his  quickening  and  comforting  presence,  and  the  witness  of  his  Spirit  with  ours 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God ;  then  we  may  conclude  that  we  have  engaged  in  this 
ordinance  in  a  right  manner  ; — and  if  we  have  found  that  it  has  been  thus  with  us, 
we  are  to  bless  God  for  it ;  considering  that  he  alone  can  excite  grace  in  us,  who 
wrought  it  at  first.  Such  acts  of  grace,  too,  will  be  a  good  evidence  of  its  truth 
and  sincerity,  and  will  tend  to  establish  our  comfort,  and  to  enable  us  to  walk  more 
closely  and  thankfully  with  God.     Moreover,  if  we  have  had  experience  of  the 


OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  547 

presence  of  God  in  the  ordinance,  and  have  been  brought  into  a  good  frame,  we  ought 
to  beg  the  continuance  of  these.  The  best  frame  of  spirit  will  be  no  longer  abiding 
than  it  pleases  God  to  keep  up  the  lively  exercise  of  faith  and  other  graces  ;  and  this, 
being  so  valuable  a  blessing,  is  to  be  sought  for  by  fervent  prayer  and  supplication, 
that  our  good  frames  may  not  be  like  the  morning  cloud,  or  early  dew,  that  soon 
passes  away.  Our  seeking  a  continuance  of  these  will  discover  that  we  set  a  value 
upon  them,  and  glorify  God  as  the  author  of  them  ;  and  it  is  the  best  expedient 
for  our  walking  with  God  at  other  times,  as  well  as  when  engaged  in  holy  ordinances. 

Again,  it  is  observed  that  they  who  have  been  quickened  and  comforted,  when 
partaking  of  the  Lord's  supper,  ought  to  watch  against  relapses  into  those  sins 
which  formerly  they  were  overtaken  with,  but  now  see  reason  to  abhor.  This  we 
ought  to  do,  because,  though  we  are  sometimes  brought  into  a  good  frame,  we  still 
have  deceitful  hearts,  which,  before  we  are  aware,  may  betray  us  into  the  commis- 
sion of  such  sins  as  have  occasioned  great  distress  to  us  in  times  past ;  and,  we  are 
subject  also  to  the  endeavours  of  Satan  to  ensnare  us  by  his  wiles,  so  that  when  we 
think  ourselves  in  the  greatest  safety,  we  may  be  exposed  to  the  greatest  dangers. 
When  we  have  been  least  apprehensive  of  our  return  to  our  former  sins,  and,  it 
may  be,  have  been  too  secure  in  our  own  opinion,  while  confiding  too  much  to  our 
own  strength,  we  have  lost  our  good  frames,  and  our  troubles  have  been  renewed. 
It  is  hence  our  duty  to  watch  against  the  secret  workings  of  corrupt  nature,  and  the 
first  motions  of  sin  in  our  hearts  ;  while  we  earnestly  implore  help  from  God  that 
we  may  be  kept  from  our  own  iniquities, — namely,  those  sins  which  we  have  former- 
ly committed,  or  which  more  easily  beset  us. 

The  next  duty  incumbent  on  us,  after  we  have  received  the  Lord's  supper,  is,  to 
fulfil  our  vows.  This  will  be  better  understood,  if  compared  with  what  was  former- 
ly observed  concerning  sacramental  vows  or  covenants.  These  ought  not  to  include 
a  making  of  promises,  especially  in  our  own  strength,  that  we  will  be  found  in  the 
exercise  of  those  graces  which  are  the  special  gift  and  effect  of  God's  almighty 
power.  Hence,  I  always,  when  mentioning  the  making  of  religious  vows,  consider 
them  principally  as  containing  an  express  declaration,  that  we  are  under  an  indis- 
pensable obligation  to  perform  those  duties,  and  put  forth  those  acts  of  grace,  which 
are  incumbent  on  us,  as  those  who  desire  to  approve  ourselves  Christ's  faithful  ser- 
vants, and  whom  he  has  taken  into  a  covenant  relation  with  himself.  We  also,  in 
making  a  vow,  declare  that,  without  help  from  God,  we  can  do  nothing.  This 
help  we  implore  from  him  at  the  time  when  we  devote  or  give  ourselves  up  to 
him.  Hence,  we  devote  ourselves  to  him,  hoping  and  trusting  that  he  will  bestow 
upon  us  that  grace  which  is  out  of  our  own  power ;  and  we  determine  that,  if  he 
will  be  pleased  to  do  this,  he  shall  have  all  the  glory  that  accrues.  This  explana- 
tion of  vowing  is  most  agreeable  to  the  sense  of  the  Latin  word*  whence  the  word 
4  vow '  is  derived  ;  and,  I  think,  it  is  much  rather  to  be  acquiesced  in  than  the  gen- 
eral description  which  some  give  of  it.  These  exhort  persons  who  are  engaged  in 
this  ordinance,  to  confess  those  sins  which  they  have  committed  since  they  were 
last  at  the  Lord's  table,  so  far  as  they  occur  to  their  memories  ;  and,  as  a  means 
of  their  obtaining  forgiveness,  to  make  a  solemn  vow  or  promise  that  they  will  ab- 
stain from  them  for  the  future,  and  walk  more  agreeably  to  the  engagements  which 
they  are  laid  under.  Persons  who  act  on  this  view,  make  their  vow  or  solemn  pro- 
mise without  an  humble  sense  of  the  treachery  of  their  own  hearts,  or  their  need 
of  strength  from  God  to  perform  any  thing  that  is  good  ;  and  afterwards  they  are 
as  little  inclined  to  fulfil  their  own  promises  as  they  were  before  forward  to  make 
them,  with  too  much  reliance  on  their  own  strength  ;  and  they,  in  consequence, 
bring  themselves  into  the  greatest  perplexities,  and  go  on,  as  it  were,  in  a  round  of 
making  solemn  vows  and  resolutions,  and  then  breaking  them,  and  afterwards  re- 
newing them.  On  the  other  hand,  to  confess  that  what  others  promise  in  their  own 
strength,  we  see  ourselves  obliged  to  do,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  depend  on  Christ 
for  strength  to  enable  us  to  perform  it,  and  give  ourselves  up  to  him,  as  his  cove- 
nant people,  in  hope  of  receiving  that  strength,  is  the  safest  way  of  vowing  ;  for  it 
redounds  most  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  includes  every  thing  which  may  put  us 

x  Voveo. 


548  THE  DUTIES  CONNECTED  WITH  THE 

upon  using  our  utmost  endeavours  to  perform  the  duties  •which  are  incumbent  on 
us,  and,  at  the  same  time,  expresses  our  unfeigned  desire  to  glorify  God  as  the 
God  and  Author  of  that  grace  which  is  necessary  to  our  performing  these  duties. 
In  this  sense  I  would  understand  what  we  are  exhorted  to  do  in  the  Answers  we 
are  explaining,  when  it  is  said  that,  while  we  are  receiving  the  Lord's  supper,  we 
ought  to  renew  our  covenant  with  God,  and  that  after  we  have  received  it,  we  are 
to  fulfil  our  vows.  The  former  of  these  duties  includes  such  a  dedication  to  God  as 
has  just  been  considered ;  the  latter,  namely,  the  fulfilling  of  our  vows,  implies  a  do- 
ing of  every  thing  which  is  in  our  power,  in  order  to  our  fulfilling  them,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  a  waiting  on  God  to  give  success  to  our  endeavours,  and  to  work  in  us 
that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight,  without  which  we  can  do  nothing.  [See 
Note  2  B,  page  549.] 

After  we  have  waited  on  the  Lord  in  this  ordinance,  we  are  to  encourage  our- 
selves to  a  frequent  attendance  on  it ;  especially  if  we  have  ground  to  conclude  that 
we  have  had  any  sensible  communications  of  his  grace  vouchsafed  to  us  while  ob- 
serving it.  As  the  imparting  of  a  sense  of  his  comforting  presence  is  an  honour 
which  God  puts  on  his  own  institutions,  it  is  certainly  an  encouragement  to  us  to 
persevere  in  waiting  on  him  in  them.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  Because  he  hath 
inclined  his  ear  unto  me,  therefore  will  I  call  upon  him  "as  long  as  I  live.'*  Our 
having  experienced  God's  comforting  and  quickening  presence  in  our  attending  on 
the  Lord's  supper,  will  effectually  remove  all  those  doubts  and  scruples  which  dis- 
courage us  from  engaging  in  it,  fearing  that  we  shall  not  behave  ourselves  in  a 
right  manner  in  it,  that  we  are  not  sufficiently  prepared  for  it,  and  that  we  shall 
be  disowned  by  Christ  when  we  engage  in  it.  But,  suppose  we  have  not  enjoyed 
this  comforting  and  quickening  presence  of  God  which  the  best  believers  do  not,  at 
all  times,  experience  m  a  like  degree  ;  then  we  ought,  after  we  have  received  the 
Lord's  supper,  to  endeavour  to  find  out  the  particular  cause  of  God's  withdrawing  it 
from  us,  and  what  is  that  root  of  bitterness  which  springs  up  and  troubles  us.  It 
may  be  he  withholds  this  privilege  from  us  in  a  way  of  sovereignty,  that  we  may 
learn  that  our  comforts  are  not  at  our  own  disposal,  or  that  they  are  not  the  neces- 
sary result  of  our  attendance  on  ordinances,  but  arise  from  the  divine  blessing  ac- 
companying them.  Or  it  may  be,  he  withholds  this  blessing  from  us  for  the  trial 
of  our  graces  ;  and  that  we  may  see  how  needful  it  is  for  us  to  wait  for  those  spiritual 
comforts  which,  at  present,  he  withholds  from  us.  Thus  the  prophet  says,  '  There- 
fore will  the  Lord  wait,  that  he  may  be  gracious  unto  you,  and  therefore  will  he  be  ex- 
alted, that  he  may  have  mercy  upon  you  ;  for  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment ;  blessed 
are  all  they  that  wait  for  him.'2  As,  however,  we  may,  for  the  most  part,  appre- 
hend some  particular  reason,  connected  with  sins  of  omission  or  commission  before 
or  during  our  observance  of  the  ordinance,  why  God  denies  us  his  quickening  and 
comforting  presence,  we  must  inquire  whether  there  was  not  some  defect  as  to  pre- 
paratory duties  ;  in  particular,  whether  we  duly  examined  ourselves  before  we  came 
to  the  Lord's  table,  concerning  our  knowledge  of  Christ  and  the  benefits  of  his  re- 
demption, and  especially  concerning  our  being  enabled  to  improve  them  by  faith  ; 
and  whether  we  examined  ourselves  concerning  the  sense  we  have  of  the  guilt  of 
sin,  and  the  need  we  stand  in  of  Christ's  righteousness  to  take  it  away,  and  accord- 
ingly resolved  to  wait  on  him  in  this  ordinance  with  earnest  desires  of  obtaining 
this  privilege.  We  must  also  inquire  whether  our  behaviour,  when  we  were  engaged 
m  observing  the  Lord's  supper,  was  not,  in  some  measure,  unbecoming  the  spirit- 
uality and  importance  of  the  ordinance  ;  whether  we  have  not  spared  or  indulged 
some  secret  corruption,  which  broke  forth  while  we  were  engaged  in  it ;  whether 
we  have  not  given  way  to  some  temptation,  which  then  beset  us ;  whether  we  have 
not  depended  on  our  own  righteousness,  for  taking  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  pro- 
curing for  us  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God.  We  must  inquire  especially  whether 
we  did  not  engage  in  the  ordinance  in  our  own  strength,  and  by  our  self-confi- 
dence provoke  him  to  withdraw  from  us.  If  we  did  this,  we  must  practise  deep 
humiliation  in  his  sight,  repentance  and  reformation,  in  order  to  our  being  guarded 
against  the  inconvenience  which  we  at  present  labour  under ;  and  then  we  may 

y  Psal.  cxvi.  2.  z  Isa.  xxx.  18. 


OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  549 

hope  that  we  shall  be  enabled  to  wait  on  him  in  this  ordinance,  in  such  a  way  that 
we  may  have  those  comfortable  experiences  of  grace  from  him,  which  will  be  an 
evidence  that  we  have  waited  on  him  for  the  better  and  not  for  the  worse. 

[Note  2  B.  Covenanting  and  Vowing. — Such  utterly  mistaken  views  of  the  Lord's  supper,  of 
Christian  character,  and  even  of  the  way  of  salvation,  have,  in  the  experience  or  multitudes,  been 
suggested  or  confirmed  by  exhortations  to  communicants  to  renew  their  covenant  with  God,  and 
make  or  fulfil  vows  to  him,  that  inquiry  becomes  imperative  whether  the  idea,  on  the  one  hand, 
of  observing  the  Lord's  supper,  and  the  idea,  on  the  other,  of  covenanting  and  vowing,  are  legiti- 
mately connected.  Dr.  Ridgeley  explains  the  words  of  the  Catechism,  '  renewing  their  covenant 
with  God,'  and  the  correlative  words  often  used  in  popular  addresses,  '  making  or  fulfilling  vows, 
in  a  sense  to  which — apart  from  association  with  communicating  in  the  Lord's  supper — there  can- 
not be  any  objection.  He,  in  fact,  denudes  both  phrases  of  their  distinctive  meaning ;  and,  with- 
out formally  omitting  them,  or  even  appearing  to  think  them  improper,  divests  them  of  all  the  of 
fensive  ideas  which  they  are  usually  employed  to  express.  Making  a  vow,  according  to  his  ex- 
planation, is  simply  to  declare  to  ourselves,  or  to  recognise,  our  duty  to  be  the  Lord's,  to  feel  our 
utter  weakness,  and  to  look  to  the  God  of  all  grace  for  strength  and  guidance  to  enable  and  direct 
us  to  walk  worthy  of  our  high  calling  ;  while,  to  '  renew  our  covenant,'  is  to  believe  the  promises 
of  the  well-ordered  and  everlasting  covenant  which  God  has  established,  and  to  give  ourselves  up 
to  him  as  his  covenant  people — or  as  those  to  whom  his  covenant  has  been  made  known — in  hope 
of  receiving  from  him  grace  to  fight  a  good  fight,  and  keep  the  faith,  and  lay  hold  of  eternal  life. 
But  to  act  in  this  way  is  just  the  distinctive  conduct  of  a  believer  in  Jesus,  incumbent  on  him  at 
every  season,  especially  appropriate  in  every  religious  or  devotional  exercise  in  which  he  engages, 
and  daily,  or  even  hourly,  requisite  in  order  to  his  spiritual  health  and  comfort ;  and  why  should 
it  either  be  associated  distinctively,  much  less  exclusively,  with  the  observance  of  the  ordinance 
of  the  supper,  or  be  designated  by  a  phrase  so  inexpressive  of  its  nature,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
so  very  liable  to  misconstruction,  as  '  making  vows'  and  '  renewing  a  covenant?' 

Vowing,  in  the  strict  or  literal  sense,  or  as  practised  under  the  patriarchal  and  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tions, is  not,  I  suppose,  contended  for  by  any  persons  as  a  duty  enjoined  by  the  law  of  Christ. 
Even  a  cursory  examination  of  the, texts  which  mention  it — especially  those  which  occur  in  the 
Sinaitic  law,  (see  inter  alia,  Lev.  xx.  18;  xxiii.  38;  Numb.  xxix.  39;  xv.  3.) — will  hardly  fail 
to  convince  any  man  that,  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  it  was  connected  with  the  ceremonies 
and  duties  of  the  typical  system,  and  that,  in  its  own  nature  and  objects,  it  belonged  to  a  state 
of  things  precurrent  and  introductory  to  the  completed  revelation  and  the  spiritual  worship  of  the 
Christian  dispensation.  What  is  now  contended  for,  under  the  designation  of  '  making  vows,'  is 
not  any  act  which  may,  like  the  vowing  mentioned  in  scripture,  be  connected  with  typical  sacri- 
fices and  offerings,  but  something  which  is  made  to  comport  with  the  elementary  and  pervading 
duty  of  believing  on  Christ,  as  having  once  for  all  made  an  atonement  by  which  we  are  justified 
from  all  things  from  which  we  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.  But  is  it  right,  is 
it  useful,  is  it  safe,  to  retain  the  phrase  when  what  is  designated  differs  widely  from  the  vowiifjg 
practised  under  the  introductory  dispensations?  If  making  and  performing  vows  of  old  occu- 
pied, as  to  its  nature,  essentially  the  same  ground  as  presenting  a  trespass  offering,  or  paying  tithes, 
or  performing  ablution,  or  any  other  act  connected  with  a  prefigurative  and  temporary  economy ; 
is  there  not  danger,  when  men  are  exhorted  now  to  make  and  perform  vows  in  a  literal  sense, 
that  they  may  suppose  the  resources  of  their  duty,  and  consequently  the  resources  of  their  entire 
well-being,  to  be  in  as  close  a  sense  their  own,  or  at  least  as  easily  available,  as  the  Israelite  did 
his  flocks,  the  fruits  of  his  field,  or  the  water  of  the  running  stream  ?  Are  not  ideas  of  self- 
reliance,  indeed,  actually  engendered  and  nursed  by  appeals  to  professing  Christians  to  make  and 
perform  vows, — vows  of  their  own,  framed  by  themselves,  and  extraneous  to  the  direct  obliga- 
tions of  the  law  of  Christ?  The  truth,  I  suspect,  is,  that  ihe  Romish  doctrine,  or  the  doctrine 
of  the  scholastic  theology,  respecting  the  connexion  of  vowing  with  the  false  and  rejected  sa- 
craments of  matrimony,  penance,  and  holy  orders,  and  with  the  supererogatory  works  of  celi- 
bacy, viduity,  poverty,  and  seclusion  from  active  life,  was  inadvertently  retained,  though  in  a 
modified  form,  by  the  Reformers  from  popery,  and  still  exerts  a  strong  but  undetected  influence 
on  the  minds  of  evangelical  men  attached  to  the  spirit  of  modern  antiquity,  in  connexion  with 
the  retained  "  sacraments,"  the  admitted  ordinances  of  Christ,  the  institutions  of  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  supper.  But,  if  my  conjecture  be  erroneous,  at  least,  let  the  advocates  of  Christian 
vowing  point  to  the  text  of  the  New  Testament  in  which  the  practice,  as  they  explain  it.  is 
sanctioned,  either  in  a  general  way,  or  especially  as  part  of  the  reception  of  baptism,  or  of  the 
showing  of  the  death  of  Christ. 

As  to  covenanting, — the  primary  idea,  in  scripture,  of  making  a  covenant,  appears  to  be  God's 
making  promises  to  man  ratified  by  sacrifice;  the  secondary  idea,  man's  making  promises  to  man, 
whether  ratified  by  sacrifice  or  not ;  and  the  collateral  or  figurative  idea,  any  act  or  institution 
or  document  in  which  a  covenant  is  exhibited,  or  with  which  it  is  connected.  But  a  fourth  idea 
of  a  covenant,  or  that  which  represents  it  as  a  thing  made  by  man  with  God,  seems  to  be  en- 
tirely extra-scriptural.  Take  the  word  covenant  in  any  one  scriptural  sense  which  it  will  bear, 
or  display  it  in  the  light  of  any  one  text  of  the  divine  word  in  which  it  occurs,  it  cannot,  so 
far  as  I  am  aware,  be  made  to  designate  any  state  of  things  whatever  between  man  and  God, 
which  originates  with  man.  Such  a  sense  of  the  word  is  of  comparatively  very  recent  date,  and  must 
surely  soon  give  way  to  a  wise  and  reverential  use  of  scripture  terms— particularly  of  highly  ex- 
pressive ones — in  senses  which  scripture  warrants. 

Even,  moreover,  if  language  about  making  vows  and  renewing  a  covenant,  in  observing  the 
Lord's  supper,   could    be  vindicated,  what  is  gained,  what  wise   or  really  useful  end  is  accom- 


550  Tin:  cojikespondence  and  the  difference 

plished,  by  using  it?  The  divinely  simple,  divinely  sublime  commands,  'This  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me,'  '  Show  ye  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,'  express,  with  incomparably  more  clear- 
ness, the  distinctive  duties  included  in  communicating  in  that  ordinance,  than  the  most  elaborate 
and  complex  appeals  into  which  the  profoundest  distinctions  of  scholastic  divinity  and  morality 
could  be  woven.  To  remember  the  Saviour  and  to  show  his  death — to  meditate  on  his  love, 
exercise  reliance  on  the  merits  of  his  sacrifice,  and  expatiate,  in  faith,  and  hope,  and  adoring 
wonder,  on  the  glorious  results  of  his  mediatorial  work — are  clearly  the  grand  duties  involved  in 
partaking  the  emblems  of  his  broken  body  and  shed  blood — Ed.] 


THE  CORRESPONDENCE  AND  THE  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN 
BAPTISM  AND  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 

Question  CLXXVI.   Wherein  do  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  agree? 

Answer.  The  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  agree,  in  that  the  author  of  both  is 
God,  the  spiritual  part  of  both  is  Christ  and  his  benefits;  both  are  seals  of  the  same  covenant,  are 
to  be  dispensed  by  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  by  none  other,  and  to  be  continued  in  the  church  of 
Christ  until  his  second  coming. 

Question  CLXXVII.  Wherein  do  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and. the  Lord's  supper  differ? 

Answer.  The  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  differ,  in  that  baptism  is  to  be  ad- 
ministered but  once  with  water  ;  to  be  a  sign  and  seal  of  our  regeneration,  and  ingrafting  into  Christ, 
and  that  even  to  infants,  whereas  the  Lord's  supper  is  to  be  administered  often,  in  the  elements  of 
bread  and  wine,  to  represent  and  exhibit  Christ  as  spiritual  nourishment  to  the  soul,  and  to  confirm 
our  continuance  and  growth  in  him,  and  that  only  to  such  as  are  of  years  and  ability  to  examine 
themselves. 

These  two  Answers  contain  little  more  than  a  recapitulation  of  some  things  which 
have  been  occasionally  mentioned,  in  explaining  the  nature  of  these  ordinances  ; 
and  therefore  we  shall  very  briefly  insist  on  them. 

Correspondence  between  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

We  shall  first  consider  those  things  in  which  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  supper  agree. 

1.  It  is  observed  that  God  is  the  Author  of  both.  That  he  is  so  maybe  inferred 
from  what  has  been  said  concerning  their  being  holy  ordinances,  or  means  of  grace  ; 
in  which  we  are  to  expect  his  presence  and  blessing,  to  make  them  effectual  to  sal- 
vation. Now  we  cannot  expect  this  without  engaging  in  them  by  his  own  warrant ; 
and  this  he  has  been  pleased  to  give  us,  as  appears  from  his  word,  and  the  experi- 
ence of  many  believers.  Not  a  few  of  his  people  have  found  sensible  advantage 
from  observing  these  ordinances  ;  so  that  the  effects  of  his  power  and  grace  which 
have  been  produced  in  their  hearts  when  engaged  in  them,  afford  a  convincing 
evidence  that  God  is  their  Author.  This,  as  concerns  baptism,  respects  more 
especially  the  baptism  of  those  who  are  adult ;  for  when  infants  are  baptized, 
though  God  can  and  sometimes  does,  as  is  more  than  probable,  own  this  ordinance 
by  regenerating  them  at  the  time  of  their  receiving  it,  jet  his  doing  so  cannot  be 
known  by  us,  unless  it  be  inferred  from  the  extraordinary  communications  of  grace 
which  those  may  experience  who  are  enabled  by  faith  to  give  up  their  children  to 
God  in  that  ordinance. 

2.  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  farther  agree,  in  Christ  and  his  benefits  being 
signified  by  both  of  them.  For  both  are  ordinances  for  our  faith,  as  they  are  signs 
and  seals  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  which  Christ  and  the  benefits  of  his  redemp- 
tion are  set  forth.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  with  respect  to  baptism,  '  So  many  of 
us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death,  buried  with 
him  by  baptism  into  death. 'a  Accordingly,  we  have  communion  with  Christ  as 
crucified,  dying,  and  buried,  and  as  afterwards  rising  from  the  dead,  and  so  bring- 
ing the  work  of  redemption  to  perfection.  These  things  are  signified  in  baptism  ; 
and  thus  our  faith  is  to  make  use  of  the  sign.    And  the  apostle  says  the  same  thing 

a  Bom.  vi.  3,  4. 


BETWEEN  BAPTISM  AN6  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  Li  1 

with  respect  to  the  Lord's  supper  :  *  As  often  as  ye  eat  this  hread,  and  drink  this 
cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  deatlutill  he  come.'b 

3.  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  farther  observed  to  agree,  in  their  being 
to  be  dispensed  by  none  but  the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment-dispensation, all  the  parts  of  the  temple-service  being  significant  signs  of 
Christ  and  the  benefits  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  were  to  be  administered  by  none 
but  those  who  were  qualified,  called,  and  lawfully  set  apart  to  the  work  ;  as  the 
apostle  says,  '  No  man  taketh  this  honour  unto  himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God,  as 
was  Aaron. 'c  And  we  may  conclude  that  the  moral  reason  of  the  thing  extends  itself 
to  the  administration  of  the  seals  of  the  covenant,  under  the  gospel-dispensation.  It 
is  certain  that  some  must  be  appointed  or  set  apart  to  the  work  of  dispensing  the 
ordinance,  otherwise  it  would  belong  to  every  body,  and  there  would  be  no  determinate 
administrators  of  these  ordinances,  who  might  be  said  to  have  a  special  call  to  this 
work  from  God  and  man.  The  point  may  be  inferred  also  from  those  scriptures 
which  speak  of  '  pastors  after  God's  own  heart,'  who  are  to  '  feed'  his  people  '  with 
knowledge  and  understanding,' as  being  his  special  'gift;'d  and  from  what  the 
apostle  says  concerning  gospel-ministers,  whether  extraordinary  or  ordinary,  that 
they  were  Christ's  'gift'  when  he  'ascended  up  on  high.'6 

4.  It  is  farther  observed,  that  these  two  ordinances  agree,  in  their  being  both  to 
be  continued  in  the  church  until  Christ's  second  coming.  Though  we  look  and 
hope  for  more  of  the  presence  of  God  in  them,  and  a  greater  effusion  of  his  Spirit 
to  make  them  more  effectual,  and  render  the  church  more  bright  and  glorious,  as 
being  favoured  with  greater  degrees  of  the  communications  of  divine  grace  ;  yet 
we  have  no  ground  to  expect  new  ordinances,  or  a  new  dispensation  to  succeed  this 
which  we  are  under,  till  Christ's  second  and  most  glorious  coming.  Hence,  the 
present  dispensation  is  called,  'the  last  time.'f  Hence  also  the  apostle  says  that 
'the  ends  of  the  world  are  come  upon  us  ;'&  by  which  we  are  to  understand,  that 
the  dispensation  of  the  gospel  which  we  are  under,  is  the  last  we  are  to  expect  till 
Christ's  second  coming.  That  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  lLord's  supper 
are  to  continue  till  Christ's  second  coming,  appears  also  from  the  promise  which 
Christ  has  given  of  his  presence  with  his  ministers  and  churches,  when  faithfully 
engaging  in  them.  He  says,  '  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world. 'h  The  fact,  too,  that  his  'death'  is  to  be  'showed  forth  till  he  come,'1 
proves  that  the  Lord's  supper  is  to  be  continued  in  the  church  till  then.  This  I  the 
rather  observe  that  it  is  contrary  to  what  some  maintain,  who,  while  they  hope  for 
a  greater  effusion  of  the  Spirit,  and  a  more  glorious  state  of  the  church  in  the  lat- 
ter day,  are  ready  to  extend  their  thoughts  too  far,  and  conclude  that  the  dispen- 
sation which  they  hope  for  will  be  new,  and  that  the  ordinances  which  the  church 
is  at  present  favoured  with  shall  cease,  particularly  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 
This  opinion  we  can  by  no  means  approve. 

The  Difference  between  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

"We  are  now  to  consider  wherein  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per differ. 

1.  It  is  observed  that  they  differ  in  this,  that  baptism  is  to  be  administered  but 
once,  while  the  Lord's  supper  is  to  be  administered  oiten.  This  appeal's  from  two 
different  circumstances  contained  in  them.  As  for  baptism,  it  signifies  our  first 
ingrafting  into  or  putting  on  Christ ;  and  when  denominated  from  the  thing  signi- 
fied by  it,  it  is  called  '  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost, 'k  which  is  hoped  for  in  this  ordinance.  Accordingly,  it  is  considered  as  our 
first  solemn  dedication  to  Christ ;  and,  as  this  i$  signified  by  it,  it  is  called  an  in- 
itiating ordinance,  in  which  we  are  bound  tOi  be.  ijhe  Load's.  Now,  the  bond  which 
then  obliges  us  to  be  his  holds  good  as  long  as  ve  live,  and  therefore  needs  not  to 
be  signified,  sealed,  or  confirmed  by  our  being  baptized  a  second  time.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,,  the  Lord's  supper  signifies  our  feeding  or  living  vpqn  Christ,  and 

b  1  Cor.  xi.  26.  c  Heb.  v.  4.  d  Jer.  iii.  15.  e  Eph.  iv.  8,  11.  f  1  John  ii.  18. 

g  1  Cor.  x.  11.  b  Matt,  xxviii.  20.  i  I  Cor.  xi.  26.  k  Titus  iii.  5. 


552  TFIE  KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER. 

receiving  daily  supplies  of  grace  from  him,  as  our  necessities  require.  Hence,  this 
ordinance  differs  from  baptism  as  it  is  often  to  be  engaged  in. 

2.  They  differ  in  this,  that  the  former,  as  was  formerly  proved,  is  to  be  applied, 
not  only  to  the  adult,  if  they  have  not  been  baptized  before,  but  to  the  infants  of 
believing  parents,  while  the  Lord's  supper  is  not.  In  baptism,  the  person  dedi- 
cated may  be  considered  as  passive,  and  as  devoted  to  God  by  the  faith  of  another, 
who  has  a  right  so  to  devote  him.  But  none  are  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper 
but  those  who  have  such  a  degree  of  knowledge  that  they  are  able  to  discern  the 
Lord's  bodv,  and  capable  of  performing  that  duty  which  the  apostle  recommends 
as  necessary  to  the  performing  of  it,  when  he  says,  '  Let  a  man  examine  himself, 
and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.'1 

I  am  sensible  that  some  of  the  ancient  church,  and  particularly  Cyprian,  in  the 
third  century,  pleaded  for  and  practised  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper  to 
infants,  having  been  led  into  this  mistake  by  supposing  what  does  not  sufficiently 
appear,  namely,  that  infants  among  the  Jews  eat  the  passover,  because  whole 
families  are  said  to  have  eaten  it.  But  the  passover  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
given  to  infants  ;  for  whom  another  sort  of  food  was  designed.  Nor  could  they 
have  reaped  any  advantage  by  it,  not  being  capable  of  discerning  the  thing  signi- 
fied, or  feeding  on  Christ,  the  true  paschal  Lamb ;  which  could  be  done  no  other- 
wise than  by  faith.  Others  were  led  into  the  mistake  of  administering  the  Lord's 
supper  to  infants,  from  the  wrong  sense  they  gave  of  the  scripture  in  which  Christ 
says,  '  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no 
life  in  you.'m  They  thought  that  our  Saviour  meant  here  the  bread  and  wine  in 
the  Lord's  supper  ;  that  therefore  this  ordinance  was  absolutely  necessary  to  sal- 
vation ;  and  that  it  ought,  in  consequence,  to  be  extended  to  infants,  as  a  means 
of  their  obtaining  it.  But  it  is  certain  this  cannot  be  the  meaning  of  our  Lord's 
words  ;  since  the  Lord's  supper  was  not  instituted,  or  known  in  the  church,  when 
our  Saviour  spake  them.  He  intends  nothing  else  by  them  but  the  fiducial  appli- 
cation of  his  death,  as  an  expedient  for  our  obtaining  eternal  life. 


THE  KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER. 

Question  CLXXVIII.  What  is  Prayer? 

Answer.  Prayer  is  an  offering  up  of  our  desires  unto  God,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  by  the  help  of 
his  Spirit,  with  confession  of  our  sins,  and  thankful  acknowledgment  of  his  mercies. 

Having  considered  the  things  which  are  to  be  believed  and  done,  what  remains 
is,  to  inquire  concerning  those  things  which  are  to  be  prayed  for,  and  how  the 
great  duty  of  prayer  is  to  be  performed.  It  is  necessary  that  we  should  insist 
on  this  subject.  For,  while  we  are  obliged  to  yield  obedience  to  the  revealed 
will  of  God,  we  can,  by  reason  of  our  depravity  and  weakness,  do  nothing  which 
is  good  without  his  assistance.  Now,  that  assistance  is  not  to  be  expected, 
unless  it  be  humbly  desired  of  him  ;  and  the  desiring  of  it  is  what  we  gen- 
erally call  prayer.  As  this  duty  is  performed  by  creatures  who  are  not  only  indi- 
gent but  unworthy,  we  are  to  acknowledge  that  we  are  so  ;  and  accordingly  we  are, 
in  prayer,  to  confess  sin  as  the  principal  ground  and  reason  of  our  unworthiness. 
And  inasmuch  as  God  has  been  pleased  to  encourage  us  to  hope  that  we  shall  not 
seek  his  face  in  vain,  and,  in  many  instances,  is  pleased  to  grant  returns  of  prayer  ; 
we  are  under  obligation  to  draw  nigh  to  him  with  thanksgiving.  These  things  are 
particularly  contained  in  the  Answer  we  are  explaining.  The  method  in  which  we 
shall  endeavour  to  discuss  them  is  to  consider,  first,  what  prayer  supposes  ;  secondly, 
what  are  the  various  kinds  of  prayer ;  and  thirdly,  what  are  its  various  parts. 

1  1  Cor.  xi.  28.  m  John  vi.  5a 


THE  KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER.  553 


What  Prayer  Supposes. 

1.  Prayer  supposes  that  we  are  dependent  and  indigent  creatures,  have  many- 
wants  to  be  supplied,  sins  to  be  forgiven,  miseries  under  which  we  need  pity  and 
relief,  and  weaknesses  under  which  we  want  to  be  strengthened  and  assisted  in  order 
to  the  performance  of  the  duties  which  are  incumbent  on  us.  It  may  hence  be  in- 
ferred that,  though  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  often  represented  as  praying  to  God, 
prayer  was  an  action  performed  by  him  in  his  human  nature  ;  in  which  alone  he 
could  be  said  to  be  indigent,  who,  in  his  divine  nature,  is  all-sufficient. 

2.  Prayer  supposes  that  God,  who  is  the  object  of  it,  is  regarded  by  us  not  only 
as  able,  but  as  willing  to  help  ;  and  that  he  has  encouraged  us  to  draw  nigh  to  him 
for  relief.  Hence,  it  is  a  duty  which  more  especially  belongs  to  those  who  are 
favoured  with  the  hope  of  the  gospel. 

The  Various  Kinds  of  Prayer. 

We  shall  now  show  how  prayer  is  to  be  considered  as  to  its  various  kinds.  We 
are  represented  as  drawing  nigh  to  God,  with  an  humble  sense  of  our  secret  sins 
and  wants,  which  none  but  God  and  our  own  consciences  are  privy  to.  This  kind 
of  prayer  our  Saviour  intends  when  he  says,  '  Thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into 
thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret, 
and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly.  'n  We  have  an 
instance  of  it  in  himself ;  for  it  is  said,  '  When  he  had  sent  the  multitudes  away, 
he  went  up  into  a  mountain  apart  to  pray.'0  Peter  also  'went  upon  the  house- 
top to  pray  ;'p  where,  being  retired  from  the  world,  he  had  a  greater  liberty  to 
pour  forth  his  soul  unto  God. 

Moreover,  we  are  to  join  with  others  in  performing  this  duty  ;  and  then  we  con- 
fess those  sins  and  implore  a  supply  of  those  wants  which  are  common  to  all  who 
are  engaged.  This  our  Saviour  encourages  us  to  do  when  he  says,  '  If  two  of  you 
shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for 
them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
gether in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.'^  This  is  a  branch  of  social 
worship,  and  is  to  be  performed  by  every  family  apart.  Of  this  we  have  an  exam- 
ple in  Cornelius,  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  that  he  was  *  a  devout  man,  and  feared 
God  with  all  his  house,  and  prayed  to  him  always  ;'  and  that  he  did  this  at  cer- 
tain times,  'in  his  house.'1"  Moreover,  this  duty  is  to  be  performed  publicly  in 
the  church,  or  any  worshipping  assembly  met  together  for  that  purpose.  Of  this 
we  have  an  instance  in  the  apostle  Paul,  who,  when  he  had  called  for  the  elders 
of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  designing  to  take  his  leave  of  them,  after  an  affection- 
ate discourse,  and  suitable  advice  given  to  them,  '  kneeled  down  and  prayed  with 
them  all.'3 

Again,  prayer  may  be  considered  as  that  for  which  a  stated  time  is  set  apart  by  us, 
either  alone,  or  with  others ;  or,  that  which  is  occasional,  short,  and  ejaculatory, 
consisting  in  a  secret  lifting  up  of  our  hearts  to  God,  and  which  may  be  performed 
when  we  are  engaged  in  other  business  of  a  different  nature,  without  being  a  let  or 
hinderance  to  it.  Thus  it  is  said,  that  Nehemiah  prayed  when  he  was  going  to 
'  deliver  the  cup  into  the  king's  hand, '  between  the  king's  asking  him  a  question, 
and  his  returning  him  an  answer  to  it.  This  seems  to  be  the  meaning  of  what  is 
said  in  Nehem.  ii.  4,  5,  '  Then  the  king  said  unto  me,  For  what  dost  thou  make 
request  ?  So  I  prayed  to  the  God  of  heaven,  and  I  said  unto  the  king,'  &c.  Ejacu- 
latory prayers  are  such  as  we  put  up  to  God,  either  while  engaged  in  worldly  busi- 
ness, for  direction,  assistance,  or  success  in  it,  or  when  attending  on  the  word  read 
or  preached,  or  any  other  holy  duties,  for  his  presence  in  them. 

n  Matt.  vi.  6.  o  Chap.  xiv.  23.  p  Acts  x.  9.  q  Matt,  xviii.  19,  20. 

r  Acts  x.  2,  compared  with  verse  30.  s  Chap.  xx.  36. 

II.  4  A 


554  THE  KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER. 


The  Various  Parts  of  Prayer. 

The  next  thing  to  be  considered,  is,  the  various  parts  of  prayer.  These  are  three., 
—confession  of  sin,  petition  for  a  supply  of  our  wants,  and  thanksgiving  for  mer- 
cies received.  Confession  of  sin  supposes  that  we  are  guilty,  and  deserve  punishment 
from  God ;  petition  supposes  that  we  are  miserable  and  helpless  ;  and  thanksgiving 
implies  a  disposition  to  own  God  as  the  author  of  all  the  good  we  enjoy  or  hope  for, 
and  includes  a  due  sense  of  those  undeserved  favours  we  have  received  from  him. 

From  this  general  account  of  the  parts  of  prayer,  we  may  infer  that  the  two  for- 
mer, namely,  confession  of  sin,  and  petition  for  relief,  under  the  various  miseries 
and  distresses  to  which  we  are  liable,  are  applicable  to  those  only  who  are  in  a  sin- 
ful and  imperfect  state,  as  believers  are  in  this  world.  As  for  glorified  saints  in 
heaven,  they  have  no  sins  to  be  confessed,  nor  any  miseries  under  which  they  need 
help  and  pity.  That  part  of  prayer,  indeed,  which  consists  of  thanksgiving  for 
mercies  already  received,  is  agreeable  to  a  perfect  state,  and  is  represented  as  the 
constant  work  of  glorified  saints.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  •  The  heavens,'  that  is, 
the  inhabitants  of  them,  •  shall  praise  thy  wonders,  0  Lord,  thy  faithfulness  also 
in  the  congregation  of  the  saints.'*  Again,  sinners  who  have  lost  their  day  of 
grace,  against  whom  the  door  of  hope  and  mercy  is  shut,  who  are  enduring  the 
punishment  of  sin  in  hell,  are  not  properly  the  subjects  of  prayer.  Concerning 
them  it  may  be  said,  not  only  that  they  cannot  pray,  being  destitute  of  those  graces 
which  are  necessary  to  the  performance  of  it,  but  that  they  have  no  interest  in  a 
Mediator,  or  in  the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  are  a  warrant  and  en- 
couragement for  performing  it.  Further,  in  this  world,  where  we  enjoy  the  means 
of  grace,  none  are  the  subjects  of  prayer  but  man.  The  Psalmist,  indeed,  speaks 
of  God's  '  giving  to  the  beast  his  food,  and  to  the  young  ravens  which  cry  ;'u  and 
elsewhere  it  is  said,  '  He  provideth  for  the  raven  his  food,  when  his  young  ones  cry 
unto  God.'x  But  the  meaning  of  these  texts  is,  not  that  brute  creatures  formally 
address  themselves  to  God  for  a  supply  of  their  wants,  having  no  idea  of  a  Divine 
Being  ;  but  that,  when  they  complain  for  want  of  iood,  the  providence  of  God  sup- 
plies them,  though  they  know  not  the  hand  whence  it  comes.  Moreover,  though 
it  is  the  duty  of  all  men  in  the  world  to  pray;  yet  none  can  pray  by  faith, 
and,  consequently,  in  an  acceptable  manner,  but  believers  ;  concerning  whom 
the  apostle  says,  '  Ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba, 
Father. 'y 

As  for  the  first  part  of  prayer,  namely,  petition,  or  supplication,  it  will  be  parti- 
cularly considered  under  several  following  Answers,  especially  those  that  contain 
an  explanation  of  the  Lord's  prayer  ;  which  is  a  directory  for  what  we  are  to  ask 
of  God.  Hence,  we  shall,  at  present,  consider  only  the  other  two  parts  of  prayer, 
namely,  confession  of  sin,  and  thanksgiving  for  mercies. 

I.  We  shall  speak  first  concerning  confession  of  sin. 

1.  This  duty  is  indispensably  incumbent  on  all  men.  It  is  incumbent,  not  only 
on  those  who  are  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  and  consequently  under  the  dominion 
of  sin,  but  on  believers  themselves,  who  are  in  a  justified  state.  This  will  appear, 
if  we  consider  that  not  to  confess  sin,  is,  in  effect,  to  justify  ourselves  in  the  com- 
mission of  it,  and  as  it  were,  to  deny  that  which  is  well-known  to  the  heart-search- 
ing God,  as  well  as  to  our  own  consciences.  It  includes  also  a  charging  God  with 
injustice,  when  he  inflicts  on  us  the  punishment  which  is  due  to  sin  ;  and  so  op- 
poses what  is  said  by  Ezra, '  Thou,  our  God,  hast  punished  us  less  than  our  iniqui- 
ties deserve.'2  Moreover,  none  was  ever  truly  humbled  in  the  sight  of  God,  or 
obtained  mercy  and  forgiveness  of  sin,  but  he  was  first  brought  to  confess  it  with 
suitable  affection,  and  brokenness  of  heart ;  which  are  ingredients  in  true  repen- 
tance. Thus  it  is  said,  '  He  looketh  upon  men,  and  if  any  say,  I  have  sinned,  and 
perverted  that  which  was  right,  and  it  profited  me  not ;  he  will  deliver  his  soul 
from  going  into  the  pit,  and  his  life  shall  see  the  light. 'a     It  is  also  said, '  He  that 

t  Psal.  lxxxix.  5.  u  Psal.  cxlvii.  9.  x  Job  xxxviii.  41.  y  Rom.  viii.  15. 

%  Ezra  ix.  13.  a  Job  xxxiii.  27,  28. 


THE   KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER.  555 

covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper;  hut  whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall 
have  mercy. 'b  This  duty  of  confessing  sin  is  so  evident,  that,  one  would  think, 
no  one  who  duly  considers  what  he  is,  or  how  contrary  his  actions  are  to  the  re- 
vealed will  of  God,  should  have  the  front  to  deny  its  obligation.  Yet  it  is  well- 
known  that  many  seem  designedly  to  wave  all  confession  of  sin  in  prayer ;  and  that 
others  argue  against  it,  more  especially,  as  to  the  case  of  believers. 

It  is  objected  that  believers  ought  not  to  confess  sin,  because  to  do  so  is  incon- 
sistent with  a  justified  state  ;  it  is  in  effect,  to  plead  guilty,  though  God  has  taken 
away  the  guilt  of  sin,  by  forgiving  it  for  the  sake  of  the  atonement  which  Christ 
has  made  ;  it  is  a  laying  open  of  the  wound  which  God  hath  healed  and  closed  up, 
or  a  bringing  to  remembrance  that  which  he  hath  said,  '  he  will  remember  no  more  ;'c 
and  it  is  contrary  to  the  grace  of  God,  who  hath  said,  none  shall  '  lay  any  thing  to 
the  charge  '  of  his  *  elect,'  since  '  it  is  God  that  justifieth.'d  We  reply,  that  we 
must  distinguish  between  a  believer's  desert  of  punishment  or  condemnation,  and 
his  being  actually  punished  by  God,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge,  according  as  his 
iniquities  deserve.  That  a  believer  shall  not  eventually  fall  under  condemnation,  is 
true  ;  because  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and  '  there  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.'6  Still,  though  he  is  in  a  justified  state,  and,  in  consequence, 
shall  be  undoubtedly  saved ;  yet,  according  to  the  tenor  of  his  own  actions,  he,  being 
a  sinner,  contracts  guilt  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  a  desert  of  punishment  is  in- 
separably connected  with  every  sin  ;  though  a  person  who  commits  it  may  be  in 
a  justified  state.  It  is  one  thing  to  be  liable  to  condemnation,  and  another  thing 
to  deserve  to  be  condemned.  The  former  is,  indeed,  inconsistent  with  a  justified 
state  ;  but  the  latter  is  not.  And  it  is  in  this  sense  that  we  are  to  understand  the 
psalmist's  words,  '  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities,  0  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?'f 
Accordingly,  the  best  believer  on  earth,  though  he  have  a  full  assurance  of  his 
being  forgiven  by  God,  yet  inasmuch  as  he  is  a  sinner,  is  obliged  to  confess  that 
he  deserves  to  be  cast  off  by  him,  and  that,  if  God  should  deal  with  him  according 
to  what  he  finds  in  him,  without  looking  upon  him  as  he  is  in  Christ,  his  head  and 
surety,  he  would  be  undone  and  lost  for  ever.  Again,  believers  are  daily  sinning, 
and  therefore  contracting  fresh  guilt ;  as  it  is  said,  '  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon 
earth,  that  doeth  good,  and  sinneth  not. '8  Indeed,  their  sin  is  often  so  great,  that 
they  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  wound  their  own  consciences,  and  act  very  disagree- 
ably to  their  character  as  believers.  Their  sins,  therefore,  ought  to  be  confessed 
with  shame  and  self-abhorrence ;  as  the  prophet  says,  '  That  thou  mayest  remember 
and  be  confounded,  and  never  open  thy  mouth  any  more,  because  of  thy  shame  ; 
when  I  am  pacified  towards  thee  for  all  that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God.'h 
Moreover,  it  is  certain  that  believers,  when  they  have  had  a  discovery  that  their 
sin  was  pardoned,  have  at  the  same  time  confessed  it  with  great  humility.  Thus, 
immediately  after  Nathan  had  reproved  David  for  his  sin,  and  told  him,  upon  his 
repentance,  that  '  the  Lord  had  put  it  away,'1  he  made  a  penitent  confession  of  it 
before  God,  and  said,  '  Against  thee,  thee  only  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil 
in  thy  sight. 'k 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  with  what  frame  of  spirit  sin  is  to  be  confessed.  First, 
we  are  to  confess  sin  with  a  due  sense  of  its  infinite  evil,  as  it  reflects  dishonour  on 
the  divine  perfections,  and  particularly  as  it  is  opposite  to  the  holiness  and  purity 
of  God,  and  a  contempt  cast  on  his  law,  which  expressly  forbids  it,  and  a  disregard- 
ing of  the  threatenings  denounced  by  that  law  against  those  who  violate  it,  and 
renders  us  liable  to  his  wrath,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge,  pursuant  to  its  intrinsic 
demerit.  It  is  therefore  justly  styled  '  an  evil  thing  and  bitter  ;' — it  is  the  only 
thing  which  can  be  called  a  moral  evil ;  and  it  is  certainly  bitter  in  its  consequences. 
— Again,  we  are  to  confess  sin  with  humility,  shame,  confusion  of  face,  and  self-ab- 
horrence ;  and  that  more  especially,  by  reason  of  the  vile  ingratitude  there  is  in  it, 
as  committed  by  those  who  are  under  the  greatest  engagements  to  the  contrary 
duties. — Further,  sin  is  to  be  confessed  with  hope  of  obtaining  forgiveness  through 

b  Ptov.  xxviii.  13.  c  Heb.  x.  17-  d  Rom.  viii.  33.  e  Ver.  1. 

f  PshI.  cxxx.  3.  g  Eccles.  vii.  20.  b  Ezek.  xvi.  63.  •  i  2  8am.  xii.  13. 

■     k  Psal.  li.  4. 


SS*)  THE  KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER. 

the  blood  of  Christ,  as  laying  hold  on  the  promises  of  mercy  which  are  made  to  those 
who  confess  and  forsake  it ; l  and  with  an  earnest  desire  to  be  delivered  from  ita 
prevailing  power,  by  strength  derived  from  Christ. 

3.  We  shall  now  consider  what  sins  we  are  to  confess  before  God.  These  are, 
either  the  sin  of  our  nature,  or  those  actual  transgressions  which  proceed  from  it. 

We  are  to  confess  the  sin  of  our  nature.  As  fallen  creatures,  we  are  destitute 
of  the  image  of  God  ;  and,  having  contracted  corrupt  habits,  by  repeated  acts  of 
rebellion  against  him,  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  our  souls  are  vitiated ;  and  we 
are  not  only  indisposed  and  disinclined  to  what  is  good,  but  naturally  bent  to  back- 
slide from  God,  and  to  commit  the  greatest  abominations,  if  destitute  of  his  pre- 
venting, restraining,  or  renewing  grace.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  I  know  that  in 
me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing.' m  Sin  is  to  be  considered  as  what 
has  universally  defiled  and  depraved  our  nature  ;  and  therefore  we  ought  to  cry  out 
with  the  leper,  '  Unclean,  unclean  ;'n  or,  in  the  words  of  the  prophet,  '  From  the 
sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  us,  but  wounds,  and 
bruises,  and  putrifying  sores.'0  We  are  to  consider  it  as  insinuating  itself  into  our 
best  duties  ;  as  like  the  fly  which  corrupts  the  precious  ointment ;  and  as  of  such 
a  nature  that,  when  we  have  been  enabled  to  gain  some  advantage  against  it,  it 
will  afterwards  recover  strength,  notwithstanding  all  our  endeavours  to  the  con- 
trary. It  is  like  an  incurable  disease  in  the  body,  which,  though  we  endeavour  to 
keep  it  under  for  a  while,  yet  will  prevail  again,  till  the  frame  of  nature  is  demo- 
lished, and  thereby  all  diseases  cured  at  once.  When,  however,  we  confess  and  are 
humbled  for  this  propensity  which  is  in  our  nature  to  sin,  we  are  to  pray  and  hope 
that  the  prevailing  power  of  it  may  be  so  far  weakened  that,  by  the  principle  of 
grace,  implanted  in  regeneration,  and  excited  by  the  Spirit  in  promoting  the  work 
of  sanctification,  though  it  dwells  in  us,  it  may  not  entirely  have  dominion  over  us, 
or  we  be  denominated  the  servants  of  sin. 

We  are  to  confess  also  the  many  actual  sins  which  we  daily  commit,  with  all 
their  respective  aggravations  ;  sins  of  omission  and  commission,  both  of  which  are 
mentioned  in  the  apostle's  confession,  '  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not ;  but  the 
evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.'P  Our  sinful  neglects  of  duty  are  numberless. 
We  are  to  confess  our  not  having  redeemed  our  time,  but  spent  it  in  those  trifles 
and  vain  amusements  which  profit  not ;  particularly  if  we  have  misimproved  the 
very  flower  and  best  part  of  our  time  and  strength,  and  not  remembered  our  Crea- 
tor in  the  days  of  our  youth.  This  Job  reckons  the  principal  ground  and  reason  of 
the  evils  which  befell  him  in  his  advanced  age,  when  he  says,  '  Thou  writest  bitter 
things  against  me  ;  and  makest  me  to  possess  the  iniquities  of  my  youth.' i  We 
are  humbly  to  confess  also  our  not  having  improved,  and,  in  consequence,  lost  many 
opportunities  for  extraordinary  service,  either  to  do  or  to  get  good.  Thus  the  pro- 
phet says,  '  Yea,  the  stork  in  the  heaven  knoweth  her  appointed  times,  and  the 
turtle,  and  the  crane,  and  the  swallow  observe  the  time  of  their  coming,  but  my 
people  know  not  the  judgment  of  the  Lord.'1"  We  are  also  to  confess  our  neglect- 
ing to  comply  with  the  calls  and  invitations  of  the  gospel.  On  account  of  this  ne- 
glect, we  are  said  to  '  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain  ;'s  or  '  not  to  know  the  time 
of  our  visitation.'1  On  account  of  it  likewise,  when  God  has  'called,  we  have  re- 
fused ;'  when  he  has  '  stretched  out  his  hand,  no  man  regarded,  but  we  have  set  at 
nought  all  his  counsel,  and  would  none  of  his  reproof. 'u  We  are  also  to  confess  our 
neglect  of  public  and  secret  duties,  or  our  worshipping  God  in  a  careless  indifferent 
manner.  Thus  the  prophet  represents  the  people  as  saying, '  Behold  what  a  weariness 
is  it,  and  ye  have  snuffed  at  it,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  and  ye  have  brought  that 
which  was  torn,  and  the  lame,  and  the  sick  ;  should  I  accept  this  at  your  hands?'* 
We  are  also  to  confess  our  neglect  of  relative  duties,  in  not  instructing  those  under 
our  care,  nor  reproving  them  for  sin  committed,  nor  sympathizing  with  tho  afflicted, 
nor  warning  those  who  are  going  out  of  God's  wajr.     By  these  means  a  multitude 

1  Pror.  xxviii.  13.  m  Rom.  vii.  18.  u  Lev.  xiii.  45.  o  Isa.  i.  6. 

p  Rom.  vii.  19.  q  Job  xiii.  26.  r  Jer.  viii.  7.  8  2  Cor.  ri.  1. 

t  Luke  xix.  44.  •  u  Prov.  i.  24,  25.  x  Ma),  i.  13. 


THE  KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER.  557 

of  sins  might  have  been  prevented  ;  and,  through  our  neglecting  to  use  them,  many 
persons  have  heen  ruined. 

Sins  of  commission,  which  are  also  to  he  confessed,  are  such  as  were  committed 
either  before  or  after  our  conversion  to  God.  The  former  involve  a  disowning  of 
his  authority,  or  of  his  right  to  obedience  ;  the  latter,  an  ungrateful  disregard  to 
or  forgetfulness  of  the  greatest  benefits  received  from  him.  We  are  also  to  confess 
those  sins  which  are  contrary  to  the  moral  law,  or  the  very  light  of  nature  ;  which  we 
are  often  guilty  of.  And,  that  we  may  be  furnished  with  matter  and  give  scope  to 
our  thoughts  and  affections  in  confessing  them,  it  may  be  of  use  for  us  to  consider  the 
sins  forbidden  under  each  of  the  ten  commandments,  which  have  been  before  par 
ticularly  insisted  on.  We  ought  also  to  confess  the  various  aggravations  of  sin.  To 
assist  us  in  doing  this,  those  things  which  are  stated  in  a  former  Answer/  respect- 
ing the  aggravations  of  sin,  may  be  of  some  use  to  us ;  especially  if  we  make  a  par- 
ticular application  of  them  to  our  own  case,  and  observe  how  far  we  have  reason  to 
fall  under  a  sense  of  guilt,  or  charge  ourselves  with  such  crimes  as  those  which  are 
there  mentioned.  Moreover,  we  are  to  confess  the  sins  we  have  committed  against 
the  engagements  or  grace  of  the  gospel ;  the  low  thoughts  we  have  sometimes  had 
of  the  person  of  Christ,  his  love  to  us,  or  the  benefits  we  have  been  made  partakers 
of  from  him,  while  we  have  been  ready  to  say,  as  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  are 
represented  as  doing,  '  What  is  thy  beloved  more  than  another  beloved  ?' z  how 
much  we  have  hardened  our  hearts  against  him,  refusing  to  submit  to  his  yoke  or 
bear  his  cross ;  how  often  we  have  been  ashamed  of  his  cause  and  interest,  especially 
when  called  to  suffer  reproach  for  it.  Have  we  not  sometimes  questioned  the  truth 
of  his  promises,  refused  to  submit  to  his  righteousness,  and  to  depend  upon  it 
alone  for  justification  ;  while  we  have  had  too  high  thoughts  of  ourselves,  glorying 
and  valuing  ourselves  upon  the  performance  of  some  moral  duties  which  we  have 
put  in  the  room  of  Christ  ?  We  ought  likewise  to  confess  how  much  we  have  op- 
posed him  in  all  his  offices.  We  have  not  depended  on  him  as  a  prophet,  to  lead 
us  in  the  way  of  truth  and  peace,  but  have  leaned  to  our  own  understanding,  and 
therefore  have  been  left  to  pervert,  disbelieve,  or,  at  least,  entertain  some  doubts 
about,  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel ;  or,  if  our  minds  have  been  rightly  in- 
formed as  to  these  doctrines,  we  have  not  made  a  practical  improvement  of  them 
for  our  spiritual  advantage.  Have  we  not  opposed  him  as  a  priest,  neglecting  to 
set  a  due  value  on  the  atonement  he  has  made  for  sin,  and  not  improving  his  in- 
tercession for  us,  who  is  entered  into  the  holy  place  made  without  hands,  to  en- 
courage us  to  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace  ?  Have  we  not  also  refused  to 
submit  to  him  as  King  of  saints,  or  to  seek  protection  from  him  against  the  assaults 
of  our  spiritual  enemies  ?  These  things  are  to  be  confessed  by  us  in  prayer  ;  and  we 
are  to  confess  them  with  such  a  sense  of  our  own  guilt,  that  we  acknowledge  our- 
selves to  be,  as  the  apostle  says  concerning  himself,  '  the  chief  of  sinners. 'a 

I  am  sensible  many  will  be  ready  to  conclude,  that  much  of  what  has  been  said 
concerning  sins  to  be  confessed  is  applicable  to  none  but  those  who  are  in  a  state 
of  unregeneracy ;  that  among  these,  few  can  say  that  they  are  the  chief  of  sinners, 
unless  they  have  been  notoriously  vile  and  scandalous  in  the  eye  of  the  world ;  and 
that  the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  says  this  respecting  himself,  has  a  peculiar  refer- 
ence to  what  he  was  before  his  conversion.  We  reply,  that  it  is  impossible  we 
should  know  so  much  of  the  sins  of  others,  together  with  their  respective  aggrava- 
tions, as  we  may  of  those  which  have  been  committed  by  ourselves.  And  if  we 
have  not  been  left  to  commit  those  gross  and  scandalous  sins  which  we  have  beheld 
in  others  with  abhorrence,  our  not  having  committed  them  is  owing,  not  to  our- 
selves, but  to  the  grace  of  God,  by  which  we  are  what  we  are.  For,  had  we  been 
destitute  of  that  grace,  we  should  have  been  as  bad  as  the  worst  of  men  ;  and  if 
our  hearts  have  been  renewed  and  changed  by  it,  so  that  we  are  kept  from  com- 
mitting those  sins  which  are  inconsistent  with  a  state  of  grace  ;  yet  there  are  very 
heinous  aggravations  attending  such  as  we  have  reason  to  charge  ourselves  with  ; 
whereby  we  have  acted  contrary  to  the  experience  we  have  had  of  the  efficacious 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  have  been  guilty  of  very  great  ingratitude  against 

y  See  Quest,  cli.  z  Cant.  v.  9.  a  1  Tim.  i.  IS. 


558  THE  KINDS  AND  FARTS  OF  PRAYER. 

him  who  has  laid  us  under  the  highest  obligations.  Thus  concerning  confession  of 
sin,  when  drawing  nigh  to  God  in  the  duty  of  prayer. 

II.  We  are  now  to  consider  another  part  of  prayer,  namely,  that  we  are  therein 
thankfully  to  acknowledge  the  mercies  of  God.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  Enter 
into  his  gates  with  thanksgiving,  and  into  his  courts  with  praise ;  be  thankful  unto 
him,  and  bless  his  name.'b  And  elsewhere,  '  I  will  offer  to  thee  the  sacrifice  of 
thanksgiving,  and  will  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord;'c  that  is,  I  will  join  prayer 
and  praise  together.  Nothing  is  more  obvious  than  that  favours  received  ought 
to  be  acknowledged ;  otherwise  we  are  guilty  of  that  ingratitude  which  is  one 
of  the  vilest  crimes.  Not  to  acknowledge  what  we  receive  from  God,  is,  in  effect, 
to  deny  our  obligation  to  him ;  and  to  do  this  will  provoke  him  to  withhold  from  us 
those  other  mercies  which  we  stand  in  need  of. 

This  duty  ought  to  be  performed  at  all  times,  and  on  all  occasions.  Thus  the 
apostle  says,  *  In  every  thing  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving,  let 
your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God.'d  That  thanksgiving  is  due  in  all  circum- 
stances, is  evident  from  the  fact  that  there  is  no  condition  of  life  but  what  has  in  it 
some  mixture  of  mercy.  The  mercies  we  receive  from  God,  are  either  outward  or 
spiritual,  common  or  special.  The  former  he  gives  to  all  without  distinction  ;  as 
it  is  said,  '  The  Lord  is  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works  ;'e 
and,  '  He  is  kind  unto  the  unthankful  and  to  the  evil, 'f  and  'maketh  his  sun  to 
rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust. '< 
The  latter  sort  of  mercies  he  bestows  on  the  heirs  of  salvation,  in  a  covenant  way, 
as  the  purchase  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  a  pledge  of  farther  blessings  which  he 
has  reserved  in  store  for  them.  There  are  mercies  which  we  have  in  hand  or  in 
possession,  and  others  which  we  have  in  hope  or  in  reversion.  Thus  the  apostle 
speaks  of  the  'hope'  which  is  'laid  up  for'  the  saints  'in  heaven, ,h  which  he  thanks 
God  for  in  his  prayer  for  the  church.  Again,  the  mercies  of  God  may  be  con- 
sidered as  either  personal  or  relative.  The  former  we  are  more  immediately  the 
subjects  of ;  the  latter  affect  us  so  far  as  we  stand  related  to  others,  for  whose 
welfare  we  are  greatly  concerned,  and  whose  happiness  makes  a  very  considerable 
addition  to  our  own. 

1.  We  are  to  express  our  thankfulness  to  God  for  personal  mercies.  Accordingly, 
we  are  to  bless  him  for  the  advantages  of  nature,  which  are  the  effects  of  divine 
goodness.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  will  praise  thee ;  for  I  am  fearfully  and 
wonderfully  made.'1  Though  the  human  nature  falls  very  short  of  what  it  was  at 
first,  when  the  image  of  God  was  perfectly  stamped  on  all  the  powers  and  faculties 
of  the  soul ;  and  though  it  is  not  what  it  shall  be  when  brought  to  a  state  of  per- 
fection in  heaven  ;  yet  there  are  many  natural  endowments  which  we  have  received 
from  God,  as  a  means  for  our  glorifying  him,  and  answering  the  end  of  our  being 
in  the  whole  conduct  of  our  lives. 

We  have,  in  every  age  of  life,  received  the  blessings  of  providence.  We  have 
great  reason  to  be  thankful,  if,  in  our  childhood  and  youth  we  had  the  invaluable 
blessing  of  a  religious  education,  and  were  kept  or  delivered  from  the  pernicious 
influence  of  bad  examples,  whence  that  age  of  life  often  receives  such  a  tincture  as 
tends  to  vitiate  the  soul,  and  to  open  the  way  for  all  manner  of  sin,  which  will  after- 
wards insinuate  itself  into  all  its  powers  and  faculties,  and  prevail,  like  an  infectious 
distemper,  over  them.  What  reason  have  we  to  bless  God  if  we  have  been  favoured 
with  restraining  or  preventing  grace,  whereby  we  have  been  kept  from  youthful 
lusts  which  are  destructive  to  multitudes,  and  lay  a  foundation  for  their  iuture 
ruin  ;  and  especially  if  it  has  pleased  God  to  bring  us  under  early  convictions  of  sin, 
so  that  we  have  experienced  in  our  youth  the  hopeful  beginnings  of  a  work  of  grace, 
which  is  an  effect  of  more  than  common  providence  I  We  ought  to  take  notice,  with 
great  thankfulness,  of  the  methods  of  divine  grace,  if  we  have  been  early  led  into 
the  knowledge  of  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God  ;  especially  if  they  have 
made  such  an  impression  on  our  hearts  that  we  can  say,  with  good  Obadiah,  '  I  thy 
servant  fear  the  Lord  from  my  youth. 'k  Again,  we  are  to  express  our  thankful- 
fa  Psal.  c.  4.  c  Psal.  cxvi.  17.  d  Phil.  iv.  6.  e  Psal.  cxlv.  9.  f  Luke  vi.  35. 

g  Matt.  v.  45.         h  Col.  i.  3,  5.  i  Psal.  exxxix.  J4.  k  1  Kings  xviii.  12. 


THE  KINDS  AND  PAItTS  OF  PRAYER.  559 

ness  for  the  mercies  which  we  have  received  in  our  advanced  age,  when  arrived  at 
a  state  of  manhood.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  bless  God  for  directing  and  ordering 
our  settlement  in  the  world,  in  those  things  more  especially  which  relate  to  our  se- 
cular callings  and  employments  ;  and  for  the  advantages  of  suitable  society  in  those 
families  in  which  our  lot  has  been  cast,  as  well  as  the  many  instances  of  divine 
goodness  in  our  own.  We  ought  also  to  bless  him  for  giving  success  to  our  industry 
and  endeavours  used  to  promote  our  comfort  and  happiness  in  the  world,  together 
with  that  degree  of  usefulness  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  favour  us  with  in  these. 
We  ought  also  to  bless  him  for  carrying  us  through  many  difficulties  which  lay  in 
our  way  ;  some  of  which  we  have  been  almost  ready  to  think  insurmountable.  We 
ought  likewise  to  bless  him  for  bringing  us  under  the  means  of  grace  ;  particularly 
if  we  were  not  favoured  with  a  religious  education  in  our  childhood  ;  and  more 
especially,  if  these  means  have  been  made  effectual  to  answer  the  highest  and  most 
valuable  ends.  Again,  there  are  other  mercies  which  some  have  reason  to  bless 
God  for  who  have  arrived  at  old  age ;  which  is  the  last  stage  of  life,  wherein  the 
frame  of  nature  is  declining  and  hastening  apace  to  a  dissolution.  These,  I  say, 
have  reason  to  be  thankful,  if  they  have  not,  as  it  were,  outlived  themselves,  wholly 
lost  their  memory  and  judgment,  by  which  means  they  would  have  been  brought 
back,  as  it  were,  to  the  state  of  childhood,  as  some  have  been.  They  ha^e 
reason  for  thankfulness  also,  if  old  age  be  not  pressed  down  beyond  measure  with 
pain  and  bodily  diseases,  or  with  a  multitude  of  cares  and  troubles  about  outward 
circumstances  in  the  world.  For  such  troubles  would  tend  to  imbitter  the  small 
remains  of  life,  which  has  not  much  strength  of  nature  to  bear  up  under  great  trials, 
and  does  not  admit  of  those  methods  being  made  use  of,  whereby  others,  without 
much  difficulty,  are  able  to  extricate  themselves  out  of  them.  But  they,  of  all 
others,  have  most  reason  to  bless  God,  who  can  look  back  on  a  long  series  of  use- 
fulness, in  proportion  to  the  number  of  years  they  have  lived  ;  so  that  that  promise 
is  fulfilled  to  them,  '  They  shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age  ;  they  shall  be  fat 
and  flourishing.'1  This  is  more  than  a  common  mercy,  and  therefore  requires  a 
greater  degree  of  thankfulness.  For  then  it  may  be  said  of  them,  '  The  hoary 
head  is  a  crown  of  glory,'  being  '  found  in  the  way  Of  righteousness  ;'m  and  grace 
keeps  equal  pace  with  age,  and  they  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  wait  for  a  release 
from  a  careful,  vain,  uneasy  life  to  heaven.  Thus  concerning  the  occasions  we 
have  for  thankfulness  in  every  age  of  life. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  reason  that  we  have  to  be  thankful  in  the  various 
circumstances  or  conditions  of  life.  In  particular,  we  are  to  be  thankful  when  we 
have  a  great  measure  of  outward  prosperity.  This  is  more  than  many  enjoy,  and 
calls  for  a  proportionable  degree  of  thankfulness  ;  especially  if  it  be  sanctified  and 
sweetened  with  a  sense  of  God's  special  love,  so  that  it  is  a  pledge  and  earnest  of 
better  things  reserved  for  us  hereafter, — when  we  have  the  good  things  of  this  life 
for  our  conveniency,  that  our  passage  through  the  world  may  be  more  easy  and 
comfortable  to  us,  and  yet  we  have  ground  to  hope  that  these  are  not  our  portion, 
or  that  we  are  not  like  those  whom  the  psalmist  speaks  of,  and  calls  '  the  men  of 
the  world,'  'who  have  their  portion  in  this  life,'11  or,  like  the  rich  man  in  the 
parable,  to  whom  it  was  said,  '  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst 
thy  good  things.'0  We  have  reason  to  bless  God  when  outward  prosperity  is  a 
means  of  our  glorifying  him,  and  being  more  serviceable  to  promote  his  interest, 
and  not  a  snare  or  occasion  of  sin ;  when  it  is  not  like  '  the  prosperity  of  fools,' 
which  has  a  tendency  to  '  destroy  them  ;'  p  when  what  is  said  concerning  that  mur- 
muring generation  of  men,  whom  the  psalmist  speaks  of,  who  '  lusted  exceedingly 
in  the  wilderness,  and  tempted  God  in  the  desert,'  so  that  though  •  he  gave  them 
their  request,  he  sent  leanness  into  their  soul,'  is  not  applicable  to  us  ;°>  when  we 
enjoy  the  outward  blessings  of  providence,  and,  at  the  same  time,  live  above  them, 
so  that  our  hearts  are  not  too  much  set  upon  them,  but  we  are  willing  to  part  with 
them,  when  God  is  about  to  deprive  us  of*  them  or  take  us  from  them  ;  and  when 
outward  enjoyments  are  helps,  and  not  hinderances,  to  us  in  our  way  to  heaven 

1  Peal.  xcii.  14.  m  Prov.  xvi.  31.  n  Psal.  zvii.  14.  0  Luke  zvi.  25. 

p  Prov.  i.  32.  q  Psal.  cvi.  14,  15. 


560  THE   KINDS  AND  PARTS  OF  PRAYER. 

These  are  inducements  to  the  greatest  thankfulness,  and  ought  to  he  acknowledged 
to  the  glory  of  God.  Again,  we  have  reason  to  be  thankful,  though  it  pleases  God 
to  follow  us  with  many  afflictions  and  adverse  providences  in  the  world.  These  are 
not,  indeed,  to  be  reckoned  blessings  in  themselves.  Yet  they  are  not  inconsistent 
with  a  thankful  frame  of  spirit ;  especially  when  we  take  occasion  from  them  to  be 
affected  with  the  vanity,  emptiness,  and  uncertainty  of  all  outward  comforts,  which 
perish  in  the  using  ;  or  when  they  have  a  tendency  to  humble  us  and  make  us  sub- 
missive to  the  divine  will,  so  that  we  are  led  to  have  a  deep  sense  of  sin,  the  pro- 
curing cause  of  them.  Thus  Ephraim  speaks  of  his  being  '  chastised '  by  God,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  '  ashamed '  and  '  confounded,'  as  ' bearing  the  reproach '  of  former 
sins  committed  by  him.r  We  have  also  reason  to  be  thankful  under  afflictions  when 
those  sins  which  formerly  prevailed,  are  hereby  prevented,  and  we  are  enabled  to 
mortify  them.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  4  Before  I  was  afflicted,  I  went  astray ;  but 
now  have  I  kept  thy  word.'8  We  should  likewise  be  thankful  for  afflictions  when 
God  is  pleased  to  cause  his  grace  to  abound  as  outward  troubles  abound  ;  *  and 
when  the  want  of  outward  mercies  makes  us  to  see  the  worth  of  them,  and  puts  us 
upon  improving  every  instance  of  the  divine  goodness  as  a  great  inducement  to  thank- 
fulness. Moreover,  we  have  reason  to  be  thankful  under  afflictions,  when  we  have  a 
comfortable  hope  that  they  are  evidences  of  our  being  God's  children,  interested 
in  his  special  love  ; u  so  that  we  have  ground  to  conclude  that  he  is  hereby  training 
us  up  and  making  us  more  meet  for  the  heavenly  inheritance,  and  we  can  say  with 
the  apostle,  '  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding,  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.'* 

2.  We  are  to  express  our  thankfulness  for  those  mercies  which  we  call  relative, 
or  for  the  blessings  which  others  enjoy  in  whose  welfare  we  are  more  immediately 
concerned.  As  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one  to  desire  the  good  of  all  men  ;  so  we 
ought  to  bless  God  for  the  mercies  bestowed  on  others  as  well  as  on  ourselves.  The 
relation  we  stand  in  to  others,  is,  in  one  respect,  general  or  extensive,  and  includes 
all  mankind.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  be  thankful  for  the  mercies  which  our  iellow- 
creatures  receive  from  the  hand  of  God,  inasmuch  as,  by  the  bestowal  of  them,  the 
divine  perfections  are  magnified.  The  ends  of  Christ's  death,  and  the  dispensation 
of  the  gospel,  are  attained  in  the  case  of  those  who  receive  the  blessings  which  ac- 
company salvation  ;  and  whatever  mercies  God  bestows  on  others,  we  bless  him  for 
them,  taking  encouragement  to  hope  that  he  will  bestow  the  same  blessings  upon 
us,  when  we  stand  in  need  of  them.  As  for  those  who  are  related  to  us  in  the 
bonds  of  nature,  or  as  members  of  the  family  to  which  we  belong,  for  whose  welfare 
we  are  more  immediately  concerned,  we  may,  in  some  measure,  reckon  the  mercies 
they  enjoy  our  own.  We  hence  should  be  induced  to  bless  God  and  be  thankful 
for  them,  as  well  as  for  those  which  we  receive  in  our  own  persons.  There  is  also 
another  relation,  which  is  more  large  and  extensive,  namely,  that  which  we  stand 
in  to  all  the  members  of  Christ's  mystical  body,  whom  the  apostle  calls  '  the  house- 
hold of  faith, 'y  and  whom,  as  such,  he  supposes  to  be  entitled  to  our  more  special 
regard.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  express  our  thankfulness  to  God,  in  prayer,  for  all 
the  mercies  they  receive,  especially  those  which  are  of  a  spiritual  nature.  For  in 
the  bestowal  of  these,  Christ  is  glorified,  and  his  interest  advanced  ;  which  ought  to 
be  dearer  to  us  than  any  thing  which  relates  to  our  own  private  or  personal  interest, 
as  the  psalmist  speaks  of  his  preferring  Jerusalem's  welfare  above  his  'chief  joy.' z 
We  are  likewise  to  be  thankful  for  the  bestowal  of  spiritual  blessings  on  believers, 
because  we  hope  that  we  shall  be  made  partakers  of  the  same  blessings,  whereby 
others  will  have  occasion  to  bless  God  on  our  behalf.  Thus  concerning  the  induce- 
ments we  have  to  thankfulness  for  blessings  received,  either  by  ourselves  or  others. 

I  shall  conclude  this  Head  by  considering  that  thankfulness,  which  ought  to  be 
a  great  ingredient  in  prayer,  is  always  to  be  accompanied  with  the  exercise  of 
those  graces  whereby  we  are  disposed  to  adore  and  magnify  the  divine  perfections 
which  are  displayed  in  the  distribution  of  those  favours  which  we  bless  God  for ; 
together  with  a*»  humble  sense  of  our  own  unworthiness  of  the  least  of  those  mer- 

r  Jer.  xxxi.  18,  19.  s  Psal.  cxix.  67.  t  2  Cor.  i v.  16.  u  Heb.  xii.  7. 

x  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  y  Gal.  vi.  10.  z  Psal.  exxxvii.  6. 


TO  WHOM  AND  IN  WHOSE  NAME  PRAYER  IS  MADE.  56 » 

cies  which  we  enjoy,  and  an  earnest  desire  that  we  may  he  enabled,  not  only  to 
make  a  confession  of  our  unworthiness  in  words,  hut  to  express  our  thankfulness  to 
him  by  such  a  frame  of  spirit  as  is  agreeable  to  our  feeling  ourselves  unworthy. 

There  are  two  things  more,  contained  in  the  Answer  we  have  been  explaining, 
without  the  due  consideration  of  which,  the  duty  of  prayer  would  be  very  imper- 
fectly handled,  namely,  its  being  an  offering  up  of  our  desires  to  God,  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  by  the  help  of  the  Spirit.  But  as  these  subjects  are  particularly 
insisted  on  in  some  following  Answers,  I  purposely  waive  the  consideration  of  them 
at  present. 


TO  WHOM  AND  IN  WHOSE  NAME  PRAYER  IS  MADE. 

Question  CLXXIX.  Are  we  to  pray  unto  God  only? 

Answer.  God  only  being  able  to  search  the  hearts,  hear  the  requests,  pardon  the  sins,  and  fulfil 
the  desires  of  all,  and  only  to  be  bel'eved  in,  and  worshipped  with  religious  worship;  prayer,  which 
is  a  special  part  thereof,  is  to  be  made  by  all  to  him  alone,  and  to  none  other. 

Question  CLXXX.  What  is  it  to  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ  f 

Answer.  To  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ,  is,  in  obedience  to  his  command,  and  in  confidence  on 
his  promises,  to  ask  mercy  (or  his  sake,  not  by  bare  mentioning  of  his  name,  but  by  drawing  our  en- 
couragement to  pray,  and  our  boldness,  strength,  and  hope  of  acceptance  in  prayer,  from  Christ  and 
his  mediation. 

Question  CLXXXI.  Why  are  we  to  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ  t 

Answer.  The  sinfulness  of  man,  and  his  distance  from  God  by  reason  thereof,  being  so  great  as 
that  we  can  have  no  access  into  his  presence  without  a  Mediator ;  and  there  being  none  in  heaven 
or  earth  appointed  to,  or  fit  for  that  glorious  work,  but  Christ  alone ;  we  are  to  pray  in  no  other 
name  but  his  only. 

In  these  Answers  we  have  a  farther  explanation  of  what  is  briefly  laid  down  in 
the  last ;  more  especially,  as  to  the  object  of  prayer,  and  the  method  prescribed  in 
the  gospel,  relating  to  our  drawing  nigh  to  God,  through  a  Mediator,  which  is 
called  praying  in  the  name  of  Christ ;  together  with  the  reason  of  this. 

Prayer  is  to  be  made  to  God  only. 

It  is  observed  that  prayer  is  to  be  made  to  God  only,  and  to  none  other.  Thia 
appears  from  various  considerations. 

1.  Prayer  is  to  be  made  to  God  only,  because  it  is  an  act  of  religious  worship, 
which  is  due  to  none  but  God.  Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  Thou  shalt  worship  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.'*  That  God  only  is  to  be  wor- 
shipped can  be  denied  by  none  who  are,  in  any  measure,  acquainted  with  either 
natural  or  revealed  religion.  For  in  worship,  we  are  obliged  to  extol,  adore,  and 
admire  those  divine  perfections  which  are  displayed  in  the  works  of  nature  or 
grace,  and  to  seek  from  God  that  help  and  those  supplies  of  grace  which  we  stand 
in  need  of  to  make  us  completely  blessed  ;  which  supposes  him  to  be  infinitely  per- 
fect, and  all-sufficient.  Now,  to  ascribe  this  divine  glory  to  a  creature,  either 
directly,  or  by  consequence,  is,  in  effect,  to  say  that  he  is  equal  with  God,  and  to 
rob  God  of  that  glory  which  is  due  to  him  alone  ;  and  to  seek  that  from  the  crea- 
ture which  none  but  God  can  give,  or  to  ascribe  any  of  the  perfections  of  the  divine 
nature  to  it,  is  the  highest  affront  that  can  be  offered  to  the  divine  Majesty.  Now, 
as  prayer  without  adoration  and  invocation,  is  destitute  of  those  ingredients  which 
render  it  an  act  of  religious  worship  ;  so  to  address  ourselves  in  prayer  to  any  one 
but  God,  is  an  instance  of  such  profaneness  and  idolatry  as  is  not  to  be  mentioned 
without  the  greatest  detestation. 

2.  Prayer  is  to  be  made  to  Go',  only,  because  he  only  is  able  to  search  the 
heart ;  which  is  a  glory  peculiar  ^o  himself,  in  which  he  is  distinguished  from  all 

a  Matt.  iv.  10. 
II,  4  B 


562  TO  WHOM  AND  IN  WHOSE  NAME  PRAYER  IS  MADE. 

creatures. b  It  is  the  heart  which  is  principally  to  be  regarded  in  prayer.  If  this 
be  not  right  with  God,  no  glory  which  we  can  ascribe  to  him  will  be  reckoned  any 
better  than  'flattering  him  with  our  mouth,'  and  'lying  to  him  with  our  tongues.'0 
Hence,  the  inward  frame  of  our  spirit,  and  the  principle  or  spring  whence  all 
religious  duties  proceed,  being  known  only  to  God,  prayer  is  to  be  directed  only 
to  him. 

3.  He  alone  can  hear  our  requests,  pardon  our  sins,  and  fulfil  our  desires. 
Prayer,  when  addressed  to  God,  is  not  like  that  in  which  we  desire  favours  from 
men.  These  favours  are  of  a  lower  nature,  whereby  some  particular  wants  are 
supplied,  in  those  respects  in  which  one  creature  may  be  of  advantage  to  another. 
But  when  we  pray  to  God,  we  seek  blessings  which  are  the  effects  of  infinite  power 
and  goodness,  such  as  may  make  us  completely  happy,  both  in  this  and  in  a  better 
world.  Moreover,  we  are  to  implore  forgiveness  of  sin  from  God  in  prayer.  Now, 
this  is  a  blessing  which  none  can  bestow  but  God.  *  For  as  his  law  is  the  rule  by 
which  the  goodness  or  badness  of  actions  is  determined  ;  and  as  the  threatening 
which. he  has  annexed  to  it,  is  that  which  renders  us  liable  to  the  punishment  which 
sin  deserves  ;  so  it  is  he  alone  who  can  remit  the  debt  of  punishment  to  which  we 
were  liable,  and  give  us  a  right  and  title  to  forfeited  blessings.  Hence,  as  this 
forgiveness  is  the  principal  thing  which  we  are  to  seek  for  in  prayer,  none  but  God 
is  the  object  of  prayer. 

4.  God  alone  is  to  be  believed  in.  Accordingly,  prayer,  if  it  be  acceptable  to 
him,  must  be  performed  by  faith.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  How  shall  they  call 
on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed?'6  There  must  be  a  firm  persuasion  that 
he  can  grant  us  the  blessings  we  ask  for  ;  faith  addresses  itself  to  him  as  God  all- 
sufficient,  and  is  persuaded  that  he  will  fulfil  all  his  promises,  as  a  God  of  infinite 
faithfulness  ;  and  accordingly  we  are  to  give  ourselves  up  entirely  to  him  as  our 
proprietor  and  bountiful  benefactor,  the  only  fountain  of  blessedness,  and  object  of 
religious  worship.  This  is  to  be  done  by  faith  in  prayer ;  and,  consequently,  prayer 
is  to  be  directed  to  God  only. 

Prayer  is  to  be  made  in  the  Name  of  Christ. 

We  are  now  to  consider  what  it  is  to  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ.  This  does 
not  consist  merely  in  mentioning  his  name  ;  which  many  do  when  they  ask  for 
favours  for  his  sake,  without  a  due  regard  to  the  method  God  has  ordained.  For, 
according  to  that  method  we  are  to  draw  nigh  to  him  by  Christ  our  great  Media- 
tor, who  is  to  be  glorified  as  the  person  by  whom  we  are  to  have  access  to  God  the 
Father,  as  the  fountain  of  all  the  blessings  which  aje  communicated  to  us  in  this 
method  of  divine  grace.  To  come  to  God  in  Christ's  name,  includes  the  whole 
work  of  faith,  as  to  what  it  has  to  plead  with,  or  what  it  has  to  hope  for  from 
him,  through  a  Mediator,  in  that  way  which  he  has  prescribed  to  us  in  the  gospel. 
It  more  especially  consists  in  our  making  a  right  use  of  what  Christ  has  done  and 
suffered  for  us,  as  the  foundation  of  our  hope,  that  God  will  be  pleased  to  grant  us 
what  he  has  purchased  thereby  ;  which  contains  the  sum  of  all  that  we  can  desire, 
when  drawing  nigh  to  him  in  prayer. 

Here  let  it  be  considered,  that  the  thoughts  of  having  to  do  with  an  absolute 
God  cannot  but  fill  us  with  the  utmost  distress  and  confusion,  when  we  consider  our- 
selves as  guilty  sinners,  and  God,  out  of  Christ,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge,  a  con- 
suming fire.f  Thinking  thus  of  God,  we  may  well  say,  as  our  first  parent  did 
immediately  after  his  fall,  '  I  heard  thy  voice,  and  I  was  afraid. 's  Again,  God  is 
obliged  in  honour,  as  a  God  of  infinite  holiness,  to  separate  and  banish  sinners  from 
his  comfortable  presence,  they  being  liable  to  the  curse  and  condemning  sentence 
of  the  law  ;  by  reason  of  which  his  terror  makes  them  afraid,  and  his  dread  falls 
upon  them.  They  have,  however,  in  the  gospel,  not  only  an  invitation  to  come, 
but  a  discovery  of  that  great  Mediator  whom  God  has  ordained  to  conduct  his 
people  into  his  presence,  and  who  has  procured  liberty  of  access  to  him,  or  as  the 

b  1  Kings  viii.  39;  Acts  i.  24.  c  Psal.  Ixxviii.  36,  37.  d  Mark  ii.  7. 

e  Rom.  x.  14.  f  Heb.  xii.  29.  g  Gen.  iii.  10. 


TO  WHOM  AND  IN  WHOSE  NAME  PItAYEU  IS  MADE.  563 

apostle  expresses  it,  'boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  bis  blood,  by  a  new  and 
living  way,  which  he  has  consecrated  for  us  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his 
flesh. 'h  God  has,  for  this  end,  erected  a  throne  of  grace,  and  encouraged  us  to 
come  to  it,  and  given  many  great  and  precious  promises,  whereby  we  may  hope 
for  acceptance  in  his  sight.  Now,  these  promises  being  all  established  in  Christ, 
and  the  blessings  contained  in  them  having  been  procured  by  his  blood,  and  we 
having  liberty,  in  coming,  to  plead  what  he  has  done  and  suffered,  as  what  was 
designed  to  be  the  foundation  of  our  hope  of  obtaining  mercy,  we  are  said  to  come 
and  make  our  supplications  to  God  in  the  name  of  Christ. 

Why  Prayer  is  to  be  made  in  the  Name  of  Christ. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  reason  why  we  are  to  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ. 
This  is  stated  in  one  of  the  Answers  we  are  explaining.  There  it  is  observed  that 
man,  by  sin,  is  set  at  such  a  distance  from  God,  that  he  cannot,  by  any  means, 
come  into  his  presence.  God  cannot  look  upon  him  with  any  delight  or  compla- 
cency, inasmuch  as  his  guilt  renders  him  the  object  of  his  abhorrence ;  and  he  can- 
not do  any  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to  reconcile  God  to  him,  and  therefore  is 
speechless,  and  can  ask  for  no  blessing  at  his  hand.  It  is  farther  observed  that 
there  is  none  in  heaven  or  earth,  that  is,  no  mere  creature,  who  is  fit  for  that 
glorious  work  of  mediation.  None  has  a  snfficiency  of  merit  to  present  to  God, 
whereby  he  may  be  said  to  make  atonement  for  sin  ;  or  as  Job  expresses  it,  there 
is  '  no  days- man  that  might  lay  his  hand  on  both  parties,'1  that  is,  no  one  who  is 
able  to  deal  with  God  in  paying  a  ransom  which  he  may  in  honour  accept,  or 
with  man,  by  encouraging  him  to  hope  that  he  shall  obtain  the  blessings  which  he 
stands  in  need  of,  and  by  bringing  him  into  such  a  frame  that  he  might  draw  nigh 
to  God  in  a  right  manner.  This  work  is  owing  only  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
he  does  it  as  our  great  Mediator,  who  alone  is  fit  to  manage  it.  Hence,  we  are  to 
pray  to  God,  only  in  his  name  who  is,  by  divine  appointment,  an  advocate  with 
the  Father,  pleading  our  cause  before  his  throne,  and  so  giving  us  ground  of  en- 
couragement that  our  persons  shall  be  accepted  and  our  prayers  answered  on  his 
account,  who  is  the  only  Mediator  of  redemption  and  intercession,  in  whom  God 
is  well-pleased,  and  gives  a  believer  ground  to  conclude  that  he  shall  not  seek  his 
face  in  vain. 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT'S  HELP  IN  PRAYER. 

Question  CLXXXII.  How  doth  the  Spirit  help  us  to  pray  ? 

Answer.  We  not  knowing  what  to  pray  for  as  we  ought,  the  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities,  by 
enabling  us  to  understand  both  for  whom,  and  what,  and  how  prayer  is  to  l>e  made,  and  by  work- 
ing and  quickening  in  our  hearts  (although  not  in  all  persons,  nor  at  all  times  in  the  same  measure) 
tfcose  apprehensions,  affections,  and  graces,  which  are  requisite  for  the  right  performance  of  that 
juty. 

There  is  no  duty  which  we  can  perform  in  a  right  manner,  without  help  obtained 
from  God.  This  is  particularly  true  concerning  the  duty  of  prayer.  Accordingly, 
we  are  led  to  speak  of  the  help  which  the  Spirit  of  God  is  pleased  to  afford  be- 
lievers, in  order  to  their  engaging  aright  in  this  duty. 

Prayer  cannot  be  made  without  the  Spirit's  Help. 

Here  it  is  supposed  that  we  know  not  what  to  pray  for  as  we  ought,  or  how  to 
bring  our  souls  into  a  prepared  frame  for  this  duty,  without  the  Spirit's  assistance. 

1.  We  are  often  at  a  loss  with  respect  to  the  matter  of  prayer.  Our  being  so 
may  be  said  to  proceed  from  our  want  of  acquaintance  with  ourselves,  and  our  not 
being  duly  sensible  of  our  wants,  weaknesses,  or  secret  faults.     Sometimes  we  can- 

h  Heb.  x.  19,  20.  i  Job  ix.  S3. 


5G4  TUE  HOLY   SPIRIT'*  HELP  IS   I'KAYER. 

not  determine  whether  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace  or  not ;  or,  if  we  are,  whether  it  is 
increasing  or  declining.  Or,  if  we  have  ground  to  complain  by  reason  of  the  hid- 
ings of  God's  face,  and  our  want  of  communion  witli  him,  we  are  often  hard  put  to 
it  to  find  out  what  the  secret  sin  is  which  is  the  occasion  of  it ;  nor  are  we  suffi- 
ciently apprized  of  the  wiles  of  Satan,  or  the  danger  we  are  in  of  being  ensnared 
or  overcome  by  them.  Moreover,  we  are  often  not  able  to  know  how  to  direct  our 
prayers  to  God  aright,  as  we  kuow  not  what  is  most  conducive  to  his  glory,  or  What 
it  is  that  he  requires  of  us,  either  in  obedience  to  his  commanding  will,  or  in  sub- 
mission to  his  providential  will.  Hence  it  arises  that  many  good  men,  in  scripture, 
asked  for  some  things  which  were  in  themselves  unlawful,  through  the  weakness 
of  their  faith,  and  the  prevalency  of  their  corruption.  Thus  some  desired  that 
God  would  call  them  out  of  this  world  by  death,  being  impatient  under  the  many 
troubles  they  met  with.  Elijah,  for  example,  '  requested  for  himself  that  he  might 
die,  and  said,  It  is  enough  ;  now,  O  Lord,  take  away  my  life  ;  for  I  am  not  better 
than  my  fathers. 'k  Job  says,  '  0  that  I  might  have  my  request!  and  that  God 
would  grant  me  the  thing  that  I  long  for  !  even  that  it  would  please  God  to  de- 
stroy me  ;  that  he  would  let  loose  his  hand,  and  cut  me  off.'1  Jonah  says,  '  0  Lord, 
I  beseech  thee,  take  my  life  from  me  ;  for  it  is  better  for  me  to  die  than  to  live.'m 
Moses,  though  he  had  the  character  of  the  meekest  man  upon  earth,  and  doubtless 
excelled  all  others  in  his  day  in  those  graces  which  he  had  received  from  God,  as 
well  as  in  the  great  honours  conferred  on  him,  yet  put  up  a  most  unbecoming 
prayer,  both  as  to  the  matter  and  the  manner  of  it ;  for  he  said  unto  the  Lord, 
•  Wherefore  hast  thou  afflicted  thy  servant?  and  wherefore  have  I  not  found  favour 
in  thy  sight,  that  thou  layest  the  burden  of  all  this  people  upon  me  ?  Have  I  con- 
ceived all  this  people  ?  have  I  begotten  them,  that  thou  shouldest  say  unto  me, 
Carry  them  in  thy  bosom,  as  a  nursing-father  beareth  the  sucking  child,  unto  the 
land  which  thou  swarest  unto  their  fathers  ?  Whence  should  I  have  flesh  to  give 
unto  all  this  people  ?  for  they  weep  unto  me,  saying,  Give  us  flesh,  that  we  may 
eat.  I  am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  people  alone,  because  it  is  too  heavy  for  me. 
And  if  thou  deal  thus  with  me,  kill  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  hand,  if  I  have  found 
favour  in  thy  sight ;  and  let  me  not  see  my  wretchedness.'  n  In  another  instance, 
he  asks  for  a  thing  which  he  knew  beforehand  God  would  not  grant  him,  when 
he  says,  '  I  pray  thee,  let  me  go  over  and  see  the  good  land  that  is  beyond  Jordan, 
that  goodly  mountain,  and  Lebanon.'  On  this  occasion,  God  says,  '  Let  it  suffice 
thee  ;  speak  no  more  unto  me  of  this  matter.'  °  Many  instances  of  a  similar  nature 
are  mentioned  in  scripture.  Indeed,  nothing  is  more  obvious  from  daily  experience, 
than  what  the  apostle  James  observes,  that  persons  '  ask,  and  receive  not,  because 
they  ask  amiss  ;'  p  or  what  the  apostle  Paul  says,  '  We  know  not  what  we  should 
pray  for,  as  we  ought.'  "* 

2.  We  are  at  other  times  straitened  in  our  affections,  and  so  know  not  how  to 
ask  any  thing  with  a  suitable  frame  of  spirit.  It  is  certain  we  cannot,  when  we 
please,  excite  our  affections,  or  especially  put  forth  those  graces  which  are  to  be 
exercised  in  prayer.  Our  hearts  are  sometimes  dead,  cold,  and  inclined  to  wander 
from  God  in  this  duty  ;  and,  at  other  times,  we  pray  with  a  kind  of  indifference, 
as  though  it  were  of  no  great  importance  whether  our  prayer  were  answered  or  not. 
How  seldom  do  we  express  that  importunity  in  this  duty  which  Jacob  did,  '  I  will  not 
let  thee  go  except  thou  bless  mel'r  As  for  those  graces  which  are  to  be  exercised 
in  prayer,  we  often  want  that  reverence  and  those  high  and  awful  thoughts  of  the 
divine  Majesty  which  we  ought  to  have,  who  draw  nigh  to  a  God  of  infinite  perfec- 
tion ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  do  we  express  those  low  and  humble  thoughts  of  our- 
selves which  our  own  meanness,  the  imperfection  of  our  best  performances,  and  the 
infinite  distance  which  we  stand  at  from  God,  ought  to  suggest.  We  may  add, 
that  we  are  often  destitute  of  that  love  to  Christ,  and  that  trust  in  him,  which  are 
necessary  to  the  right  performance  of  this  duty,  and  also  of  that  hope  of  being  heard 
which  is  a  very  great  encouragement  to  it. 

k  I  Kings  xix.  4.  1  Job  vi.  8,  9.  m  Jonah  iv.  3.  n  Numb.  xi.  11 — 15. 

o  Deut.  iii.  25,  26.  p  James  iv.  3.  q  Rom.  viii.  26.  r  Gen.  xxxii.  26. 


THE  HOLY  SPIRIT'S  HELP  IN  PRAYER.  f)F)5 


In  what  the  Spirit's  Help  in  Prayer  consists. 

We  are  now  to  inquire  wherein  the  Spirit  is  said  to  help  our  infirmities.  His 
help  may  be  considered  as  adapted  to  the  twofold  necessity  which  we  are  often 
under,  respecting  the  matter  of  prayer,  or  the  frame  of  spirit  with  which  the  duty 
is  to  be  performed. 

1.  The  Spirit  helps  our  infirmities,  with  respect  to  the  matter  of  prayer.  It  is 
not  in  the  least  derogatory  to  his  divine  glory,  that  he  is  pleased  to  condescend  thus 
to  converse  with  man.  Nor  is  it  contrary  to  the  nature  of  things  ;  for  the  Spirit, 
being  a  divine  person,  searches  the  heart,  and  can,  with  as  much  facility  as  any 
one  can  convey  his  ideas  to  another  by  words,  impress  those  ideas  on  the  souls  of 
his  people,  by  which  they  may  be  led  into  the  knowledge  of  the  things  which  they 
ought  to  ask  in  prayer.  If  it  were  impossible  for  God  to  do  this,  his  providence 
could  not  be  conversant  about  intelligent  creatures,  any  otherwise  than  in  an  ob- 
jective way,  and  so  it  would  not  differ  from  that  which  may  be  attributed  to  finite 
spirits.  Besides,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  God  to  have  imparted  his  will 
by  extraordinary  revelation, — without  which,  it  could  not  have  been  known  ;  if  he 
may  not,  though  in  an  ordinary  way,  communicate  to  the  souls  of  his  people  those 
ideas  by  which  they  may  be  furnished  with  matter  for  prayer.  I  am  not  pleading  for 
extraordinary  revelation,  that  being  a  blessing  which  God  does  not  now  give  to  his 
people.  I  only  argue  from  the  greater  to  the  less, — that  it  is  not  impossible  or  absurd, 
from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  or  contrary  to  the  divine  perfections,  for  God  to  impress 
the  thoughts  of  men  in  an  ordinary  way  ;  since  he  formerly  did  this  in  an  extraor- 
dinary way,  as  will  be  allowed  by  all  who  are  not  disposed  to  deny  and  set  aside 
revealed  religion.  Moreover,  there  was  such  a  thing  in  the  apostle's  days  as  being 
led  by  the  Spirit,  which  was  distinguished  from  his  miraculous  and  extraordinary 
influences,  as  a  Spirit  of  inspiration  ;  otherwise,  it  is  certain,  the  apostle  would 
not,  as  he  does,8  have  assigned  a  being  led  by  the  Spirit  as  a  character  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  And  when  our  Saviour  promises  his  people  '  the  Spirit  to  guide 
them  into  all  truth,' *  I  cannot  think  that  the  guidance  promised  respected  only 
the  apostles,  or  their  being  led  into  the  truths  which  they  were  to  impart  to  the 
church  by  divine  inspiration  ;  but  it  seems  to  be  a  privilege  which  belongs  to  all 
believers.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  it  is  no  absurdity  to  suppose  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  may  assist  his  people,  as  to  what  concerns  the  matter  of  their  prayers,  or 
suggest  to  them  those  becoming  thoughts  which  they  have  in  prayer,  when  drawing 
nigh  to  God  in  a  right  manner. 

Some  have  inquired  whether  we  may  conclude  that  the  Spirit  of  God  furnishes 
his  people  with  words  in  prayer,  distinct  from  his  impressing  ideas  on  their  minds. 
This  I  would  be  very  cautious  in  determining,  lest  I  should  not  put  a  just  difference 
between  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  which  believers  hope  for,  and  that  which  the 
prophets  of  old  received  by  inspiration.  I  dare  not  say  that  the  Spirit's  work  con- 
sists in  furnishing  believers  with  proper  expressions,  with  which  their  ideas  are  cloth- 
ed, when  they  engage  in  this  duty :  I  would  rather  say  that  it  consists  in  fur- 
nishing them  with  those  suitable  arguments  and  apprehensions  of  divine  tilings 
which  are  more  immediately  subservient  to  prayer.  Accordingly  the  apostle,  speak- 
ing of  the  Spirit's  assisting  believers,  when  they  know  not  what  to  pray  for  as  they 
ought,  says,  that  the  Spirit  assists  them  '  with  groanings  that  cannot  be  uttered;' 
that  is,  he  impresses  on  their  souls  those  divine  breathings  after  things  spiritual  and 
heavenly  which  they  sometimes,  notwithstanding,  want  words  to  express  ;  though, 
at  the  same  time,  the  frame  of  their  spirits  may  be  under  a  divine  influence,  which 
God  is  said  to  know  the  meaning  of,  when  he  graciously  hears  and  answers  their 
prayers,  how  imperfect  soever  these  may  be  as  to  the  mode  of  expression. 

2.  The  Spirit  helps  our  infirmities  by  giving  us  a  suitable  frame  of  spirit,  and  ex- 
citing those  graces  which  are  to  be  exercised  in  this  duty  of  prayer.  This  the  psalmist 
calls,  •  preparing  their  hearts.'  God  does  this,  and  then  '  causes  his  ear  to  hear.'" 
In  order  to  our  understanding  aright  this  desirable  blessing,  let  it  be  considered  that 

■  Rom.  viii.  14.  t  John  xvi.  13.  u  Psal.  x.  17. 


560  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT'S  HELP  IN  PRAYER. 

wo  canuot,  without  tho  Spirit's  assistance,  bring  our  hearts  into  a  right  frame  for 
prayer.  Our  inability  to  do  so  is  the  reason  why  we  engage  in  this  duty  in  such 
a  manner  as  gives  great  uneasiness  to  us  when  we  reflect  upon  it.  Hence,  when 
we  pretend  to  draw  nigh  to  God,  we  can  hardly  say  that  we  worship  him  as  God, 
but  we  become  vain  in  our  imaginations  ;  and  the  corruption  of  our  nature  discovers 
itself  more  at  this  time  than  it  does  on  other  occasions  ;  and  Satan  uses  his  utmost 
endeavours  to  distract  and  disturb  our  thoughts,"  and  take  off  the  edge  of  our  affec- 
tions, so  that  we  seem  not  really  to  desire  those  things  which  with  our  lips  we 
ask  at  the  hand  of  God.  As  for  an  unregenerate  man,  he  has  not  a  principle  of 
grace,  and  therefore  cannot  pray  in  faith,  or  with  the  exercise  of  other  graces,  which 
he  is  destitute  of.  Even  the  believer  is  renewed  but  in  part;  and  therefore,  if  the 
Spirit  is  not  pleased  to  excite  the  principle  of  grace  which  he  has  implanted,  he  is 
very  much  indisposed  for  this  duty,  which  cannot  be  performed  aright  without  the 
Spirit's  assistance.  We  are,  nevertheless,  to  use  our  utmost  endeavours,  in  order  to 
prayer,  hoping  for  a  blessing  from  God  to  make  them  successful.  We  are  to  medi- 
tate on  the  divine  perfections,  and  the  evil  of  sin,  which  is  contrary  to  them,  and 
by  which  we  are  rendered  guilty,  defiled,  and  unworthy  to  come  into  the  presence 
of  God.  Yet  we  are  to  consider  ourselves  as  invited  to  come  to  him  in  the  gospel, 
and  as  encouraged  by  his  promise  and  grace  to  cast  ourselves  before  his  footstool, 
in  hope  of  obtaining  mercy  from  him.  We  are  also  to  examine  ourselves,  that  we 
may  know  what  sins  are  to  be  confessed  by  us,  what  those  necessities  are  which  will 
afford  matter  for  petition  or  supplication  in  prayer,  and  what  mercies  we  have  re- 
ceived, which  are  to  be  thankfully  acknowledged.  We  are  also  to  consider  the 
many  encouragements  which  we  have  to  draw  nigh  to  God  in  this  duty,  from  his 
being  ready  to  pardon  our  iniquities,  heal  our  backslidings,  help  our  infirmities, 
and  grant  us  undeserved  favours.  We  must  also  impress  on  our  souls  a  due  sense 
of  the  spirituality  of  the  duty  we  are  to  engage  in,  and  of  our  having  to  do  with  the 
heart-searching  God,  who  will  be  worshipped  with  reverence  and  holy  le'ar.  We 
are  therefore  to  endeavour  to  excite  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  our  souls,  to 
engage  in  this  duty  in  such  a  way  that  we  may  glorify  his  name,  and  hope  to  re- 
ceive a  gracious  answer. 

But  when  we  have  used  our  utmost  endeavours  to  bring  ourselves  into  a  praying 
frame,  we  must  depend  on  the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  success  to  them,  that  we  may 
be  enabled  to  exercise  those  graces  which  are  more  especially  his  gift  and  work. 
We  must  give  glory  to  him  as  the  author  of  regeneration  ;  since  no  grace  can  be 
exercised  in  this  duty  but  what  proceeds  from  a  right  principle,  or  a  nature  renewed, 
and  internally  sanctified,  and  disposed  for  the  performance  of  it ;  which  is  his  work, 
as  '  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications.'1 — Again,  as  we  are,  if  we  hope  to  be 
accepted  by  him,  to  draw  nigh  to  God  in  this  duty  as  a  reconciled  God  and  Father ; 
so  we  are  to  consider  that  our  being  enabled  to  do  this  is  the  peculiar  work  of  the 
Spirit,  whereby  we  'cry,  Abba,  Father.'?  This  will  not  only  dispose  us  to  perform 
the  duty  in  a  light  manner,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  pray  in  faith  ;  but  it  will  afford 
us  ground  of  hope  that  our  prayers  will  be  heard  and  answered. — Further,  as  we 
often  are  straitened  in  our  spirits,  and  so  are  greatly  hindered  in  prayer,  we  must 
consider  it  as  a  peculiar  blessing  and  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  have  our  hearts  en- 
larged. This  the  psalmist  intends  when  he  says,  '  Bring  my  soul  out  of  prison, 
that  I  may  praise  thy  name  ;'z  and  it  is  a  peculiar  branch  of  that  liberty  which 
God  is  pleased  to  bestow  on  his  people,  under  the  gospel  dispensation.  Thus  the 
apostle  says,  '  Where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty.'8  By  this  means 
our  affections  will  be  raised,  and  we  shall  be  enabled  to  pour  out  our  souls  before 
God. 

i 

Raised  Affections  in  Prayer. 

We  may  here  take  occasion  to  inquire  concerning  the  difference  which  there  is 
between  raised  affections  in  prayer,  which  unregenerate  persons  sometimes  have 
from  external  motives,  and  those  which  the  Spirit  excites  in  us  as  a  peculiar  bless- 

x  Zech.  xii.  10.  y  Bom.  viii.  15 ;  Gal.  iv.  6.  z  Psal.  cxlii.  7.  a  2  Cor.  iii.  17. 


THE   HOLY  SPIRIT'S  HELP  IN   PRAYER.  5G~ 

iug,  whereby  he  assists  us  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty.  There  are  several  things 
in  which  they  differ.  The  former  often  proceed  from  a  slavish  fear  and  dread  of 
the  wrath  of  God  ;  the  latter  from  a  love  to  him,  and  desire  after  him,  which  arises 
from  the  view  we  have  of  his  glory,  as  our  covenant  God,  in  and  through  a  Media- 
tor. Again,  raised  affections  in  unregenerate  persons,  are  seldom  found  except 
when  they  are  under  some  pressing  affliction.  In  this  case,  as  the  prophet  says, 
•  they  will  seek  God  early  ;'b  but  when  the  affliction  is  removed,  the  affections 
grow  stupid,  cold,  and  indifferent,  as  they  were  before.  On  the  other  hand,  a  be- 
liever will  find  his  heart  drawn  forth  after  God  and  divine  things,  when  he  is  not 
sensible  of  any  extraordinary  affliction  which  excites  his  passions  ;  or  he  finds  that, 
as  afflictions  tend  to  excite  some  graces  in  the  exercise  of  which  his  affections  are 
moved,  so  when  it  pleases  God  to  deliver  him  from  them,  his  affections  are  still 
raised  while  other  graces  are  exercised  agreeably  to  them.  Further,  raised  affec- 
tions, in  unregenerate  men,  for  the  most  part,  carry  them  forth  in  the  pursuit  of 
those  temporal  blessings  which  they  stand  in  need  of.  Thus  when  Esau  sought 
the  blessing  carefully  with  tears,  it  was  the  outward  prosperity  contained  in  it 
which  he  had  principally  in  view.  He  disdained  that  his  brother  Jacob  should  be 
preferred  before  him,  or,  as  it  is  said,  '  made  his  lord,  and  his  brethren  given  him 
for  servants  ;'c  but  he  had  no  regard  to  the  spiritual  or  saving  blessings  which 
were  contained  in  the  birthright.  A  believer,  on  the  contrary,  is  most  concerned 
for  and  affected  with  those  blessings  which  more  immediately  accompany  salvation, 
or  which  include  the  special  love  of  God,  or  communion  with  him,  which  he  prefers 
to  all  other  things.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  There  be  many  that  say,  Who  will 
show  us  any  good  ?  Lord,  lift  thou  up  the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us.'d 
We  may  add,  that  whatever  raised  affections  unregenerate  persons  may  have,  they 
want  a  broken  heart,  an  humble  sense  of  sin,  and  an  earnest  desire  that  it  may  be 
subdued  and  mortified.  They  are  destitute  of  self-denial,  and  other  graces  of  a 
similar  nature,  which,  in  some  degree,  are  found  in  a  believer,  when  assisted  by  the 
Spirit,  in  performing  the  duty  of  prayer  in  a  right  manner. 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Spirit's  Help  in  Prayer. 

From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  Spirit's  assistance  in  prayer,  several 
inferences  may  be  drawn.  First,  there  is  a  great  difference  between  the  gift  and 
the  grace  of  prayer.  The  former  may  be  attained  by  the  improvement  of  our  na- 
tural abilities,  and  is  often  of  use  to  Others  who  join  with  us ;  while  the  latter  is  a 
peculiar  blessing  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  an  evidence  of  the  truth  of  grace. 
Again,  they  who  deny  that  the  Spirit  has  any  hand  in  the  work  of  grace,  and  con- 
sequently disown  his  assistance  in  prayer,  cannot  be  said  to  give  him  that  glory 
which  is  due  to  him,  and  therefore  must  be  supposed  to  be  destitute  of  his  assist- 
ance, and  very  deficient  as  to  this  duty.  Again,  let  us  not  presume  on  the  Spirit's 
assistance  in  prayer,  while  we  continue  in  a  course  of  grieving  him,  and  quenching 
his  holy  motions.  Further,  let  us  desire  raised  affections,  as  a  great  blessing  from 
God,  and  yet  not  be  discouraged  from  engaging  in  prayer  though  we  want  them ; 
since  this  grace,  as  well  as  all  others,  is  dispensed  in  a  way  of  sovereignty.  And 
if  he  is  pleased,  for  wise  ends,  to  withhold  his  assistance  ;  yet  we  must  not  say, 
why  should  I  wait  on  the  Lord  any  longer  ?  Finally,  if  we  would  pray  in  the 
Spirit,  or  experience  his  help  to  perform  this  duty  in  a  right  manner,  let  us  endea- 
vour to  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  to  maintain  at  all  times  a  spiritual,  holy,  self-deny- 
ing frame. 

j  llofc.  v.  15.  c  Geu.  xxvii.  37.  d  Psal.  iv.  6. 


5()8  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT 


FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

Question  CLXXXIII.  For  whom  are  we  to  prayt 

Answer.  We  are  to  pray  for  the  whole  church  of  Christ  upon  earth,  for  magistrates  and  minis- 
ters, to.  u  .. oe..e»,  our  brethren,  yea,  out  ftkeuiifc*,  and  tat  all  sorts  of  men  living,  or  that  coall  live 
hereafter,  but  not  for  the  dead,  nor  for  those  that  are  known  to  have  sinned  the  sin  unto  death. 

Qoestion  CLXXXIV.  For  what  things  are  we  to  pray  t 

Answer.  We  are  to  pray  for  all  things  tending  to  the  glory  of  God,  the  welfare  of  the  church, 
our  own  or  others'  good,  but  not  for  any  thing  that  is  unlawful. 

The  former  of  these  Answers  notices  the  persons  for  whom  we  are  to  pray ;  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  persons  who  are  not  to  be  prayed  for. 

For  whom  Prayer  is  to  be  made. 

1.  We  are  to  pray  for  the  whole  church  of  Christ  on  earth.  By  this  church  we 
are  to  understand  all  those  who  profess  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  especially  those 
whose  practice  is  agreeable  to  their  profession ;  and,  in  particular,  all  those  religious 
societies  who  consent  to  walk  in  those  ordinances  whereby  they  testify  their  sub- 
jection to  Christ  as  King  of  saints.  The  particular  members  of  which  these  societies 
consist,  are,  for  the  most  part,  unknown  to  us  ;  so  that  we  cannot  pray  for  them 
by  name,  or  as  being  acquainted  with  the  condition  and  circumstances  in  which 
they  are  ;  yet  they  are  not  to  be  wholly  disregarded,  or  excluded  from  the  benefit 
of  our  prayers.  Thus  the  apostle  speaks  of  'the  great  conflict  he  had,'  not  only 
'  for  them  at  Laodicea,  but  for  as  many  as  had  not  seen  his  face  in  the  flesh. ' e 

Prayer  for  all  Christians  is  a  peculiar  branch  of  the  communion  of  saints  ;  and  it 
is  accompanied  with  earnest  desires  that  God  may  be  glorified  in  them  and  by  them, 
as  well  as  in  and  by  ourselves.  In  particular,  we  are  to  pray  that  they  may  be  united 
together  in  love  to  God  and  to  one  another  ;f  and  that  their  union  may  be  attended 
with  all  those  other  graces  and  comforts  which  are  an  evidence  of  their  interest  in 
Christ.  We  are  to  pray  that  they  may  have  the  special  presence  of  God  with  them  in 
all  his  ordinances  ;  which  will  be  a  visible  testimony  of  his  regard  to  them,  and  an 
honour  put  on  his  own  institutions,  as  well  as  an  accomplishment  of  what  he  pro- 
mised to  his  apostles  just  before  he  ascended  into  heaven,  that  he  would  '  be  with 
them  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  '*  We  are  to  pray  that  they  may  be 
supported  under  the  burdens,  difficulties,  and  persecutions  which  they  meet  with, 
either  from  the  powers  of  darkness,  or  from  wicked  men,  for  Christ's  sake  ;  that  so 
the  promise  may  be  made  good  to  them,  that  '  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  them.'h  We  are  to  pray  that  many  may  be  added  to  particular  churches 
out  of  the  world,  such  as  shall  be  saved  ; '  which  will  be  an  evidence  of  the  success 
of  the  gospel.  And  when  we  pray  that  God  would  magnify  his  grace  in  bringing 
sinners  home  to  himself,  we  are  to  pray  for  the  accomplishment  of  those  promises 
which  respect  the  conversion  of  the  Jews.  Thus  the  apostle  says,  '  Brethren,  my 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they  might  be  saved. 'k  We 
are  to  pray  also  that  there  may  be  a  greater  spread  of  the  gospel  throughout  the 
most  remote  and  dark  parts  of  the  earth,  among  whom  Christ  is  at  present  unknown. 
This  diffusion  of  the  gospel  the  apostle  calls  '  The  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  coming 
in  ;'1  and  it  is  agreeable  to  the  prediction  in  the  sixtieth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  which 
seems  not  as  yet  to  have  had  its  full  accomplishment.  Again,  we  are  to  pray  that 
the  life  of  faith  and  holiness  may  be  daily  promoted  in  all  the  faithful  members  of 
the  church  of  Christ,  that  they  may  be  enabled  more  and  more  to  adorn  the  doc- 
trine of  God  our  Saviour,  and  be  abundantly  satisfied  and  delighted  witli  the  fruits 
and  effects  of  his  redeeming  love.  We  are  to  pray  that  God  would  accept  those 
sacrifices  of  prayer  and  praise  which  are  daily  offered  to  him  by  faith  in  the  blobd  of 
Christ,  in  every  worshipping  assembly,  and  which  will  redound  to  the  advantage  of 

e  Col.  ii.  1.  f  J0hi,  xvii.  21.  g  Matt,  xxviii.  20.  h  Chap.  xvi.  18. 

l  Acts  ii.  47.  k  Rom.  x.  1.  1  Chap.  xi.  25. 


PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  569 

all  the  servants  of  Christ,  of  whom  they  think  themselves  obliged  to  make  mention, 
as  well  as  to  the  glory  of  God,  which  is  owned  and  advanced  by  them.  We  are  to 
pray  that  the  children  of  believers,  who  are  devoted  to  God,  may  be  under  his 
special  care  and  protection,  that  they  may  follow  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  fill 
up  the  places  of  those  who  are  called  off  the  stage  of  this  world  ;  that  so  there  may 
be  a  constant  supply  of  those  who  shall  bear  a  testimony  to  Christ  and  his  gospel 
in  the  rising  generation.  Finally,  we  are  to  pray  that  the  members  of  every  par- 
ticular church  of  Christ  may  so  acquit  themselves  that  they  may  honour  him  in 
the  eyes  of  the  world  ;  that  they  may  be  supported  and  carried  safely  through  this 
waste  howling  wilderness,  till  they  arrive  at  that  better  country  for  which  they  are 
bound  ;  and  that  they  may  not  be  foiled  or  overcome  while  they  are  in  their  mili- 
tant state,  till  they  shall  be  joined  with  the  church  triumphant  in  heaven. 

2.  We  are  to  pray  for  magistrates.  Not  only  is  this  duty  included  in  the  general 
exhortation  given  us  to  '  pray  for  all  men ;'  but  it  is  particularly  mentioned  by  the 
apostle,  and  is  intimated  to  be  '  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God,  our  Sa- 
viour.'111 Besides,  magistracy  is  God's  ordinance;11  and  whatever  ordinance  is 
stamped  with  the  divine  authority,  though  it  may  principally  respect  civil  affairs, 
we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  bless  and  prosper  it,  that  it  may  answer  the  valu- 
able ends  for  which  it  was  appointed. 

Now,  there  are  several  things  which  we  are  to  pray  for  in  behalf  of  magistrates. 
We  are  to  pray  that  they  may  approve  themselves  rulers  after  God's  own  heart,  to 
1  fulfil  all  his  will,'0  as  was  said  of  David  ;  that  their  counsels  and  conduct  may  be 
ordered  for  his  glory,  and  the  good  of  his  church ;  that  they  may  be  '  a  terror,'  not 
to  'good  works,'  that  is,  to  persons  who  perform  them,  but  'to  the  evil,'  and  so 
'may  not  bear  the  sword  in  vain.'P  We  are  to  pray  that  they  may  be  a  public 
blessing  to  all  their  subjects,  and  so  that  promise  be  fulfilled,  '  Kings  shall  be  thy 
nursing-fathers,  and  their  queens  thy  nursing-mothers  j'0-  and,  as  an  instance  of 
this,  that  under  them  'we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  all  godliness  and 
honesty.'1"  As  to  their  subjects,  we  are  to  pray  that  they  may  not,  on  the  one 
hand,  abuse  and  trample  on  their  authority,  and  take  occasion  to  offend  with  im- 
punity ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  have  cause  to  dread  that  authority  as  grievous,  in 
instances  of  injustice  and  oppression. 

3.  We  are  to  pray  for  ministers.  This  is  a  necessary  duty,  inasmuch  as  their 
work  is  exceedingly  great  and  difficult ;  so  that  the  apostle  might  well  say,  '  Who 
is  sufficient  for  these  things?'8  Indeed,  besides  the  difficulties  which  attend  the 
work  itself,  there  are  others  which  they  meet  with,  from  the  unstable  temper  of 
professed  friends,  who  sometimes,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  become  their  enemies  for  tell- 
ing them  the  truth  ;'  *  or  from  the  restless  malice  and  violent  opposition  of  open 
enemies,  which  evidently  takes  its  rise  from  the  inveterate  hatred  which  they  bear 
to  Christ  and  his  gospel.  Moreover,  as  they  have  difficulties  iu  the  discharge  of 
the  work  they  are  called  to,  so  they  must  give  an  account  to  God  for  their  faithful- 
ness in  it ;  and  it  is  of  the  highest  importance  that  they  do  this  '  with  joy,  and  not 
with  grief.' u  So  the  apostle  remarks  ;  and  immediately  he  entreats  the  church's 
prayers,  as  what  was  necessary  in  order  to  his  giving  such  an  account. 

Now,  there  are  several  things  which  ought  to  be  the  subject  of  our  prayers,  with 
respect  to  ministers.  We  are  to  pray  that  God  would  send  forth  a  supply  or  succes- 
sion of  them,  to  answer  the  church's  necessities ;  inasmuch  as  '  the  harvest  is  plente- 
ous,'as  our  Saviour  observes,  'but  the  labourers  are  few.'x  We  are  to  pray  that  they 
may  answer  the  character  which  the  apostle  gives  of  a  faithful  minister  :  and  accord- 
ingly may  '  study  to  show  themselves  approved  unto  God,  workmen  that  need  not  to 
be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth. '*  We  are  to  pray  that  they  may 
be  directed  and  enabled  to  impart  those  truths  which  are  substantial,  edifying,  and 
suitable  to  the  circumstances  and  condition  of  their  hearers.  We  are  to  pray  that 
they  may  be  spirited  with  zeal  and  with  love  to  souls,  in  the  whole  course  of  their 
ministry  ;  that  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  advancement  of  his  truth  may  lie  nearest 

m  I  Tim.  ii.  1 — 3.  n  Rom.  xiii.  1,  2.  o  Acts  xiii.  22.  p  Rom.  xiii.  3,  4. 

q  Isa.  xlix.  23.  r  1  Tim.  ii.  2.  s  2  Cor.  ii.  16.  t  Gal.  iv.  16. 

u  Heb.  xiii.  17,  18.  x  Matt.  ix.  37,  38.  v  2  Tim.  ii.  15. 
II.                                                                       4  C 


570  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT 

their  hearts  ;  and  that  a  tender  concern  and  compassion  for  the  souls  of  men  may 
incline  them  to  use  their  utmost  endeavours,  as  the  apostle  says,  to  '  save  them  with 
fear,  pulling  them  out  of  the  fire.'2  We  are  to  pray  that  their  endeavours  may  be 
attended  with  success  ;  which,  in  some  measure,  may  give  them  a  comfortable  hope 
that  they  are  called,  accepted,  and  approved  of  by  God  ;  and  which,  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  thing,  will  tend  to  our  own  advantage,  who  make  the  bestowal  of  it  the 
subject  of  our  earnest  prayers  on  their  behalf.  Indeed,  the  neglect  of  this  duty 
may,  in  some  measure,  be  assigned  as  one  reason  why  the  word  is  often  preached 
with  very  little  success.  Hence  the  duty  ought  to  be  performed,  not  merely  as  au 
act  of  favour,  but  as  a  duty  which  redounds  to  our  own  advantage. 

4.  We  are  to  pray,  not  only  for  ourselves  and  our  brethren,  but  also  for  our  ene- 
mies. That  we  are  to  pray  for  ourselves,  none  ever  denied,  how  much  soever  many 
live  in  the  neglect  of  this  duty.  As  for  our  obligation  to  pray  for  our  brethren,  it 
is  founded  in  the  law  of  nature  ;  which  obliges  us  to  love  them  as  ourselves,  and, 
consequently,  to  desire  their  welfare,  together  with  our  own.  It  may  be  inquired, 
however,  what  we  are  to  understand  by  our  brethren,  whom  we  are  to  express  this 
great  concern  for,  in  our  supplications  to  God  ?  For  understanding  this,  let  it  be 
considered  that,  besides  being  applied  to  those  who  are  brethren  in  the  most  known 
acceptation  of  the  word,  as  Jacob's  sons  tell  Joseph,  '  We  be  twelve  brethren,  sons  of 
one  father  ;' a  the  word  '  brother'  is  sometimes  taken,  in  scripture,  for  any  near  kins- 
man. Thus  Abraham  and  Lot  are  called  brethren, b  though  they  were  not  sons  of 
the  same  father  ;  for  Lot  was  Abraham's  brother's  son.e  This  is  a  very  common 
acceptation  of  the  word  in  scripture.  Again,  it  is  sometimes  taken  in  a  more  large 
sense,  for  those  who  are  members  of  the  same  church.  Thus  the  apostle  calls  those 
who  belonged  to  the  church  at  Colosse,  '  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren  in  Christ. 'd 
Sometimes,  also,  they  who  are  of  the  same  nation  are  called  brethren.  Thus  it  is 
said,  *  When  Moses  was  full  forty  years  old,  it  came  into  his  heart  to  visit  his 
brethren,  the  children  of  Israel. 'e-  It  is  likewise  sometimes  taken  for  those  who 
make  a  profession  of  the  same  religion  with  ourselves  ;  and  also  for  those  who  are 
kind  and  friendly  to  us.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times,  and  a  brother 
is  born  for  adversity. 'f  Indeed,  the  word  is  sometimes  taken  in  the  largest  sense 
that  can  be,  as  comprising  all  mankind,  who  have  the  same  nature  with  ourselves.^ 
These  are  the  objects  of  love  ;  and  therefore  our  prayers  are,  especially  in  propor- 
tion to  the  nearness  of  the  relation  they  stand  in  to  us,  to  be  directed  to  God  on 
behalf  of  all.  Some,  indeed,  are  allied  to  us  by  stronger  bonds  than  others  ;  but 
none,  who  are  entitled  to  our  love,  pity,  and  compassion,  are  to  be  wholly  excluded 
from  our  prayers. 

This  will  farther  appear,  if  we  consider  that  we  are  to  pray  also  for  our  enemies. 
The  law  of  nature  obliges  us  to  do  good  for  evil ;  and  consequently,  as  our  Saviour 
says,  we  are  to  '  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  us,  and  persecute  us.'h  We 
are  not,  indeed,  to  pray  that  they  may  obtain  their  wicked  and  unjust  designs 
against  us,  or  that  they  may  have  power  and  opportunity  to  hurt  us  ;  for  to  do  so 
would  be  contrary  to  the  principle  of  self-preservation,  which  is  impressed  on  our 
nature.  But  we  are  to  pray  that,  however  they  act  toward  us,  they  may  be  made 
Christ's  friends,  their  hearts  changed,  and  they  enabled  to  serve  his  interest ;  that 
they,  together  with  ourselves,  may  be  partakers  of  everlasting  salvation.  Hence, 
it  is  a  vile  thing,  and  altogether  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  a  Christian,  to  de- 
sire the  ruin,  much  more  the  damnation  of  any  one,  as  many  wickedly  and  pro- 
fanely do.  Again,  we  are  to  pray  that  their  corruptions  may  be  subdued,  their 
tempers  softened,  and  their  hearts  changed  ;  so  that  they  may  be  sensible  of  their 
unjust  resentments  against  us,  and  lay  them  aside.  And  if  they  are  under  any 
distress  or  misery,  we  are  not  to  insult  them,  or  take  pleasure  in  beholding  it ;  but 
we  are  to  pity  them,  and  to  pray  for  their  deliverance,  as  much  as  though  they 
were  not  enemies  to  lis. 

5.  We  are  to  pray,  not  only  for  all  sorts  of  men  now  living,  according  to  what  is 
stated  in  the  preceding  Head,  but  for  those  who  shall  live  hereafter.     To  pray 

%  Jude,  ver.  28.  a  Gen.  xlii.  32.  b  Chap.  xiii.  8.  c  Chap.  xi.  31.        d  Col.  i.  2. 

e  Acts  vii.  23.  f  Prov.  xvii.  17.  g  1  John  iv.  21.  h  Matt.  v.  44. 


PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  571 

thus  includes  an  earnest  desire  that  the  interest  of  Christ  may  he  propagated  from 
generation  to  generation  ;  and  that  his  kingdom  and  glory  may  he  advanced  in  the 
world  till  his  second  coming.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  He  will  regard  the  prayer 
of  the  destitute,  and  not  despise  their  prayer.  This  shall  be  written  for  the  gener- 
ation to  come  ;  and  the  people  which  shall  be  created  shall  praise  the  Lord.'* 
And  our  Saviour  says,  '  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which 
shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word.'k 

For  whom  Prayer  is  not  to  be  made. 

We  are  now  to  consider  those  who  are  excluded  from  our  prayers.  These  are 
either  such  as  are  dead,  or  those  who  have  sinned  the  sin  unto  death. 

1.  We  are  not  to  pray  for  the  dead.  This  is  asserted  in  opposition  to  an  opinion 
which  was  maintained  and  practised  by  some  in  the  early  ages  in  the  church,  and 
which  paved  the  way  for  those  abuses  and  corruptions  which  are,  at  this  day,  prac- 
tised by  the  church  of  Rome,  who  first  prayed  for  the  dead,  and  afterwards  pro- 
ceeded to  pray  to  them.  The  first  step  leading  to  this  error,  seems  to  have  been 
great  excesses,  on  the  part  of  some  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  in  the  encomi- 
ums they  made,  in  their  public  anniversary  orations,  on  the  memory  of  the  martyrs 
and  confessors  who  had  suffered  in  the  cause  of  Christianity.  This  step  was  origi- 
nally taken  with  a  good  design,  namely,  to  excite  those  who  survived  to  imitate  the 
martyrs  in  their  virtues,  and  to  express  their  love  to  the  cause  ior  which  they  suf- 
fered. But  afterwards  they  went  beyond  the  bounds  of  decency  in  magnifying  and 
extolling  them  ;  and  then  proceeded  yet  farther,  in. praying  for  them.  This  prac- 
tice of  praying  for  the  dead  is  often  excused,  by  some  modern  writers,  from  the 
respect  they  bear  to  those  who  first  observed  it ;  though  it  can  hardly  be  vindicat- 
ed from  the  charge  of  will-worship,  since  no  countenance  is  given  to  it  in  scripture. 
What  is  generally  alleged  in  behalf  of  the'  early  Christians  who  prayed  for  the 
dead,  is,  that  they  supposed  the  souls  of  believers  did  not  immediately  enter  hea- 
ven, but  were  sequestered  or  disposed  of  in  some  place  inferior  to  it,  something 
called  by  them  '  paradise'  or  *  Abraham's  bosom,'  where  they  are  to  continue  till 
their  souls  are  reunited  to  their  bodies.  AVhether  this  place  were  above  or  below 
the  earth,  all  were  not  agreed.  Their  mistake  arose  from  their  misunderstanding 
those  scriptures  which  describe  heaven  under  the  metaphorical  characters  of  '  par- 
adise'  or  '  Abraham's  bosom.'1  Here  they  supposed  that  departed  believers  are, 
indeed,  delivered  from  the  afflictions  and  miseries  of  this  present  life  ;  yet  not  pos- 
sessed of  perfect  blessedness  in  God's  immediate  presence.  They  hence  concluded 
that  there  was  some  room  for  prayer,  that  the  degree  of  happiness  which  they  were 
possessed  of  might  be  continued,  or  rather  that  it  might,  in  the  end,  be  perfected, 
when  they  are  raised  from  the  dead,  and  admitted  to  partake  of  the  heavenly  bless- 
edness. Others  thought  that,  at  death,  the  sentence  Was  not  peremptorily  passed 
either  on  the  righteous  or  on  the  wicked,  so  that  there  was  room  left  for  them  to 
pray  for  the  increase  of  the  happiness  of  the  one,  or  for  the  mitigation  of  the  tor- 
ment of  the  other.  Hence,  in  different  respects,  they  prayed  for  all,  both  good  and 
bad  ;  especially  for  those  who  were  within  the  pale  or  enclosure  of  the  church  ;  and 
above  all,  for  such  as  had  been  useful  to  it,  and  highly  esteemed  by  it.  The  princi- 
pal tiling  which  is  said  in  vindication  of  their  practice — for  what  we  have  just  men- 
tioned as  the  ground  and  reason  of  it  will  by  no  means  justify  it — is,  that,  though 
the  souls  of  believers  are  in  heaven,  yet  their  happiness  will  not  be,  in  all  respects, 
complete,  till  the  day  of  judgment.  Accordingly,  in  their  prayers,  they  chiefly 
had  regard  to  the  consummation  of  the  blessedness  of  departed  believers  at  Christ's 
second  coming,  together  with  the  continuance  of  it  till  then  ;  without  supposing 
that  they  received  any  other  advantage  by  their  prayers.  But  as  the  blessing  they 
thus  supplicated  for  them  was  not  a  matter  of  uncertainty,  they  observed  that  many 
things  are  to  be  prayed  for  which  shall  certainly  come  to  pass,  whether  we  pray  for 
them  or  not,— such  as  the  gathering  in  of  the  whole  number  of  the  elect,  and  the 

i   Psal.  cii.  17,  18.  k  John  xvii.  ?0. 

1  See  Sect.  '  Tbe  Immediate  Happiness  of  the  Righteous  after  Death,'  under  Quest.  Ixxxvi. 


572  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT 

coming  of  Christ's  kingdom  of  glory.  They  hence  suppose  that  the  advantage  of 
praying  for  the  dead  redounds  principally  to  those  who  offer  the  prayers  ;  as,  by 
doing  so,  they  express  their  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  the  future 
blessedness  of  the  saints,  and  the  communion  which  fliere  is  between  the  church 
militant  and  the  church  triumphant.  This  is  the  fairest  colour  which  can  be  put 
upon  the  ancient  practice  of  the  church,  and  the  numerous  statements  in  the  writ- 
ings of  the  fathers,  concerning  prayers  for  the  dead.™ 

Such  was  the  practice  of  the  church  before  we  read  of  the  fictitious  place  which 
the  Papists  call  purgatory.  In  this  place  the  Papists  fancy  that  separate  souls 
endure  some  degrees  of  torment,  and  are  relieved  by  the  prayers  of  their  surviving 
friends.  This  opinion  was  not  known  to  the  church  before  the  seventh  century  ; 
and,  as  was  observed  under  a  former  Answer,"  is  without  any  foundation  from  scrip- 
ture. Now,  as  it  was  formerly  defended,  and  is  still  practised  by  the  Papists,  the 
contrary  doctrine  is  asserted  in  this  Answer,  namely,  that  we  are  not  to  pray  for 
the  dead.     In  proof  of  this  doctrine,  we  shall  offer  a  few  remarks. 

The  state  of  every  man  is  unalterably  fixed  at  death  ;  so  that  nothing  remains 
which  can  be  called  an  addition  to  the  happiness  of  the  righteous,  or  the  misery  of 
the  wicked,  but  what  is  the  result  of  the  reunion  of  soul  and  body  at  the  resurrec- 
tion. Hence,  to  pray  that  the  saints  may  have  greater  degrees  of  glory  conferred 
upon  them,  or  sinners  a  release  from  their  state  of  misery,  is  altogether  groundless 
and  unlawful.  That  the  state  of  man  is  fixed  at  death  is  sufficiently  evident  from 
scripture.  Thus  our  Saviour,  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  speaks 
of  the  one  as  immediately  '  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom,'0 — by 
which,  notwithstanding  what  some  ancient  writers  assert  to  the  contrary,  we  are 
to  understand  heaven  ;  and  he  speaks  of  the  other  as  sent  to  a  place  of  torments, 
without  any  hope  or  probability  of  the  least  mitigation, — whereby  hell,  not  purga- 
tory, is  intended.  And  the  apostle  says,  '  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die, 
and  after  this  the  judgment. '*  Here  he  means  that  all  men  must  leave  the  world ; 
and  that,  when  they  are  parted  from  it,  their  state  is  determined  by  Christ,  though 
not  done  in  so  public  and  visible  a  manner  as  will  be  done  in  the  general  judgment. 
Now,  if  the  state  of  men  be  unalterably  fixed  at  death,  it  may  be  justly  inferred 
that  there  is  no  room  for  any  one  to  put  up  prayers  to  God  on  their  behalf.  Prayer 
must  have  some  promise  on  which  it  relies  ;  otherwise  it  cannot  be  addressed  to 
God  by  faith,  or,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  'nothing  wavering. '°«  If,  then,  we 
have  no  ground  to  conclude  that  our  prayers  shall  be  heard  and  answered,  or  if  we 
have  any  doubt  in  our  spirits  whether  the  thing  prayed  for  be  agreeable  to  the  will 
of  God,  our  prayers  cannot  be  put  up  in  faith,  and  therefore  are  not  lawful. 

The  Papists,  in  defence  of  the  contrary  doctrine,  are  very  much  at  a  loss  for 
scriptures  to  support  it.  Yet  there  is  a  passage  in  the  apocryphal  writings,  in 
which  Judas  Maccabeus  and  his  company  are  represented  as  praying  and  ottering 
a  sin-offering,  and  thereby  making  reconciliation  for  some  who  had  been  slain  in 
battle/  Some  persons  reply  to  the  argument  founded  on  this  passage,  that  the 
prayers  for  the  dead  here  spoken  of,  are  of  a  different  nature  from  those  which  the 
Papists  make  use  of  in  behalf  of  those  whom  they  pretend  to  be  in  purgatory,  or 
that  Judas  and  his  company  prayed  for  nothing  but  what  some  of  the  Christian 

m  That  several  of  the  fathers  practised  and  pleaded  for  praying  for  the  dead,  is  evident  from  what 
Cyprian  says,  Epist.  xxxix.  concerning  the  church's  offering  sacrifices,  by  which  he  means  prayers 
for  the  martyrs,  among  whom  he  particularly  mentions  Latin  ntius  and  Ignatius,  on  the  yearly  re- 
turn of  those  days  on  which  the  memorial  of  their  martyrdom  was  celebrated.  Eusebius,  also,  in 
the  life  of  Constantine,  lib.  iv.  cap.  lxxi.,  when  speaking  concerning  the  funeral  obsequies  performed 
for  that  monarch,  says  that  a  great  number  of  people,  with  tears  and   lamentations,  poured  forth 

Jrayers  to  God  for  the  emperor's  soul.  Gregory  Nazianzen  prayed  for  his  brother  Caesarius  alter 
is  death.  Vid.  Ejusd.  in  Fun.  Caesar.  Orat.  x.  Ambrose  prayed  (or  the  religious  emperors,  Valen- 
tinian  and  Gratian,  and  lor  Theodosius,  and  for  his  brother  Satyrus.  Vid.  Ejusd.  deobit.  Valentin. 
Theodos.  et  Satyr.  Augustin  speaks  of  his  praying  for  his  mother  Monica,  after  her  decease. 
Confess,  lib.  ix.  cap.  xiii.  Epiphanius  defends  this  practice  with  so  much  warmth,  that  he  can 
hardly  forbear  charging  the  denial  of  it  as  one  of  Aerius'  heresies.  Vid.  Epiphan.  hseres.  lxxv. 
And  some  Popish  writers,  when  defending  their  praying  for  the  dead,  have,  with  more  malice  than 
reason,  charged  the  Protestants  with  being  Adrians,  on  this  account, 
n  See  Sect.  ■  The  Immediate  Happiness  of  the  Righteous  after  Death,*  under  Quest,  lxxxvi. 
o  Luke  xvi.  22,  &t  p  Heb.  ix.  27  q  James  i.  6.  r  2  Mac.  xii.  43—45. 


PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  573 

fathers  did,  namely,  that  the  departed  might  be  raised  from  the  dead ;  and  that  thus 
they  simply  expressed  their  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  But,  I  think, 
a  better  reply  is,  that  the  argument  is  not  taken  from  any  inspired  writing  ;  and 
that  no  more  credit  is  to  be  given  to  the  book  of  Maccabees  than  to  any  other  human 
composition,  in  which  some  things  are  true  and  others  false.  As  for  this  book  in 
particular,  the  author  himself  plainly  intimates  that  he  did  not  receive  it  by  divine 
inspiration  ;  for  he  says,  '  If  I  have  done  well,  and  as  is  fitting  the  story,  it  is  that 
which  I  desired  ;  but  if  slenderly  and  meanly,  it  is  that  which  I  could  attain  unto.'8 
This  is  very  honestly  said,  but  is  not  like  the  language  of  an  inspired  writer. 
Hence,  nothing  which  is  said  in  the  book  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  any  important 
article  of  faith  or  practice,  such  as  that  which  we  are  now  considering. 

It  is  farther  objected  that  the  apostle  Paul  puts  up  a  short  and  affectionate 
prayer  for  Onesiphorus,  '  The  Lord  grant  unto  him,  that  he  may  find  mercy  of  the 
Lord  in  that  day  ;'*  while,  as  is  concluded  by  some,  Onesiphorus  was  dead  at  the 
time  when  the  apostle  wrote  this  epistle.  There  are  two  petitions  put  up,  one  in 
this  verse  for  him,  and  another  in  verse  16,  for  '  his  house  ;'  and  in  chap.  iv.  19, 
when  Paul,  according  to  his  custom,  salutes  some  of  his  friends,  he  makes  mention 
of  '  the  household  of  Onesiphorus, '  but  not  of  himself.  This  turn  Grotius  himself 
gives  of  this  scripture  ; u  and  the  Papists  greedily  embrace  it,  as  it  gives  counte- 
nance to  their  practice  of  praying  for  the  dead.  This  argument,  however,  is  built 
on  but  a  weak  foundation.  For  though  Paul,  in  the  close  of  the  epistle,  salutes 
Onesiphorus'  household,  and  not  himself,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  was  dead ;  he 
might  be  absent  from  his  family,  as  he  often  was  when  engaged  in  public  service, 
being  sent  by  the  church  as  their  messenger,  to  inquire  concerning  the  progress 
and  success  of  the  gospel  in  other  parts,  or  to  carry  relief  to  those  who  were  suffer- 
ing in  Christ's  cause.  The  apostle  perhaps  might  be  informed  that  he  was  then 
on  his  way  to  Rome,  where  he  was  himself  a  prisoner  when  he  wrote  the  epistle  ; 
and  if  so,  it  would  not  have  been  proper  to  send  salutations  to  him  whom  he  ex- 
pected shortly  to  see,  while,  at  the  same  time,  he  testified  the  great  love  he  bore  to 
him  and  all  his  family,  as  being  a  man  of  uncommon  zeal  for  the  interest  of  Christ 
and  religion. 

2.  They  are  not  to  be  prayed  for  who  have  sinned  the  sin  unto  death.  This  sin 
we  read  of,  in  scripture,1  as  what  excludes  persons  from  forgiveness.  Such  things 
are  said  concerning  it  as  should  make  us  fear  and  tremble,  not  only  lest  we  should 
be  left  to  commit  it,  but  give  way  to  those  sins  which  border  upon  it.  There  is,  how- 
ever, enough  expressed  to  encourage  us  to  hope  that  we  have  not  committed  it ; 
and  this  is  the  principal  thing  to  be  insisted  on,  when  we  treat  on  this  sin  in  our 
public  discourses,  or  when  any  are  tempted  to  fear  lest  they  are  guilty  of  it. 

Here  let  it  be  observed,  that  though  it  is  called  'the  sin  unto  death,'  we  are 
not  to  suppose  that  it  is  one  particular  act  of  sin,  but  rather  a  course  or  complica- 
tion of  sins,  in  which  there  are  many  ingredients  of  the  most  heinous  nature.  It 
cannot  be  committed  by  any  but  those  who  have  been  favoured  with  a  gospel  light ; 
for  it  always  includes  a  rejectipn  of  the  gospel,  which  supposes  revelation  or  preach- 
ing. Nor  is  it  merely  a  rejecting  of  the  gospel,  though  attended  with  sufficient 
objective  evidence,  in  those  who  have  not  had  an  inward  conviction  of  the  truth  of 
it,  or  whose  opposition  to  it  proceeds  principally  from  ignorance  ;  for  the  apostle 
says  concerning  himself,  that  '  though  he  was  a  blasphemer,  a  persecutor,  and  in- 
jurious, yet  he  obtained  mercy,  because  he  did  it  ignorantly,  in  unbelief.'*  But 
it  is  a  rejecting  of  the  gospel  which  we  once  professed  to  embrace,  and  therefore  has 
the  nature  of  apostacy.  Thus  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  when  they  attended  on 
John's  ministry,  professed  their  willingness  to  adhere  to  Christ ;  and  afterwards, 
when  he  first  appeared  publicly  in  the  world,  they  were  convinced  in  their  con- 
sciences, by  the  miracles  which  he  wrought,  that  he  was  the  Messiah  ;  though 
afterwards  they  were  offended  in  him,  and  ashamed  to  own  him,  because  of  the 
humble  state  and  condition  in  which  he  appeared  in  the  world ;  and  on  this  account, 
they  in  particular  were  charged  with  the  sin  in  question.     Again,  it  includes  a  re- 

s  Mac.  xv.  38.  t  2  Tim.  i.  18.  u  Vid.  Grot,  in  loc 

x  Matt  xii.  32.  y  1  Tim.  i.  13. 


574  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT 

jecting  of  Christ  and  the  known  truth,  out  of  envy,  attended  with  reviling,  persecut- 
ing, and  using  the  utmost  endeavours  to  extirpate  and  banish  it  out  of  the  world,- 
and  heget  in  the  minds  of  men  the  greatest  detestation  of  it.  Thus  the  Jews  are 
said  to  have  'delivered  Christ  out  of  envy;'z  and  with  the  same  spirit,  they 
persecuted  the  gospel.  Such  as  are  guilty  of  this  sin,  have  no  conviction  in 
their  consciences  of  any  crime  committed  in  regard  to  it,  but  stop  their  ears 
against  all  reproof,  and  set  themselves,  with  the  greatest  hatred  and  malice,  against 
+,hose  who,  with  faithfulness,  admonish  them.  They  also  go  out  of  the  way  of 
God's  ordinances,  and  wilfully  exclude  themselves  from  the  means  of  grace.  These 
they  treat  with  the  utmost  contempt ;  and  they  use  all  the  endeavours  in  their 
power  that  others  may  be  deprived  of  them.  This  condition  they  not  only  live, 
but  die  in  ;  so  that  their  apostacy  is,  not  only  total,  but  final. 

I  cannot  but  observe,  however,  that  some  are  of  opinion  that  this  sin  cannot  be 
now  committed,  because  we  have  not  the  dispensation  of  miracles,  whereby  the 
Christian  religion  was  incontestably  proved,  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour  and  the 
apostles.  They  who  hold  this  opinion  think  that  the  Pharisees  spoken  of  in  the 
twelfth  chapter  of  Matthew,  were  mainly  charged  with  saying  that  Christ  'cast  out 
devils  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  devils  ;'  whereby  they  intimated  that  those 
miracles  which  they  had  formerly  been  convinced  of  the  truth  of,  as  wrought  by  the 
finger  of  God,  were  wrought  by  the  devil.  This  view  of  their  case  supposes  that 
they  were  eye-witnesses  to  the  working  of  miracles,  which  we  cannot  be  ;  and  it  is 
hence  inferred  that  the  sin  of  which  they  were  guilty  cannot  now  be  committed,  in- 
asmuch as  the  dispensation  of  miracles  has  ceased.  But  this  reasoning  will  not 
appear  so  strong  and  conclusive,  if  we  consider  that,  though  the  gospel  is  not  now 
confirmed  to  us  by  miracles,  yet  we  have  no  less  ground  to  believe  that  the  Chris- 
tian religion  was  confirmed  by  means  of  them,  than  if  we  had  been  present  when 
they  were  wrought.  If,  however,  it  should  be  alleged  that  a  resisting  of  the  evidence 
of  miracles  cannot,  in  every  circumstance,  be  contained  in  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  in  our  day  ;  there  are  other  things  included  in  the  description  we  gave 
of  the  sin  unto  death,  as  things  in  which  it  principally  consists,  which  bear  a  very 
great  resemblance  to  the  sin  of  which  the  Pharisees  were  guilty.  If  persons,  for 
example,  formerly  believed  Christ  to  be  the  Messiah,  and  were  persuaded  that  his 
being  so  was  incontestably  proved  by  the  miracles  which  he  wrought,  and  accord- 
ingly, were  inclined  to  adhere  to  him,  and  embrace  the  gospel,  in  which  his  person 
and  glory  are  set  forth,  and  yet  have  afterwards  apostatized  from  their  profession  ; 
if  their  apostacy  has  been  attended  with  envy  and  malice  against  Christ  ;  if  they 
have  treated,  with  contempt  and  blasphemy,  the  evidence  by  which  they  once  ac- 
knowledged the  Christian  religion  to  have  been  undeniably  supported ;  if  from  carnal 
policy,  and  the  love  of  this  world,  they  have  totally  rejected  that  faith  which  they 
once  professed  ;  and  if  their  apostate  condition  is  attended  with  judicial  hardness 
of  heart,  blindness  of  mind,  and  strong  delusions,  together  with  a  rooted  hatred  of 
all  religion,  and  a  malicious  persecution  of  those  who  embrace  it ;  we  cannot  but 
conclude  their  sin  to  bear  a  very  great  resemblance  to  that  which  in  scripture  is 
called  the  unpardonable  sin.  Theirs  is  a  most  deplorable  case  ;  and  it  should  be  so 
far  improved  by  us  that  we  should  use  the  utmost  caution  that  we  may  not  give  way 
to  those  sins  which  bear  the  least  resemblance  to  it.  Doubting  Christians,  however, 
are  to  take  heed  that  they  do  not  apply  the  account  which  we  have  given  of  this  sin 
to  themselves,  so  as  to  be  led  to  despair ;  for  to  produce  such  a  result  is  not  the  design 
of  any  description  of  it  which  we  have  in  scripture.  Now,  that  they  may  be  forti- 
fied against  applying  the  account  of  it  to  themselves,  we  shall  offer  one  or  two  obser- 
vations. It  is  one  thing  peremptorily  to  determine  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  one 
to  commit  this  sin  in  our  day,  since  the  dispensation  of  miracles  has  ceased,  for  to 
say  this,  is,  in  effect,  to  suppose  that  we  can  have  no  evidence  for  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion  but  what  is  founded  on  ocular  demonstration,  such  as  they  had 
who  saw  Christ's  miracles  ;  and  it  is  another  thing  to  determine  concerning  parti- 
cular persons,  that  they  are  guilty  of  this  sin.  It  is  certain  that  the  matter  might 
be  determined  with  special  application  to  particular  persons  in  the  time  of  our  Savi- 

%  Matt,  xxvii.  18 


PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADB  575 

our  and  the  apostles.  For  then  there  was,  among  other  extraordinary  gifts,  that  of 
discerning  of  spirits  ;  and  consequently  it  might  be  known  whether  they  who  aposta- 
tized from  the  laith  of  the  gospel  had  formerly  received  a  full  conviction  of  its  truth, 
and  it  might  also  be  known,  by  extraordinary  revelation,  that  God  would  never  give 
them  repentance,  so  that  their  apostacy  would  be  final.  It  is  more  than  probable 
that  this  view  of  the  case  was  supposed  by  the  apostle,  when  he  speaks  of  some  who 
had  committed  this  sin,  who  were  not  to  be  prayed  for.  But  these  things  cannot 
be  known  by  us.  Hence,  I  would  not  advise  any  one  to  forbear  to  pray  for  the  worst 
of  sinners,  who  seem  most  to  resemble  those  that  are  charged  with  this  sin,  the 
matter  not  being  certainly  known  by  us.  What,  however,  is  principally  to  be  con- 
sidered for  the  encouragement  of  those  who  are  afraid  that  they  have  committed 
this  sin,  is  that  persons  may  certainly  know  that  they  have  not  committed  it, 
though  they  are  in  an  unregenerate  state.  If  they  have  not  had  opportunity  or 
necessary  means  to  attain  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  so  remain  ignorant  of  it ; 
or  if  they  have  had  sufficient  means  to  know  it,  and  have  not  improved  them  as 
they  ought,  yet  they  have  not  committed  this  sin,  if  they  desire  and  resolve  to  wait 
on  God  in  his  ordinances,  in  order  to  their  receiving  good.  Again,  they  who  are 
under  conviction  of  sin,  disapprove  of  it,  and  have  some  degree  of  sorrow  and  shame 
for  it,  may  certainly  conclude  that  they  have  not  committed  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Further,  if  persons  have  reason  to  think  that  their  hearts  are  hardened 
through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin,  and  that  they  have  greatly  backslidden  from  G  od ;  yet 
they  ought  not  to  conclude  that  they  have  committed  this  sin,  if  they  are  afraid  lest 
they  should  be  given  up  to  a  perpetual  backsliding,  or  dread  nothing  more  than  a  total 
and  a  final  apostacy,  and  in  consequence,  are  induced  to  pray  against  it,  and  to  desire 
a  broken  heart,  and  that  faith  which  at  present  they  do  not  experience.  In  this 
case,  though  their  state  is  dangerous,  they  ought  not  to  determine  concerning  them- 
selves that  they  have  committed  the  sin  unto  death.     [See  Note  2  C,  page  576.] 

We  ought  to  make  several  uses  of  this  awful  doctrine,  and  of  the  hope  which 
there  is  that  we  have  not  committed  the  sin  unto  death.  First,  we  should  take 
heed  that  we  do  not  give  way  to  wilful  impenitency,  and  a  contempt  of  the  means 
of  grace,  lest  we  should  provoke  God  to  give  us  up  to  judicial  hardness  of  heart,  so 
as  to  make  sad  advances  towards  the  commission  of  it.  Let  us  take  heed  that  we 
do  not  sin  against  the  light  and  conviction  of  our  consciences,  and  wilfully  neglect 
and  oppose  the  means  of  grace  ;  for  whether  any  one's  acting  thus  be  the  sin  unto 
death  or  not,  it  is  certainly  a  crime  of  the  most  heinous  and  dangerous  tendency. 
Again,  let  doubting  Christians  take  heed  that  they  do  not  give  way  to  Satan's  sug- 
gestions, tempting  them  to  conclude  that  they  have  committed  this  sin.  Though  they 
are  sometimes  afraid  that  they  have  committed  it,  they  might  determine  that  they 
have  not,  did  they  duly  weigh  what  has  been  just  observed  concerning  this  matter. 
Finally,  let  us  bless  God  that  yet  there  is  a  door  of  hope  ;  and  let  us  resolve  by 
his  grace,  that  we  will  always  wait  on  him  in  the  ordinances  which  he  has  appointed, 
till  he  shall  be  pleased  to  give  us  ground  to  conclude  better  things  concerning  our- 
selves, even  things  which  accompany  salvation. 

For  What  Prayer  is  to  be  Made. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  we  are  to  pray  for. 

1.  We  are  to  pray  for  those  things  which  concern  the  glory  of  God.  That  we 
may  know  what  these  are,  we  are  to  inquire  whether,  if  God  should  give  us  what 
we  ask  for,  it  would  have  a  tendency  to  set  forth  any  of  his  divine  perfections,  and 
so  render  him  amiable  and  adorable  in  the  eyes  of  his  creatures,  so  that,  in  answer- 
ing our  prayers,  he  would  act  becoming  himself.  We  are  also  to  take  an  estimate 
of  the  adaptation  of  anything  to  promote  his  glory,  from  the  intimation  he  has 
given  us  of  it  in  his  word.  There  we  may  observe,  not  only  whether  he  has  given 
us  leave,  but  whether  he  has  given  us  commands,  and  encourages  us,  to  ask  for  it ; 
more  especially,  whether  he  has  promised  to  give  it  to  us,  and  whether  our  re- 
ceiving the  blessing  we  ask  for,  has  a  tendency  to  fit  us  for  his  service. 

2.  We  are  to  pray  for  those  things  which  concern  our  own  good,  or  the  good  of 
others.    These  are  particularly  insisted  on  in  the  Lord's  prayer,  which  is  explained 


576  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT 

in  the  following  Answers.  It  is  hence  sufficient  for  us,  at  present,  to  consider  the 
good  we  are  to  pray  for  in  general.  Now,  we  are  to  pray  for  temporal  blessings  ; 
which  are  the  effects  of  divine  hounty,  and  concerning  which  our  Saviour  says, 
4  Your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  these  things.'*  We  are 
also  to  pray  for  spiritual  blessings,  such  as  forgiveness  of  sin,  strength  against  sin, 
the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  to  produce  in  us  holiness  of  heart  and  life, 
and  deliverance  from  and  victory  over  our  spiritual  enemies.  We  are  also  to  pray 
for  the  consolations  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  arising  from  assurance  of  the  love  of  God, 
whereby  we  may  have  peace  and  joy  in  believing ;  and  for  all  those  blessings  which 
may  make  us  happy  in  a  better  world. 

3.  We  are  to  pray  for  those  things  which  are  lawful  to  be  asked  of  God.  The 
things  we  pray  for  must  be  such  as  it  is  possible  for  us  to  receive,  and  particularly 
such  as  God  has  determined  to  bestow,  or  given  us  ground  to  expect  in  the  present 
world.  We  are  not  to  pray  for  those  blessings  to.  be  applied  here,  which  he  has 
reserved  for  the  heavenly  state  ;  such  as  a  perfect  freedom  from  sin,  from  tribula- 
tion or  temptation,  or  for  our  enjoying  the  immediate  views  of  the  glory  of  God. 
These  things  are  to  be  desired  in  that  time  and  order  in  which  God  is  determined  to 
bestow  them.  Hence,  we  are  to  wait  for  them  till  we  come  to  heaven  ;  and,  at  pre- 
sent, we  are  to  desire  only  to  be  made  partakers  of  those  privileges  which  he  gives 
to  his  children  in  their  way  thither. — Again,  we  are  not  to  pray  that  God  would 
inflict  evils  on  others,  to  satisfy  our  private  revenge  for  injuries  done  us.  For  re- 
venge is  in  itself  unlawful,  and  unbecoming  a  Christian  frame  of  spirit,  and  con- 
trary to  the  duty  which  was  formerly  considered  of  our  praying  for  our  very  ene- 
mies, and  seeking  their  good. — Further,  we  are  not  to  ask  for  outward  blessings, 
without  setting  bounds  to  our  desires  ;  nor  are  we  to  ask  for  them  unseasonably, 
or  for  wrong  ends.  We  are  not  to  pray  for  them  as  though  they  were  our  chief 
good  and  happiness,  or  of  equal  importance  with  things  which  are  more  imme- 
diately conducive  to  our  spiritual  advantage.  Hence,  whatever  measure  of  impor- 
tunity we  express  in  praying  for  them,  is  not  to  be  inconsistent  with  an  entire  sub 
mission  to  the  divine  will,  or  with  being  satisfied  that  God  knows  what  is  best  for 
us,  or  whether  what  we  desire  will,  in  the  end,  prove  good  or  hurtful  to  us.  Much 
less  ought  we  to  ask  for  outward  blessings  in  order  to  the  satisfying  of  unlawful  de- 
sires, or,  as  the  apostle  James  speaks,  that  we  may  '  consume  them  upon  our  lusts.' b 

a  Matt.  vi.  32.  b  James  iv.  3. 

[Note  2  C.  Is  any  sin  unpardonable  f — The  phrase,  '  the  unpardonable  sin,'  is  a  startling  one,  and 
seems  fairly  to  imply  that  there  are  limits  to  the  intrinsic  worth  or  efficacious  power  or'  the  Re- 
deemer's sacrifice.  However  popular  the  phrase  is,  and  however  sanctioned  by  not  a  few  curious 
disquisitions  on  the  part  of  respectable  theological  writers,  it  is,  as  I  think,  unwarranted  by  any 
statement  in  the  Bible,  and  opposed  to  its  current  phraseology.  Three  texts  have  been  adduced  as 
giving  it  countenance, — Heb.  x.  26;  Heb.  vi.  4 — 6;  and  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.  But  the  first  of  these 
does  little  more  than  teach  that  there  is  but  one  sacrifice  for  sin  ;  the  second  states  that  a  prefer- 
ence of  idolatry  or  Judaism  to  the  gospel  of  Christ,  puts  away  the  only  means  of  moral  renovation ; 
and  the  third,  which  is  the  strongest,  describes  a  man  as  rejecting  the  Christian  evidences,  and  as- 
suming the  position  of  a  scornful  unbeliever.  All  the  passages,  in  other  words,  mention,  not  what 
cannot,  but  what  shall  not,  be  forgiven  :  they  speak,  not  of  an  unpardonable  sinner,  but  of  one  who 
refuses  pardon. 

'  If  we  sin  wilfully  after  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more 
sacrifice  for  sin,'  Heb.  x.  26.  In  a  brief  paper,  published  about  a  year  ago,  I  stated  my  views  of  this 
text ;  and  I  may  be  excused  for  simply  condensing  here  what  I  there  said.  *  The  truth '  which  Paul 
speaks  of  is,  not  revealed  truth  in  general,  nor  the  influence  of  the  gospel  upon  the  heart,  but  the 
great  doctrine  which  he  had  just  unfolded  and  proved, — that  Christ's  sacrifice  alone  is  availing,  and 
possesses  divine  sufficiency  for  every  purpose  of  redemption.  To  4  know  this  truth' cannot  imply  a 
better  condition  of  soul  than  to  '  escape  the  pollutions  of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.'  Yet  Peter  describes  persons  who  have  so  escaped  (2  Pet.  ii.  20 — 22. ) 
— whose  knowledge  of  Christ  has  been  practical  to  the  extent  of  freeing  them  from  vice — as  merely 
washen  swine,  not  as  swine  transmuted  into  sheep, — as  dogs  of  beastly  inclination,  not  as  dogs  '  created 
anew'  and  *  converted '  into  lambs.  '  To  sin,'  according  to  the  primary  meaning  of  the  Greek  word,  is 
'  to  go  aside'  or  '  to  miss  the  mark  ;'  and  '  to  sin  wilfully  after  having  received  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,'  or  wilfully  to  go  aside  or  miss  the  mark  after  having  become  acquainted  with  the  great  doc- 
trine of  the  Christian  atonement,  must  denote  simply  the  knowing  and  pertinacious  rejection  of 
God's  method  of  justifying  the  ungodly.  Persons  who  practise  this  folly — whether  they  exchange 
Cl-ri-tianity  for  Judaism,  or  abandon  it  for  sake  of  the  showy  rites  of  heathen  or  of  Romish 
tuouUry,  ur  barter  it  away  for  the  lures  and  enjoyments  of  the  present  world — will  look  in  vain 


PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  577 

anions  the  ceremonies  or  pleasures  of  their  choice  for  a  means  of  expiating  guilt.  The  one 
true  atonement  rejected  and  despised,  'there  remaineth  no  other  sacrifice  for  sins.'  "Whoever 
hear*  of  the  atoning  death  of  the  Son  of  God, — its  surpassing  worth,  its  divine  completeness, 
its  glorious  adaptation  to  bring  pardon  and  peace  to  the  chief  of  sinners.— ,and  after  having  sur- 
veyed its  excellence,  weakly  or  wilfully  sets  up  his  philosophy,  or  his  alms-giving,  or  his  devotee- 
ism,  or  some  self-infliction,  as  a  better  refuge  than  it  from  the  divine  anger,  or  a  surer  means  of 
obtaining  the  divine  favour, — that  man  misses  the  mark  of  eternal  life;  he  goes  aside  from  the 
narrow  way  to  heaven ;  he  shuts  his  eyes  on  the  hope,  the  only  hope,  set  before  him  in  the 
gospel,  and  welcomes  '  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment,  and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall 
devour  the  adversaries.'  Now,  'if  he  that  despised  Moses'  law  died  without  mercy,  of  how  much 
sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy,'  who  in  so  wicked  a  fashion  prefers  the 
devices  of  man  to  Heaven's  sole  and  divinely  costly  plan  of  mercy,  '  treading  under  foot  the  Son 
of  God,  and  counting  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  atonement  was  made,  a  common 
thing?'  Yet  such  a  man's  fate  is  altogether  of  his  own  making;  it  is  the  fate,  not  of  an  unpar- 
donable sinner,  but  of  a  sinner  who  scorns  pardon  ;  it  arises  from  neither  the  magnitude  of  his  sins 
nor  defect  in  the  Christian  sacrifice,  but  altogether  from  his  own  egregious  self-conceit,  and  his 
wilful  blindness  to  the  worth  and  grandeur  of  the  Lord's  atonement 

Without  pausing  to  show  how  well  these  views  of  the  passage  in  the  tenth  chapter  of  He- 
brews agree  with  the  scope  of  the  apostle's  reasoning,  anH  with  the  general  scheme  of  his  doc- 
trines, I  shall  now  pass  to  a  consideration  of  the  text  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  same  book. 
'  For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift, 
and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto  repentance; 
seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  »nd  put  him  to  an  open  shame.' 

The  persons  whom  Paul  describes  were  'once  enlightened.'     But  'if  the  light  which  was  in 
them  was  darkness,  how  great  was  that  darkness?'     Balaam  'saw  the  visions  of  the  Almighty, 
and  knew  the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High  ;'  and  yet  was  a  sordid,  hardened  infidel.     They  had 
'tasted  the  heavenly  gift.'     To  'taste' is  to  perceive;   and   'gift,' in  this  and  some  other  texts, 
is  not  the  thing  bestowed,  but  the  disposition  of  bestowing  it.     The  persons  described  had  per- 
ceived or  witnessed  the  benevolence  of  Christianity  ;  they  had  probably  seen  its  benign  charac- 
ter in  the  miraculous  cures  effected  by  our  Lord  or  his  apostles ;    or  they  may  even  have  dis- 
cerned the  salubrious  character  of  its  precepts,  and  the  joyous  complexion  of  its  doctrines.     They 
had  also  been   '  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'     All  persons  were  made  so  on  whom  the 
apostles  imposed  hands ;  yet  they  communicated  not  necessarily  with  the  Holy  Spirit's  person, 
but  only  with  his  gifts.     '  Holy  Ghost,'  when  put  by  a  metonyme  for  what  the  Holy  Ghost  pro- 
duces means  never  communion  with  God,  and  seldom  the  enjoyment  of  regenerating  or  sancti- 
fying   influence,  but  generally  the  possession  of   supernatural  endowments.     Yet  these,  in  the 
times  of  ihe  apostles,   were,  in  some  instances,  possessed  by  the  unrenewed   and  unbelieving. 
•Many,'  said  Christ,  'will  say  to  meat  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy 
name,  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works?  and 
then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you;  depart  from  me  ye  that  work  iniquity.'    Again,  the 
persons  whom  Paul  describes  had   *  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to 
come.'    The  phrase,  '  the  world  to  come.'  bears  a  very  different  meaning  in  the  scriptures  to  what  k 
does  in  modern  religious  usage.  '  His  name  shall  be  called  the  Everlasting  Father,'  or  '  the  Father  of 
the  world  to  come,'  Isa.  ix.  6;  '  Unto  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the  world  to  come,  whereof 
we  speak,'  Heb.  ii.  3;  in  these  and  other  passages,  the  phrase,  which,  if  strictly  rendered,  is  'the 
future  age,' — the  age  of  Christianity  as  contrasted  to  the  age  of  Judaism, — means  the  Christian 
dispensation.     The  word  'powers'  ought  to  be  'miracles;'  and  it  denotes  not  alone  what  was 
intrinsically  supernatural,  but  what  divinely,  because  miraculously,  attested  that  the  gospel  is  true. 
Now,  the  persons  described  saw  'the  miracles  of  the  Christian  dispensation;'  they  witnessed  them 
in  connexion  with  '  the  good  affair,'  or  dispensation  '  of  God ;'  they  tasted  or  perceived  both  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation,  and  the  mightiest  testimonies  which  Jehovah  bore  to  its  doctrines. 
Were  they,  therefore,  convinced  of  sin,  and  partakers  of  saving  religious  knowledge?     Alas  I  a 
people  more  honoured,  in  a  sense,  than  they, — a  people  who  tried  God,  and  proved  him,  and  saw 
his  works  of  love  and  miracle,  forty  years  in  the  wilderness. — '  alway  erred  in  their  heart,'  and 
ignominiously  perished  in  impenitence.     But  it  may  be  said  that  the  persons  of  whom  Paul  speaks 
were  such  as  might  '  fall  away,'  or,  more  properly,  '  fall  back,'  and  that  they  must  have  been 
Christians,  in  order  to  be  capable  of  becoming  apostates.     Falling  back  is  simply  transition, — 
transition  from  character,  condition,  rank,  or  even  mere  profession.     Men  can  renounce  only  what 
thev  possess ;  professors  mere  profession, — Mohammedans  mere  Mohammedism.     Now  Paul  tell* 
from  what  the  apostates  fell  back:. they  abandoned  or  forsook  simply  their  'enlightenment,'  their 
communication  with  miraculous  gifts,  and  their  observation  of  the  supernatural  evidences  pf  the 
Christian  dispensation ;  they,  in  other  words,  expelled  from  their  minds  every  favourable  opinion 
of  Christianity,  and  removed  or  kept  their  persons  beyond  the  sphere  of  all  the  means,  both  ordi- 
nary and  extraordinary,  which  were  employed  under  the  apostolic  ministry  for  bringing  sinners  to 
acknowledge  or  believe  the  gospel. 

If  the  remark  which  I  have  just  made  be  duly  considered,  it  will  obviate  all  difficulty  in  what  some 
persons  regard  as  the  most  obscure  clause  in  the  text  which  I  am  considering:  '  It  is  impossible  to 
renew  them  again  to  repentance.'  The  meaning  of  the  word  '  repentance,'  however,  must  previously 
be  ascertained.  John  preached  '  the  baptism  of  repentance  toward  the  remission  of  sins,'  Mark  i.  4.  His 
disciples  were  the  subjects  of  a  repentance  which  merely  pledged  them  by  profession,  and  prepared 
them  by  the  ordeal  of  religious  instruction,  to  submit  to  the  personal  ministry  of  the  Saviour.  Few  of 
them  ever,  and  possibly  none  at  the  outset,  possessed  '  repentance  unto  life,'  or  '  repentance  toward 
God.'  Their  repentance,  and  that  of  the  persons  described  by  Paul,  were  essentially  the  same.  The 
II.  4  D 


578  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT 

latter  sprang  from  perception  of  merely  the  external  evidences  of  truth,  and  existed  in  union  with 
unregeneracy ;  and  it  necessarily  amounted  to  no  more  than  a  profession  of  attachment  to  Chris- 
tianity, and  a  docile  attendance  on  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  What  the  apostates  had  possessed, 
a.:  to  either  change  of  mind  or  outward  reformation,  was  at  best  but  '  the  form  of  godliness." 
Now,  the  resumption  of  this  was  quite  incompatible  with  their  apostate  condition:  'it  was  impos- 
sible to  renew  them  again  to  repentance.'  Having  abandoned  the  profession  of  error,  and  em- 
braced the  profession  of  the  truth,  they  '  fell  back'  to  their  original  state,  not  only  at  the  expense 
of  relinquishing  attendance  on  the  Christian  ministry,  but  in  spite  of  the  most  convincing  evi- 
dences which  the  new  economy  could  furnish  of  the  truth  of  Christianity.  All  the  means  of  grace 
saving  been  renounced,  there  was  no  instrumentality,  no  system  of  morals,  no  course  of  effort, 
which  could  reclaim  them  from  error.  They  would  not  use  the  instituted  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
and  they  even  rejected  the  evidence  of  miracles  The  impossibility  of  renewing  them  was,  there- 
fore, natural  and  necessary :  yet  it  was  not  absolute,  but  only  relative.  It  was  an  impossibility 
neither  in  regard  to  the  magnitude  of  their  sins,  nor  in  regard  to  the  intrinsic  power  of  Christian- 
ity, nor  in  regard  to  the  freeness  and  availableness  of  the  divine  mercy,  but  simply  and  altogether 
in  regard  to  the  relative  position  which  infidels  or  despisers  of  revealed  truth  occupy,  as  such,  to 
the  gospel.  The  apostates  were  irreclaimable  only  while  they  could  not  be  approached  by  evi- 
dence or  by  the  influence  of  Christian  ordinances;  in  other  words,  they  were  irreclaimable,  '  seeing 
they  crucified  to  themselves  the  Son  of#God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame.'  Their  con- 
dition was  akin  to  that  of  the  original  murderers  of  Christ.  They  contemned  Christianity ;  they 
laboured  to  bring  derision  on  the  Saviour;  they  misconstrued  or  scorned  the  most  splendid  evi- 
dences of  his  heavenly  mission  and  divine  majesty ;  they  ignominiously  transfixed  and  exhibited  to 
the  view  of  enemies  whatever  in  his  cause  they  imagined  to  be  weak  or  mortal;  and  thus,  in  en- 
mity to  God,  and  hatred  of  evangelical  truth,  and  passion  for  the  ascendency  of  error,  they  were 
whirled  round  in  the  very  vortex  which,  during  the  scene  of  the  crucifixion,  sucked  down  all  the 
sentiments  and  feelings  of  the  murderers  of  Jesus.  But  were  the  apostates,  therefore,  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  divine  mercy?  or  had  they  committed  unpardonable  sin?  What  hinders  that  there 
may  have  been  a  day  of  influence  from  on  high  and  of  awakening  for  them,  as  truly  as  there  was  a 
day  of  Pentecost  for  their  prototypes?  Suppose  them  only  to  have  emerged  from  their  seclusion, 
and  to  have  heard  once  more  the  preaching  of  an  apostle,  or  to  have  heard  anew  the  gospel's  glad 
tidings,  or  to  have  witnessed  afresh  the  stupendous  evidences  of  the  apostolic  times  that  Christian- 
ity is  true;  and  you  will  do  no  violence  to  any  statement  of  Paul,  you  will  follow  out  his  own 
allusion  to  the  crucifiers  of  the  Saviour,  you  will  think  in  unison  with  all  the  system  of  divine 
truth,  and  all  the  history  of  its  highest  achievements,  if  you  imagine  not  a  few  of  the  apostates 
'goaded  to  the  heart'  and  '  receiving  the  word  with  all  gladness  and  readiness  of  mind.' 

I  have  perhaps  said  more  on  the  text  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  Hebrews  than  was  requisite.  I 
view  that  text,  however,  as  a  key  to  those  passages  which  speak  of  '  the  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,'  and  have  been  regarded  as  affording  prime  sanction  to  the  notion  of  'an  unpardonable 
sin;'  and  I  have  made  my  remarks  somewhat  minute,  in  order  that  those  passages  might,  in  a  de- 
gree, be  explained  by  anticipation,  and  might  now,  without  the  aid  of  any  criticism,  rise  clearly  and 
in  their  full  and  simple  meaning  into  view.  I  have  shown  that  '  world  to  come'  means  Christian 
dispensation;  that  'Holy  Ghost*  is  put,  by  a  metonyme,  for  miraculous  gifts  or  for  supernatural 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity;  and  that  inaccessibility  to  pardon  or  the  means  of  moral  re- 
novation, is  only  relative,  and  arises  from  rejection  and  neglect  of  the  means  of  grace.  Now,  if 
these  explanations  have  been  appreciated,  they  will  be  found  to  have  removed  the  chief  difficulties 
from  what  the  evangelists  record  respecting  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost : — 

'  Wherefore,  I  say  unto  you,  All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men ;  but  the 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word 
against  the  feon  of  Man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him ;  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it 
shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come,  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.'  The 
statement  in  these  verses,  is,  as  I  understand  it,  summarily  this : — Any  sin  which  merely  defames 
Christ,  but  does  not  scorn  the  evidence  of  his  mission,  leaves  the  sinner  accessible  to  the  means  of 
salvation;  but  the  sin  or  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost — because  it  rejects  the  chief  or  highest 
evidence  that  the  gospel  is  true — shuts  out  the  sinner  from  every  instrumental  influence,  every 
method  of  persuasion,  every  means  of  grace  employed  under  either  the  Jewish  economy  or  the 
Christian,  for  bringing  the  ungodly  to  repentance.  The  Pharisees,  whom  our  Lord  was  addressing, 
were  guilty  of  self-righteousness  and  of  perverting  the  word  of  God,  but  still  stopd  in  the  way  to 
be  convinced  of  sin,  and  made  partakers  of  pardon.  They  had  even  derided  our  Lord's  claims  to 
be  considered  the  Messiah,  they  had  denied  his  true  Deity,  they  had  blasphemed  his  whole  charac- 
ter; still  they  listened  to  his  discourses  and  observed  his  works,  and  were,  in  consequence,  every 
moment  eligible  '  to  be  convinced  of  all,  and  judged  of  all,'  and  to  be  brought  to  the  acknowledg- 
ment and  belief  of  the  truth.  Now,  however,  '  they  blasphemed  the  Holy  Ghost,'  they  ascribed 
to  the  power  of  Beelzebub  what  belonged  to  the  power  of  God,  they  contemned  the  miracles  which 
Jesus  worked  by  the  energy  of  the  Divine  Spirit;  they  thus  poured  scorn  upon  the  brightest  evi- 
dences which  ever  had  been  exhibited  or  ever  would  be  witnessed  of  the  truth  of  a  revelation,  they 
despised  the  strongest  attestation  to  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  they  denied  the  genuineness  of  the 
grand  sign-manual  which  heaven  had  affixed  to  the  record  of  the  gospel;  and,  guilty  of  such  ini- 
quities, they  necessarily  rejected  all  the  ordinary  and  extraordinary  means  of  grace,  and  sat  down 
in  a  position  which  afforded  not  one  approved,  one  available,  one  efficacious  instrumentality  for 
conducting  sinners  into  the  way  of  life.  But  why  should  it  be  thought  that  their  sin  was  unpar- 
donable or  their  condition  hopeless  ?  A  solemn  declaration  is  made,  indeed,  that  a  blasphemer  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  should  not  be  forgiven;  but  is  not  the  same  declaration  made  often,  very  often, 
respecting  all  the  workers  of  iniquity?  'God  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty.'  'He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  on  the  Son  of  God  shall  not  see  life.'     '  As  many  as  have  sinned  without  law  shall  also 


PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  .579 

ptnsh  without  law;  — these,  and  a  hundred  other  passages,  declare  that  all  the  unbelieving  ano 
the  ungodly  shall  lie  unpardoned, — that  the  sin  of  unbelief,  and  -many  a  sin  besides,  shuts  out  the 
perpetrator  from  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  they  all  suppose  the  sinner  to  persist  in  his  sin,  and 
distinctly  imply  that  he  may  'turn  from  it  and  live;'  nay,  they  are  recorded  with  the  express  de- 
sign of  calling  attention  to  the  free,  full  pardon  exhibited  in  the  gospel,  and  of  inciting  the  guilty 
to  flee  to  Christ  that  they  may  receive  it.  Now,  did  the  Lord  of  glory  once,  though  but  once,  lay 
aside  his  benevolence,  and  all  the  usual  methods  of  appeal  employed  in  the  revelation  of  mercy  ? 
Did  he  once,  though  but  once,  desert  the  grand  object  of  his  mission  and  his  ministry, — '  the  calling 
of  sinners  to  repentance?'  The  thought  is  not  to  be  endured!  No;  he  told  the  Pharisees  the 
aggravated  character  of  their  sin,  only  that  they  might  be  warned  of  the  extremity  of  their  danger; 
he  depicted  to  them  the  appalling  tendency  of  their  iniquity,  only  that  they  might  be  incited  to 
renounce  and  abhor  it;  he  explained  to  them  how  their  blaspheming  of  miracles  shut  them  out 
from  every  means  of  grace,  only  that  they  might  be  persuaded  to  think  rightly  of  his  mighty  works, 
and  accept  him  as  their  Saviour; — he,  hence,  without  a  pause,  without  a  break  in  his  appeal,  passed 
from  a  denunciation  of  their  sin  to  an  exhibition  of  the  grand  subject  of  moral  renovation  :  '  Either 
make  the  tree  good  and  his  fruit  good,  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt  and  his  fruit  corrupt,  for  the 
tree  is  known  by  his  fruit;'  he  did  not  break  away  from  them,  or  treat  them  with  silence  and  in- 
dignation, as  if  they  had  been  criminals  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy,  but  he  proceeded  to  address 
their  judgment  and  invoke  their  conscience,  and  thus  treated  them  as  persons  who  still  might  feel 
the  influence  and  realize  the  salutary  results  of  heavenly  expostulation  and  instruction.  The  grand 
truth  which  he  had  placed  on  the  foreground  of  his  ministry  was  still  in  his  heart,  and  still  main- 
tained alliance  with  his  ministrations  and  rebukes :  '  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilder- 
ness, even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him' — whosoever 
believeth  on  him — '  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.' 

I  have  to  notice  still  another  text — but  one  referring  to  a  totally  different  matter  from  those 
already  considered, — '  If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not  unto  death,  he  shall  ask, 
and  he  shall  give  him  life  for  them  that  sin  not  unto  death.  There  is  a  sin  unto  death ;  I  do  not 
say  that  he  shall  pray  for  it.  All  unrighteousness  is  sin;  and  there  is  a  sin  not  unto  death,'  1  John 
v.  16,  17.  This  passage  can,  I  think,  be  supposed  to  refer  to  any  topic  akin  to  the  idea  of  some 
very  peculiar  and  disastrous  species  of  transgression,  only  by  its  being  quite  cut  away  from  its  con- 
text, and  by  the  word  a/ia^na  throughout  it  being  construed  in  a  sense  which,  I  suspect,  it  never 
bears.  In  the  thirteenth  verse  of  the  chapter,  the  apostle  states  that  he  had  written  his  epistle  in 
order  that  those  who  believed  might  know  that  they  had  eternal  life.  He  then  proceeds  to  say 
respecting  such  persons — or  true  believers,  possessors  of  eternal  life — '  This  is  the  confidence  that 
we  have  in  him,  that,  if  we  ask  anything  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth  us.'  Their  abstract 
privilege,  or  exaltedly  honoured  condition  of  possessing  eternal  life,  was  connected  with  the  inter- 
nal confidence  that  every  prayer  of  their  heart,  which  should  accord  with  the  divine  will,  would  be 
heard.  '  And  if  we  know  that  he  hear  us,'  adds  the  apostle,  '  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  know  that 
we  have  the  petitions  that  we  desired  of  him.'  Not  one  blessing  shall  be  refused — not  one  request 
shall  be  denied.  All  the  petitions  which  shall  certainly  be  answered,  however,  must  not  only  be 
framed  in  the  light  of  the  divine  word,  but  have  reference  to  persons  who  are  spiritually  alive, — 
who  possess  eternal  life.  To  enjoy  a  confidence  that  our  scriptural  requests  will  all  be  granted, 
and  to  be  personal  possessors  of  eternal  life,  are  correlative  and  co-extensive.  We  have  assurance 
of  spiritual  blessings  lor  ourselves  and  others,  only  if  we  and  they  believe  on  the  Son  of  God,  anu 
be  spiritually  living  men;  and  no  assurance  whatever  of  these  blessings — the  blessings  which  belong 
to  God's  people,  and  are  enjoyed  in  a  state  of  union  to  the  Saviour — on  the  part  of  persons  \\  ho  are 
spiritually  dead.  Hence,  continues  the  apostle,  '  If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not 
unto  death,  he  shall  ask,  and  he  shall  give  him  life  for  them  that  sin  not  unto  death.  There  is  a 
sin  unto  death:  I  do  not  say  that  he  shall  pray  for  it.'  He  is  clearly  speaking  of  asking  blessings 
in  that  confidence  of  being  heard  which  he  had  stated  to  be  the  privilege  of  believers, — blessings, 
too,  which  are  peculiar  to  the  condition,  or  enjoyable  in  the  justified  and  regenerated  state,  of  men 
who  are  spiritually  alive.  Faith  in  Christ  and  living  unto  God  are  correlative  with  the  condition 
in  which  the  blessings  are  received,  or  the  confidence  that  when  asked  they  will  be  bestowed.  To 
determine,  therefore,  what  persons  may  certainly  enjoy  the  blessing,  or  on  behalf  of  whom  they 
may  confidently  be  supplicated,  we  must  look  at  the  conduct  of  •  brethren,'  or  those  who  appear  or 
profess  to  be  believers,  and  ascertain  as  accurately  as  we  can  whether  they  be  spiritually  alive  or 
spiritually  dead.  '  If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  sin  not  toward  death,'  afia^rayovTo.  ap.x^rta.1  p.n 
trg«f  3-«v«to», — marked  by  such  blemishes,  defiled  by  such  remaining  corruptions,  overtaken  with 
such  faults,  or  in  general  sinning  in  such  circumstances,  as  do  not  evince  him  to  be  spiritually  dead, 
as  do  not  constitute  motion  towards  death,  *^oi  Bavarov — he  shall  treat  that  person  as  still  a  bro- 
ther, as,  notwithstanding  his  defects,  a  possessor  of  spiritual  life,  and  shall  pray  for  him  as  a  brother, 
in  confidence  that  the  blessings  of  life,  the  peculiar  boons  of  reviving  and  sanctifying  grace,  will  be 
granted  to  his  soul.  I  am  not  aware  that  the  word  kfia^rta,  is  ever  used  to  denote  one  act  of  trans- 
gression, one  distinctive  species  of  sinning,  or  what,  in  English  idiom,  is  distinctively  called  'a  sin;' 
and  still  less  that  the  verb  ccfiagrava,  either  by  itself,  or  followed  by  its  cognate  noun,  can  be  under- 
stood to  mean,  committing  one  act  or  species  of  transgression.  Aftagna,  as  to  its  general  use  at 
least,  means  sin  in  the  abstract, — in  reference  either  to  any  description  of  sin  whatever,  or  to  sin 
in  the  aggregate,  whether  actual,  original,  or  both.  See  James  i.  15;  2  Cor.  v.  21 ;  1  John  iii.  4; 
and  many  other  passages.  "  We  are  to  suppose,  then,"  as  Dr.  Ridgeley  himself  observes,  "  not 
that  'sin  unto  death'  spoken  of  by  the  apostle  is  any  one  particular  act  of  sin,  but  rather  that  it  is 
a  course  or  complication  of  sins;"  and  so  are  we  to  suppose  also,  respecting  '  sin  not  unto  death.' 
In  proof  that  the  term  is  understood  in  a  general  or  abstract  way,  we  need  only  to  look  at  what 
the  apostle  immediately  adds, — 'All  unrighteousness  is  sin;  and  there  is  sin  not  towards  death.' 
Commission  of  what  the  divine  law  forbids,  or  omission  of  what  it  commands,  is,  in  all  circum- 


580  FOR  WHOM  AND  FOR  WHAT  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

stances,  and  in  the  rase  of  every  sort  of  person  whatever,  sin;  but,  in  one  set  of  circumstances, 
with  one  set  nSf  aggravations,  it  is  sin  of  such  a  nature  as  comports  with  persons  being  in  a  justified 
or  spiritually  living  state  ;  while,  in  another  set  of  circumstances,  and  with  another  set  of  aggrava- 
tions, it  proves  all  who  practise  it  to  be  spiritually  dead.  We  are  to  distinguish,  then,  the  apostle 
teaches,  between  such  conduct  and  character  as  evince  a  professing  '  brother'  to  be  a  self-deceiver 
and  hypocrite, — and  such  as,  though  blameable  and  really  sinful,  comports  with  his  being  a  sincere 
believer;  and,  according  to  the  conclusion  respecting  him  which  we  fairly  draw,  we  are,  or  are  not, 
to  pray  on  his  behalf,  with  confidence  of  being  heard,  for  those  blessings  which  are  ever  available  to 
believers  m  Jesus,  but  are  peculiar  to  them  as  possessors  of  eternal  life.  If  a  professing  '  brother' 
sin  '  toward  dea'h,'  he  may.  as  other  parts  of  the  divine  word  teach,  be  prayed  for  as  an  unrenewed 
man.  that  he  may  be  converted  and  brought  to  the  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth;  but  he  may  not, 
as  the  apostle  shows,  be  prayed  for  as  a  believer,  as  a  possessor  of  spiritual  life,  as  one  of  that 
happy  community  who,  '  whatsoever  they  ask  of  God,  know  that  they  have  the  petitions  which 
they  desire  of  him.'  Due  discrimination,  in  other  words,  is  to  be  used  in  prayer.  Just  as  we  are 
not  to  pray  for  a  believer,  as  though  he  were  a  stranger  to  the  grace  of  God;  so  we  are  not  to  pray 
for  an  unbeliever,  as  though  he  were  a  renewed  and  sanctified  man.  Let  the  blessings  of  enlight- 
ening and  renovating  grace  be  supplicated  on  behalf  of  the  spiritually  dead:  but  let  the  blessings 
which  follow  the  possession  of  eternal  life,  and  comport  with  a  state  of  believing  on  the  Son  of 
God,  be  supplicated  on  behalf  of  those  only  who  have  been  born  of  God,  and  who  do  not  commit 
sin  in  the  manner  or  with  the  aggravations  of  the  unrenewed  in  heart.  See  verse  18 — that  follow- 
ing the  text  in  question — compared  with  1  John  iii.  8,  9.  What  the  apostle  teaches  in  the  verses 
in  question,  is  thus  in  strict  keeping  with  the  scope  of  the  context,  and  is  a  matter  of  great  practi- 
cal moment,  but  a  matter  which  has  no  conceivable  affinity  whatever  to  the  idea  of  an  unpardon- 
able sin. 

I  do  not  know  whether  I  have  succeeded  in  making  my  views  of  the  texts  discussed — especially 
of  those  in  Hebrews  and  the  gospels — clear  and  distinct.  I  shall  be  happy,  however,  if  what 
I  have  saiil  shall,  while  commending  itself  to  the  judgment,  make  a  deeper  impression  than  before 
upon  the  heart,  of  'the  love  of  God,'  and  'the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.'  I  regret  that  the 
idea  of  '  an  unpardonable  sin'  should  ever  have  prevailed,  and  deplore  the  low  estimate  which  it  is 
fitted  to  occasion  of  the  glorious,  the  surpassing,  the  infinite  worth  of  our  Lord's  atonement.  A 
limited  efficiency  in  redemption,  is  far,  very  far,  from  clouding  the  most  gorgeous  views  possible  of 
unlimited  sufficiency.  Whenever  mercy  is  exhibited,  it  is  seen  to  be  infinite,  divinely  full  and  free; 
whenever  the  atonement  is  described,  it  is  seen  to  be  rich  as  the  moral  glory  of  the  Redeemer's 
Deity,  available  for  '  the  chief  of  sinners,'  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost;  whenever  '  the  grace  of 
God  which  bringeth  salvation'  is  displayed,  it  is  seen  to  be  higher  than  height,  deeper  than  depth, 
surmounting  man's  loftiest  iniquities,  and  profounder  far  than  his  deepest  miseries.  '  Where  sin 
was  filling  up,  grace  has  exceeding  overflowed;  so  that  while  sin  reigns  by  death,  grace  reigns 
through  righteousness,  on  to  life  without  end,  through  the  Saviour,  the  Messiah,  the  Lord  of  the 
redeemed.' — Ed.] 


HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

QOE8TION  CLXXXV.  How  are  we  to  pray  f 

Answer.  We  are  to  pray  with  an  awful  apprehension  of  the  majesty  of  God,  and  deep  sense  of 
our  own  un worthiness,  necessities,  and  sins,  with  penitent,  thankful,  and  enlarged  hearts,  with  un- 
derstanding, faith,  sincerity,  fervency,  love,  and  perseverance,  waiting  upon  him,  with  humble  sub- 
mission to  bis  will. 

The  Frame  of  Mind  in  which  Prayer  is  to  be  made. 

This  Answer  respects  the  manner  of  performing  prayer,  and  the  frame  of  spirit 
with  which  we  are  to  draw  nigh  to  God. 

1.  We  are  to  pray  with  an  awful  apprehension  of  the  majesty  of  God.  Without 
this,  our  behaviour  would  he  highly  resented  hy  him,  and  reckoned  no  other  than 
a  thinking  him  altogether  such  an  one  as  ourselves.  Some  of  the  divine  perfec- 
tions have  a  more  immediate  tendency  to  excite  an  holy  reverence.  Accordingly, 
we  are  to  consider  him  as  omnipresent  and  omniscient,  to  whom  our  secret  thoughts 
and  the  principle  whence  our  actions  proceed,  are  better  known  than  they  can  be 
to  ourselves.  We  are  to  conceive  of  him  as  a  God  of  infinite  holiness  ;  so  that  he 
cannot  but  be  highly  displeased  with  that  worship  which  is  opposite  to  holiness, 
and  which  proceeds  from  a  conscience  defiled  with  sin,  or  is  performed  in  an  un- 
holy manner.  Thus  the  prophet  says,  '  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
evil,  and  canst  not  look  on  iniquity  ;'c  that  is,  thou  canst  not  behold  it  without  the 

c  Hab.  i.  13. 


HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  £81 

utmost  detestation  ;  and  therefore,  'if  we  regard  it  in  our  hearts,  he  will  not  bear 
our  prayers.' d  We  are  also  to  have  a  due  sense  of  the  spirituality  of  his  nature, 
that  we  may  worship  him  in  a  spiritual  manner.  Hence,  we  are  not  to  entertain 
any  carnal  conceptions  of  him,  or  frame  ideas  of  him  like  those  we  have  of  finite 
or  corporeal  beings  ;  nor  are  we  to  think  it  sufficient  that  our  external  deportment 
is  grave  and  has  a  show  of  reverence,  when  our  hearts  are  not,  at  the  same  time, 
engaged  in  this  duty,  or  disposed  to  give  him  the  glory  which  is  due  to  his  name. 
We  are  also  to  draw  nigh  to  him  with  a  due  sense  of  those  perfections  which  tend 
to  encourage  us  to  perform  this  duty,  with  hope  of  finding  acceptance  in  his  sight. 
Accordingly,  we  are  to  conceive  of  him  as  a  God  of  infinite  goodness,  mercy,  and 
faithfulness,  with  whom  is  plenteous  redemption,  in  and  through  a  Mediator,  which 
is  suitable  to  our  condition  as  indigent,  miserable,  and  guilty*  sinners  ;  and  as  a 
God  of  infinite  power,  who  is  '  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  we  are 
able  to  ask  or  think.' e 

2.  We  are  to  pray  to  God  with  an  humble  sense  of  our  own  unworthiness.  This  is 
the  necessary  result  of  high  conceptions  of  his  divine  excellency  and  greatness ; 
whereby  we  are  led  to  consider  ourselves  as  infinitely  below  him.  Indeed,  the  best 
of  creatures  are  induced  by  conceptions  of  his  divine  excellency  to  worship  him 
with  the  greatest  humility.  Thus  the  seraphim  are  represented,  in  the  vision 
which  the  prophet  Isaiah  had  of  them,  as  ministering  to  and  attending  upon  our 
Lord  Jesus,  when  sitting  on  a  throne  in  his  temple  ;  and  as  '  covering  their  faces 
and  their  feet  with  their  wings,'  denoting  their  unworthiness  to  behold  his  glory, 
or  to  be  employed  by  him  in  his  service. f  But  when  we  take  a  view  of  his  infi- 
nite holiness,  and  our  own  impurity,  we  should  be  induced  to  draw  nigh  to  him  with 
the  greatest  humility.  As  dependent  creatures,  we  have  nothW  but  what  we  de- 
rive from  him ;  as  frail  dying  creatures,  we  wither  away,  and  are  brought  to  nothing.^ 
Job  compares  our  state  to  that  of  a  leaf,  which  is  easily  broken  and  driven  to  and 
fro,  or  to  that  of  the  dry  stubble,  which  can  make  no  resistance  against  the  wind 
that  pursues  it.  The  psalmist,  speaking  of  man  in  general,  says,  '  Lord,  what  is 
man  that  thou  takest  knowledge  of  him  ;  or  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  makest  ac- 
count of  him  ?'h  Elsewhere  also  it  is  said,  '  What  is  man,  that  thou  shouldst  mag- 
nify him,  and  that  thou  shouldst  set  thine  heart  upon  him?'1  These  are  hum- 
bling considerations.  But  we  shall  be  led  into  a  farther  sense  of  our  own  un- 
worthiness, when  we  consider  ourselves  as  sinful  creatures,  worthy  to  be  abhorred 
by  God  ;  so  that  he  might  justly  reject  us,  and  refuse  to  answer  our  prayers. 

But  as  this  humble  frame  of  spirit  is  so  necessary  for  the  right  performance  of 
this  duty,  we  shall  notice  some  things  which  are  particular  inducements  to  it. 
First,  the  greatest  glory  we  can  bring  to  God  can  make  no  addition  to  his  infinite 
perfections.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Can  a  man  be  profitable  unto  God,  as  he  that  is 
wise  may  be  profitable  unto  himself?  Is  it  any  pleasure,'  that  is,  any  advantage, 
to  the  Almighty,  'that  thou  art  righteous  ?  or  is  it  gain  to  him,  that  thou  makest 
thy  ways  perfect  ?'k  Elsewhere  also  it  is  said,  *  If  thou  be  righteous,  what  givest 
thou  him,  or  what  receiveth  he  of  thy  hand  V1  denoting  that  it  is  impossible  for 
us,  by  any  thing  we  can  do  or  suffer  for  his  sake,  to  make  him  more  glorious  than 
he  would  have  been  in  himself  had  we  never  had  a  being.  Now,  if  there  is  nothing 
by  which  we  can  lay  any  obligations  on  God,  we  have  reason  to  address  ourselves  to 
him  with  a  sense  of  our  own  unworthiness. — Again,  we  are  so  far  from  meriting 
any  good  thing  from  the  hand  of  God,  that  by  our  repeated  transgressions,  notwith- 
standing the  daily  mercies  we  receive  from  him,  we  give  farther  proofs  of  our  great 
unworthiness.  Indeed,  if  we  are  enabled  to  do  any  thing  in  obedience  to  his  will, 
our  ability  is  not  from  ourselves  ;  yea,  it  is  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  corrupt  nature, 
and  must  be  ascribed  to  him  as  the  author  of  it. — Again,  if  we  could  do  the  great- 
est service  to  God  by  espousing  his  cause,  and  promoting  his  interest  in  the  world  ; 
it  is  no  more  than  what  we  are  bound  to  do  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  we  must  consider 
that  '  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.'111 — 
Further,  the  best  believers  recorded  in  scripture,  have  entertained  a  constant,  hum- 

d  Psal.  Ixvi.  18.  e  Eph.  iii.  20.  f  Isa.  vi.  1—4.  £  Job  xiii.  25.  h  Psal.  civ.  a 

i  Job  vii.  17.  k  Chap.  xxii.  2,  3.  1  Chap.  xxxv.  7.       m  Phil.  ii.  13. 


582  HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

ble  sense  of  their  own  unworthiness.  Abraham,  when  he  stood  before  the  Lord, 
making  supplications  in  behalf  of  Sodom,  expressed  himself  thus  :  '  Behold,  now 
I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the  Lord,  who  am  but  dust  and  ashes.'  Jacob 
says,  '  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and  of  all  the  truth,  which 
thou  hast  showed  unto  thy  servant.'"  And  they  who  have  been  most  zealous  and 
eminently  useful  in  promoting  Christ's  interest  in  the  world,  have  had  an  humble 
sense  of  their  own  unworthiness.  Thus  the  apostle  says  concerning  himself,  '  I  am 
the  least  of  the  apostles,  that  am  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle  ;'°  and  he  imme- 
diately adds,  '  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am.'P  And  elsewhere  he  styles 
himself,  '  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints.'**  We  have  another  instance  of  humility 
in  prayer  in  the  psalmist's  words,  '  I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man  ;'r  which,  so  far  as 
they  have  any  reference  to  his  own  case,  may  give  us  occasion  to  infer  that  the 
most  advanced  circumstances  in  which  any  are  in  the  world,  are  not  inconsistent 
with  humility,  when  drawing  nigh  to  God  in  prayer.  But  if  we  consider  him  as 
speaking  in  the  person  of  Christ,  as  several  expressions  in  the  psalm  argue  him  to 
do,  and  cannot  well  be  taken  in  any  other  sense  ; s  then  we  have,  in  the  words  re- 
ferred to,  the  most  remarkable  instance  of  the  humble  address  which  was  used  by 
Christ  in  his  human  nature,  when  drawing  nigh  to  God  in  prayer.  And  this  is 
certainly  a  great  motive  to  induce  us  to  engage  in  this  duty  with  the  utmost  hu- 
mility. 

3.  We  are  to  draw  nigh  to  God  in  prayer,  with  a  sense  of  our  necessities,  and  of 
the  sins  which  we  have  committed  against  him.  We  are  to  consider  ourselves  as 
indigent  creatures,  who  are  stripped  and  deprived  of  that  glory  and  those  bright 
ornaments  which  were  put  on  man  in  his  state  of  innocency ;  destitute  of  the  divine 
image,  and  of  all  those  things  which  are  necessary  to  our  happiness  ;  unless  he  is 
pleased  to  supply  our  wants,  forgive  our  iniquities,  and  grant  us  communion  with 
himself ;  which  things  we  are  to  draw  nigh  to  him  in  prayer  for.  We  are  also,  in 
this  duty,  to  have  a  sense  of  sin,  that  is,  of  the  guilt  which  we  contract  by  it,  and 
the  punishment  we  have  exposed  ourselves  to,  that  we  may  see  our  need  of  draw- 
ing nigh  to  God  in  Christ's  righteousness ;  and  also  of  the  stain  and  pollution  of  it, 
that  we  may  be  induced  to  fall  down  before  the  footstool  of  the  throne  of  grace, 
with  the  greatest  degree  of  self-abhorrence.  We  are  also  to  consider  how  we  are 
enslaved  to  sin,  and  how  prone  we  are  at  all  times  to  '  serve  divers  lusts  and  plea- 
sures,'1 and  to  '  walk  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince 
of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience.'11 
Moreover,  we  are  to  consider  sin  as  deeply  rooted  in  our  hearts,  debasing  our 
affections,  and  captivating  our  wills.  If  we  are  in  an  unconverted  state,  we  are  to 
look  upon  it  as  growing  and  increasing  in  us,  rendering  us  more  and  more  indis- 
posed for  what  is  good,  and  setting  us  at  a  farther  distance  from  God  and  holiness. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  have  ground  to  hope  that  we  are  made  partakers  of  con- 

n  Gen.  xxxii.  10.  o  1  Cor.  xv.  9.  p  Ver.  10.  q  Ephes.  iii.  8.  r  Psal.  xxii.  6. 

s  Many  suppose  that  all  those  Psalms  in  which  some  particular  expressions  are  referred  to  in  the 
New  Testament,  as  having  their  accomplishment  in  Christ,  are  to  be  understood  as  containing  a 
double  reference,  namely,  to  David,  as  descriptive  of  his  particular  case,  and  to  Christ,  of  whom 
he  was  an  eminent  type.  But  as  lor  Psalm  xxii.,  there  are  several  expressions  in  it,  not  only  applied 
to  Christ  in  the  New  Testament,  but  which  cannot  well  be  understood  of  any  other  but  him.  In 
the  first  verse  he  uses  the  same  words  which  were  uttered  by  Christ  on  the  cross.  Matt,  xxvii.  46, 
'My  God.  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?'  In  verse  8,  •  He  trusted  on  the  Lord  that  he 
would  deliver  hi  in,  let  him  deliver  him,'  is  an  expression  which  was  used  by  those  who  mocked 
and  derided  him.  Matt,  xxvii.  41,  43.  And  what  is  said  in  verses  14,  17,  '  All  my  bones  are  out  of 
joint ;  I  may  tell  them,  they  look  and  stare  upon  me  ;'  does  not  seem  to  be  applicable  to  David, 
from  any  thing  said  concerning  him  elsewhere  ;  but  is  a  lively  representation  of  the  torment  a  per- 
son endures,  \vhe:i  hanging  on  a  cross,  as  our  Saviour  did  ;  which  had  a  tendency  to  disjoint  the 
bones,  and  cause  them  to  stick  out.  And  when  it  is  said,  verses  16,  18,  '  They  pierced  my  hands 
and  my  feet,'  and  'they  part  my  garments  among  them,  and  cast  lots  upon  my  vesture;'  the  former 
was  fulfilled  in  Christ's  being  nailed  to  the  cross,  and  his  side  pierced  with  a  spear  ;  and  the  latter 
is  expressli  referred  to  as  fulfilled  in  the  parting  of  Christ's  garments,  and  casting  lots  upon  his 
vesture,  Matt,  xxvii.  35,  as  an  accomplishment  of  what  was  foretold,  by  the  royal  prophet,  in  this 
Psalm.  These  expressions  cannot,  in  the  least,  be  applied  to  David,  but  are  to  be  understood  of 
our  Saviour.  We  may  conclude,  therefore,  that  those  words  in  verse  6,  '  1  am  a  worm,'  &c.  are 
peculiarly  to  be  applied  to  him. 

t  Tit.  iii.  3.  u  Ephes.  ii.  2. 


HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  583 

verting  grace,  we  are  to  consider  that  we  have  acted  contrary  to  the  highest  obli- 
gations, and  been  guilty  of  the  greatest  ingratitude.  These  things  we  are  to  en- 
deavour to  be  affected  with,  when  drawing  nigh  to  God  in  prayer,  in  order  to  our 
performing  this  duty  aright. 

The  Graces  which  are  to  be  exercised  in  Prayer. 

1.  Among  the  several  graces  which  are  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  is  that  of  re- 
pentance. This  is  necessary  because  we  are  sinners,  and  as  such,  are  to  come  into 
the  presence  of  God  with  confession,  joined  with  supplication,  which  must  be  made 
with  a  penitent  frame  of  spirit.  The  contrary  to  such  a  frame  is  a  tacit  approba- 
tion of  sin,  and  a  kind  of  resolution  to  adhere  to  it ;  which  is  very  unbecoming 
those  who  are  pleading  for  forgiveness.  Accordingly,  when  God  promised  that  he 
would  '  pour  out  upon  the  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications,'  he  adds,  that  '  they  shall  look  upon  him 
whom  they  have  pierced,  and  mourn  for  him,'  or  for  it,  'as  one  mourneth  for  his 
only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for  his  first-born,' 
and  that  this  shall  be  done  by  'every  family  apart,  and  their  wives  apart.'1  So 
when  'the  priests,  the  ministers  of  the  Lord,'  are  commanded  to  'pray'  that  he 
would  '  spare  his  people  ;'  they  are  commanded,  at  the  same  time,  to  '  weep  between 
the  porch  and  the  altar,  to  rend  their  hearts,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  their  God.'* 
And  when  Israel  are  advised  to  '  take  with  them  words,'  and  instructed  how  they 
should  pray,  they  are  exhorted  to  '  turn  unto  the  Lord,'  to  repent  of  their  seeking 
help  from  Assyria  and  Egypt,  and  of  that  abominable  idolatry  which  they  had  been 
guilty  of.z 

Now,  there  are  several  very  proper  subjects  of  meditation  which,  through  the 
divine  blessing,  may  excite  the  grace  of  repentance  when  we  are  engaged  in  the 
duty  of  prayer ;,  particularly,  the  multitude  of  transgressions  which  are  charged  on 
the  consciences  of  men  by  the  law,  that  '  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the 
world  may  become  guilty  before  God  ;'a  and  especially,  the  ingratitude  which  we 
have  reason  to  accuse  ourselves  of,  our  contempt  of  Christ  and  of  the  way  of  sal- 
vation by  him  discovered  in  the  gospel,  and  our  having  done  many  things  in  the 
course  of  our  lives  which  fill  us  with  shame  and  sorrow,  whenever  we  come  into  the 
presence  of  God,  to  pour  out  our  hearts  before  him  in  this  duty. 

2.  The  next  grace  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  is  thankfulness ;  prayer  and  praise 
ought  to  be  joined  together.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  Praise  waiteth  for  thee,  0 
God,  in  Zion,  and  unto  thee  shall  the  vow  be  performed,  0  thou  that  nearest 
prayer. 'b  That  this  is  a  part  of  prayer  was  observed  under  a  former  Answer; 
where  we  considered  the  many  blessings  for  which  we  have  reason  to  be  thankful. 
I  shall  only  add,  at  present,  that  it  is  matter  of  thankfulness  that  we,  who  might 
have  been  for  ever  banished  from  his  presence,  or  have  been  brought  before  his 
judgment-seat  as  criminals  doomed  to  everlasting  destruction,  have  liberty  of  ac- 
cess to  God,  in  hope  of  obtaining  mercy  from  him,  as  sitting  on  a  throne  of  grace. 
Moreover,  we  are  to  bless  him,  not  only  for  leave  to  come  before  him,  but  for  our 
having  often  experienced  that  he  has  heard  and  answered  our  prayers,  and  so  ful- 
filled that  promise,  '  I  said  not  unto  the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  me  in  vain.'c 

That  we  may  be  brought  into  a  thankful  frame,  we  ought  to  consider  the  worth 
of  every  mercy  ;  Especially  of  those  mercies  which  are  spiritual,  or  accompany  sal- 
vation. This  we  may  judge  of  by  the  price  which  was  paid  for  them.  That  price 
was  no  less  than  the  blood  of  Jesus  ;  and  the  apostle  not  only  styles  it  'precious,' 
but  speaks  of  it  as  infinitely  preferable  to  every  thing  which  is  '  corruptible. 'd  We 
may,  in  some  measure,  also,  take  an  estimate  of  the  value  of  salvation  by  the  worth 
and  excellency  of  the  soul,  and  by  its  being  conducive  to  promote  its  eternal  wel- 
fare.— Again,  we  are  to  consider  every  saving  blessing  as  the  fruit  and  result 
of  everlasting  love,  and  as  the  consequence  of  God's  eternal  design,  in  having 
chosen  those  who  are  the  objects  of  his  love  to  salvation  in  Christ.6    We  must  also 

x  Zech.  xii.  10,  et  «eq.  y  Joel  ii.  13,  17.  z  Hosea  xiv.  1—3,  8.  a  Rom.  iii.  19. 

b  I'sal.  lxv.  1,  2.  c  lsa.  xlv.  19.  (1  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19.  e  Jtr.  xxxi.  3. 


584  HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

consider  the  mercies  of  salvation  as  discriminating,  or  that  God,  in  bestowing  them, 
distinguishes  his  people  from  the  world,  and  glorifies  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  those 
who  deserve  to  have  been  for  ever  the  monuments  of  his  wrath. — Again,  we  might 
here  consider  as  an  inducement  to  the  grace  of  thankfulness,  the  aggravations  of 
the  sin  of  ingratitude.  This  sin  is  a  virtual  disowning  of  our  obligation  to  God, 
or  dependence  on  him  from  whom  we  receive  all  mercies  ;  and  a  behaving  of  our- 
selves as  if  we  were  not  indebted  to  him  for  them,  or  could  be  happy  without  him, 
or  as  if  we  were  self-sufficient,  and  did  not  look  upon  him  as  the  fountain  of  bless- 
edness. It  is  also  a  refusing  to  give  him  the  glory  of  his  wisdom,  power,  goodness, 
and  faithfulness,  which  are  eminently  displayed  in  the  blessings  which  he  bestows. 
It  is  likewise  unaccordant  with  the  large  expectations  we  have  of  the  blessings  he 
has  reserved  for  his  people,  or  promised  to  them,  or  that  hope  which  he  has  laid 
up  for  them  in  heaven.  Hence  we  cannot  but  conclude  that  ingratitude  argues  a 
person  destitute  of  holiness  ;  which  eminently  discovers  itself  in  the  exercise  of 
thankfulness.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  joins  ingratitude  and  unholiness  together, 
when  speaking  of  the  vilest  of  men,  whom  he  styles,  '  unthankful,  unholy. 'f 

3.  Another  grace  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  is  faith.  This  implies  an  habitual 
disposition  of  soul,  proceeding  from  a  principle  of  regenerating  grace,  whereby  we 
are  led  to  commit  ourselves  and  all  our  concerns  into  Christ's  hands,  depending  on 
his  merits  and  mediation  for  the  supply  of  all  our  wants,  considering  him  as  having 
purchased,  and  as  being  authorized  to  apply,  all  the  benefits  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  which  are  the  subject  of  our  supplications.  More  particularly,  faith  exerts 
and  discovers  itself  in  prayer,  by  encouraging  the  soul,  and  giving  it  an  holy  bold- 
ness to  draw  nigh  to  God,  notwithstanding  our  great  unworthiness.  If  we  are 
afraid  to  come  into  the  presence  of  an  holy  God  ;  if  destruction  from  him  is  a  ter- 
ror to  us  ;  if  the  threatenings  he  has  denounced  against  sinners,  such  as  we  know 
ourselves  to  be,  discourage  us  from  drawing  nigh  to  him,  so  that  we  are  ready  to 
say  with  Job,  '  Therefore  am  I  troubled  at  his  presence  ;  when  I  consider,  I  am 
afraid  of  him  ;'£  if  his  almighty  power,  which  can  easily  sink  us  into  perdition,  over- 
whelms our  spirits,  and  fills  us  with  the  utmost  distress  and  confusion,  so  that  we 
cannot  draw  nigh  to  him  in  prayer,  considering  him  as  an  absolute  God  ;  we  are 
encouraged  by  faith  to  look  upon  him  as  our  covenant  God  and  Father  in  Christ, 
*  and  then  all  his  divine  perfections  afford  relief  to  us.  His  sin-revenging  justice  is 
regarded  by  faith,  as  fully  satisfied  by  Christ's  obedience  and  sufferings  ;  so  that 
it  will  not  demand  that  satisfaction  at  our  hands  which  it  has  already  received  from 
our  Surety,  who  was  '  made  sin  for  us'  though  he  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.'h  His  infinite  power  is  no  longer  looked 
upon  as  engaged  to  destroy  us,  but  rather  as  engaged  to  succour  us  under  all  our 
weakness  ;  so  that,  as  Job  says,  '  He  will  not  plead  against  us  with  his  great  power ; 
no,  but  he  will  put  strength  in  us.n  We  consider  it  as  ready  to  support  us  under 
the  heaviest  pressures,  and  to  enable  us  to  perform  the  most  difficult  duties,  and  to 
overcome  all  our  spiritual  enemies,  who  would  be  otherwise  too  strong  for  us. 
Hence,  this  attribute  is  so  far  from  discouraging  us  from  drawing  nigh  to  God  in 
prayer,  that,  by  faith,  we  behold  it  as  delighting  to  exert  and  glorify  itself,  in  do- 
ing those  great  things  for  us  which  we  have  in  view  when  we  engage  in  this  duty. 

Faith  farther  discovers  itself  in  prayer,  by  enabling  us  to  plead,  and  apply  to 
ourselves,  the  great  and  precious  promises  which  God  has  given  to  his  people  in  the 
gospel.  As  prayer  cannot  subsist  without  a  promise,  so  we  are  enabled  by 
faith  to  apprehend  and  plead  the  promises,  and  to  say,  'Remember  the  word 
unto  thy  servant,  upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.'k  By  faith  we 
look  upon  God  as  ready  to  bestow  the  blessings  which  he  has  promised,  and  upon 
his  faithfulness  as  engaged  to  make  them  good.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  Hear 
my  prayer,  0  Lord  ;  give  ear  to  my  supplications  ;  in  thy  faithfulness  answer  me, 
and  in  thy  righteousness.'1  There  is  nothing  that  we  want,  or  ought  to  pray  for, 
but  there  are  some  promises  contained  irj  the  word  of  God  which  faith  improves 
and  takes  encouragement  from,  in  this  duty.  As  what  we  pray  for  respects  either 
temporal  blessings,    or  those   which  are  spiritual  and  eternal,    these  are  looked 

f  2  Tim.  iii.  2.  g  Job  xxi  i.  15.  h  2  Cor.  v.  21. 

i  Job  xxiii.  6.  k  Psal.  cxix.  49.  1  Psal.  cxliii.  1. 


HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE    MADE.  585 

upon  by  faith  as  promised.  Accordingly,  the  apostle  says,  '  Godliness  has  the  pro- 
mise of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.'m  That  there  are  promises 
on  which  faith  rests  might  be  very  largely  insisted  on,  and  many  instances  might 
be  given  of  them  in  scripture  ;  but  1  shall  more  especially  consider  those  promises 
which  respect  God's  enabling  us  to  pray,  and  his  hearing  and  answering  our  pray- 
ers, which  faith  lays  hold  on  and  improves,  in  order  to  our  performing  this  duty  in 
a  right  manner.  Thus  there  are  promises  of  the  Spirit's  assistance  to  enable  us  to 
pray.  This  the  apostle  calls  his  '  making  intercession  for  us,  according  to  the  will 
of  God.'n  And  our  Saviour  says,  '  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  to  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?'°  There  are  also  promises  which  respect  God's  hear- 
ing and  answering  prayer.  Thus  it  is  said,  4  In  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  will  call 
upon  thee  ;  for  thou  wilt  answer  me  ;'p  and,  *  God  will  regard  the  prayer  of  the  des- 
titute, and  not  despise  their  prayer. 'i  That  God  will  hear  and  answer  prayer  is 
considered  as  of  very  large  extent.  Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  Whatsoever  ye  ask 
the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you  ;'r  and,  '  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my 
words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you.'* 
These  universal  expressions  of  God's  giving  believers  'what  they  will,'  are  to^be 
understood  of  his  granting  their  lawful  and  regular  desires.  Indeed,  faith  will 
never  ask  any  thing  but  what  tends  to  the  glory  of  God  ;  and  it  presents  its  requests 
with  an  entire  submission  to  his  will.  Hence,  its  desires  are  always  fulfilled  ; 
though  it  is  far  otherwise  with  respect  to  those  prayers  which  are  not  put  up  in  faith. 
Moreover,  God  has  promised  to  hear  and  answer  all  kinds  of  prayer,  provided  they 
proceed  from  this  grace.  In  particular,  he  promises  to  hear  united  prayers  in  the 
assemblies  of  his  saints  ;  as  he  says  to  Solomon,  after  the  dedication  of  the  temple, 
'  Mine  eyes  shall  be  open,  and  mine  ears  attent  unto  the  prayer  that  is  made  in  this 
place.'  *  He  also  promises  to  hear  those  prayers  which  are  put  up  to  him  in  families. 
Where  a  small  number,  though  it  be  but  'two  or  three,'  are  joined  together,  Christ 
has  promised  to  be  'in  the  midst  of  them,'u  not  only  to  assist  them  in  this  duty,  but 
to  give  them  what  they  ask  for.  There  are  also  promises  made  to  secret  prayer. 
Thus  when  our  Saviour  encourages  people  to  '  pray  to  their  Father,  which  is  in  se- 
cret,' he  tells  them,  'My  Father  which  seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward  thee  openly.'* 
Here  it  will  be  inquired,  whether  it  be  necessary  in  order  to  our  praying  by  faith, 
that  we  be  assured,  at  all  times,  that  our  prayer  shall  be  heard.  We  answer, 
first,  that  it  is  not  our  duty  to  believe  that  every  prayer  shall  be  heard  ;  for  God 
heareth  not  sinners,  that  is,  those  who  are  under  the  reigning  power  of  sin,  and 
consequently  are  destitute  of  the  grace  of  faith  :  nor  will  he  hear  those  prayers 
that  proceed  from  feigned  lips.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart, 
the  Lord  will  not  hear  me.'y  Again,  it  is  not  the  duty  of  those  who  have  the  truth 
of  grace  to  believe  that  their  prayer  shall  be  heard  when,  by  reason  of  their  infir- 
mity, or  the  weakness  of  their  faith,  they  ask  for  that  which  is  unlawful,  and  does 
not  redound  to  the  glory  of  God  and  their  real  good.  Again,  even  if  what  we  pray 
for  may  be  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  redound  to  our  advantage,  it  is  not  our  duty 
to  determine,  with  too  great  peremptoriness,  that  he  will  certainly  grant  what  we 
ask,  immediately,  or  in  the  particular  way  which  we  desire  ;  for  he  may  answer 
prayer,  and  yet  do  it  in  his  own  time  and  way.  Further,  it  is  not  our  duty  to  be- 
lieve assuredly,  that  God  will  give  us  all  the  temporal  blessings  which  we  ask, — 
especially  if  they  be  not  absolutely  necessary  for  us  ;  for  he  may  answer  us  in  value, 
though  not  in  kind,  and  so  give  spiritual  blessings,  instead  of  those  temporal  ones 
which  we  pray  for.  In  this  case  none  will  say  that  he  is  unfaithful  to  his  promise, 
though  we  have  not  those  blessings  in  kind  which  we  desire.  It  is  hence  our  duty, 
and  the  great  concern  of  faith  in  prayer,  to  be  assured  that,  as  God  knows  what  is 
best  for  us,  so  he  will  make  good  his  promises,  in  such  a  way  that  we  shall  have 
no  reason  to  conclude  ourselves  to  have  been  disappointed,  or  that  we  have  asked 
in  faith  but  have  not  obtained. 

m  1  Tim.  iv.  8.  n  Rom.  viii.  27.  o  Luke  xii.  13.  p  Psal.  Ixxxvi.  7. 

q  Psal.  cii.  17.  r  John  xvi.  23.  8  Chap.  xv.  7.  t  2  Chron.  vii.  15. 

u  Matt,  xviii.  20.  x  Chap.  vi.  6.  y  Psal.  lxvi.  18. 

4  E 


586  HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

I  am  sensible  there  is  a  difficulty  in  the  mode  of  expression  used  by  the  apostle 
James,  '  But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  wavering  ;  for  let  not  that  man  think 
that  he  shall  receive  any  thing  of  the  Lord.'2  By  this  language,  the  apostle 
does  not  intend  that  he  who  doubts  whether  his  prayer  shall  be  answered,  cannot 
be  said,  in  any  sense,  to  pray  in  faith.  For,  as  assurance  of  our  salvation  is  not 
of  the  essence  of  faith,  so  that  faith  cannot  subsist  without  it ;  so  assurance,  or  a 
firm  persuasion  that  the  very  thing  we  ask  shall  be  given,  is  not  such  an  essential 
ingredient  of  faith  in  prayer  as  to  warrant  us  to  determine,  that  for  want  of  it,  we 
shall  receive  nothing  which  is  good  from  the  Lord.  I  conceive,  therefore,  that  the 
apostle,  by  '  wavering,'  in  this  text,  has  reference  to  our  being  in  doubt  about  the 
object  of  faith,  or  to  our  not  being  steadfast  in  the  grace  of  faith,  but  praying 
with  hypocrisy.  For  he  illustrates  it  by  the  similitude  of  '  a  wave  driven  with  the 
wind,'  which  sometimes  moves  one  way,  at  other  times  the  contrary  ;  and  he  far- 
ther explains  it,  when  he  says,  '  A  double-minded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways.'a 
Hence,  the  person  whom  he  describes  as  *  wavering '  is  the  same  with  '  a  double- 
minded  man,'  or  an  hypocrite.  Such  an  one  cannot  ask  in  faith.  The  apostle, 
therefore,  does  not  mean  that  no  one  can  exercise  this  grace  in  prayer,  but  he  who 
has  a  full  assurance  that  his  prayer  shall  be  answered  in  the  particular  way  which 
he  expects. 

It  is  objected  by  some  that  they  have  no  faith  ;  and  as  this  grace  must  be  exer- 
cised in  prayer,  they  are  very  often  discouraged  from  performing  that  duty.  But 
though  the  want  of  a  prepared  frame  of  spirit  for  any  duty,  affords  matter  of  humili- 
ation, it  is  no  excuse  for  the  neglect  of  it.  As  for  prayer,  in  particular,  we  are  to 
wait  on  God  in  it  for  a  prepared  frame  of  spirit,  that,  by  means  of  this,  we  may 
draw  nigh  to  him  in  a  right  manner,  as  well  as  for  a  gracious  answer  from  him. 
Again,  if  we  cannot  bring  glory  to  God  by  a  fiducial  pleading  of  the  promises,  or 
applying  them  to  ourselves  ;  we  must  endeavour  to  glorify  him  by  confessing  our 
guilt  and  unworthiness,  and  acknowledging  that  all  our  help  is  in  him.  Again,  it 
is  possible  for  us  to  have  some  acts  of  faith  in  prayer,  when  we  are  not  sensible  of 
them,  and  even  bewail  our  want  of  this  grace.  Further,  if  none  were  to  pray  but 
those  who  have  faith,  it  would  follow  that  none  must  pray  for  the  first  grace,  which 
supposes  a  person  to  be  in  an  unregenerate  state.  Yet,  such  are  obliged  to  perform 
this  duty  as  well  as  they  can,  and  therein  to  hope  for  that  grace  which  may  enable 
them  to  do  it  as  they  ought. 

It  is  objected  by  others  that,  though  they  dare  not  lay  aside  the  duty  of  prayer, 
yet,  as  they  do  not  experience  those  graces  which  are  necessary  for  the  right  per- 
formance of  it,  nor  any  returns  of  prayer,  they  have  no  satisfaction  in  their  own 
spirits.  But  there  may  be  faith  in  prayer,  and  yet  no  immediate  answer  to  prayer. 
God,  in  answering  prayer,  acts  in  a  way  of  sovereignty  ;  and  he  will  have  his  peo- 
ple know  that  if  he  grants  their  requests,  it  shall  be  in  his  own  time  and  way. 
Hence,  it  is  their  duty  to  wait  for  him  till  he  is  pleased  to  manifest  himself  as  a 
God  hearing  prayer,  and  till,  in  consequence,  the  discouragements  which  at  pre- 
sent they  labour  under  are  removed.  Besides,  there  are  other  ways  by  which  the 
truth  of  grace  is  to  be  judged  of,  besides  our  having  sensible  answers  of  prayer. 
Sometimes,  indeed,  God  may  give  many  intimations  of  his  acceptance  of  us,  though, 
at  present,  we  know  it  not. 

4.  The  next  grace  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  is  love  to  God.  This  implies  an 
earnest  desire  of  his  presence,  delight  in  him,  or  taking  pleasure  in  contemplating 
his  perfections  as  the  most  glorious  and  amiable  object.  Desire  supposes  him,  in 
some  measure,  withdrawn  from  us,  or  that  we  are  not  possessed  of  that  complete 
blessedness  which  is  to  be  enjoyed  in  him ;  and  delight  supposes  him  present,  and, 
in  some  degree,  manifesting  himself  to  us.  Now,  love  to  God,  in  both  these  re- 
spects, is  to  be  exercised  in  prayer.  Is  he  in  any  measure  withdrawn  from  us  ? 
We  are,  with  the  greatest  earnestness,  to  long  for  his  return  to  us,  whose  loving- 
kindness  is  better  than  life.  Is  he  graciously  pleased,  in  any  degree,  to  manifest 
himself  to  us  as  the  fountain  of  all  we  enjoy  or  hope  for  ?  His  doing  so  will  have 
a  tendency  to  excite  our  delight  in  him,  and  induce  us  to  conclude  that  our  happi- 

z  James  i.  6,  7.  a  Ver.  6. 


HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  587 

ness  consists  in  the  enjoyment  of  him.  These  graces  are  to  be  exercised  at  all 
times,  but  more  especially  in  prayer  ;  for  this  is  an  offering  up  of  our  desires  to 
God,  in  which  we  press  after  the  enjoyment  first  of  himself,  and  then  of  his  bene- 
fits. And  as  we  are  to  bless  and  praise  him  for  the  discoveries  we  have  of  his  glory, 
in  and  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  order  to  the  securing  of  our  spiritual 
good  and  advantage  ;  we,  in  doing  so,  express  that  delight  in  him  which  is  the 
highest  instance  of  love. 

5.  Another  grace  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  is  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  In 
practising  this,  we  leave  ourselves  and  our  petitions  in  his  hand,  sensible  that  he 
knows  what  is  best  for  us.  The  submission  required  does  not  include  a  being  in- 
different whether  our  prayers  are  heard  or  not ;  for  to  have  this  feeling  would  be  to 
contradict,  by  the  frame  of  our  spirits,  what  we  express  with  our  lips.  Whatever 
may  be  concluded  to  be  lawful  for  us  to  ask,  as  redounding  to  our  advantage,  and 
as  expressly  promised  by  God,  we  ought  to  request  at  his  hand  in  prayer  ;  and  if  we 
pray  for  it,  we  cannot  but  desire  that  our  prayer  may  be  heard  and  answered. 
Now,  this  desire  is  not  opposed  to  that  submission  to  the  divine  will  which  we  are 
speaking  of,  provided  we  leave  it  to  God  to  do  what  he  thinks  best  for  us,  being 
content  that  the  manner  of  his  answering  us,  as  well  as  the  time  of  his  bestowing 
those  blessings  which  we  want,  together  with  the  degree  of  them,  especially  if  they 
are  of  a  temporal  nature,  ought  to  be  resolved  into  his  sovereign  will.  Thus  con- 
cerning the  graces  which  we  are  to  exercise  in  prayer. 

Requisites  to  the  Graces  which  are  to  be  exercised  in  Prayer. 

There  are  some  things  mentioned  in  this  Answer,  which  are  necessary  to  our 
exercising  the  graces  of  which  we  have  been  speaking.  These  are  the  enlighten- 
ment of  our  minds,  the  enlargement  of  our  hearts,  and  our  having  sincerity  in  the 
inward  part. 

1.  There  must  be  some  degree  of  understanding.  Ignorance  is  so  far  from  being, 
as  the  Papists  pretend,  the  mother  of  devotion,  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  ex- 
ercise of  those  graces  with  which  we  ought  to  draw  nigh  to  God  in  prayer.  The 
affections,  indeed,  may  be  moved,  where  there  is  but  a  very  little  knowledge  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  gospel ;  but  they  will  at  the  same  time  be  misled.  Nor,  in  such 
a  case,  can  raised  affections  any  more  be  called  religious  devotion,  than  the  words 
or  actions  of  one  who  is  in  a  frenzy,  can  be  called  rational.  Hence,  as  prayer  is 
unacceptable  without  the  exercise  of  grace  ;  so  grace  cannot  be  exercised  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  as  derived  from  the  sacred  treasury  of  scripture.  Here 
we  might  consider,  that  we  must  know  something  of  God  who  is  the  object  of 
prayer,  as  well  as  of  all  other  acts  of  religious  worship.  We  must  also  know  some- 
thing of  Christ  the  Mediator,  through  whom  we  have  access  to  him,  as  well  as  ac- 
ceptance with  him;  and  something  of  the  work  and  glory  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  on 
wh^m  we  are  to  depend  for  his  assistance  vn  presenting  our  supplications  to  God. 
We  must  know  our  necessities,  otherwise  we  cannot  tell  what  to  ask  for  ;  and  also 
the  promises  of  the  gospel,  otherwise  we  cannot  be  encouraged  to  hope  for  an  answer. 

2.  In  order  to  our  exercising  grace  in  prayer,  we  must  have  some  degree  of  en- 
largedness  of  heart.  By  enlargedness  of  heart  is  meant  that  state  of  mind  in  which 
every  thing  tending  to  contract  our  affections,  abate  the  fervency  of  our  spirits,  or 
hinder  that  importunity  which  we  ought  to  express  for  the  best  of  blessings,  is  re- 
moved. Now,  our  hearts  may  be  said  to  be  enlarged  in  prayer,  when  we  draw 
nigh  to  God  in  this  duty  with  delight  and  earnest  longing  after  his  presence,  and 
an  interest  in  his  love,  which  we  reckon  preferable  to  all  other  blessings ;  when  we 
are  affected  with  a  becoming  sense  of  his  glorious  perfections,  and  our  own  nothing- 
ness, in  order  to  our  adoring  him,  and  coming  before  him  with  the  greatest  humil- 
ity ;  when  we  have  suitable  promises  given  in,  and  are  enabled* to  plead  them  with 
a  degree  of  hope,  arising  from  the  goodness  and  faithfulness  of  God,  that  he  will 
fulfil  them,  more  especially  as  we  draw  nigh  to  him  as  to  a  covenant-God ;  and 
when  our  thoughts  and  affections  are  engaged  without  wandering,  weariness,  or 
lukewarmness,  and  filled  with  importunity,  agreeable  to  the  importance  of  the 
duty,  and  our  absolute  need  of  the  blessings  we  pray  for. 


/>88  HOW  PRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE. 

3.  In  order  to  our  exercising  those  graces  which  are  necessary  for  our  drawing 
nigh  to  God  aright  in  prayer,  we  must  have  sincerity  of  heart.  This  includes 
much  more  than  what  is  generally  so  called,  as  opposed  to  dissimulation  in  those 
who  perform  some  good  actions  merely  to  be  seen  of  men,  or  who  take  up  religion 
to  answer  some  base  and  vile  end  which  they  have  in  view.  In  this  respect  a  sin- 
cere person  is  one  who  is  no  dissembler.  But  the  sincerity  which  we  are  speaking 
of,  consists  in  a  person's  acting  from  a  principle  of  grace  implanted  in  regeneration, 
or  in  his  being  able  to  appeal  to  God,  as  Job  does,  '  Thou  knowest  that  I  am  not 
wicked  ;'b  that  is,  that  there  is  no  reigning  sin,  whereby  my  heart  is  alienated  from 
thee,  or  set  against  thee.  A  sincere  person  is  such  an  one  as  our  Saviour  describes, 
when  he  speaks  of  Nathanael,  and  gives  him  this  character :  '  Behold  an  Israelite 
indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile. 'c  In  this  case,  a  person's  heart  and  actions  go  toge- 
ther ;  and  he  may  truly  say,  as  David  does,  '  Attend  unto  my  cry,  give  ear  unto 
my  prayer,  that  goeth  not  out  of  feigned  lips. ' d  Thus  concerning  the  graces  which 
are  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  and  what  is  necessary  in  order  to  our  exercising  them. 

Perseverance  in  Prayer. 

What  is  farther  observed  concerning  prayer,  is  that  we  are  to  persevere  in  it ; 
resolving  not  to  desist  from  waiting  on  God  in  it,  whatever  seeming  discourage- 
ments may,  at  present,  lie  in  our  way.  Prayer  is  not  a  duty  to  be  perfomed  only 
at  some  certain  times ;  as  the  prophet  speaks  of  those  who,  '  in  their  affliction,  will 
seek  God  early  ;'e  or,  as  the  mariners  in  Jonah,  who  '  cried,  every  man  unto  his 
god,'  in  a  storm,  though  it  is  probable  they  seldom  prayed  at  other  times. f  But 
we  are  to  '  pray  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication,  and  to  watch  thereunto 
with  all  perseverance  ;'&  that  is,  we  ought  always  to  endeavour  to  be  in  a  pray- 
ing frame,  and  on  all  occasions  to  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God  for  direction,  assist- 
ance, and  success  in  every  thing  we  do  agreeably  to  his  will,  and  for  a  supply  of 
those  wants  which  daily  recur  upon  us. 

There  are  various  discouragements  in  our  way  which,  through  our  unbelief,  and 
the  prevalency  of  corruption,  often  prevent  our  going  on  in  this  duty.  Thus  we 
are  sometimes  discouraged  from  persevering  in  prayer,  by  reason  of  the  deadness 
and  stupidity  of  our  spirits,  which  we  cannot  bring  into  a  suitable  frame  for  the 
discharge  of  this  duty  ;  and  therefore  we  are  ready  to  conclude  that,  while  we  draw 
nigh  to  God  with  our  lips,  our  hearts  are  far  from  him.  This  is,  indeed,  a  very 
afflictive  case  ;  but  we  ought  not  to  take  occasion  from  it  to  lay  aside  the  duty, 
but  ought  rather  to  depend  on  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit,  to  enable  us  to  perform  it 
in  a  right  manner. 

Another  discouraging  circumstance  is,  God's  denying  us  sensible  returns  of 
prayer.  This  he  may  do  for  various  reasons.  Sometimes  he  sees  defects  in 
prayer,  which  he  is  obliged  to  testify  his  displeasure  against ;  and  this  he  some- 
times does  by  hiding  himself,  or,  as  it  were,  withdrawing  from  us,  and,  in  all  ap- 
pearance, shutting  out  our  prayers,  that  we  may  take  occasion  to  search  out  the 
secret  sin  which  lies  at  the  root  of  our  defects,  and  confess  it,  and  be  humbled  for 
it.  Thus  when  Joshua,  after  a  small  defeat  which  Israel  had  received  by  the  men 
of  Ai,  fell  upon  his  face,  and  spread  the  matter  before  the  Lord  in  prayer,  God  con- 
descends to  tell  him  the  reason  of  the  defeat,  '  Get  thee  up  ;  wherefore  liest  thou 
thus  upon  thy  face  ?  Israel  hath  sinned,  and  they  have  also  transgressed  my  cove- 
nant which  I  commanded  them  ;  for  they  have  even  taken  of  the  accursed  thing  ; 
therefore  could  they  not  stand  before  their  enemies.  'h  And  when  the  sin  was  dis- 
covered, and  Achan  who  troubled  them  was  punished,  what  he  asked  for  was  granted. 
Again,  God  may  deny  an  immediate  answer  of  prayer,  out  of  his  mere  sovereignty, 
in  order  that  we  may  know  that  it  is  not  for  us  to  prescribe  to  him  the  time  or  way 
in  which  he  shall  dispense  those  benefits,  which  are  not  owing  to  our  merit,  but  his 
own  grace. 

Sometimes  we  pray,  but  do  not  use  other  means,  which  God  has  appointed  for 

b  Job  x.  7.  c  Jolm  i.  47.  d  Psal.  xvii.  I.  e  Hoi.  v.  15. 

f  Jonah  i.  5.  g  Epb.  vi.  id.  a  Josh.  vii.  10—12. 


HOW  TRAYER  IS  TO  BE  MADE.  589 

obtaining  the  blessing.  Thus  when  Israel  was  disheartened,  being  pursued  by 
Pharaoh  and  his  host,  and  did  not  care  to  move  out  of  their  places,  Moses  ad- 
dressed himself  to  God  for  them  in  prayer  ;  and  '  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Where- 
fore criest  thou  unto  me?  speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  go  forward;' 
and  then  he  ordered  him  to  'lift  up  his  rod  and  stretch  it  over  the  sea,  and  divide 
it,  that  they  might  go  through  the  midst  thereof  on  dry  ground.'1  We  are  not  only 
to  pray,  but  to  use  other  means  which  God  has  appointed  ;  without  which  we  can- 
not expect  that  prayer  should  be  answered.  Thus  Hezekiah,  when  sick,  prayed 
to  God,  who  assured  him  that  he  had  heard  his  prayers,  and  would  heal  him,  but 
that,  nevertheless,  he  was  to  use  the  means  which  God  had  ordered,  by  '  taking  a 
lump  of  figs  and  laying  it  on  the  boil.'  This  he  did  accordingly,  and  was  restored 
to  health. k  Do  we  pray  for  a  comfortable  subsistence  in  the  world  ?  We  must,  if 
we  expect  that  God  should  answer  us,  use  industry  in  our  callings,  as  well  as  own 
him  by  prayer  and  supplications.  Do  we  pray  for  any  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit, 
in  order  to  the  beginning  or  carrying  on  of  the  work  of  sanctification  ?  We  must, 
at  the  same  time,  attend  on  the  means  of  grace,  which  God  has  ordained  for  that 
purpose.  Or  do  we  pray  for  assurance  of  the  love  of  God,  and  for  the  spiritual 
peace  and  comfort  which  are  the  result  of  that  assurance  ?  We  must  be  diligent  in 
the  performance  of  the  work  of  self-examination  ;  else  we  are  not  to  expect  that 
God  will  answer  our  prayers. 

Sometimes  God  delays  to  answer  our  prayers,  because  we  have  not  given  him 
the  glory  of  former  mercies,  or  because  he  designs  to  try  our  patience,  whether  we 
are  inclined,  not  only  to  wait  upon  him,  but  to  wait  for  him.  Thus  the  prophet 
says,  '  I  will  stand  upon  my  watch,  and  set  me  upon  the  tower,  and  will  watch  to 
see  what  he  will  say  unto  me,  and  what  I  shall  answer  when  I  am  reproved.'1  So 
the  psalmist  says,  •  As  the  eyes  of  servants  look  unto  the  hands  of  their  masters,  and 
as  the  eyes  of  a  maiden  unto  the  eyes  of  her  mistress  ;  so  our  eyes  wait  upon  the 
Lord  our  God,  until  that  he  have  mercy  upon  us.'m  And  elsewhere  the  psalmist, 
though  he  was  in  great  depths,  and  stood  in  need  of  an  immediate  answer  when  he 
cried  to  the  Lord,  yet  determines  to  '  wait  for  him,'  and  to  '  hope  in  his  word;' 
that  is,  while  he  is  expecting  a  mercy,  he  does  not  despair  of  having  it  in  the  end, 
because  he  depends  on  God's  word  of  promise.  He  resolves  to  '  wait  as  those  that 
watch  for  the  morning  ;'n  and  he  thus  practises  two  graces,  namely,  patiently  wait- 
ing for  the  blessing  expected,  and  yet  earnestly  desiring  it.  The  practising  of 
these  graces  is  our  indispensable  duty,  whereby  we  glorify  God,  sensible  that  it  is 
not  for  us  to  prescribe  to  him  when  he  should  fulfil  our  desires.  We  ought  to  say, 
with  Jacob,  '  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me  ;'°  that  is,  I  will  perse- 
vere in  prayer  till  thou  art  pleased  to  give  me  all  the  blessings  I  stand  in  need  of, 
and  bring  me  into  that  state  in  which  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  thy  goodness,  and 
my  imperfect  prayers  turned  into  endless  praises. 

i  Exori.  xiv.  15,  16.  k  Isa.  xxiviii.  21.  1  HaR  ii.  1. 

ir.  Pul.  exxiii.  2.  n  Psal.  exxx.  I    5,  6.  o  Gen.  xxxii.  i6 


590  THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER. 


THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER. 

Question  CLXXXVI.   What  rule  hath  God  given  for  our  direction  in  the  duty  of prayer  f 
Answer.  The  whole  word  of  God  is  of  use  to  direct  us  in  the  duty  of  praying ;  hut  the  special 

rule  of  direction  is  that  form  of  prayer  which  our  Saviour  Christ  taught  his  disciples,  commonly 

called  the  Lord's  prayer. 

Question  CLXXXVII.  How  is  the  Lord's  Prayer  to  be  used  f 

Answer.  The  Lord's  Prayer  is  not  only  for  direction,  as  a  pattern  according  to  which  we  are 
to  make  other  prayers,  but  may  also  be  used  as  a  prayer,  so  that  it  be  done  with  understanding, 
faith,  reverence,  and  other  graces  necessary  to  the  right  performance  of  the  duty. 

The  Necessity  of  a  Rule  of  Direction  for  Prayer. 

As  to  what  is  said  in  the  former  of  these  Answers,  concerning  the  word  of  God 
being  a  rule  for  our  direction  in  prayer,  it  may  be  observed  that  we  need  some 
direction  in  order  to  our  performing  this  duty.  Man  is  naturally  a  stranger  to 
both  God  and  himself  ;  he  knows  but  little  of  the  glorious  perfections  of  the  divine 
nature,  and  is  not  duly  sensible  of  the  guilt  which  he  contracts,  or  the  mercies  which 
he  receives  ;  and,  in  consequence,  he  is  at  a  loss  as  to  the  matter  of  the  duty  in  which 
he  is  to  engage.  It  is  certain,  that  many  have  a  general  notion  of  religion,  or  of  some 
moral  duties,  which  they  are  sensible  of  their  being  obliged  to  perform,  and  yet  are 
unable  to  address  themselves  to  God  in  such  a  manner  as  he  requires  ;  so  that  it  may 
truly  be  said  of  them,  that  '  they  cannot  order  their  speech  by  reason  of  darkness. '  v 
We  find  that  the  disciples  themselves,  who  were  intimately  conversant  with  Christ, 
and  who,  as  must  be  supposed,  often  joined  with  him  in  prayer,  were,  notwithstanding, 
at  a  loss  as  to  this  duty  ;  and  therefore  they  said,  '  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John 
also  taught  his  disciples.' i 

The  Word  of  God  the  Bute  of  Direction  for  Prayer. 

It  is  farther  observed  that  the  word  of  God  is  to  be  made  use  of  for  our  direc- 
tion in  prayer.  This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  we  are  to  ask  nothing  but  what 
is  agreeable  to  his  revealed  will,  which  is  contained  in  his  word.  Nor  will  any  one 
who  is  well  acquainted  with  scripture  have  reason  to  say,  that  he  wants  sufficient 
matter  for  prayer.  This  is  a  very  useful  Head ;  and  we  shall  consider  several 
things  in  scripture  which  ought  to  be  improved,  in  order  to  our  direction  and  assist- 
ance in  the  performance  of  this  duty. 

I.  The  historical  parts  of  scripture,  which  contain  an  account  of  the  providences 
of  God  in  the  world  and  the  church,  may  be  of  use  for  our  direction  in  prayer. 
As  we  are  to  pray,  not  only  for  ourselves  but  for  others,  his  former  dealings  with 
his  people  will  furnish  us  with  matter  accommodated  to  our  observations  of  the 
necessities  of  the  church  of  God  in  our  day. 

1.  We  find,  from  scripture,  that  the  sins  which  a  professing  people  have  committed, 
have  been  followed  with  many  terrible  instances  of  the  divine  wrath  and  vengeance. 
Thus  we  have  an  account  of  the  universal  apostacy  of  the  world  from  God,  which 
occasioned  their  being  destroyed  by  a  flood  ;  of  the  unnatural  lusts  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Sodom,  for  which  they  were  consumed  by  fire  from  heaven  ;  and  of  the 
idolatry  and  other  vile  abominations  committed  by  the  Israelites,  for  which  '  God 
was  wroth,  and  greatly  abhorred  them,'  and  they  were  exposed  to  many  temporal 
and  spiritual  judgments,  so  that,  as  the  psalmist  says,  '  He  forsook  the  tabernacle 
of  Shiloh,  the  tent  which  he  placed  among  men  ;  and  delivered  his  strength  into 
captivity,  and  his  glory  into  the  enemy's  hand.'1"  We  may  hence  take  occasion  to 
inquire  whether  we  have  not  been  guilty  of  sins  equally  great,  and,  it  may  be,  of  the 
same  kind  ;  which  are  to  be  confessed,  and  the  judgments  entailed  by  them  to  be  de- 
precated. In  the  New  Testament,  also,  we  read  of  some  flourishing  churches,  planted 
by  the  apostles  in  the  beginning  of  the  gospel  dispensation,  which  have  nothing  left 

Job  xxxvii.  19.  q  Luke  xi.  1.  r  Psal.  lxxviii.  59 — 61. 


THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER.  591 

but  a  sad  remembrance  of  the  privileges  which  they  once  enjoyed  ;  in  whose  history 
what  Christ  says  concerning  his  removing  'his  candlestick  out  of  its  place,'  was 
soon  fulfilled.8  Now,  the  case  of  these  churches  is  of  use  for  our  direction  in  prayer, 
that  he  would  keep  his  church  and  people  of  the  present  day  from  running  into  the 
same  sins,  and  exposing  themselves  to  the  same  judgments. 

2.  We  have  an  account,  in  scripture,  of  the  church's  increase  and  preservation, 
notwithstanding  the  darkest  dispensations  of  providence,  and  the  most  violent  per- 
secutions from  its  enemies.  When  they  were  in  hard  bondage,  and  severely  dealt 
with  in  Egypt,  it  is  observed  that  ■  the  more  the  Egyptians  afflicted  them,  the  more 
they  multiplied  and  grew  ;'*  and  when  they,  in  all  appearance,  were  nearest  to  ruin, 
God  opened  a  door  for  their  deliverance,  and  often  did  great  things  in  their  behalf, 
which  they  looked  not  for.  We  have  also  an  historical  account  in  scripture  of 
God's  owning  and  encouraging  his  people,  so  long  as  they  kept  close  to  him ;  and 
of  his  visiting  their  iniquities  with  a  rod,  when  backsliding  from  him.  Indeed, 
whatever  we  read  concerning  the  providences  of  God  towards  particular  believers 
in  the  Old  or  New  Testament,  is  of  very  great  use  for  our  direction  in  prayer.  Their 
experiences  are  recorded  for  our  instruction,  and  their  necessities,  that  we  may  know 
what  to  pray  for,  as  far  as  there  is  an  agreement  between  the  account  we  have  of 
them,  and  what  we  find  in  ourselves. 

II.  The  word  of  God,  as  it  is  a  rule  of  faith,  contains  those  great  doctrines,  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  which  we  cannot  pray  aright.  Thus  we  have  an  account  in 
scripture,  not  only  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  God,  which  may  be  known  by 
the  light  of  nature,  but  of  those  glorious  truths  which  cannot  be  known  but  by 
divine  revelation. 

1.  We  have  an  account  of  the  personal  glory  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
The  Father  is  considered  as  giving  all  spiritual  blessings  to  his  chosen  people,  in 
and  through  a  Mediator.  The  Son  is  considered  as  invested  in  this  office  and 
character,  and,  as  God  incarnate,  procuring  for  us,  by  his  obedience  and  death,  for- 
giveness of  sins  and  a  right  to  eternal  life.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  considered  as  a 
divine  person,  and  therefore  equal  with  the  Father  and  Son,  yet  as  subservient  to 
them  in  his  method  of  acting  ;  as  the  application  of  redemption  accomplishes  the 
design  of  the  purchase  of  it,  just  as  the  purchase  of  it  was  a  means  to  bring  about 
that  'purpose  and  grace  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  before  the  world  began.'0 
These  doctrines  are  necessary  to  direct  us  in  those  things  which  respect  the  distinct 
glory  which  we  are  to  give  to  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the 
method  in  which  we  are  to  hope  for  the  blessings  which  we  ask  in  prayer.  The 
apostle,  speaking  of  this  duty,  supposes  that  we  are  acquainted  with  these  doctrines, 
when  he  says,  '  Through  him,'  that  is,  Christ,  'we  have  access  by  one  Spirit 
unto  the  Father.' x 

2.  In  the  word  of  God,  we  have  not  only  an  account  of  the  works  of  nature  and 
providence,  or  of  God's  being  the  Creator  and  Governor  of  the  world,  which  we 
have  some  knowledge  of  by  reasoning  from  the  divine  perfections  ;  but  we  have 
an  account  of  those  works  which  have  an  immediate  reference  to  our  salvation,  and 
of  that  special  providence  in  which  God  expresses  a  greater  regard  to  the  heirs  of 
salvation  than  to  all  the  world  besides.  When  we  draw  nigh  to  God  in  prayer,  we 
are  to  consider  him  as  the  God  to  whom  we  owe,  not  only  our  being  as  men,  but 
our  well-being  as  Christians,  delivered  from  that  ruin  which  we  brought  on  ourselves 
by  our  apostacy  from  him.  We  are  also,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it  in  his  affec- 
tionate prayer  for  the  church  at  Ephesus,  to  consider  '  what  is  the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  his  power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty 
power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead.'?  And 
when  we  survey  the  works  of  providence,  we  are  not  merely  to  think  of  God  as  the 
Governor  of  the  world  in  general,  but  to  consider  what  have  been  those  special  acts 
of  providence  by  which  he  has  governed  man  before  and  since  the  fall.  Accord- 
ingly, we  are  to  consider  the  first  covenant  as  made  with  man  in  innocency ;  and 
the  covenant  of  grace  as  a  dispensation  of  grace,  established  in  and  with  Christ  as 
the  Head  of  the  elect,  in  order  to  their  being  delivered  from  that  state  of  sin  and 

•  Rev.  ii.  5.  t  Exod.  i.  12.  u  2  Tim.  i.  9.  x  Eph.  ii.  la  y  Chap.  i.  18,  19. 


£92  THE   RULE  CF  DIRECTION'   FOR  PRAYER. 

misery  into  which  they,  had  brought  themselves.  These  doctrines  will  be  of  use 
for  our  direction  in  prayer,  as  we  are  led  by  them  to  acknowledge  our  fallen  state, 
what  we  were  by  nature,  and  what  we  should  have  been  had  we  been  left  in  that 
state ;  and  are  also  led  to  adore  the  riches  of  God's  grace,  as  he  brings  the  great- 
est good  to  his  saints  out  of  the  greatest  evil. 

3.  The  word  of  God  gives  us  a  distinct  account  of  the  offices  of  Christ,  as  they 
are  suited  to  the  necessities  of  his  people,  and  also  shows  us  what  we  are  to  ask 
with  a  particular  relation  to  each  of  them,  and  what  hope  we  have  that  he  will 
grant  our  request.  As  he  is  appointed  by  the  Father  to  be  our  High  Priest,  to 
make  atonement  for  sin ;  our  Advocate,  to  plead  our  cause  ;  our  Prophet,  to  lead  us 
in  the  way  of  salvation  ;  and  our  King,  to  subdue  us  to  himself,  and  defend  us 
from  the  assaults  of  our  spiritual  enemies ;  so  we  are,  in  our  prayers,  to  improve 
the  discoveries  made  of  him  in  these  offices,  as  a  means  to  direct  us  as  to  the  sub- 
ject both  of  prayer  and  of  praise. 

III.  The  word  of  God  is  of  use  for  our  direction  in  prayer,  as  we  have  an  account 
in  it  of  the  duties  which  are  to  be  performed  by  us  as  men  or  as  Christians,  in 
every  condition  of  life,  and  in  all  the  relations  which  we  stand  in  to  one  another. 
As  for  duty  in  general,  or  that  obedience  which  we  owe  to  God,  it  cannot  be  per- 
formed but  by  his  assistance  ;  which  is  humbly  to  be  asked  in  prayer.  Accord- 
ingly, we  are  to  say,  as  one  does,  "  Lord,  work  in  me  that  which  thou  requirest, 
and  then  require  what  thou  pleasest."  Here  we  might  show  how  all  the  commands 
which  God  has  given  us  may  be  of  use  to  direct  us  in  prayer,  and  to  lead  us  to 
apply  to  him  that  he  would  enable  us  to  obey  them  ;  how  all  his  prohibitions  of  sin 
may  be  of  use  to  instruct  us  what  to  deprecate,  when  we  pray  that  he  would  keep  us 
from  our  own  iniquities,  and  what  to  confess  before  him,  and  implore  the  forgive- 
ness of ;  and  how  all  those  commands  which  respect  instituted  worship,  or  our  at- 
tendance on  the  ordinances,  and  the  exercise  of  various  graces  in  the  whole  course 
of  our  conversation,  are  of  use  to  direct  us  what  to  ask  in  reference  to  his  worship, 
and  particularly  in  reference  to  the  advantage  we  hope  to  receive  under  the  means 
of  grace,  whenever  we  draw  nigh  to  God  in  the  way  which  he  has  appointed. 

IV.  As  the  word  of  God  contains  many  promises  and  predictions,  together  with 
their  accomplishment,  for  the  encouragement  of  our  faith  and  hope  in  prayer;  it  is 
of  use  to  direct  us  in  the  performance  of  this  duty.  As  for  the  predictions  which 
are  fulfilled,  so  far  as  they  respect  the  blessings  which  God  designed  to  bestow  on 
his  church,  they  are  equivalent  to  promises  ;  and  we  are  to  take  occasion  from 
them  to  adore  and  magnify  his  faithfulness,  and  to  hope  that  whatever  remains  to 
be  done  for  us,  or  for  his  people  in  general,  shall  also  have  its  accomplishment. 

The  promises  which  are  contained  in  scripture,  are  also  a  motive  and  induce- 
ment to  prayer.  They  are  a  declaration  of  God's  will  to  give  the  blessings  which 
he  sees  necessary  for  us  ;  and  therefore  are  of  great  use  in  order  to  our  performing 
this  duty  aright.  Thus  God  gives  an  intimation  of  the  great  things  which  he  will 
do  for  his  people,  or  bestow  upon  them,  when  he  says,  '  I  will  put  my  law  in  their 
inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts,  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be 
my  people.'2  There  are  also  many  expressions  of  a  similar  nature,  which  contain 
the  form  of  a  promise. — But  besides  these,  there  are  passages  which  are  equivalent 
to  promises,  and  may  be  applied  by  us  as  if  they  were  laid  down  in  the  same  form  as 
the  promises  generally  are.  Thus  when  God  is  said,  in  his  word,  to  be  able  to  do 
his  people  good,  or  to  bestow  some  particular  blessings  upon  them,  they  have  ground 
to  conclude  that  he  will  do  it,  or  that  his  power  shall  be  engaged  in  their  behalf. 
Thus  God  is  said  to  '  be  able  to  keep  them  from  falling,  and  to  present  them  fault- 
less before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy.'a  And  elsewhere  it  is 
said,  '  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  towards'  his  people,  'that  they  always, 
having  all  sufficiency  in  all  things,  may  abound  to  every  good  work.'b  This  is  the 
same  as  if  it  had  been  said  that  he  would  do  this  for  them. — Again,  any  scripture 
in  which  God  is  said  to  glorify  any  of  his  perfections  in  giving  those  blessings  which 
his  people  want,  is  also  equivalent  to  a  promise.  Thus,  when  ■  the  Lord  passed 
by  be. ore  Moses,  and  proclaimed,  The  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suf- 

x  Jer.  xxxi.  33.  a  Jude,  ver.  24.  b  2  Cor.  ix.  8. 


THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER.       .  593 

fering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,'0  &c,  it  is  the  same  as  if  he  had  said 
that  lie  would  show  mercy  to  them,  since  the  design  was  to  encourage  them  to 
hope  for  this  blessing. — Further,  whatever  blessings  are  said  to  be  purchased  by 
Christ  as  our  Redeemer,  or  prayed  for  by  him  as  our  Advocate,  may  be  included 
in  the  number  of  promised  blessings  ;  for  they  will  certainly  be  applied  by  him,  who 
will  not  lose  what  he  has  purchased  by  his  blood,  and  is  never  denied  what  he  asks. 
— Again,  the  universal  experience  of  believers,  relating  to  the  blessings  which  ac- 
company salvation,  contains  the  nature,  though  not  the  form,  of  a  promise.  Hence, 
when  this  is  recorded  in  scripture,  for  the  encouragement  of  others  in  all  succeed- 
ing ages,  it  is  as  much  to  be  applied  by  us  when  we  are  in  like  circumstances,  as 
though  it  were  more  directly  promised  to  us.  Thus  when  God's  faithful  servants 
are  said  to  be  'kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation  ;'d  or  when 
the  psalmist  says,  '  I  have  been  young,  and  now  am  old  ;  yet  have  I  not  seen  the 
righteous  forsaken,  nor  his  seed  begging  bread  ;'e  these  and  similar  expressions  are 
to  be  applied  by  us  as  promises. — Again,  that  which  is  proposed  to  us,  or  which 
we  are  to  have  in  view  as  the  end  of  our  attending  on  ordinances,  is  equivalent  to 
a  promise.  Accordingly,  when  we  are  commanded  or  encouraged  to  pray  and  hope 
for  any  spiritual  blessings,  while  waiting  upon  God  in  ordinances  in  the  way  which 
he  requires,  it  is  the  same  as  if  he  had  said  that  he  would  give  us  those  blessings. 
If  a  believer  is  thirsty,  and  encoaraged  to  come  to  the  waters, — if  he  wants  grace 
or  peace,  and  is  told  that  they  are  to  be  attained  in  ordinances  ;  the  mere  intima- 
tion that  we  are  to  seek  these  blessings  in  such  a  way,  is  equivalent  to  a  promise. 
— Further,  God's  seeing  our  distress,  or  knowing  our  wants,  is  sometimes  to  be  un- 
derstood in  scripture  as  containing  the  nature  of  a  promise.  Thus  when  our  Sa- 
viour tells  his  disciples,  *  Your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all 
these  things  ;'f  his  words  are  the  same  as  if  he  had  told  them  that  God  had  pro- 
mised or  designed  to  bestow  those  outward  blessings  upon  them.  And  when  he 
designed  or  promised  to  deliver  his  people  out  of  their  bondage  in  Egypt,  he  says, 
'  I  have  surely  seen  the  affliction  of  my  people  ;  I  know  their  sorrows,  '*  &c. 

Having  thus  shown  the  manner  in  which  the  promises  are  laid  down  in  scripture, 
we  shall  now  consider  how  they  are  to  be  made  use  of  in  order  to  our  direction  and 
encouragement  in  prayer.  Here  it  may  be  observed  that  the  promises  respect 
either  outward  or  spiritual  blessings,  both  of  which  we  are  to  pray  for.  Thus  the 
apostle  says,  '  Godliness  has  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which 
s  to  come.'h  The  former  respects  the  temporal  dispensations  of  providence  ;  the 
latter,  grace  and  glory,  or  the  things  which  accompany  salvation. 

1.  We  shall  consider  the  promises  which  respect  temporal  or  outward  blessings, 
which  we  are  obliged  to  pray  for,  as  we  stand  in  need  of  them.  These  are  of 
various  kinds.  There  are  promises  of  health  and  strength,  whereby  our  passage 
through  this  world  may  be  made  easy  and  comfortable,  and  we  better  enabled  to 
glorify  God  in  the  present  life.  Thus  it  is  said,  *  Fear  the  Lord,  and  depart  from 
evil.  It  shall  be  health  to  thy  navel,  and  marrow  to  thy  bones  ;' '  and,  '  Who  satis- 
fieth  thy  mouth  with  good  things  ;  so  that  thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the  eagle 's.'k 
There  are  promises  of  food  and  raiment,  or  the  necessary  provisions  and  conve- 
niences of  life.  '  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good  ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land, 
and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed.' l  And,  '  He  doth  execute  the  judgment  of  the  father- 
less and  widow,  and  loveth  the  stranger,  in  giving  him  food  and  raiment. 'm  There 
are  promises  of  comfort  and  peace  in  our  dwellings.  '  Thou  shalt  know  that  thy 
tabernacle  shall  be  in  peace  ;  and  thou  shalt  visit  thy  habitation,  and  shalt  not 
sin.'"  And,  *  There  shall  no  evil  befall  thee,  neither  shall  any  plague  come  nigh 
thy  dwelling.'0  And,  '  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going  out,  and  thy  coming  in, 
from  this  time  forth  and  for  evermore. 'p  There  are  promises  of  quiet  and  com- 
posed rest  by  night,  on  our  beds.  '  Thou  shalt  take  thy  rest  in  safety  ;  also  thou 
shalt  lie  down  and  none  shall  make  thee  afraid. 'a  And,  '  When  thou  liest  down, 
thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  ;  yea,  thou  shalt  lie  down,  and  thy  sleep  shall  be  sweet.'' 

c   Exoii.  xxxiv.  4,  6.  '              d  1    Pet.  i.  5.  e  Psal.  xxxvii.  25.                  f  Matt.  vi.  32. 

g  Exod.  iii.  7-                            hi  Tim.  iv.  8.  i  Prov.  iii.  7,  8.  k   Psal.  ciii.  5. 

1    Psal.  xxxvii.  3.                       ni  Deut.  x.  18.  ti  Job  v.  24.  o  Psal.  xci.  10. 

p    Psal.  exxi.  8.                          q  Job  xi.  18,  19.  r  Prov.  iii.  24. 

U.                                                                            4  F 


594  THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYERi 

There  are  promises  of  success  and  a  blessing  in  our  worldly  callings.  '  Thou  shalt 
eat  the  labour  of  thine  hands  ;  happy  shalt  thou  be,  and  it  shall  be  well  with  thee.'  • 
And,  '  Blessed  shall  be  the  fruit  of  thy  body,  and  the  fruit  of  thy  ground,  the  fruit 
of  thy  cattle,  and  the  increase  of  thy  kine,  and  the  flocks  of  thy  sheep.  Blessed 
shall  be  thy  basket  and  thy  store.  The  Lord  shall  open  unto  thee  his  good  trea- 
sure, the  heaven  to  give  the  rain  unto  thy  land,  in  his  season,  and  to  bless  all  the 
work  of  thine  hand.  And  thou  shalt  lend  unto  many  nations,  and  shalt  not  bor- 
row.' *  And,  '  He  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water,  that  bringeth 
forth  his  fruit  in  his  season  ;  his  leaf  also  shall  not  wither,  and  whatsoever  he 
doth  shall  prosper.'11  There  are  promises  of  an  entail  of  blessings  on  our  families. 
*  Thy  wife  shall  be  as  a  fruitful  vine,  by  the  sides  of  thine  house  ;  thy  children 
like  olive-plants  round  about  thy  table.' x  And,  '  The  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  upon  them  that  fear  him ;  and  his  righteousness  unto 
children's  children.'  y  And,  '  The  children  of  thy  servants  shall  continue,  and  their 
seed  shall  be  established  before  thee.'z  And,  f  Instead  of  thy  fathers  shall  be  thy 
children,  whom  thou  mayest  make  princes  in  all  the  earth.'*  I  might  have  men- 
tioned many  more  promises  of  outward  blessings  -which  God  will  bestow  on  his 
people  ;  though  with  the  limitation  that  they  are  subservient  to  his  glory,  and  their 
real  good.  Thus  there  are  promises  respecting  riches,  « Wealth  and  riches  shall 
be  in  his  house  ;  and  his  righteousness  endureth  for  ever  ;'b  and  honours,  '  Them 
that  honour  me  I  will  honour  ;'c  and  long  life,  *  Length  of  days  are  in  her  right 
hand  ;  and  in  her  left  hand  riches  and  honour.'*1  '  What  man  is  he  that  desireth 
life,  and  loveth  many  days,  that  he  may  see  good  ?  Keep  thy  tongue  from  evil, 
and  thy  lips  from  speaking  guile.' e  Or  there  are  promises  that,  if  God  does  not  think 
fit  to  give  his  people  long  life,  he  will  take  them  out  of  the  world  in  mercy,  and 
gather  them  into  a  better,  to  prevent  their  seeing  the  evil  which  he  designs  to 
bring  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  '  The  righteous  is  taken  away  from  the  evil 
to  come.'f  He  has  also  promised  some  blessings  which  respect  their  good  name. 
'  I  will  make  you  a  name  and  a  praise  among  all  the  earth. '8  '  The  memory  of  the 
just  is  blessed.'11 

But  what  I  shall  principally  add  concerning  outward  blessings,  is  that  God  has 
promised,  not  only  that  he  will  give  them  to  his  people,  but  that  he  will  sanctify 
them  to  them  for  their  spiritual  advantage,  and  that  he  will  enable  them  to  im- 
prove them  aright  to  his  glory,  so  that  the  blessings  shall  become  more  sweet  and 
desirable.  Thus  God  has  promised  that  he  will  free  his  people,  who  enjoy  outward 
good  things,  from  the  sorrow  which  is  often  mixed  with  them,  and  which  tends 
greatly  to  embitter  them.  '  The  blessing  of  the  Lord,  it  maketh  rich,  and  he 
addeth  no  sorrow  with  it.'1  He  has  also  promised  to  give  them  inward  peace,  to- 
gether with  outward  prosperity.  '  The  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth,  and  shall  de- 
light themselves  in  the  abundance  of  peace. 'k  Again,  he  has  promised  to  give  them 
spiritual  and  heavenly  blessings,  together  with  the  good  things  of  this  life.  '  Thou 
shalt  lay  up  gold  as  dust,  and  the  gold  of  Ophir  as  the  stones  of  the  brooks.  Yea, 
the  Almighty  shall  be  thy  defence,  and  thou  shalt  have  plenty  of  silver.  For  then 
shalt  thou  have  thy  delight  in  the  Almighty,  and  shalt  lift  up  thy  face  unto  God.'1 
'  Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence  of  mine  enemies  ;  thou  anointest 
mine  head  with  oil,  my  cup  runneth  over.  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  fol- 
low me  all  the  days  of  my  life  ;  and  I  will,'  or,  I  shall,  '  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  for  ever.'™  Again,  God  has  promised,  together  with  outward  blessings,  to  give 
a  thankful  heart,  whereby  his  people  may  be  enabled  to  give  him  the  glory  of  what 
they  enjoy.  '  When  thou  hast  eaten  and  art  full,  then  thou  shalt  bless  the  Lord 
thy  God,  for  the  good  land  which  he  hath  given  thee.'n  '  Ye  shall  eat  in  plenty, 
and  be  satisfied,  and  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord  your  God,  that  hath  dealt  won- 
drously  with  you  ;  and  my  people  shall  never  me  ashamed.'0  Further,  he  has  pro- 
mised, not  only  that  he  will  confer  outward  good  things  on  his  people,  but  that  he 

s  Psal.  cxxviii.  2.  t  Deut.  xxviii.  4,  5,  12.  u  Psal.  i.  3.  x  Psal.  cxxviii.  3. 

y  Psal.  ciii.  17.  z  PshI.  cii.  28.  a  Psal.  xlv.  16.  b  Psal.  cxii.  3. 

c  1  Srtm.  ii.  30.  <1  Prov.  iii.  17.  e  Psal.  xxxiv.  12  13.     f  Isa.  lvii.  I. 

g  Zeph.  iii.  20.  h   Prov.  x.  7.  i  Chap.  x.  22.  k  Psal.  xxxvii.  11. 

I  Job  xxii.  24 — 26.  m  Psal.  xxiii.  5,  6.  n  Deut.  viii.  10.  o  Joel  ii.  26. 


THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER.  505 

will  make  them  blessings  to  others,  and  enable  them  to  lay  out  what  he  gives  them 
ior  their  good,  to  support  lite  cause  and  gospel  in  the  world,  and  to  relieve  those 
who  are  in  distress.  '  I  will  hless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great  ;  and  thou  shalt 
be  a  blessing. 'p  '  Thou  shalt  rejoice  in  every  good  thing  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
hath  given  unto  thee  and  unto  thine  house,  thou  and  the  Levite,  and  the  stranger 
that  is  among  you.'i  These  promises  more  especially  respect  those  who  are  in  a 
prosperous  condition  in  the  world. 

But  there  are  others  which  are  made  to  believers,  in  an  afflicted  state.  Indeed, 
there  is  scarcely  any  affliction  to  which  they  are  liable,  but  what  has  some  special 
promises  annexed  to  it.  There  are  promises  made  to  believers  when  lying  on  a  sick- 
bed '  The  Lord  will  strengthen  him  upon  the  bed  of  languishing  ;  thou  wilt  make 
all  his  bed  in  his  sickness.'1"  '  The  Lord  will  take  away  from  thee  all  sickness,  and 
will  put  none  of  the  evil  diseases  of  Egypt,  which  thou  knowest,  upon  thee  ;  but 
will  lay  them  upon  all  that  hate  thee.'s  '  I  will  take  sickness  away  from  the  midst 
of  thee.''  There  are  promises  made  to  believers,  when  poor  and  low  in  the  world. 
1 1  will  abundantly  bless  her  provision  ;  I  will  satisfy  her  poor  with  bread. 'u  There 
are  promises  which  respect  God's  giving  a  full  compensation  for  all  the  losses  which 
his  people  have  sustained  for  Christ's  sake.  '  Every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses, 
or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands  for  my 
name's  sake,  shall  receive  an  hundred-fold,  and  shall  inherit  life  everlasting.' x 
'  He  that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  name's 
sake  shall  find  it.'?  There  are  promises  made  to  believers  under  oppression.  '  For 
the  oppression  of  the  poor,  for  the  sighing  of  the  needy,  now  will  I  arise,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  I  will  set  him  in  safety  from  him  that  puffeth  at  him.'2  '  In  thee  the  father- 
less findeth  mercy.'  a  '  A  father  of  the  fatherless,  and  a  judge  of  the  widows,  is 
God  in  his  holy  habitation.'  b  There  are  promises  made  to  believers  when  reviled 
and  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake.  '  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you, 
and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely  for  my 
name's  sake.  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven. 'c 
'  Wherefore  let  them  that  suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  commit  the  keeping 
of  their  souls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator.'*1  There  are  pro- 
mises made  to  God's  people,  when  they  are  in  distress,  and  at  present  see  no  way 
of  escape.  Thus  when  Jeremiah  was  shut  up  in  the  court  of  the  prison,  he  had 
this  promise  given  him :  '  Call  unto  me,  and  I  will  answer  thee,  and  show  thee 
great  and  mighty  things,  which  thou  knowest  not.'e  There  are  promises  suited  to 
the  condition  of  God's  people,  when  their  lot  is  cast  in  perilous  times.  Thus  it  is 
said,  '  When  thoupassest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee  ;  and  through  the 
rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee.  When  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou 
shalt  not  be  burnt,  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee.'f 

Now,  there  are  several  mercies  which  God  has  promised  to  his  people,  under  the 
various  afflictions  to  which  they  are  exposed.  Sometimes  he  promises  to  prevent 
the  afflictions  which  we  are  most  afraid  of.  '  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thee  from 
all  evil;  he  shall  preserve  thy  soul  ;'&  'He  shall  deliver  thee  in  six  troubles;  yea, 
in  seven  there  shall  no  evil  touch  thee.'h  He  has  promised  to  preserve  his  people 
from  a  time  of  trouble,  or  defend  them  in  it.  '  Fear  not,  Abram,  I  am  thy  shield, 
and  thy  exceeding  great  reward.'1  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  although  I  have  cast 
them  afar  off  among  the  heathen  ;  and  although  I  have  scattered  them  among  the 
countries  ;  yet  will  I  be  to  them  as  a  little  sanctuary  in  the  countries  where  they 
shall  come.' k  He  has  promised  to  moderate  their  afflictions.  '  In  measure  when 
it  shooteth  forth,  thou  wilt  debate  with  it ;  he  stayeth  his  rough  wind  in  the  day 
of  his  east  wind.'1  'Fear  thou  not,  0  Jacob  my  servant,  saith  the  Lord;  for 
1  am  with  thee,  for  I  will  make  a  full  end  of  all  the  nations  whither  I  have  driven 
thee,  but  I  will  not  make  a  full  end  of  thee,  but  correct  thee  in  measure  ;  yet 
will  not  I  leave  thee  wholly  unpunished.'™1     He  has  promised  that,  if  need  be, 

p  Gen.  xii.  2.                       q  Deut.  xxvi.  11.  r  Psal.  xli.  3.  s  Deut.  vii.  15. 

t  Exod.  xxiii.  25.                u  Psal.  cxxxii.  15.  x  Matt.  xix.  29.  y  Chap.  x.  39. 

z  Psal.  xii.  5.                       a  Hos.  xiv.  3.  b  Psal.  Ixviii.  5.  e  Matt.  v.  11,  12. 

d  1  Pet.  iv.  19.                   e  Jer.  xxxiii.  3.  f  Isa.  xliii.  2.  g  Psal.  cxxi.  7. 

h  Job  v.  19.  i  Gen.  xv.  1.        k  Ezek.  xi.  16.        1  Isa.  xxvii.  8.  m  Jer.  xlvi.  28. 


596  THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION   FOR  PRAYER. 

ho  will  shorten  their  afflictions.  '  The  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  re«t  upon 
the  lot  of  the  righteous ;  lest  the  righteous  put  forth  their  hands  unto  ini- 
quity.'n  '  In  those  days  shall  be  affliction,  such  as  was  not  from  the  beginning 
of  the  creation.  And  except  that  the  Lord  had  shortened  those  days,  no  flesh 
should  be  saved ;  but  for  the  elect's  sake,  whom  he  hath  chosen,  lie  hath  shortened 
the  days.'0  He  has  promised  his  people  that  he  will  enable  them  to  bear  the  afflic- 
tions which  he  lays  upon  them.  '  Though  he  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast 
down  ;  for  the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with  his  hand.'P  He  said  unto  me,  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee  ;  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness.'0*  He  has  pro- 
mised to  show  his  people  the  particular  sin  which  is  the  cause  of  their  aftiiciion, 
that  they  may  be  humbled  for  it.  '  If  they  be  bound  in  fetters,  and  be  holden  in 
cords  of  affliction  ;  then  he  showeth  them  their  work  and  their  transgressions  that 
they  have  exceeded. 'r  He  has  promised  to  bring  good  to  them  out  of  their  afflic- 
tions. '  By  this  therefore  shall  the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged  ;  and  this  is  all 
the  fruit  to  take  away  his  sin.'8  '  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness 
for  the  upright  in  heart.'*  '  I  will  bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire,  and  will 
refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try  them  as  gold  is  tried.  They  shall  call 
on  my  name,  and  I  will  hear  them.  I  will  say,  that  it  is  my  people  ;  and  they 
shall  say,  Thou  art  my  God.'u  Thus  concerning  the  promises  which  more  espe- 
cially respect  outward  blessings  which  God  bestows  on  his  people. 

2.  There  are  promises  contained  in  scripture  which  relate  more  especially  to 
spiritual  blessings ;  and  these  are  of  great  use  to  us  when  we  are  asking  such  bless- 
ings of  God  in  prayer. 

There  are  promises  which  relate  more  especially  to  the  ordinances  or  means 
of  grace.  These  are  various.  Some  respect  the  duty  of  prayer,  and  the  success 
which  shall  follow,  in  God's  giving  gracious  returns  01  answers  to  it.  '  He  shall 
call  upon  me,  and  I  will  answer  him.'*  '  Then  shall  ye  call  upon  me,  and  ye 
shall  go  and  pray  unto  me,  and  I  will  hearken  unto  you.  And  ye  shall  seek  me,  and 
find  me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  me  with  all  your  heart. '*  '  Call  upon  me  in  the 
day  of  trouble  ;  I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me.'z  Another  ordi- 
nance to  which  promises  are  annexed,  is  meditation  about  spiritual  things.  '  Mercy 
and  truth  shall  be  to  them  that  devise  good.'3  '  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  de- 
part out  of  thy  mouth  ;  but  thou  shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night,  that  thou 
mayest  observe  to  do  according  to  all  that  is  written  therein  ;  for  then  thou  shalt 
make  thy  way  prosperous,  and  then  thou  shalt  have  good  success.'0  To  those  also 
who  read  the  word  of  God,  there  are  promises  made  that  he  will  make  known  his 
words  to  them,  so  that  they  may  understand  them.  *  Turn  you  at  my  reproof. 
Behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you,  I  will  make  known  my  words  unto 
you.'c  There  are  promises  made  to  those  who  attend  on  the  public  worship  of 
God.  '  They  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  thy  house  ;  and  thou 
shalt  make  them  drink  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures.'*1  '  The  Lord  shall  bless  thee 
out  of  Zion  ;  and  thou  shalt  see  the  good  of  Jerusalem  all  the  days  of  thy  life.'6 
There  are  promises  made  to  religious  fasting  on  special  occasions.  '  When  thou 
fastest,  anoint  thine  head,  and  wash  thy  face,  that  thou  appear  not  unto  men  to 
fast,  but  unto  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret 
shall  reward  thee  openly.' f  There  are  promises  made  to  almsgiving.  '  The  liberal 
soul  shall  be  made  fat ;  and  he  that  watereth  shall  be  watered  also  himself.  **  '  Cast 
thy  bread  upon  the  waters  ;  for  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many  days.'h  "  He  that  soweth 
bountifully  shall  also  reap  bountifully.  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver,  and  is  able 
to  make  all  grace  abound,'1  &c.  There  are  promises  made  to  believers  when  they 
appear  in  behalf  of  truth,  at  times  when  it  is  opposed  and  perverted,  that  it  shall 
not  be  run  down,  nor  they  confounded  or  put  to  silence  by  its  enemies.  '  I  will  give 
you  a  mouth  and  wisdom,  which  all  your  adversaries  shall  not  be  able  to  gainsay, 
nor  resist. 'k     There  are  promises  made  to  the  religious  and  strict  observance  and 

n  Psal.  cxxv.  3.  o  Mark  xiii.  19,  20.  p  Psal.  xxxvii.  24.  q  2  Cor.  xii.  9. 

r  Job  xxxvi.  8,  9.  8  Isa.  xxvii.  9.  t  Psal.  xcvii.  II.  u  Zech.  xiii.  9. 

x   Psal.  xci.  15.  y  Jer    xxix.  12.  13.  z  Psal.  1.  15.  a  Prov.  xiv.  22. 

b  Josh.  i.  8.  c  Prov.  i.  23.  d   Psal.  xxxvi.  8,  9.  e  Psal.  cxxviii.  5. 

f  Matt.  vi.  17.         g  Prov.  xi.  25.         h  Eccl.  xi.  I.         i  2  Cor.  ix.  6,  7, 8.  k  Luke  xxi.  15. 


THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  TOR  PRAYER.  527 

eanctification  of  the  Lord's  day.    '  Blessed  is  the  man  that  doth  this  ;  that  keepeth 
the  sabbath  from  polluting  it,  and  keepeth  his  hand  from  doing  an  v  evil. ' ' 

Again,  tliere  are  promises  in  scripture  which  respect  God's  giving  his  people 
special  grace,  together  with  the  joy,  peace,  and  comfort  which  flow  from  it ;  and 
these  will  be  of  great  use  to  them,  in  order  to  their  engaging  aright  in  the  duty  of 
prayer.  There  are  promises  of  the  grace  of  faith  ;  and  promises  made  to  that 
giaoe.  '  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh 
to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'m  •  By  grace  are  ye"  saved,  through  faith  ;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God.'n  There  are  promises  of  the  grace 
of  repentance.  *  There  shall  come  out  of  Sion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob.'0  *  Ye  shall  remember  your  ways,  and  all  your  doings, 
wherein  ye  have  been  defiled,  and  ye  shall  lothe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  lor 
all  your  evils  that  ye  have  committed. '»  There  are  promises  of  love  to  God.  '  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love.'°<  'God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of 
power  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind.'1"  'Hope  maketh  not  ashamed,  because 
the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given 
unto  us.' s  '  The  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God,  and  into  the  patient 
waiting  for  Christ.' *  There  are  promises  of  an  holy  filial  fear  of  God.  '  I  will 
give  them  one  heart,  and  one  way,  that  they  may  fear  me  for  ever,  for  the  good  of 
them,  and  of  their  children  after  them.  And  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant 
with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good  ;  but  I  will  put 
my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me.'u  '  They  shall  fear 
the  Lord  and  his  goodness. 'x  Obedience  to  God's  commands,  which  is  an  indis- 
pensable duty,  is  also  considered  as  a  promised  blessing.  '  Thou  shalt  return,  and 
obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  do  all  his  commandments  which  I  command  thee 
this  day.'y  Moreover,  as  there  are  promises  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  so  the 
comforts  which  flow  thence  are  also  promised.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  I,  even  I  am  he 
that  comforteth  you.'1  '  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my  people :  speak  ye  comfortably 
to  Jerusalem,'3  &c.  In  particular,  there  are  promises  of  peace  of  conscience  ;  which 
is  a  great  branch  of  those  spiritual  comforts  which  God  gives  his  people  ground  to 
expect.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  I  will  restore  comforts  unto  him,  and  to  his  mourners. 
I  create  the  fruit  of  the  lips  ;  peace,  peace  to  him  that  is  far  off,  and  to  him  that 
is  near,  saith  the  Lord.'b  '  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind  is 
stayed  on  thee  ;  because  he  trusteth  in  thee.'0  Again,  God  has  promised  a  good 
hope  of  eternal  life.  '  Now,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  God,  even  our 
Father,  which  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  us  everlasting  consolation,  and  good 
hope  through  grace. 'd  '  Whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were  written 
for  our  learning ;  that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures,  might 
have  hope.' e  Further,  God  has  promised  spiritual  joy  to  his  people.  '  The  righteous 
shall  be  glad  in  the  Lord,  and  shall  trust  in  him  ;  and  all  the  upright  in  heart 
shall  glory. 'f  '  Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  upright  in 
heart.  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye  righteous ;  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of 
bis  holiness.  '* 

Here  we  shall  consider  a  believer,  when  drawing  nigh  to  God  in  prayer,  as  de- 
pressed and  bowed  down  in  his  spirit,  and  hardly  able  to  speak  a  word  to  him  in 
his  own  behalf.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  I  complained,  and  my  spirit  was  over- 
whelmed, I  am  so  troubled  that  I  cannot  speak. 'h  We  shall  consider  also  how 
he  may  receive  great  advantage  from  those  promises  which  he  will  find  in  the  word 
of  God.  Thus,  wlien  he  complains  of  the  wickedness,  hardness,  and  perverseness  of 
his  heart ;  God  gives  him  these  promises :  '  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within  you,  and 
I  will  take  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh  ;' ' 
and,  '  Is  not  my  word  like  as  a  fire,  saith  the  Lord,  and  like  a  hammer  that  break- 
eth  the  rock  in  pieces  ?'k     Again,  when  a  believer  is  sensible  of  his  ignorance,  or, 

1  Isa.  lvi.  2.  m  John  vi.  37.  «  Eph.  ii.  8.  o  Rom.  xi.  *26. 

p  Ezek.  xx.  43.  q  Gal.  v.  22.  r  2  Tim.  i.  7.  s  Rom.  v  5 

t  2  Thess.  iii.  5.  u  Jer.  xxxii.  39,  40.  x  Hos.  iii.  5.  v  Deut.  xxx.  8. 

z  Isa.  Ii.  12.  a  Chap.  xl.  I,  2.  b  Chap.  lvii.  18,  19.  c  Chap.  u»,.  3. 

d  2  Thess.  ii.  16.  e  Rom.  x\.  4.  f-  P*all  Ixiv.  10.  g  Psul.  xcvii.  11, 12. 

h  Psal.  lxxvii.  3,  4.  i  Ezek.  xi.  19.  k  Jtr.  xxiii.  29. 


598  THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER. 

at  least,  that  his  knowledge  of  divine  truths  bears  no  proportion  to  the  means  of 
grace  which  he  has  been  favoured  with,  and  that  he  is  often  destitute  of  spiritual 
wisdom  to  direct  his  way,  and  to  carry  him  through  the  difficulties  he  often  meets 
with  as  to  his  temporal  or  spiritual  affairs  ;  there  are  promises  suited  to  this  case : 
'  If  thou  criest  after  knowledge,  and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for  understanding  ;  if  thou 
seekest  her  as  silver,  and  searchest  for  Tier,  as  for  hid  treasures  ;  then  shalt  thou 
understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge  of  God.  1  '  If  any  of  you  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not ;  and 
it  shall  be  given  him.'m  Again,  if  believers  complain  of  the  weakness  of  their  mem- 
ories, that  they  cannot  retain  the  truths  of  God  when  they  hear  them ;  Christ  has 
promised  that  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  '  teach  them  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to 
their  remembrance.'11  Further,  if  they  complain  of  their  unthankfulness,  or  that 
they  have  not  hearts  disposed  to  praise  God  for  the  mercies  they  receive  ;  God  gives 
them  these  promises :  •  This  people  have  I  formed  for  myself ;  they  shall  show  forth 
my  praise.'0  '  Surely  the  righteous  shall  give  thanks  unto  thy  name  ;  the  upright  shall 
dwell  in  thy  presence.'  p  Further,  there  are  many  who  are  not  altogether  destitute  of 
hope  that  they  have  the  truth  of  grace,  but  yet  are  filled  with  trouble,  apprehending 
that  they  do  not  make  those  advances  in  grace  which  they  ought,  but  seem  to  be  at  a 
stand  ;  and  they  reckon  their  state  little  better  than  if  going  backward,  and  they 
dread  the  consequences.  Now  such  may  take  encouragement  from  those  promises 
which  respect  a  believer's  growing  in  grace.  '  Though  thy  beginning  was  small, 
yet  thy  latter  end  shall  greatly  increase.' q  'He  giveth  power  to  the  faint ;  and 
to  them  that  have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength.  They  that  wait  upon  the 
Lord  shall  renew  their  strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  they 
shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint. 'r  And  if  they  com- 
plain of  their  unprofitableness  under  the  means  of  grace,  and  of  not  receiving  any 
spiritual  advantage  by  the  various  dispensations  of  providence  which  they  are  un- 
der ;  there  is  a  promise  adapted  to  their  case :  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer, 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  teacheth  thee  to  profit, 
which  leadeth  thee  by  the  way  that  thou  shouldest  go.'8  Again,  are  they  afraid 
that  they  shall  fall  away,  after  having  made  a  long  profession  of  religion  ?  There  is 
a  promise  which  our  Saviour  himself  took  encouragement  from,  though  never  liable 
to  any  fear  of  this  nature,  which  a  believer  may  apply  to  himself,  as  affording  re- 
lief against  these  fears  and  discouragements  :  *  I  have  set  the  Lord  always  before 
me  ;  because  he  is  at  my  right  hand,  I  shall  not  be  moved.'*  And  there  is  another 
which  is  more  directly  applicable  to  this  case  :  '  Who  shall  also  confirm  you  unto 
the  end,  that  ye  may  be  blameless  in  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'"  And  if 
the  believer  has  fallen,  and,  at  the  same  time,  is  afraid  that  he  shall  never  be  able 
to  rise  again,  and  recover  what  he  has  lost,  there  is  another  promise  :  '  Though  he 
fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down  ;  for  the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with  his  hand. 
The  Lord  loveth  judgment,  and  forsaketh  not  his  saints. 'x  God  also  says,  'I  will 
never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.'y  Again,  if  a  believer  be  under  divine  deser- 
tion, which  he  may  be,  and  yet  be  kept  from  apostasy  ;  if  he  is  mourning  after  the 
Lord,  and  earnestly  desiring  that  he  would  return  to  him  ;  he  may  take  encourage- 
ment from  that  promise:  '  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  0  my  soul ;  and  why  art  thou 
disquieted  in  me  ?  Hope  thou  in  God,  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him  for  the  help  of  his 
countenance.'2  And,  '  Then  shall  the  virgin  rejoice  in  the  dance,  both  young  men 
and  old  together.  For  I  will  turn  their  mourning  into  joy,  and  will  comfort  them, 
and  make  them  rejoice  from  their  sorrow.  And  I  will  satiate  the  soul  of  the  priests 
with  fatness,  and  my  people  shall  be  satisfied  with  my  goodness,  saith  the  Lord.'* 
Again,  is  he  cast  down  under  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  afraid  of  the  punish- 
ment which  will  follow?  There  are  many  promises  in  the  word  of  God  which  re- 
spect the  forgiveness  of  sin.  '  Who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities ;  who  healeth  all 
thy  diseases.' b   '  There  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  may  est  be  feared.'0   •  T, 

1  Prov,  ii.  3 — 6.  m  James  i.  5.  n  John  xiv.  26.  o  Isa.  xli:%  °l. 

p  Psal.  cxl.  13.  q  Job  viii.  7.  r  Isa.  xl.  29,  31.  g  Isa.  x!viii.  17. 

t  Psal.  xvi.  8.  u  1  Cor.  i.  8.  x  Psal.  xxxvii.  24,  28.  y   Heb.  xii    5. 

z  Psal.  xlii.  5.  a  Jer.  xxxi.  13,  14.  b  Psal.  ciii.  3.  c  Psal.  extx,  4 


THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRAYER.  59J) 

even  I  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not 
remember  thy  sins.'d  Finally,  is  a  believer  afraid  of  the  last  enemy,  death  ;  bv 
reason  of  the  fear  of  which  '  he  is  all  his  life-time  subject  to  bondage  ? '  There  are 
promises  suited  to  his  case.  '  This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever  :  he  will  be 
our  guide  even  unto  death.' e  '  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil ;  for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  com- 
fort me.'f  'Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright ;  for  the  end  of  that 
man  is  peace.' ■  Thus  we  have  considered  the  promises  of  God  as  suited  to  every 
condition,  and,  consequently,  as  affording  matter  of  encouragement  to  us  in  draw- 
ing nigh  to  him  in  prayer. 

V.  Those  reproofs  for  sins  committed,  and  threatenings  which  are  contained  in  the 
word  of  God,  as  a  means  to  deter  from  committing  them,  may  be  improved  for  our 
direction  in  prayer.  We  are  induced  by  these  reproofs  and  threatenings  to  hate 
sin,  beg  strength  to  subdue  and  mortify  it,  and  deprecate  the  wrath  and  judgments 
of  God.  We  are  also  led  by  them  to  see  our  desert  of  punishment,  while  we  con- 
fess ourselves  to  be  sinners,  and  to  bless  God  that  he  has  not  inflicted  it  upon  us  ; 
especially  if  he  has  given  us  ground  of  hope  that  he  has  delivered  us  from  the  con- 
demnation which  was  due  to'us  for  sin.  Moreover,  the  reproofs  of  sin  and  threaten- 
ings against  it  contained  in  the  word  of  God  will  be  of  use  to  us  in  prayer,  as  we 
are  led  by  them  to  have  an  awful  sense  of  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God,  and  to 
draw  nigh  to  him  with  fear  and  trembling,  lest  we  should  provoke  his  wrath  by  our 
unbecoming  behaviour  in  his  presence,  and  so  bring  on  ourselves  a  curse  instead  of 
a  blessing. 

VI.  The  word  of  God  is  of  use  for  our  direction  in  prayer,  as  it  contains  many 
examples  of  the  performance  of  this  duty  in  a  right  manner  by  the  saints,  whose 
graces,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  have  drawn  nigh  to  God,  are  proposed  for 
our  imitation.  Thus  we  read  of  Jacob's  wrestling  with  God,  and  of  his  great  im- 
portunity. It  is  said,  '  He  had  power  over  the  angel,  and  prevailed  ;  he  wept  and 
made  supplication  unto  hhn.'h  This  refers  to  what  is  mentioned  in  Gen.  xxxii. 
26,  28.  There  '  the  angel,'  that  is,  Christ,  says,  '  Let  me  go,  for  the  day  breaketh ;' 
as  if  he  had  said,  '  Cease  thy  importunity,  which  thou  hast  maintained  to  the  break- 
ing of  the  day  ;  during  which  time  I  have  given  thee  no  encouragement  that  I  will 
grant  thy  request.'  Jacob  now  persists  in  his  resolution,  and  says,  '  I  will  not  let 
thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me  ;'  that  is,  '  I  will  not  leave  off  importuning  thee,  till 
thou  givest  me  a  gracious  answer.'  Our  Saviour  then  says,  '  As  a  prince  hast  thou 
power  with  God,'  that  is,  with  me,  'and  with  men,'  that  is,  with  Esau  thy  brother, 
'  and  hast  prevailed  ;'  so  that  he  shall  do  thee  no  hurt,  but  his  heart  shall  be  turned 
towards  thee.1  Again,  we  read  of  Abraham's  humility  in  prayer.  He  says,  '  Be- 
hold now,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the  Lord,  which  am  but  dust  and 
ashes. 'k  '  Oh  !  let  not  the  Lord  be  angry,  and  I  will  speak.'1  We  also  read  of 
David's  sincerity,  '  Attend  unto  my  cry,  give  ear  unto  my  prayer  that  goeth  not 
out  of  feigned  lips.'m  We  likewise  read  of  Hezekiah's  addressing  himself  to  God 
with  tears  in  his  sickness.  Having  done  so,  he  immediately  received  a  gracious 
answer;  and  when  he  had  recovered,  he  gave  praise  to  God:11  'The  living,  the 
living,  he  shall  praise  thee,  as  I  do  this  day.  The  father  to  the  children  shall 
make  known  thy  truth.'0  Again,  we  have  an  instance  of  Jonah's  faith  in  prayer, 
when  his  disobedience  to  the  divine  command  had  brought  him  into  the  utmost 
distress.  '  Out  of  the  belly  of  hell  cried  I,  and  thou  heardest  my  voice.  Then  I 
said,  I  am  cast  out  of  thy  sight ;  yet  will  I  look  again  toward  thy  holy  temple. 'p  We 
have  also  an  instance  of  Daniel  drawing  nigh  to  God  with  an  uncommon  reverence 
and  awful  fear  of  his  divine  Majesty,  and  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he 
addresses  himself  to  him,  with  confession  of  those  sins  which  Israel  had  been  guilty 
of.  '  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  my  God,  and  made  my  confession,  and  said,  0  Lord, 
the  great  and  dreadful  God,  keeping  the  covenant,  and  mercy  to  them  that  love 
him,  and  to  them  that  keep  his  connnandments  ;  we  have  sinned,  and  committed 

<]  Isa.  xliii.  25.  e  Heb.  ii.  15;  Psiil.  xlviii.  14.  f  Ps.-il.  xxiii.  4.  g  Psal.  xxxvn.  37. 

li   lioM'a  xii.  4.  i   (Jen.  x.vxii.  28.         k  Gen.  xviii.  27.  1  Vrrse  20. 

iu  Pttttl.  xvii.  1.  u  lsa.  xxxviii.  3,  5.  u  Ytrtte  19.  p  Jonah  ii.  2,  4. 


GOO  THE  RULE  OF  DIRECTION   FOB  PRAYER. 

iniquity,  and  have  done  wickedly,  and  have  rebelled,  even  by  departing  It- oca  thy 
precepts,  and  from  thy  judgments.'*1  We  have  this  humble  confession  ana  suppli- 
cation continued  to  the  nineteenth  verse  ;  and  then  an  account  of  the  succosf  jf  it, 
in  the  gracious  answer  which  God  sent  him  by  an  angel  from  heaven.  We  also 
read  of  Joshua's  interceding  for  Israel,  when  '  lie  fell  upon  his  face  before  the  ark 
of  the  Lord,  with  his  clothes  rent ;' r  and  we  have  the  plea  that  he  made  use  of, 
•  What  wilt  thou  do  unto  thy  great  name  ?'s  We  have  also  an  instance  of  fervency 
in  Moses,  when  pleading  for  the  people  after  they  had  worshipped  the  golden  calf. 
He  prefers  God's  glory  to  his  own  happiness  ;  and  had  rather  have  no  name  in  the 
church,  or  be  'blotted  out  of  the  book  '  which  God  had  'written,'  than  that  his 
'wrath'  should  'wax  hot  against  Israel,  to  consume  them.'4  There  are  many 
other  instances  mentioned  in  scripture  ;  which,  for  brevity's  sake,  I  pass  over. 
Indeed,  the  whole  book  of  Lamentations  is  of  use  to  direct  us  in  prayer,  under 
pressing  aiflictions,  either  feared  or  undergone  ;  and  the  book  of  Psalms  is  a 
directory  for  prayer  to  the  believer,  suited  to  every  condition  which  he  may  be  sup- 
posed to  be  in,  and  of  praise  for  mercies  of  all  kinds,  whether  temporal  or  spiritual. 
And  the  same  may  be  said  of  many  other  parts  of  scripture. 

Practical  Inferences  from  the  Word  of  God,  being  a  Rule  of  Direction  for  Prayer, 

From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  word  of  God  being  a  direction  to  us  in 
prayer,  several  inferences  may  be  drawn.  First,  as  reading  the  scriptures  in  our 
families  and  closets  is  a  great  help  to  raise  our  affections,  and  bring  us  into  a 
praying  frame  ;  so  the  application  of  scripture  doctrines  and  examples  to  our  own 
case,  will  supply  us  with  fit  matter  and  expressions  upon  all  occasions,  when  we 
draw  nigh  to  God  in  this  duty. — Again,  the  pretence  of  some  that  they  know  not 
how  to  pray,  or  that  they  cannot  pray  without  a  prescribed  form,  arises,  for  the 
most  part,  from  an  unacquaintedness  with  the  scriptures,  or  a  neglect  to  study 
them,  to  answer  this  end. — Again,  since  the  word  of  God  is  a  directory  for  prayer, 
we  ought  not  to  affect  modes  o;  expression,  or  human  strains  of  rhetoric,  which  are 
not  deduced  from  scripture  or  agreeable  to  it ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  are  to 
use  such  a  simplicity  of  style,  and  spirituality  of  expression,  as  we  find  contained 
in  scripture, — especially  in  those  parts  of  it  which  are  more  directly  subservient 
to  this  duty. — Further,-  it  will  be  of  very  great  use  for.  us  sometimes,  in  the  course 
of  our  reading  scripture,  especially  in  private,  to  turn  what  we  read  into  prayer, 
though  it  do  not  contain  in  itself  the  form  of  a  prayer.  Thus  when  we  read  of  the 
presumptuous  sins  committed  by  some,  and  the  visible  marks  of  God's  displeasure 
which  followed,  we  ought  to  lilt  up  our  hearts  to  him,  that  he  would  keep  us  from 
them,  or,  if  we  have  reason  to  charge  ourselves  as  guilty  of  them,  that  we  may  be 
humbled  and  obtain  forgiveness  from  him.  And  when  we  read  the  excellent  char- 
acters of  some  of  the  saints  in  scripture,  we  ought  to  pray  that  God  would  enable 
us  to  be  followers  of  them  in  their  excellencies ;  or  when,  in  some  parts  of  scrip- 
ture, believers  are  represented  as  praying  for  particular  mercies,  we  ought  to  lift 
up  our  hearts  to  God  for  the  same.  Our  pursuing  this  practice  will  be  a  means,  not 
only  to  furnish  us  with  matter  and  proper  expressions  in  prayer,  but  to  excite  our 
affections  when  we  engage  in  this  duty,  in  those  stated  times  which  we  set  apart  for  it. 

The  Lord's  Prayer  a  Special  Rule  of  Direction  for  Prayer. 

We  are  now  to  consider  that  there  is  a  special  rule  of  direction  contained  in  that 
form  of  prayer  which  Christ  taught  his  disciples,  commonly  called  the  Lord's 
prayer.  This  prayer  is  mentioned  by  only  two  of  the  evangelists,  Matthew"  and 
Luke.x  Though  there  is  a  perfect  harmony  between  their  reports  of  tne  prayer, 
as  there  is  between  all  other  parts  of  scripture,  as  to  the  matter  or  sense  of  the 
words  ;  yet  it  is  obvious  to  all  who  compare  them  together,  that  there  is  some  dif- 
ference as  to  the  mode  of  expression, — particularly  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  petitions. 

q  Dan.  ix.  4,  5.  r  Joshua  vii.  6.  s  Verse  9. 

■'     t  Exod.  xxxii.  10,  11,  31,  32.  u  Matt.  vi.  8—13.  x  Luke  xi.  2 — 1. 


THE  RULE   OF  DIRECTION  FOR  PRATER.  601 

Nor  is  this  difference  only  in  the  translation,  which  is  sufficiently  just ;  hut  it  is  in 
the  original ;  and  it  would  not  have  existed,  had  the  Lord's  prayer  been  designed 
for  a  form  »f  prayer.  Thus  in  the  fourth  petition,  Luke  teaches  us  to  say,  '  Give 
us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread  ;'  while  in  Matthew,  it  is  expressed,  '  Give  us  this 
day  our  daily  bread.'  Here  there  are  different  ideas  contained  in  the  respective 
w>vds  •  as  is  very  common  when  the  same  sense  is  in  substance  laid  down  in 
different  parts  of  scripture.  '  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,'  contains  a  petition 
for  what  we  want  at  present;  and,  'Give  us  this,  day  by  day,'  implies  that  our 
wants  will  daily  recur  upon  us,  so  that  it  will  every  day  be  necessary  to  desire  a 
supply  from  God.  Hence,  if  both  accounts  of  the  petition  be  compared  together, 
we  are  directed  to  pray,  '  Lord,  give  us  the  blessings  which  we  want  at  present ; 
and  let  these  wants  be  daily  supplied,  as  we  shall  stand  in  need  of  a  supply  from 
thee.'  Again,  in  the  fifth  petition,  Luke  directs  us  to  pray, '  Forgive  us  our  sins ; 
for  we  also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us  ;'  while,  in  Matthew,  the  ex- 
pression is  very  different,  namely,  '  Forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.' 
Again,  the  evangelist  Luke  leaves  out  the  doxology,  '  For  thine  is  the  kingdom, 
and  the  power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever.  Amen  ;'  which  Matthew  adds.  Hence,  it 
may  be  inferred,  I  conceive,  that  our  Saviour  did  not  design,  in  dictating  this 
prayer  to  his  people,  that  they  should  confine  themselves  to  the  mode  of  expression 
used  in  it  without  the  least  variation  ;  for  in  that  case,  doubtless,  the  two  evange- 
list* would  have  laid  it  down  in  the  very  same  words.  But  he  rather  designed  it 
as  a  directory  respecting  the  matter  of  prayer. 

I  am  sensible  it  will  be  objected,  that  the  preface  which  Luke  prefixes  to  it,  is, 
'  When  ye  pray,  say,  Our  Father,'  &c,  which  seems  to  intimate  that  these  very 
words  should  be  used,  and  no  other.  We  reply,  that  the  evangelist  Matthew,  who, 
beyond  dispute,  laid  down  this  prayer  more  iully  than  Luke  does,  says,  by  way  of 
preface  to  it,  '  After  this  manner  pray  ye.'  Now,  these  words  seem  to  be  an  in- 
timation that  it  was  designed  to  be  rather  a  directory  as  to  the  matter  of  prayer, 
than  a  form  of  words  to  be  used  without  the  least  variation.  Hence,  I  cannot  but 
think  that  what  Luke  says,  '  When  you  pray,  say,'  &c,  imports  nothing  else  but, 
'  Pray  after  this  manner. ' 

That  our  Saviour  principally  designed  this  prayer  as  a  directory  respecting  the 
matter  of  our  petitions,  rather  than  as  a  form,  further  appears  irom  the  fact  that 
it  does  not  explicitly  contain  all  the  parts  of  prayer,  particularly,  confession  of  sin,, 
or  thankful  acknowledgment  of  mercies.  I  say,  it  does  not  contain  these  explicitly, 
but  only  implicitly,  as  a  deduction,  or  inference  from  the  petitions  themselves. 
Thus  our  saying,  '  Forgive  us  our  debts,'  or  sins,  supposes  that  we  acknowledge 
ourselves  to  be  sinners.  Nor  can  it  be  denied  that  there  are  some  expressions 
which  contain  matter  of  thanksgiving.  Thus  our  saying,  '  Hallowed  be  thy  name,' 
implies  a  thankiul  acknowledgment  of  all  those  instances  in  which  God  has  sancti- 
fied his  name,  as  well  as  a  desire  that  he  would  sanctify  it :  it  is  as  if  we  should 
say,  '  Thou  hast,  in  the  various  dispensations  of  thy  providence,  and  in  all  thine 
holy  institutions,  set  forth  the  glory  of  thy  perfections,  that  thou  mayest  be  adored 
and  magnified  by  thy  creatures.  This  we  own  with  thankfulness,  at  the  same  time 
that  we  desire  the  continuance  of  it.'  Again,  when  we  pray,  'Give  us  daily  bread,' 
we,  in  effect,  acknowledge  the  bounty  of  his  providence,  whence  we  receive  all  the 
comforts  of  life,  and  his  having  hitherto  supplied  our  wants.  The  Lord's  prayer, 
then,  is  an  implicit  direction  for  thanksgiving.  But  if  our  Saviour  had  designed 
that  it  should  be  a  perfect  form  of  words,  to  be  used  without  varying  in  the  least 
from  them,  he  would  have  given  us  some  more  full  and  direct  account  of  what  sins 
we  are  to  acknowledge,  and  what  mercies  we  are  to  thank  him  for.  Such  an  ac- 
count is  more  plainly  contained  in  some  other  scriptures  than  it  can  be  supposed 
to  be  in  this  prayer.  Hence  the  prayer  seems  to  be  principally  designed  as  a  rule 
for  our  direction  what  we  are  to  ask  for,  or  how  that  part  of  prayer  which  includes 
petition,  ought  to  be  performed  agreeably  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  Moreover, 
there  is  no  explicit  mention  of  the  Mediator,  in  whose  name  we  are  to  pray  ;  nor 
of  his  obedience,  sufferings,  or  intercession,  on  which  the  efficacy  of  our  prayers  is 
founded,  and  to  which  our  faith  is  to  have  a  great  regard.  These  things,  therefore, 
are  to  be  supplied  by  what  we  find  in  other  parts  of  scripture,  all  which,  taken  to- 
'  II.  4  G 


602  THE  PREFACE  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

getlier,  give  us  a  perfect  directory  for  prayer ;  though  neither  this  prayer,  nor  any 
other  used  in  scripture,  sufficiently  appears  to  have  been  designed  as  a  form  of 
words  which  we  are  to  confine  ourselves  to,  without  the  least  variation. 

It  is  observed  in  the  latter  of  the  Answers  under  consideration,  that  the  Lord's 
prayer  is  not  only  for  direction  as  a  pattern,  but  may  be  used  as  a  prayer,  provided 
it  be  done  in  a  right  manner.  Now,  it  is  granted  that  the  Lord's  prayer  is  of  use, 
as  a  pattern  and  rule  for  our  direction,  in  common  with  all  other  prayers  contained 
in  scripture  ;  but  the  main  difficulty  is,  whether  our  Saviour  designed  that  his 
disciples,  and  the  church  in  all  following  ages,  should  confine  themselves  to  the 
words  of  the  prayer,  so  far  as  that  the  mode  of  expression  should  not  be  in  the 
least  altered,  or  any  thing  added  to  the  petitions  contained  in  it,  how  agreeable 
soever  to  the  sense  and  words  of  scripture.  Now,  this  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
his  intention,  As  it  will  not  be  denied  by  any,  that  every  one  of  the  petitions 
contained  in  the  prayer  may  be  interspersed  and  joined  with  other  petitions  ;  so, 
when  this  has  been  done,  or  at  least  the  sense  of  the  petitions  expressed  in  other 
words,  it  will  be  very  hard  to  prove  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  petitions 
should  be  recollected  and  prayed  over  again,  in  the  same  method  in  which  they  aro 
laid  down  in  the  prayer,  merely  for  the  sake  of  our  making  use  of  it  as  a  form.  It 
will  be  especially  hard  to  prove  this,  if  the  making  use  of  the  prayer  as  a  form  is 
not  expressly  commanded  by  our  Saviour ;  and  that  it  is  not  so  commanded,  ap- 
pears from  what  was  formerly  observed,  that  these  words,  '  When  you  pray,  say, 
Our  Father,'  &c.  imply  nothing  else  but,  '  Pray  after  this  manner.'  I  would  be 
very  far,  however,  from  censuring  or  blaming  the  practice  observed  by  many  of 
the  reformed  churches,  who  conclude  their  extempore  or  premeditated  prayers 
with  it,  provided  it  be  done  with  understanding,  reverence,  and  suitable  acts  of 
faith.  For  any  other  petition  contained  in  scripture  may  be  made  use  of  by  us  in 
prayer  ;  not  only  as  to  its  sense,  but  in  its  express  words.  The  principal  thing 
which  I  would  militate  against,  is  not  so  much  the  using  of  the  words,  as  doing 
this  in  a  formal  way,  supposing  that  the  mere  recital  of  them  does,  as  it  were, 
sanctify  our  other  prayers  ;  which,  though  very  agreeable  to  the  sense  of  the 
Lord's  prayer,  are,  as  some  suppose,  so  incomplete,  that  they  will  hardly  be  re- 
garded by  God  without  it.  Moreover,  I  cannot  but  conclude  the  Papists  highly 
to  blame,  who  think  that  the  frequent  repetition  of  it,  though  in  a  tongue  unknown 
to  the  common  people,  is  not  only  necessary,  but  in  some  measure  meritorious. 
And  the  practice  of  some  ignorant  superstitious  persons,  who  think  that  it  may  be 
made  use  of  as  a  charm,  and  that  the  words  of  it  may  be  repeated,  as  the  Jews  ot 
old  did  their  phylacteries,  as  a  means  to  drive  away  evil  spirits,  is  not  only  to  be 
disapproved,  but  is  a  vile  instance  of  profaneness,  very  remote  from  the  design  of 
our  Saviour  in  giving  it. 


THE  PREFACE  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Question  CLXXXVI1I.  Of  how  many  parts  doth  the  Lord's  prayer  consist? 

Answer.  The  Lord's  prayer  consists  ot  three  parts,  a  preface,  petitions,  and  a  conclusion. 

Question  CLXXXIX.  What  doth  the  pre/ace  of  the  Lord's  prayer  teach  us? 

Answer.  The  preface  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  contained  in  these  words,  "Our  Father,  which  art  in 
beaven,''  teacheth  us,  when  we  pra\,  to  draw  near  to  God  »ith  confidence  of  his  fatheih  goodness, 
and  our  interest  therein,  with  reverence,  and  all  other  childlike  dispositions,  heavenly  affections, 
and  tiue  apprehensions  of  his  sovereign  power,  majesty,  and  gracious  condescension;  as  also  to  pray 
with  and  for  others. 

In  this  prayer  we  are  taught  to  begin  our  prayers  with  a  preface,  and  therein  to 
make  an  explict  mention  of  the  name  of  God,  and  some  of  his  divine  perfections. 
The  preface  to  this  prayer  is  contained  in  these  words :  '  Our  Father,  which  art 
in  heaven.'  It  shows  us  that  we  are  to  draw  near  to  God  with  reverence,  and  suit- 
able apprehensions  of  his  sovereign  power,  majesty,  and  other  divine  perfections, 


PREFACE  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  603 

and  with  an  holy  confidence  of  his  fatherly  goodness.  The  phrase,  '  Our  Father,' 
shows  us  also  that  we  are  to  pray  with  and  for  others  ;  and  instructs  us  to  begin 
our  prayers  with  some  expressions  of  reverence,  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  tho  duty 
in  which  we  are  engaged,  whereby  we  express  the  sense  we  have  of  his  essential 
or  relative  glory.  We  have  various  instances  in  scripture  in  which  God's  people, 
when  addressing  themselves  to  him,  made  mention  of  his  glorious  names,  titles,  and 
attiiot'tes,  in  variety  of  expressions.  Thus  David,  in  his  psalms,  which  contain 
tue  matter  and  form  of  prayers,  sometimes  begins  with  the  mention  of  the  name 
ot  (jrod,  to  whom  they  are  directed.  He  says,  for  example,  '  God  be  merciful  unto 
us,  and  bless  us,'y  &c.  And  elsewhere,  '  0  God,  thou  art  my  God.'z  Some- 
times, also,  he  makes  mention  of  his  name  Jehovah  ;  which  we  translate  Lord. 
Thus  he  says,  '  0  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thy  wrath,' a  &c.  '  I  will  love  thee,  0 
Lord,  my  strength. 'b  '0  Lord  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all  the 
earth  !'c  Solomon  begins  his  prayer  at  the  consecration  of  the  temple,  '  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  there  is  no  God  like  thee  in  heaven  above,  or  earth  beneath  ;  who  keep- 
est  covenant  and  mercy  with  thy  servants  that  walk  before  thee  with  all  their 
heart.' d  Ezra  begins  his  prayer,  '  0  my  God,  I  am  ashamed,  and  blush  to  lift  up 
my  face  to  thee,  my  God.'e  Daniel  expresses  himself  thus,  in  the  preface  to  his 
prayer,  '  0  Lord,  the  great  and  dreadful  God,  keeping  the  covenant  and  mercy  to 
them  that  love  him,  and  to  them  that  keep  his  commandments.' f  These  are  all 
expressions  which  denote  reverence  and  adoration  ;  and,  along  with  other  expres- 
sions of  a  similar  nature,  they  are  of  use  for  our  direction,  as  to  the  preface  or 
beginning  of  our  prayers  to  God.  But  the  preface  to  the  Lord's  prayer  is  some- 
what different ;  and  affords  us  some  particular  directions. 

1.  It  teaches  us  to  address  ourselves  to  God  as  a  Father.  This  relation  includes 
something  common  to  mankind  in  general ;  and,  in  respect  to  this,  we  are  to  adore 
him  as  our  Creator,  our  owner,  and  benefactor,  '  in  whom  we  live,  and  move, 
and  have  our  being.' 8  Thus  the  prophet  says,  '  Have  we  not  all  one  Father?  hath 
not  one  God  created  us  ?' h  Elsewhere,  also,  it  is  said,  '  He  formeth  the  spirit  of 
man  within  him  j'1  on  which  account  he  is  called,  '  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all 
flesh,' k  and,  '  the  Father  of  spirits.'1 — Again,  God's  being  a  Father  to  his  people, 
sometimes  denotes  that  external  covenant  relation  which  they  stand  in  to  him,  as 
a  people  called  by  his  name,  favoured  with  the  means  of  grace,  and,  as  such,  the 
objects  of  his  care  and  goodness  ;  whom  he  is  pleased  to  govern  by  laws  given  by 
special  revelation  from  heaven,  whom  he  encourages  to  wait  on  him  in  those  ordi- 
nances in  which  they  may  hope  for  his  presence,  and  to  whom,  as  persons  who  give 
themselves  up  to  him  by  faith,  he  promises  all  saving  blessings.  In  this  sense  we 
are  to  understand  those  scriptures  in  which  God  says,  *  Israel  is  my  son,  even  my 
first-born. 'm  '  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled 
against  me.'n  '  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry  to  me,  My  Father,  thou  art  the 
guide  of  my  youth  ?'° — Further,  the  relation  which  God  stands  in  to  his  people,  as 
a  Father,  is  sometimes  taken  in  the  highest  sense,  as  implying  discriminating 
grace,  or  special  love,  which  he  is  pleased  to  extend  to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  Thus 
he  is  called  so  by  right  of  redemption.  Accordingly,  Christ  is  styled, '  the  everlast- 
ing Father,'?  as  being  the  Head  and  Redeemer  of  his  people.  And  the  church 
says,  '  Thou,  0  Lord,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer ;  thy  name  is  from  everlast- 
ing, 'i  And  believers  are  called  his  children  by  regeneration  ;  in  which  respect 
they  are  said  to  be  '  born  of  God,'r  and  to  be  'made  partakers  of  a  divine,'8  that 
is,  an  holy  and  spiritual  '  nature,'  which  had  its  rise  from  God,  when  he  was 
pleased  to  stamp  his  image  upon  them,  consisting  in  holiness  and  righteousness. 
They  are  also  called  the  children  of  God  by  adoption.  Thus  he  is  said  to  have 
4  predestinated  them  to  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself ;' t  and 
thev  are  said  to  '  receive  the  adoption  of  sons  ;' u  and,  as  such,  they  have  a  right  to 
the  inheritance  of  children.  x 

y   Psal.  lxvii.  1.  z  Psal.  lxiii.  1.  a  Psal.  xxxviii.  1.  b  Psal.  xviii.  1. 

u  Psal.  viii.  1.  (i   I  Kings  viii.  23.  e  Ezra  ix.  6.  f  Dan.  ix.  4. 

p  A<-ts  xvii.  28.  h  Mel.  ii.  10,  •       i  Zeeb.  xii.  I.  k  Numb.  xvi.  22. 

1   Heir  xii.  9.  in   Exod.  iv.  '22.  Ii   Isa.  i.  2.  o  Jit   iii.  4. 

p  Isa.  ix.  6.  q  Clnip.  lxiii.  16.  r  John  i.  13.  s  2  Pet.  i.  4. 

t  Ephes.  i.  5.  u  Gal.  iv.  5.  x  Iioiti.  viii.  17,  compared  with  Col.  i.  12. 


604  PREFACE  OF  THE  LORD  S  PRAf  ER. 

These  various  senses  in  which  God  is  said  to  be  a  Father  to  man,  may  serve  for 
our  direction  when  we  style  him,  '  Our  Father,'  in  prayer.  Unregenerate  persons, 
when  they  pray  to  God,  can  ascend  no  higher  than  what  is  contained  in  their  rela- 
tion to  him  as  a  God  of  nature,  and  of  providence.  They  are  obliged  to  adore  him 
for  the  blessings  which  they  have  received  from  him  as  the  effects  of  common  bounty, 
which  include  all  the  blessings  belonging  to  this  life,  together  witli  his  patience, 
forbearance,  and  long-suffering,  in  delaying  to  inflict  the  punishment  which  sin  de- 
serves. Hence,  when  they  say,  'Our  Father,'  they  acknowledge  that  they  derive 
their  being  from  him.  Though  they  cannot  lay  claim  to  the  benefits  of  Christ's 
redemption,  yet  they  confess  their  obligations  to  God  as  their  Creator,  and  consider 
him  as  having  given  them  souls  capable  of  spiritual  blessings,  and  themselves  as 
daily  receiving  the  good  things  of  this  life  from  him.  and  as  dependent  on  him  for 
those  things  which  tend  to  the  comfort  and  support  of  life.  They  also  stand  in  need 
of  those  blessings  which  are  suited  to  the  nature  of  the  soul,  and  consequently  beg 
that  they  may  not  remain  destitute  of  the  things  which  may  conduce  to  their  ever- 
lasting welfare.  Hence,  they  may  use  the  psalmist's  words,  '  Thy  hands  have 
made  me,  and  fashioned  me  :  give  me  understanding,  that  I  may  learn  thy  com- 
mandments. '-v 

As  for  those  who  are  God's  children  by  an  external  covenant-relation,  there  is 
something  more  implied  than  merely  their  being  creatures  ;  for,  in  considering  that 
relation,  they  are  led  to  adore  him  for  the  discoveries  which  he  has  made  in  the  gos- 
pel of  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesuj  Christ,  who  calls  and  invites  sinners  to  come 
to  him,  and  encourages  them  to  hope  that  those  who  are  enabled  to  do  so  in  a  right 
manner,  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  Hence,  when  they  call  upon  God  in  prayer, 
as  their  Father,  they  in  effect,  say,  "  Lord,  we  cannot  conclude  ourselves  to  be  thy 
children  as  redeemed,  effectually  called,  and  sanctified  ;  nor  can  we  lay  claim  to 
the  inheritance  laid  up  for  thy  saints  in  heaven  ;  yet  we  are  encouraged  to  wait  on 
thee  in  the  ordinances  of  thine  appointment,  and  to  hope  tor  thy  special  presence 
in  them,  wdiereby  they  may  be  made  effectual  for  our  salvation.  We  are,  indeed, 
destitute  of  special  grace,  and  cannot  conclude  that  we  have  a  right  to  the  saving 
blessings  of  the  covenant ;  yet,  through  thy  great  goodness,  we  still  enjoy  the 
means  of  grace.  We  have  not  been  admitted  to  partake  of  Christ's  lulness,  nor  to 
eat  of  the  bread  of  life  ;  yet  we  are  thankful  for  those  blessings  of  thy  house  which 
thou  art  pleased  to  continue  to  us  ;  and  since  thou  still  includest  us  in  the  number 
of  those  who  are  thy  children  as  favoured  with  the  gospel,  we  humbly  take  leave, 
on  this  account,  to  call  thee  our  Father,  to  wait  and  hope  for  thy  salvation,  and  to 
continue  to  implore  that  grace  from  thee  which  will  give  us  a  right  to  the  best  of 
blessings  that  we  stand  in  need  of." 

As  for  those  who  are  God's  children  in  the  highest  sense,  by  redemption,  regen- 
eration, and  adoption,  they  may  draw  nigh  to  him  with  an  holy  boldness.  For 
they  have,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  '  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  they  cry, 
Abba,  Father  ;'  and  have  reason  to  adore  him  for  privileges  of  the  highest  nature 
which  he  has  conferred  upon  them,  and  to  encourage  themselves  that  he  will  bestow 
upon  them  all  the  blessings  they  stand  in  need  of  as  to  this  or  a  better  world. 
Such  may  draw  nigh  to  God  with  confidence  of  his  fatherly  goodness,  and  their  in- 
terest in  it  ;  and  they  ought  to  take  notice  of  that  goodness  and  improve  it,  in  order 
to  their  drawing  nigh  to  him  in  a  right  manner  in  prayer,  as  well  as  to  induce  them 
to  behave  themselves,  in  the  whole  course  of  their  conversation,  as  those  who  are 
taken  into  the  honourable  relation  of  being  his  children.  They  ought  to  have  ad- 
miring thoughts  of  God,  that  they,  who  were  by  nature  strangers  and  enemies  to 
him,  should  be  admitted  to  partake  of  this  inestimable  privilege ;  as  the  apostle 
says,  '  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should 
be  called  the  sons  of  God!'z  They  should  also  take  encouragement  to  hope  that 
he  will  hear  and  answer  their  prayers,  though  very  imperfect,  so  far  as  his  doing  so 
may  tend  to  his  glory  and  their  real  advantage.  Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  If  ye 
then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children  ;  how  much  more 
shall  your  Father,  which  is  in  heaven,  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him?'" 

y  Psal.  cxix.  73.  z  1  John  iii.  1.  a  Matt.  vii.  11. 


PREFACE  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  605 

Do  we  pray  for  spiritual  blessings,  such  as  the  increase  of  grace,  strength  against 
corruption,  and  to  be  kept  from  temptation,  or  from  falling  by  it?  We  have  ground 
to  conclude  that  these  shall  be  granted  us,  inasmuch  as  they  are  purchased  for  us 
by  Christ,  promised  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  secured  to  us,  as  we  have  the 
earnest  and  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts,  whereby  we  are  sealed  unto  the 
day  of  redemption.  And  when  we  pray  for  temporal  blessings,  we  have  reason  to 
hope  that  they  shall  be  granted,  if  they  be  necessary  for  us  ;  since  our  Saviour 
says,  'Your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  we  have  need  of  all  these  things.' b 

In  particular,  our  being  the  children  of  God  ought  to  excite  in  us  those  childlike 
dispositions  which  are  agreeable  to  this  relation,  not  only  when  we  draw  nigh  to  God 
in  prayer,  but  in  the  whole  conduct  of  our  lives.  One  childlike  disposition  is  humble 
reverence.  This  is  not  only  becoming  those  who  have  an  interest  in  God's  love, 
and  a  liberty  of  access  into  his  presence,  with  hope  of  acceptance  in  his  sight ;  but 
it  is  what  we  are  obliged  to  as  his  peculiar  people,  and  is  a  branch  of  that  honour 
which  is  due  to  him  as  our  God  and  Father.  Thus  he  says  by  the  prophet,  4  A 
son  honoureth  his  father  ;'c  and  he  here  intimates,  that  humble  reverence  of  him 
as  their  Father,  is  the  character  and  disposition  of  those  who  stand  in  the  relation 
of  children  to  him.  And  the  apostle  argues  from  the  less  to  the  greater,  when  he 
says,  '  We  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh,  which  corrected  us,  and  we  gave  them 
reverence  ;  shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection  to  the  Father  of  spirits  ?'d — 
Another  childlike  disposition  is  patience  under  rebukes.  This  we  are  to  exercise, 
when  we  consider  our  proneness  to  go  astray,  whereby  not  only  do  we  deserve  rebukes, 
but  they  are  rendered  necessary  ;  and  especially  when  we  consider  that  they  flow 
from  love,  and  are  designed  for  our  good  ;  as  the  apostle  says,  '  Whom  the  Lord 
loveth  he  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth.'e — Another 
childlike  disposition  is  being  grieved  for  our  Father's  frowns  ;  especially  that  we 
have  incurred  his  displeasure  by  our  misbehaviour  towards  him.  This  disposi- 
tion includes  a  readiness  to  confess  our  faults,  and  a  carefulness  to  avoid  them  for 
the  future. — Again,  contentment  with  the  provision  of  our  Father's  house,  what- 
ever it  be,  is  another  childlike  disposition.  We  shall  never,  indeed,  have  the  least 
cause  to  complain  of  scarcity  ;  for,  as  the  returning  prodigal  in  the  parable  said, 
even  '  the  hired  servants  of  his  father  had  bread  enough,  and  to  spare. 'f  It  can 
hardly  be  supposed  that  he  who  is  at  the  fountain-head  can  perish  for  thirst.  Yet, 
though  we  are  not  straitened  in  God,  we  are  often  straitened  in  our  own  bowels, 
through  the  weakness  of  our  faith,  when  we  are  not  inclined  to  receive  what  God 
holds  forth  to  us  in  the  gospel ;  and  then  we  are  discontented  and  uneasy,  while 
the  blame  lies  at  our  own  door.  If,  however,  we  behaved  ourselves  as  the  children 
of  such  a  Father,  we  should  not  only  be  pleased  with  the  fulness  of  grace  which  is 
in  Christ,  but  constantly  adore  and  live  upon  it ;  and  whether  he  is  pleased  to  give 
us  more  or  less  of  the  blessings  of  common  providence,  we  should  learn,  •  in  what- 
soever state  we  are,  therewith  to  be  content.'^ — Again,  obedience  to  a  father's  com- 
mands, without  disputing  his  authority,  or  his  right  to  govern  us,  is  another  child- 
like disposition.  Thus,'  when  we  draw  nigh  to  God  as  to  our  Father,  we  are  to  ex- 
press a  readiness  to  do  whatever  he  requires.  And  by  acting  thus,  we  not  only  ap- 
prove ourselves  subjects  under  a  law,  but,  as  the  apostle  styles  it,  '  obedient  child- 
ren,' as  being  '  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation.'11 — Another  disposition  of  child- 
ren is,  that  they  have  a  fervent  zeal  for  their  father's  honour,  and  cannot  bear  to 
hear  him  reproached  without  the  highest  resentment.  Thus  the  children  of  God, 
how  much  soever  they  may  be  concerned  about  their  own  affairs,  when  injuriously 
treated  by  the  world,  are  always  ready  to  testify  their  utmost  dislike  of  every  thing 
which  reflects  dishonour  on  God,  or  his  ways. — Another  childlike  disposition  is 
love  ;  which  the  relation  of  a  father  engages  to.  Thus  when  we  draw  nigh  to  God 
as  to  our  Father,  we  express  our  love  to  him  ;  and  this  is  founded  in  his  divine 
excellencies,  which  render  him  the  object  of  the  highest  delight  and  esteem. — Again, 
he  who  has  a  childlike  disposition,  retains  a  grateful  sense  of  the  obligations  he  is 
under  to  his  father.     Thus  we  ought  to  be  duly  sensible  of  all  the  favours  which 

b  Matt.  vi.  32.  c  Mai.  i.  6.  d  Heb.  xii.  9.  e  Verse  6. 

f  Luke  xv.  17.  g  Phil.  iv.  11.  b   1  Pet.  i.  14,  15. 


606  PREFACE  O"  THE  LORD  S  PRAYER. 

we  have  received  from  God,  which  are  more  than  can  he  numhercd.  The  contrary 
to  this  disposition  is  reckoned  the  basest  ingratitude  and  disingenuousness,  altogether 
unbecoming  the  temper  of  children.  Thus  Moses  says  to  Israel,  '  Do  ye  thus  re- 
quite the  Lord,  0  foolish  people,  and  unwise  ?  is  not  he  thy  father  who  hath 
bought  thee?  hath  he  not  made  thee,  and  established  thee?'1  A  believer's  ob- 
ligations to  God  are  so  very  great,  that  he  cannot  look  back  upon  his  former  state, 
or  consider  what  he  was,  how  vile  and  unworthy  of  any  regard  from  him,  how  mis- 
erable and  unable  to  help  himself  when  he  first  had  compassion  on  him,  without 
seeing  himself  under  the  strongest  engagements  to  be  entirely  and  for  ever  his. 
This  is  a  becoming  behaviour  towards  such  a  Father. — Further,  love  to  all  who 
are  related  to  us  as  children  of  the  same  father,  is  another  childlike  disposition. 
Thus  our  love  to  the  saints  and  faithful  brethren  in  Christ,  is  a  temper  becoming 
the  children  of  God.  Indeed,  it  is  no  other  than  loving  God  in  them.  We  behold 
his  image  stamped  upon  them  ;  and  in  loving  them,  we  express  the  high  esteem  we 
have  for  regenerating  grace,  whereby  God  is  denominated  our  common  Father ; 
and  we,  being  acted  by  a  principle  common  to  all,  are  obliged  and  inclined  to  love 
as  brethren.  Thus  they  who  love  God  are  induced  to  love  his  children.  Accord- 
ingly, the  apostle  says,  '  Every  one  that  loveth  him  that  begat,  loveth  him  also  that 
is  begotten  of  him  ;'k  and  he  adds,  '  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  to 
life,  because  we  love  the  brethren.'1  Thus  concerning  our  drawing  nigh  to  God, 
as  to  a  Father,  as  we  are  taught  to  do  in  the  Lord's  prayer. 

2.  We  are  directed  in  the  preface  of  this  prayer,  to  draw  nigh  to  God  as  being 
in  heaven.  Heaven  is  the  most  glorious  part  of  the  frame  of  nature,  in  which  his 
power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  are  eminently  displayed,  and  which  he  designed  to 
be  an  eternal  habitation  for  the  best  of  creatures,  to  whom  he  would  discover  more 
of  his  glory  than  to  any  others.     In  this  respect,  it  is  called  his  '  throne. ' m 

Now,  God's  being  in  heaven  should  lead  us  to  have  high  and  awful  thoughts  of 
the  majesty  and  greatness  of  God,  whom  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  worship  with  the 
utmost  reverence,  being  satisfied  with  the  immense  treasure  of  his  goodness.  We 
therefore  take  occasion  to  admire  his  infinite  condescension,  that  he  will  look  upon 
creatures  here  below.  Thus  Solomon,  in  his  prayer,  says, '  Will  God,  indeed,  dwell 
on  the  earth  ?  Behold,  the  heaven,  and  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee  ;'n 
will  he  therefore  look  down  upon  those,  who  are  so  mean,  deformed,  and  destitute 
of  his  image,  as  we  are,  who  dwell  in  houses  of  clay,  and  deserve  to  be  banished 
out  of  his  sight  ? — Again,  God's  being  in  heaven  should  be  improved  by  us  to  teach 
us  humility  and  modesty,  in  our  conceptions  and  discourse  concerning  God  and 
divine  things.  It  is  but  a  little  that  we  know  of  the  affairs  of  the  upper  world,  and 
of  the  manner  in  which  God  is  pleased  to  manifest  himself  to  his  saints  and  angels 
there  ;  and  we  know  much  less  of  his  divine  perfections,  which  the  inhabitants  of 
heaven  adore,  being  sensible  of  the  infinite  distance  they  stand  at  from  him,  as 
creatures,  on  which  account  they  cannot  comprehend  the  Almighty,  or  find  him 
out  to  perfection  ;  and  shall  we  pretend  to  search  out  the  secrets  of  his  wisdom, 
or  express  ourselves  in  prayer  as  though  we  were  speaking  to  one  who  is  our  equal, 
or  could  fathom  the  infinite  depths  of  his  unsearchable  counsels?  Solomon's  ad- 
vice may  be  well  adapted  to  this  case,  '  Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not 
thine  heart  be  hasty  to  utter  any  thing  before  God  ;  for  God  is  in  heaven,  and 
thou  upon  earth  ;  therefore  let  thy  words  be  few.'0  We  are  not  to  think  that  we 
may  say  what  we  please,  or  be  '  rash '  and  inconsiderate  in  what  we  say,  when 
we  are  'before  the  Lord;'  'for  he  is  in  heaven.'  'Therefore  our  words  should 
be  few  ;'  that  is,  we  should  not  think  that  the  efficacy  of  our  prayers  depends 
upon  the  multitude  of  our  words  ;  or  if  we  speak  more  or  less  to  God,  our  expres- 
sions ought  not  to  be  bold,  rash,  hasty,  or  inconsiderate,  but  should  be  framed  with 
decency  and  reverence,  becoming  those  who  are  speaking  to  the  Majesty  of  heaven, 
— Further,  God's  being  in  heaven  should  put  us  upon  meditating  frequently  on  the 
glory  of  the  heavenly  state,  as  those  who  hope  at  last  to  be  joined  with  that  happy 
and  numerous  assembly  who  are  in  God's  immediate  presence  in  heaven.     Hence, 

i  Deut.  xxxii.  6.  k   1  John  v.  I.  1  Chap.  iii.  14. 

m  Acts  vii.  49.  n  1  Kings  viii.  27.  o  Ecc-1.  v.  2. 


PREFACE  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  607 

or.r  conversation  should  be  there  ;  and  we  should  profess  ourselves  to  be  sojourners 
on  earth,  seeking  a  better  country,  looking  and  waiting  for  the  glorious  appearing 
of  the  great  God,  our  Saviour,  and  hoping  that,  when  he  comes,  he  will  receive  us 
to  heaven,  where  our  hearts  are  at  present,  as  our  treasure  is  there. 

3.  We  are,  in  the  preface  to  the  Lord's  prayer,  farther  taught  that  it  is  our  duty 
to  pray  with  and  for  others.  When  we  say,  '  Our  Father,'  we  signify  our  relation 
to,  and  concern  for,  all  the  members  of  Christ's  mystical  body.  Hence,  if  we  do 
not  join  with  others  in  prayer,  we  are  to  have  them  upon  our  hearts,  who  are  the 
objects  of  Christ's  special  love  and  care.  We  have  thus  a  sympathy  with  all  those 
who  are  exposed  to  the  same  wants  and  miseries  as  ourselves  ;  we  take  much  de- 
light in  considering  them  as  subjects  of  the  same  common  Lord,  joining  in  the  same 
profession  with  ourselves  ;  and  we  desire  and  hope  concerning  them,  that  they  and 
we  shall  be  glorified  together. — Moreover,  if  we  join  with  others  in  prayer,  so  that 
the  whole  assembly  make  their  supplications  by  one  who  is  their  mouth  to  God,  we 
practise  what  is  called  social  worship.  It  is  hence  our  duty  to  pray  with  as  well 
as  for  others.  Now,  we  must  take  heed  that  nothing  be  contained  in  united  prayer 
but  what  the  whole  assembly  may  join  in,  as  expressive  of  their  faith,  desires,  or 
experiences  ;  otherwise  thei-e  cannot  be  such  beautiful  harmony  as  the  nature  and 
design  of  the  duty  we  are  jointly  engaged  in  calls  for.  Besides,  in  all  social  or 
united  prayers,  the  petitions  are  to  be  adapted  to  the  particular  case  of  every  one 
who  addresses  himself  to  God,  how  numerous  soever  the  worshipping  assembly  may 
be  ;  and  therefore  we  are  obliged  to  make  use  of  that  mode  of  expression,  in  which 
we  are  taught  to  say,  '  Our  Father.' 

Thus  our  Saviour  directs  us  how  we  should  begin  our  prayers  to  God.  And  as 
the  direction  he  gives  us  ought  to  be  reduced  to  practice,  I  shall  give  a  summary 
account  of  what  is  contained  in  the  preface  to  the  Lord's  prayer.  We  shall 
thus  be  furnished  with  matter  for  our  addressing  ourselves  to  God  in  prayer,  in  a 
way  agreeable  to  what  is  taught  in  that  preface,  when  we  come  into  his  presence 
with  such  a  frame  of  spirit  as  the  importance  of  the  duty  requires.  We  are  to  ex- 
press ourselves,  then,  to  this  effect:  "  0  our  God,  we  desire  to  draw  nigh  to  thee 
with  a  becoming  reverence,  and  an  awful  sense  of  thine  infinite  perfections.  When 
we  consider  thee  as  a  jealous  God,  and  ourselves  as  sinful,  guilty  creatures,  we 
might  well  be  afraid  to  come  before  thee  ;  but  thou  hast  encouraged  us  to  approach 
thy  presence  as  to  a  Father,  in  and  through  the  merits  and  mediation  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  therefore  we  come  with  an  humble  boldness  before  thy  throne 
of  grace,  confessing  that  though  we  are  called  thy  children,  we  have  been  very 
undutiful  and  rebellious  against  thee,  and  therefore  unworthy  of  that  relation,  or 
of  the  inheritance  which  thou  hast  laid  up  for  those  whom  thou  hast  ordained  to 
eternal  life.  Thou,  0  Lord,  hast  established  thy  throne  in  the  heavens,  where 
there  is  an  innumerable  company  of  angels  and  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 
who  all  behold  thy  face,  and  are  made  completely  blessed  in  thine  immediate  pre- 
sence. As  for  us,  we  dwell  in  houses  of  clay  ;  but  we  earnestly  beg  that  we  may 
be  made  meet  for  that  happy  society,  and  then  admitted  into  it,  that  we  may  wor- 
ship thee  in  a  more  perfect  manner  than  we  are  capable  of  doing  in  this  imperfect 
state.  May  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  our  souls  be  renewed,  and  influenced 
by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  we  may  have  our  conversation  in  heaven,  whilst  we  are 
here  below,  and,  in  all  things,  may  be  enabled  to  approve  ourselves  thy  children ; 
have  a  constant  sense  of  duty,  and  of  the  manifold  obligations  thou  hast  laid  us 
under,  that  we  may  love  thee,  delight  in  thee,  and  submit  to  thee  in  all  things ; 
and  have  a  fervent  zeal  for  the  honour  of  thy  name  as  becomes  thy  children,  that 
we.  together  with  all  thy  faithful  servants,  may  be  under  thy  safe  protection  here, 
ana  oe  received  to  thy  glory  hereafter." 


608  THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORIES  PRAYER. 


THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

QuestioK  CXC.   What  do  ice  pray  for  in  the  first  petition  f 

Answer.  In  the  first  petition,  which  is.  "  Hallowed  he  thy  name."  acknowledging:  the  ulttff 
inability  and  indisposition  thsit  is  in  ourselves  and  all  men  to  honour  God  aright,  we  pray  that  mod 
would,  by  hi»  grace,  enable  and  incline  u»,  and  others,  to  know,  to  acknowledge,  ami  h  g h  1  v  to 
esteem  him,  his  titles,  attributes,  oidinances,  word,  works,  and  whatsoever  be  is  pleased  to  make 
himself  known  by.  and  to  gloiify  him  in  thought,  word,  and  deed  ;  that  he  would  prevent  and  re- 
move atheism,  ignorance,  idolatry,  profaneness,  and  whatsoever  is  dishonourable  to  him  ;  and,  by 
his  overruling  providence,  direct  and  dispose  or  all  things  to  his  own  glory. 

Having  explained  the  preface  to  the  Lord's  prayer,  we  are  next  to  consider  its 
petitions.  These  are  six  ;  and  are  laid  down  in  the  following  method.  First,  Ave 
are  taught  to  pray  for  what  concerns  God's  glory.  This  is  the  highest  and  most 
valuable  end  ;  and  therefore  ought  first  to  be  prayed  for.  It  is  the  subject  of  the 
three  first  petitions.  Secondly,  we  are  directed  to  pray  for  what  respects  our  own 
advantage.  This  is  the  subject  of  the  three  last  petitions.  In  these  we  are  directed 
to  pray  lor  outward  blessings,  as  in  the  fourth  petition  ;  and  then  for  spiritual, 
without  which  outward  blessings  would  not  afford  us  any  relish  or  savour,  or  render 
us  truly  happy.  These  spiritual  blessings  include  forgiveness  of  sin,  which  we  pray 
for  in  the  tilth  petition  ;  and  our  being  sanctified  and  delivered  from  the  prevalency 
of  corruption  and  temptation,  together  with  all  the  evils  to  which  sin  exposes  us, 
and  this  blessing  we  pray  for  in  the  sixth  petition. 

What  we  are  more  particularly  to  consider  in  this  Answer,  is,  what  we  are  taught 
to  pray  for  in  the  first  petition,  which  is  contained  in  these  words,  '  Hallowed  be 
thy  name.'  By  the  'name'  of  God  we  are  to  understand  every  thing  by  which 
he  is  pleased  to  make  himself  known  to  his  creatures.  Thus  he  discovers  himself 
in  his  divine  perfections,  which  are  either  essential  or  personal,  absolute  or  rela- 
tive ;  and  in  his  glorious  titles,  as  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  God  and  Rock  of  Israel, 
the  Hope  of  Israel,  the  God  that  cannot  lie,  the  Father  of  mercies,  the  God  of  all 
grace  and  glory,  the  Preserver  of  man  ;  which  have  all  a  tendency  to  raise  in  us 
the  highest  veneration  for  him,  and  esteem  of  him.  He  has  also  made  himself 
known  by  his  ordinances,  word,  and  works.  These  are  the  subject  of  this  petition ; 
and  when  we  pray  that  they  may  be  sanctified,  we  are  to  understand,  not  that  they 
may  be  made  holy,  but  that  the  holiness  and  glory  of  them  may  be  demonstrated 
by  him,  and  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  adore  and  magnify  him  in  a  becoming  man- 
ner. Now,  the  name  ot  God  may  be  said  to  be  sanctified  in  some  respects  by  him- 
self, and  in  other  respects  by  his  people. 

I.  We  pray  that  God  would  sanctify  his  name,  that  is,  demonstrate  the  glory  of  it, 
or  proclaim  it  and  make  it  visible  to  the  world,  so  as  to  excite  that  adoration  and 
esteem  which  is  due  to  him.  His  name,  indeed,  has  been  eminently  glorified  in 
all  ages,  in  the  various  methods  of  his  providence  and  grace  ;  whereby  his  power, 
wisdom,  and  goodness  have  been  illustrated  in  the  eyes  of  angels  and  men  ;  and,  in 
all  his  works,  he  has  appeared  to  be  a  God  of  infinite  holiness.  We  therefore  pray 
that  he  would  continue  to  glorify  these  perfections,  and  enable  us  to  improve  the 
displays  of  them  to  our  spiritual  advantage. 

This  is  a  subject  of  the  highest  importance,  without  which  we  cannot  give  to 
God  the  glory  due  to  his  name.  Hence,  as  praise  is  joined  with  prayer,  it  is  ne- 
cessary for  us  to  take  a  view  of  the  various  ways  by  which  God  has  manifested  the 
glory  of  his  holiness.  We  might  here  consider  how  he  did  this  in  creating  man  at 
first,  without  the  least  blemish  or  disposition  in  his  nature  to  sin,  and  in  stamping 
his  own  image  upon  him,  consisting  principally  in  holiness,  which  was  the  greatest 
internal  beauty  and  ornament  that  he  could  be  endowed  with.  But  what  we  shall 
principally  consider,  is,  how  the  holiness  of  God  is  demonstrated  in  his  dealings 
with  fallen  man.  His  suffering  sin  to  enter  into  the  world,  was  not  inconsistent 
with  the  holiness  of  his  nature.  For  his  providence,  as  was  formerly  observed, 
was  not  conversant  about  it,  by  bringing  any  under  a  natural  necessity  of  sinning ; 
and  therefore  there  is  not  the  least  ground  to  charge  him  with  being  the  author  of 


THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  009 

sin.  We  now  proceed  to  show  how  the  holiness  of  God  was  glorified  in  the  dispen- 
sations of  his  providence  towards  fallen  man,  and  in  the  methods  he  took  in  order 
to  his  recovery. 

1.  The  holiness  of  God  was  glorified,  or  he  sanctified  his  great  name,  in  the  dis- 
pensations of  his  providence  towards  fallen  man,  before  he  gave  him  any  hope  of 
salvation.  It  cannot  be  supposed  that  man's  rebellion  against  God,  and  apostasy 
from  him,  should  not  be  highly  resented  by  him.  Accordingly,  we  read  of  his 
proceeding  as  a  judge  against  the  rebel,  charging  his  crime  upon  him,  and  passing 
sentence  according  to  the  demerit  of  his  sin.  And  all  the  miseries  to  which  we  are 
exposed,  either  in  this  life  or  in  that  which  is  to  come,  are  the  result  of  the  display  of 
his  holiness,  as  a  sin-revenging  Judge.  As  soon  as  our  first  parents  sinned  against 
him,  he  charged  their  guilt  on  their  consciences,  and  filled  them  with  a  dread  of 
his  wrath.  Hence  proceeded  an  inclination  to  flee  from  his  presence  ;  and  when 
they  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  coming  to  call  them  to  an  account  for  what  they 
had  done,  they  were  afraid.  This  is  God's  usual  method  in  dealing  with  sinful 
creatures.  He  first  convinces  them  of  sin  by  the  law,  and  awakens  the  conscience, 
so  that  his  terrors  are  set  in  array  against  it  round  about ;  and  then  he  speaks 
good  and  comfortable  words  by  the  gospel.  He  thus  sanctifies  his  name,  and  dis- 
covers his  infinite  hatred  of  all  sin. 

2.  God  glorifies  his  holiness  in  the  method  he  has  taken  to  deliver  man  from  that 
guilt  and  misery  under  which  he  had  brought  himself.  The  terms  of  reconciliation 
and  salvation  were  such  as  tended  to  secure  the  glory  of  his  justice  ;  and  therefore  he 
insisted  on  a  satisfaction  to  be  given;  without  making  the  least  abatement  of  any 
part  of  the  debt  of  punishment  which  was  due  for  our  sin.  Accordingly,  '  he  spared 
not  his  own  Son.'P  but  delivered  him  over  unto  death,  and  obliged  him  to  drink 
the  bitterest  part  of  that  cup  which  was  most  formidable  to  nature,  and  which,  had 
it  been  possible,  lie  would  fain  have  been  excused  from  drinking.  Hence,  Christ  is 
represented,  by  one  of  the  evangelists,  as  praying  that  God  the  Father  would  '  take 
this  cup  from  him  ;'i  and  by  another,  that  he  would  'save  him  from  this  hour.'p 
Yet  he  expresses  the  utmost  resignation  to  the  divine  will ;  and,  being  sensible  that 
his  sufferings  were  an  expedient  to  glorify  the  holiness  of  God,  he  does,  as  it  were, 
give  a  check  to  the  voice  of  nature,  and  submits  to  bear  the  punishment  he  came 
into  the  world  to  suffer,  how  terrible  soever  it  might  be.  Hence,  he  says,  '  Father, 
glorify  thy  name  ;' s  which  is  as  if  he  had  said,  '  Take  what  method  is  most  expe- 
dient to  demonstrate  the  glory  of  thy  holiness  ;  let  the  whole  debt  be  exacted  on 
me  ;  I  am  willing  to  pay  the  utmost  farthing.'  God  then  says,  by  a  voice  from 
heaven,  '  I  have  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again  ;'  that  is,  '  In  every  step 
which  has  been  or  shall  be  taken,  in  order  to  the  bringing  about  of  the  work  of  re- 
demption, I  have  hallowed  my  name,  and  will  do  it  hereafter.'  Thus  was  God's 
holiness  glorified  in  finishing  transgression,  making  an  end  of  sin,  bringing  in  ever- 
lasting righteousness,  and  also  in  the  impetration  of  redemption,  by  our  great 
Mediator  and  Surety. 

3.  God  has  sanctified  his  name  in  all  the  methods  which  he  has  taken  in  the  ap- 
plication of  redemption,  in  the  various  dispensations  of  his  providence  and  grace 
towards  his  church  and  people.  He  has  determined  that  '  if  his  children  forsake 
his  law,  and  walk  not  in  his  judgments  ;  if  they  break  his  statutes  and  keep  not 
his  commandments  ;  he  will  visit  their  transgression  with  the  rod,  and  their  ini- 
quity with  stripes  ;'*  and  he  does  all  this  in  order  to  manifest  the  glory  of  his 
holiness. .  Though  he  is  pleased  to  pardon  their  iniquity  for  the  sake  of  Christ's 
righteousness  ;  yet  they  shall  know  by  experience  that  he  hates  it.  Whatever  be 
his  designs  of  grace  with  respect  to  his  redeemed  ones,  they  shall  find  that  their 
sin  shall  not  altogether  go  unpunished  ;  though  their  punishment  is  not  of  the  same 
kind  as  that  which  was  suffered  by  Christ,  from  the  hand  of  vindictive  justice  de- 
manding satisfaction.  Moreover,  God  has  sanctified  his  name,  in  his  having  con- 
nected sanctification  with  salvation.  Hence,  he  has  said,  '  Without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord.'u     He  makes  his  people  first  holy,  and  then  happy. 

p  Rom.  vill.  32.  q  Mark  xiv.  35,  36.  r  John  xii.  27. 

s  John  xii.  28.  t  Psal.  lxxxix.  30,  32.  u  Heb.  xii.  14. 

II.  4H 


G10  THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Every  mercy  -which  he  hestows,  is  a  motive  or  inducement  to  holiness  ;  and  all  the 
ordinances  and  means  of  grace  are  made  subservient  to  this  end.  Here  we  may 
take  occasion  to  observe  the  various  methods  whereby  God  has  sanctified  his  name, 
in  all  his  dealings  with  his  church,  in  various  ages,  both  before  and  since  our  Savi- 
our's incarnation. 

The  people  whom,  under  the  legal  dispensation,  he  chose  out  of  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth,  and  called  by  his  name,  among  whom  he  designed  to  magnify  his 
perfections  in  such  a  way  as  argued  them  to  be  the  peculiar  objects  of  his  regard 
above  all  others,  as  he  designed  to  make  them  high  in  name,  in  praise,  and  in 
honour,  are  styled  'an  holy  people, *x  and  elsewhere,  'holiness  unto  the  Lord.'? 
The  wonderful  things  which  he  did  for  them  in  destroying  their  enemies,  when  he 
brought  them  out  of  the  Egyptian  bondage,  gave  them  occasion  to  celebrate  his 
name,  as  a  God  'glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders.'21  The 
worship  which  he  established  among  them  was  such  as  expressly  required  holiness, 
both  in  heart  and  in  life.  And  when,  at  any  time,  they  cast  a  reproach  on  his  per- 
fections, or  denied  and  debased  his  holy  institutions,  he  testified  his  displeasure 
against  them  in  the  highest  degree.  Of  this  we  have  various  instances  in  the 
•  judgments  which  he  executed  on  particular  persons,  for  not  performing  with  the 
greatest  exactness  what  he  had  commanded  in  things  which  related  to  his  worship. 
Thus  when  Nadab  and  Abihu  '  offered  strange  fire,'  they  were  'devoured,  before 
the  Lord,  by  fire  from  heaven.' a  When  David  was  bringing  the  ark  of  God  to 
Jerusalem,  we  read  that  Uzzah  put  forth  his  hand  to  take  hold  of  it  to  prevent  its 
falling,  when  shaken  by  the  oxen.  This  he,  doubtless,  did  with  a  good  design, 
and  it  is  therefore  called  an  'error,'  rather  than  a  presumptuous  sin.  Yet  it  is 
said,  that  *  the  anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against  him,  so  that  he  smote  him 
that  he  died  by  it.'b  For  what  he  did  was  contrary  to  an  express  law  which  God 
had  given,  that  the  sons  of  Kohath  should  'bear  the  ark,  but  they  should  not  touch 
it,  or  any  holy  thing'  that  was  covered,  'lest  they  die.'c  We  read,  too,  that  some 
of  the  men  of  Bethshemesh,  because  they  had  '  looked  into  the  ark  of  the  Lord, 
were  smitten,  so  that  fifty  thousand,  and  threescore  and  ten  of  them  died;'d  for 
God  had  forbidden  that  any  should  indulge  their  curiosity,  so  far  as  to  look  on  the 
holy  things  on  pain  of  death.6  He  also  threatened  the  children  of  Israel  with 
death,  if  any  of  those  who  were  not  appointed  to  minister  in  holy  things,  came 
nigh  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  so  as  to  perform  that  service  which  they 
were  not  sanctified  or  called  to ;  since  their  doing  so  was  reckoned  no  other  than  an 
instance  of  profaneness.  Even  if  Aaron  himself,  whose  office  it  was  to  go  into  the 
holiest  of  all  to  perform  the  yearly  service,  in  which  he  was  to  make  atonement  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  congregation,  presumed  to  do  this  at  any  other  time  but  that 
day  which  God  had  appointed,  was  to  be  punished  with  death.f — Again,  when  any 
thing  was  brought  into  the  worship  of  God,  contrary  to  what  he  had  instituted, 
which  was  reckoned  no  other  than  profaning  it,  God  hallowed  his  own  name,  by 
pouring  forth  his  wrath  on  those  who  gave  occasion  to  or  complied  with  it.  Thus 
when  Jeroboam  set  up  calves  in  Bethel  and  Dan,  '  made  priests  of  the  lowest  of 
the  people,  which  were  not  of  the  sons  of  Levi,'  '  ordained  feasts'  like  those  which 
God  had  appointed,  and,  in  many  other  instances,  corrupted  his  worship,  so  that 
the  people  who  followed  him  wrere  led  aside  from  God,  it  is  said,  '  This  became  sin 
unto  the  house  of  Jeroboam,  even  to  cut  it  off,  and  to  destroy  it  from  off  the  face 
of  the  earth. '8  When  '  Ahaz  erected  an  altar,  according  to  the  pattern  of  that 
which  he  saw  at  Damascus,  and  sacrificed  to  the  gods  of  the  people,'  from  whom  he 
took  the  pattern,  he  brought  '  ruin '  on  himself  and  his  kingdom.11  When  Uzziah 
usurped  the  priest's  office,  by  offering  incense  in  the  temple,  God  immediately  testi- 
fied his  displeasure  against  him,  by  'smiting  him  with  leprosy  ;'  whereby  he  -was 
separated  from  the  congregation  of  the  Lord,  and  rendered  unfit  to  govern  his  peo- 
ple to  the  day  of  his  death.1 — Moreover,  when  holy  men,  in  any  instance,  have  not 
sanctified  God's  name  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  he  has  highly  resented  their  be- 

x  Deut.  xxvi.  19.         y  Jer.  ii.  3.         z  Exod.  xv.  11.         a  Lev.  x.  1,  2.         b  2  Sam.  vi.  6,  7. 
c  Numb.  iv.  15.  d  1  Sam.  vi.  19.  e  Numb.  iv.  20.  f  Lev.  xvi.  2. 

g  1  Kings  xii.  25 — 33,  compared  with  chap.  xiii.  34.  h  2  Kings  xvi.  10,  compared  with 

2  Chron.  xxviii.  23.  i  2  Chron.  xxvi.  16,  20,  21. 


THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  FRAYER.  Gil 

haviour.  Thus  when  Moses  and  Aaron  '  spake  Unadvisedly  with  their  lips,'  0:1 
which  account  they  are  said  "not  to  have  sanctified  the  name  of  God  at  the  waters 
of  Meribah,'  he  told  them  that  therefore  they  should  'not  bring  the  children  of 
Israel  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  but  should  die  in  the  wilderness.' k — Again,  as  we 
have  many  instances  of  the  judgments  of  God  on  particular  persons,  for  not  sanc- 
tifying his  name  ;  so  we  have  a  public  and  visible  display  of  his  holiness,  in  his 
dealings  with  the  whole  nation  of  Israel,  after  their  many  revolts  from  him,  when 
they  served  other  gods,  and  not  only  corrupted  but  laid  aside  his  institutions,  and 
were  guilty  of  vile  abominations  which  were  inconsistent  with  the  least  preten- 
sions to  holiness.  God  then  sanctified  his  own  name,  not  only  by  reproving  them 
by  the  prophets,  but  by  sending  the  many  judgments  which  were  the  forerunners 
of  that  desolation  which  they  had  reason  to  expect,  and  afterwards  by  delivering 
them  into  the  hands  of  those  who  carried  them  captive,  Israel  into  Assyria,  and 
Judah  into  Babylon. 

Let  us  now  consider  how  God  lias  sanctified  his  name,  and  continues  to  sanctify 
it,  under  the  gospel  dispensation.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is'  the  Head  and 
Saviour  of  his  church,  has,  in  his  whole  administration,  set  forth  the  glory  of  God's 
holiness.  He  came  into  the  world,  with  a  commission  from  his  Father,  to  engage 
in  the  work  of  our  redemption  ;  and  accordingly,  he  is  said  to  have  been  '  sancti- 
fied and  sent  into  it'  for  this  very  purpose.1  When  he  entered  on  his  public  min- 
istry, he  produced  his  commission,  and  gave  undeniable  proofs  that  he  was  the 
Messiah,  the  person  whom  God  the  Father  had  'sealed,'  and  set  over  his  house,  to 
manage  this  great  affair.  Every  miracle  which  he  wrought,  was  a  divine  testimony 
for  the  confirmation  of  the  truth  that  the  gospel  dispensation  took  its  rise  from  Christ 
our  great  Mediator,  and  was  a  glorious  display  of  the  holiness  of  God.  The  world 
could  not  have  the  least  ground  to  think  they  were  imposed  on,  when  they  conclud- 
ed that,  according  to  the  predictions  of  all  the  holy  prophets  who  went  before  him, 
this  Jesus  was  he  who  was  to  come  into  the  world  to  erect  that  dispensation  in  which 
his  own  and  his  Father's  glory  were  eminently  to  shine  forth,  and  by  which  the 
name  of  God  was  to  be  hallowed  in  a  greater  degree  than  it  had  ever  been  before. — 
Again,  God  sanctified  his  own  name  under  the  gospel  dispensation,  in  raising  Christ 
from  the  dead,  after  he  had  finished  the  work  which  he  came  into  the  world  to 
perform.  In  this  respect  it  may  be  said  of  him,  that  '  for,'  or  after,  '  the  suffering 
of  death,  he  was  crowned  with  glory  and  honour, 'm  and  put  into  a  capacity  of  ap- 
plying the  redemption  which  he  had  purchased  ;  so  that  God  the  Father  'glorified 
the  Son,  that  the  Son  also  might  glorify  him.'n  That  this  was  not  done  till  he 
had  made  a  full  satisfaction  to  the  justice  of  God,  and  thereby  glorified  his  holi- 
ness to  the  utmost,  has  been  already  considered.  After  his  resurrection,  he  en- 
tered upon  his  glory  ;  and,  from  that  time,  the  gospel  dispensation  might,  by  way 
of  eminency,  be  said  to  begin.  Hence  we  may  apply  to  tins  occasion  the  words  of 
the  psalmist,  '  Sing  unto  the  Lord  ye  saints  of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remem- 
brance of  his  holiness.'0 — Again,  God  sanctified  or  hallowed  his  name  in  his  deal- 
ings with  the  Jewish  nation,  after  Christ's  ascension  into  heaven.  These  dealings 
made  way  for  the  establishment  of  the  gospel  church,  and  were  an  awful  display  of 
his  holiness.  It  must  be  supposed  that  the  treatment  which  our  Saviour  met  with 
from  that  nation,  in  which  they  might  be  sai,d  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  in- 
iquities to  the  utmost,  would  be  followed  with  some  terrible  displays  of  divine  ven- 
geance. Accordingly,  the  utter  ruin  of  their  civil  and  religious  liberties  was  the 
immediate  consequence  ;  and  it  is  a  visible  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  a  very  awful  instance  of  God's  being  sanctified  in  them. — Further,  the 
holiness  of  God  appears  in  the  methods  which  he  took  to  propagate  his  gospel 
through  the  world.  This  was  not  to  be  done  by  might  or  power,  nor  by  those 
methods  of  secular  policy  whereby  civil  states  are  advanced  ;  but  by  his  Spirit, 
whereby  they  who  were  called,  were  sufficiently  qualified  for  this  important  work. 
These  preached  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  according  to  the  commission  which  was 
given  them,  confirmed  it  by  miracles,  and  were  instrumental  in  gathering  a  people 
out  of  the  world,  who  yielded  themselves  willing  subjects  to  Christ,  a  people  called 

k  Numb.  xx.  12.  1  John  x.  36.  m  Heb.  ii.  9.  n  John  xvii.  1.  o  Psal.  xxx.  * 


(112  THE  FIRST  PETITION   OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

by  his  name,  and  subjected  and  entirely  devoted  to  him. — Again,  the  holiness  of 
(iod  appears  in  all  those  doctrines  which  were  preached,  on  which  the  faith  of  the 
church  is  built  ;  and  in  those  ordinances  in  which  they  were  to  express  their  sub- 
jection to  Christ,  and  hope  of  salvation  by  him.  The  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are 
all  pure  and  holy.  Their  great  design  is  to  set  forth  the  harmony  of  the  divine 
perfections,  as  displayed  in  the  method  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  induce 
those  who  are  made  partakers  of  it  to  serve  him  in  holiness  and  righteousness. 
There  is  no  gospel  doctrine  which  leads  to  licentiousness,  or  gives  the  least  counte- 
nance to  it.  None  have  a  right  to  claim  an  interest  in  Christ's  righteousness,  or 
to  hope  for  that  salvation  which  he  has  purchased,  but  they  who  believe;  and  none 
can  be  said  to  believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul,  but  they  who  are  enabled  to  perform 
all  those  duties  whereby  it  will  appear  that  they  are  an  holy  as  well  as  an  happy 
people.  All  those  ordinances  also  which  Christ  has  instituted  in  the  gospel,  have 
a  tendency  to  set  forth  the  holiness  of  God.  What  these  are,  has  been  considered 
under  some  former  Answers ;  as  also  that  they  were  instituted  by  Christ,  and  that 
no  creature  has*  a  right  to  invent  any  modes  of  worship,  or  make  any  additions  to 
his  institutions,  without  incurring  the  guilt  of  depraving  and  sullying  the  beauty  of 
gospel  worship.?  All  therefore  that  I  shall  add  under  this  Head,  is,  that  as  these 
are  set  apart,  and  sanctified  by  God,  to  be  means  of  grace,  and  pledges  of  his  pre- 
sence ;  so  those  who  engage  in  them  are  to  do  so  with  the  view  of  their  being  made 
holy  in  all  conversation,  as  he  who  hath  called  them  is  holy.  Thus  God  sanctifies 
his  own  name  in  the  dispensations  of  his  providence  and  grace. 

Now  when  we  pray,  'Hallowed  be  thy  name,'  with  a  particular  view  to  what 
God  does  in  order  to  the  sanctifying  of  it,  we  adore  him  with  an  holy  trembling, 
beholding  the  displays  of  his  vindictive  justice  in  punishing  sin.  If  he  sees  the 
punishing  of  sin  to  be  necessary  to  secure  his  own  honour  as  the  Governor  of  the 
world,  so  that  without  it  he  would  not  appear  to  be  an  holy  God,  nor  the  glory  of 
his  truth  in  those  threatenings  which  he  has  denounced  against  sin  discovered,  we 
are  fully  satisfied  that  all  his  ways  are  right,  and  acquiesce  in  his  providence ;  and 
when  his  judgments  are  made  manifest,  we  say,  '  Hallowed  be  thy  name.'  When, 
however,  we  put  up  this  petition,  with  a  particular  view  to  God's  executing  his  threat- 
ened vengeance  on  his  enemies,  several  cautions  are  to  be  used.  We  are  to  take 
heed  that  we  do  not  oft'er  the  petition  out  of  hatred  to  the  persons  of  any.  For 
even  they  who  are  the  monuments  of  divine  justice,  in  whom  God  will  be  glorified 
as  a  sin-revenging  Judge,  are  the  objects  of  our  compassion,  as  they  are  miserable ; 
how  much  soever  that  sin  which  is  the  cause  of  their  misery,  is  to  be  hated  and  de- 
tested by  us.  We  must  always  pray,  also,  that  God  would  rather  convert  than 
destroy  his  enemies,  were  it  consistent  with  his  purpose,  which  must  be  accom- 
plished. Again,  we  are  never  called  to  pray  expressly  for  the  damnation  of  any 
one,  how  great  an  enemy  soever  he  may  have  been  to  God  or  us.  On  the  contrary, 
we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  glorify  his  name  in  his  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ. 
Further,  if  we  pray  that  God  would  prevent  those  evils  to  which  his  church  is  ex- 
posed, through  the  power  or  malice  of  its  enemies,  and  that,  in  order  to  this,  he 
would  remove  these  enemies  out  of  the  way,  that  they  may  not  be  able  to  hurt 
them  ;  we  are  to  consider  their  removal  only  as  an  expedient  for  the  church's 
safety,  so  that  if  one  of  the  two  must  suffer  ruin,  we  desire  that  it  may  be  rather 
his  enemies  than  his  people.  We  should  be  glad  if  God  would  be  pleased  to  bring 
about  the  welfare  of  his  church  some  other  way  ;  but  if  not,  when  we  pray  that  his 
name  may  be  hallowed,  by  the  removal  of  their  enemies,  we  do  so  principally  with 
submission  to  his  will,  and  an  humble  acknowledgment  that  all  his  judgments  are 
right.  Thus  concerning  God's  sanctifying  his  own  name,  as  the  subject  of  our  prayer 
in  this  petition. 

II.  When  we  pray,  '  Hallowed  be  thy  name,'  we  signify  our  desire  that  we  may 
be  enabled  to  glorify  God  in  every  thing  whereby  he  makes  himself  known.  Here 
there  is  something  supposed,  namely,  that  all  men  are  utterly  unable  and  disinclined 
of  themselves,  to  honour  God  aright,  or  to  improve  the  various  displays  of  his  glory 
which  we  behold  in  his  word  and  works.     This  arises  from  the  sinfulness  of  our 

p  See  Quest,  cliv. 


THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  613 

nature,  our  alienation  from  an  holy  God,  and  opposition  to  liim;  so  that  without 
the  assistance  of  his  Spirit,  we  are  not  able  to  do  any  thing  which  is  good.  Hence, 
we  pray  that  God  would  make  us  holy,  by  rendering  the  means  of  grace  conducive 
to  our  sanctification,  that  we  may  give  him  the  glory  due  to  his  name. 

But  the  thing  more  especially  prayed  for,  with  respect  to  ourselves  and  others, 
is,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  act  suitably  to  the  discoveries  which  God  has  made 
of  his  divine  perfections  ;  that  we  may  adore  his  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness  in 
all  he  does,  and  worship  him  in  all  his  ordinances  in  an  holy  manner,  or,  as  the 
psalmist  expresses  it,  'worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness. '<*  We  are 
also  to  desire  that  all  his  holy  institutions  may  be  made  means  of  grace  to  us,  that 
we  may  be  sanctified  by  his  truth,  that  beholding,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  we  may  be  transformed  into  his  image,  consisting  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness, that  we  may  have  an  high  esteem  of  every  thing  whereby  he  makes  himself 
known,  and  glorify  him  in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 

In  particular,  we  pray  that  we  may  never  think  or  speak  of  the  divine  perfec- 
tions, but  with  a  becoming  reverence,  and  suitable  acts  of  faith.  When  he  dis- 
covers himself  as  a  God  of  infinite  wisdom,  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  nbt  only  ad- 
mire the  traces  and  footsteps  of  that  wisdom  as  they  are  visible  in  all  his  works, 
but  that  we  may  thereby  be  made  wise  unto  salvation.  When  we  conceive  of  him 
as  a  God  of  infinite  power,  we  are  to  desire  that  he  would  enable  us  to  have  recourse 
to  him,  to  work  all  that  grace  in  us  which  can  be  effected  by  none  but  him,  with 
whom  all  things  are  possible.  When  he  discovers  himself  as  a  God  of  infinite  good- 
ness and  mercy,  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  be  encouraged  to  hope  that  we  shall 
be  made  partakers  of  his  goodness,  by  his  communicating  to  us  the  blessings  which 
accompany  salvation.  When  he  reveals  himself  as  a  God  of  infinite  holiness,  we 
are  to  desire  that  we  may  be  conformed  to  him,  in  some  measure,  so  as  to  be  en- 
abled to  hate  and  flee  from  every  thing  which  is  contrary  to  holiness  ;  and  that  all 
sin,  which  contains  a  reflection  on  the  purity  of  his  nature,  as  well  as  a  contempt  of  his 
authority,  may  be  abhorred  and  detested  by  us.  When  he  discovers  himself  as  a  God 
of  infinite  faithfulness,  a  God  that  keepeth  covenant  and  mercy  to  them  that  fear  him, 
who  has  made  many  promises  respecting  their  salvation,  and  will  certainly  accomplish 
them,  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  depend  upon  him,  put  our  trust  in  him,  and  that 
he  would  remember  his  good  word  unto  us  on  which  he  hath  caused  us  to  hope. 
When  he  makes  himself  known  as  our  Creator,  he  the  Potter  and  we  the  clay,  we 
are  to  pray  that  we  may  be  well-pleased  with  all  the  dispensations  of  his  providence 
towards  us,  considering  that  he  has  a  right  to  do  what  he  will  with  his  own.  When 
he  reveals  himself  as  our  Redeemer,  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  be  able  to  con- 
clude that  we  are  bought  with  that  invaluable  price  which  Christ  gave  for  his  elect ; 
and  if  we  have  a  comfortable  hope  concerning  our  interest  in  Christ,  we  are  to  de- 
sire that  we  may  walk  as  becomes  those  who  are  laid  under  the  highest  obligations 
to  love  him  and  live  to  him. 

Again,  we  pray  that  we  may  worship  God  in  a  right  manner,  in  all  his  ordinances. 
Accordingly,  when  he  encourages  us  to  attend  to  what  he  imparts  in  these  ordi- 
nances, as  in  hearing  or  reading  the  word,  we  pray  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  re- 
ceive the  truth  in  the  love  of  it ;  that  we  may  improve  it  as  that  which  is  '  not  the 
word  of  men,  but  of  God,  which  effectually  working  in  them  that  believe  ;'r  that 
we  may  esteem  it  as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  duty  ;  that  we  may  be  en- 
abled to  '  hide  it  in  our  hearts,  that  we  may  not  sin  against  him.'8  When  we  draw 
nigh  to  him  in  prayer,  in  which  he  requires  that  we  should  sanctify  his  name  as  a 
God  all-sufficient,  on  whom  we  depend  for  the  supply  of  our  wants  ;  or  when  we 
bless  and  praise  him  for  what  we  have  received,  we  supplicate  that  the  frame  oi 
our  spirits  may  be  suited  to  the  spirituality  and  importance  of  the  duty  we  are  en- 
gaged in,  that  we  may  not  be  like  those  whom  our  Saviour  speaks  of,  who  '  draw 
nigh  to  him  with  their  mouths,  and  honour  him  with  their  lips,  while  their  heart  is 
far  from  him.'4 

Further,  as  God  makes  himself  known  to  us  by  his  works,  we  are  to  beg  of  him 
that,  in  the  work  of  creation,  we  may  see  and  admire  his  eternal  power  and  God 

q  Psal.  xxix.  2.  r  1  Thess.  ii.  13.  s  Psal.  cxix.  11.  t  Matt.  xv.  8. 


014  THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

head,  and  that  from  his  works  of  common  providence  in  which  he  upholds  and 
governs  all  things,  we  may  take  occasion  to  adore  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  his 
almighty  power,  and  the  inexhaustible  treasure  of  his  goodness.  But  more  especially 
when  he  discovers  himself  in  the  gracious  dispensations  of  his  providence,  in  those 
things  which  have  an  immediate  reference  to  our  salvation,  we  are  not  only  to  beg 
that  he  would  enable  us  to  look  on  them  with  admiration,  but  are  particularly  to 
express  our  love  and  thankfulness  to  Christ  our  great  Mediator  and  Advocate,  as 
those  who  humbly  trust  and  hope  that  we  have  an  interest  in  him  by  faith.  Thus 
concerning  our  requesting  these  things  for  ourselves. 

We  might  here  observe  something  concerning  our  praying  that  others  may  be 
enabled  to  act  suitably  to  the  discoveries  which  God  has  made  of  his  perfections. 
We  are  to  pray  that  they  may  have  the  highest  esteem  for  God  in  all  the  points 
of  view  which  we  have  specified  ;  and  consequently,  that  his  name  may  be  known 
throughout  the  whole  world,  not  merely  as  the  God  of  nature,  but  as  he  has  re- 
vealed himself  in  his  word.  Hence,  we  are  to  pray  that  the  way  of  salvation  by 
Christ  may  be  known,  and  his  name  adored  and  magnified  as  a  Redeemer  and 
Saviour,  in  those  parts  of  the  world  which  are  at  present  destitute  of  gospel  light ; 
and  that,  where  the  word  is  preached,  it  may  be  received  with  faith  and  love,  that 
they  who  are  called  Christians  may  walk  more  becoming  that  relation  which  they 
stand  in  to  the  blessed  Jesus.  Thus  concerning  the  subject  of  our  requests  in 
this  petition,  respecting  God's  enabling  us  and  others  to  glorify  him  in  every  thing 
by  which  he  makes  himself  known.  There  are  two  things  inferred  hence  in  the 
close  of  this  Answer. 

1.  When  we  pray  that  God  would  sanctify  his  name,  we,  in  effect,  desire  that  he 
would  prevent  and  remove  every  thing  which  is  dishonourable  to  it.  Some  things 
tend  to  cast  so  great  a  reproach  on  the  name  of  God,  that  sinners  are  hardened  in 
their  opposition  to  him  ;  as  David,  by  his  sin,  is  said  to  have  'given  great  occasion 
to  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  to  blaspheme.'11  God  is  highly  dishonoured  by  those 
open  and  scandalous  sins  which  are  committed  by  such  as  make  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion. By  these  sins,  they  make  it  apparent  that  they  are  strangers  to  the  power 
of  religion  ;  and  they  lay  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  persons  who  are 
ready  to  take  an  estimate  of  the  ways  of  God,  from  the  conversation  of  those  who 
in  words  profess  but  in  works  deny  him.  Some  deny  the  very  being,  perfections, 
and  providence  of  God,  or  being  ignorant  of  him,  worship  they  know  not  what ;  and 
there  are  others  who  treat  things  sacred  with  profaneness  and  scurrility  ;  and,  in- 
stead of  sanctifying  the  name  of  God,  openly  blaspheme  and  cast  a  contempt  on  all 
his  sacred  institutions.  Hence,  we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  prevent  and  remove 
atheism.  When  persons  not  only  act  as  though  there  were  no  God,  but  with  blas- 
phemy and  daring  insolence  express  their  atheism  in  words,  they  are  generally 
hardened  in  their  iniquities,  and  bid  defiance  to  his  justice  ;  as  though  they  were, 
as  is  said  of  the  leviathan,  '  made  without  fear,'*  and  were  not  apprehensive  of  any 
ill  consequences.  These  are  not  to  be  convinced  by  arguments  ;  though  there  is 
nothing  which  occurs  in  the  works  of  creation  and  providence,  but  what  might  con- 
fute them  and  put  them  to  silence,  did  they  duly  attend  to  it.  Hence,  we  are  to 
pray  that  God  would  assert  his  divine  Being  and  perfections,  and  give  them  some 
convincing  proof  of  these,  by  impressing  the  dread  and  terror  of  his  wrath  upon 
their  consciences,  that  so  they  may  learn  not  to  blaspheme  ;  or  that  he  would 
give  them  that  internal  light  by  which  they  may  be  brought  to  adore  and  sanctify 
his  name.  And  as  there  are  multitudes  of  practical  atheists,  who  behave  them- 
selves as  though  there  were  no  God  to  observe  what  they  do,  or  punish  them  for  it, 
and  who  presumptuously  conclude  that  they  may  rebel  without  being  called  to  an 
account ;  we  are  to  pray  that  God,  by  his  grace,  would  prevent  prevailing  impiety, 
by  working  a  thorough  reformation  in  the  hearts  of  men,  to  the  end  that  practical 
godliness  may  be  promoted,  and  his  name  glorified. — Again,  we  are  to  pray  that 
God  would  prevent  and  remove  that  ignorance  which  is  inconsistent  with  persons 
sanctifying  his  name.  This  respects,  more  especially,  the  not  knowing  or  inquir- 
ing into  those  great  doctrines  which  are  of  the  highest  importance,  and  which  more 

u  2  Sam.  xii.  14.  x  Job  xli.  33 


THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER  615 

directly  tend  to  the  advancing  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  obtaining  of  eternal  life. 
In  those  who  are  destitute  of  divine  revelation,  this  ignorance  is  invincible.  Hence, 
with  respect  to  such,  we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  grant  to  them  the  means  of 
grace,  by  sending  his  gospel  among  them  ;  that  they  who  sit  in  darkness,  and  in 
the  region  and  shadow  of  death,  may  have  a  glorious  light  shining  about  them, 
whereby  they  may  be  made  acquainted  with  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ. 
But  there  are  others  who  sit  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel,  and  yet  remain  stran- 
gers to  its  great  doctrines,  who  have  no  love  to  the  truth,  and  act  as  though  it  did 
not  belong  to  them  to  study  the  scriptures.  These  are  wilfully  ignorant,  like  those 
who  are  said  to  '  hate  knowledge,  and  not  to  choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord.'*  We 
are  to  pray  with  regard  to  such,  that  in  order  to  their  sanctifying  the  name  of  God, 
they  may  be  led  into  the  knowledge  of  those  great  doctrines  in  which  the  glory  of 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  set  forth,  as  it  is  in  the  work  of  redemption  by 
Christ,  together  with  the  way  in  which  righteousness  and  life  may  be  attained  ; 
and  that  they  may  know  what  are  those  graces  which  are  inseparably  connected 
with  and  necessary  to  salvation. — Again,  we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  prevent  or 
remove  idolatry  ;  either  such  as  is  more  gross,  and  practised  by  the  heathen  and 
others,  who  give  that  worship  to  creatures  which  is  due  to  God  alone  ;  or  that 
idolatry  which  may  be  observed  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  many  who,  though  they 
abhor  its  grosser  acts,  are  nevertheless  guilty  of  it  in  their  loving  the  creature  more 
than  God.  This  sin  is  what  we  all  are  either  chargeable  with  or  in  danger  of,  and 
is  directly  contrary  to  our  sanctifying  the  name  of  God.  Hence,  we  are  to  pray, 
wifli  respect  to  the  former,  that  he  would  convince  them  that  what  they  falsely  call 
worship,  is  a  dishonour  to  him,  and  is  abhorred  by  him  ;  and,  with  respect  to  the 
latter,  that  he  would  convince  us  that  he  deserves  our  supreme  love,  and  will  not 
admit  of  any  thing  to  stand  in  competition  with  him  ;  that  he  would  enable  us  to 
love  him  with  all  our  heart,  soul,  mind,  and  strength  ;  that,  in  order  to  this,  he 
would  deliver  us  from  the  iniquity  of  covetousness,  or  those  inordinate  affections 
by  which  we  are  inclined  immoderately  to  pursue  the  world,  and  which  are  incon- 
sistent with  an  heavenly  conversation ;  and  that  we  may  be  kept  from  self-seeking, 
or  trusting  to  our  own  righteousness  for  justification,  or  giving  that  glory  to 
any  other  which  is  due  to  God  alone. — Further,  we  are  to  pray  for  the  preventing 
and  removal  of  that  profaneness  which  is  contrary  to  the  sanctifying  of  the  name  of 
God  ;  that  persons  may  not  give  themselves  that  liberty,  which  many  do,  to  treat 
things  sacred  in  a  common  way,  or  make  religion  the  subject  of  wit  and  drollery  ; 
which  is  very  disgusting  to  the  ears  of  those  who  have  an  awe  of  God  on  their 
spirits,  and  altogether  unbecoming  persons  professing  godliness.  We  are  also  to 
beg  that  God  would  deliver  us  from  engaging  in  religious  duties  in  a  formal  way, 
as  though  his  name  were  to  be  sanctified  only  by  an  external  show  or  appearance 
of  religion,  without  that  internal  disposition  of  heart  which  is  required  in  all  those 
who  draw  nigh  to  him  in  a  holy  manner ;  and  also  that  we  may  be  kept  from 
making  any  innovation  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  thereby  profaning  it,  while  we 
pretend  to  add  to  its  beauty  and  its  acceptableness  in  his  sight, — conduct  which  is 
bo  far  from  hallowing  his  name,  that  it  is  highly  provoking  to  him. 

2.  Another  thing  inferred  from  the  account  we  have  had  of  those  methods  by 
which  the  name  of  God  is  said  to  be  sanctified,  is,  that  we  are  to  beg  of  him,  that, 
by  his  overruling  providence,  he  would  direct  and  dispose  of  all  things  to  his  own 
glory.  This  is  his  immediate  work  ;  without  which  his  name  would  not  be  sancti- 
fied by  his  creatures.  It  consists  in  his  bringing  a  revenue  of  glory  to  himself,  out 
of  those  things  which  seem  to  be  subversive  of  it.  One  of  the  glories  of  providence 
is,  that  God  brings  good  out  of  evil,  and  renders  some  things  subservient  to  his  in- 
terest, which  in  themselves  have  a  tendency  to  overthrow  it.  This  may  be  observed 
in  several  things  consequent  upon  the  sins  and  persecutions  of  the  church.  Thus, 
when  Israel  revolted  from  God,  by  making  the  golden  calf  in  the  wilderness,  he 
first  humbled  them  greatly  for  it,  and  then  spirited  them  with  zeal  to  execute 
judgment  on  those  who  did  not  repent  of  it.  And  afterwards,  when,  at  Moses' 
entreaty,  he  forgave  this  sin,  he  filled  them  with  a  zeal  for  the  establishing  of  his 

y  Prov.  i.  29. 


t>16  THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

worship,  equal  to  that  which  had  been  expressed  before  in  profaning  his  name  ;  so 
that,  as  they  then  parted  with  their  golden  ear-rings  to  make  the  idol  which  they 
worshipped.  z  they  now  made  a  very  large  contribution  for  the  building  of  the 
tabernacle.8 — Again,  when,  by  their  abominable  idolatry,  they  had  provoked  (jod 
to  give  them  into  the  hands  of  those  who  carried  them  captive  into  Babylon,  the 
event  was  so  overruled  by  his  providence,  that  they  were  never  guilty  of  idolatry 
afterwards,  whatever  temptations  they  had  to  it.  Hence,  when  they  returned  from 
captivity,  how  much  soever  they  were  chargeable  with  want  of  zeal  for  building 
the  temple,  and  setting  up  public  worship  in  it,  b  or  with  many  other  crimes,  in 
the  priests  seeking  their  secular  interest  rather  than  the  glory  of  God,  in  their  per- 
forming several  branches  of  their  office  in  a  profane  manner,  and  thereby  render- 
ing the  public  worship  contemptible,  and  in  their  offering  the  refuse  of  the  flock  in 
sacrifice  to  God,  for  which  they  were  reproved  by  him  ;c  yet  we  never  find  them 
reproved  for  idolatry  after  their  captivity.  Accordingly,  some  think  that  the  vision 
which  the  prophet  Zechariah  had  of  the  woman  who  was  called  wickedness,  '  sitting 
in  the  midst  of  the  ephah,'  and  of  this  being  'borne  by  two  women  that  had  wings 
like  the  wings  of  a  stork  into  the  land  of  Shinar,'  or  Chaldea,  '  to  build  an  house  for 
it,  'd  that  it  might  there  be  '  established,  and  set  upon  her  own  base, '  intimates  that  the 
idolatry  of  the  heathen  should  not  spread  itself  among  the  Israelites  as  it  had  done, 
but  be  confined  to  those  parts  of  the  world  which  had  formerly  set  it  up,  and  which 
therefore  are  considered  as  the  proper  seat  of  it,  and  not  the  church.  The  same 
thing  seems  to  be  foretold  by  the  prophet  Hosea,  when  he  says,  that  'the  children  of 
Israel,  after  they  had  been  many  days  without  a  king,  without  a  priest,  and  without 
a  sacrifice,  should  be  without  an  image.' e  The  former  part  of  this  passage  denotes 
that  they  should  have  their  civil  and  religious  state  broken  and  discontinued  ;  the 
latter  seems  to  intimate,  that  providence  would  so  far  overrule  this  affliction  that 
they  should  be  disinclined  and  averse  to  idolatry,  as  they  are  at  this  day,  though, 
in  other  respects,  altogether  alienated  from  God. — Again,  all  the  persecutions 
which  the  church  has  met  with  from  its  enemies,  with  a  design  to  bring  about  its 
ruin  and  destruction,  have  been  overruled  for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  Thus 
when  Saul,  before  his  conversion,  '  made  havoc  of  the  church,  entering  into  every 
house,  and  haling  men  and  women,  committed  them  to  prison,'  so  that  'a  great 
persecution '  was  raised  by  his  instigation,  and  the  people  of  God  could  not  meet 
safely  at  Jerusalem,  but  were  '  scattered  abroad  throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and 
Samaria  ;'f  the  event  was  ordered  by  the  providence  of  God  for  the  greater  spread 
of  the  gospel,  so  that  the  Samaritans  received  the  word  of  God.  In  following  ages, 
also,  we  may  observe  that  whatever  attempts  have  been  made  against  the  interest 
of  Christ  in  the  world,  have,  contrary  to  the  design  of  his  enemies,  been  made  sub- 
servient to  its  greater  advancement.  Accordingly,  some  have  observed  that  the  blood 
of  the  martyrs  has  been  the  seed  of  the  church.  Thus,  too,  the  psalmist's  predic- 
tion has  been  fulfilled,  '  Surely  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  wrath  shalt  thou  restrain. '*  And  often,  when  the  gospel  has,  like  the 
sea,  lost  ground  in  one  part  of  the  world,  it  has  gained  it  in  another. — Moreover, 
we  may  observe  that  God  glorifies  his  holiness  by  overruling  the  falls  and  mis- 
carriages of  particular  believers.  They  are  hereby  made  more  humble,  watchful, 
and  circumspect  for  the  future  ;  and,  when  restored  from  their  backslidings,  they 
are  put  upon  admiring  his  grace,  and  excited  to  thankfulness,  which  the  nature  of 
their  case  requires.  They  also  take  occasion  to  warn  others,  lest  they  be  entangled 
in  the  snare  out  of  which  they  have  escaped ;  or  if  fallen,  to  recommend  to  them 
those  methods  of  divine  grace  whereby  they  themselves  have  been  recovered. 
This  improvement  the  psalmist  made  of  the  dealings  of  God  with  him.  When  he 
speaks  of  his  being  '  brought  out  of  an  horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  his  feet 
set  upon  a  rock,  and  his  goings  established  ;'  he  adds,  '  Many  shall  see  it  and  shall 
fear,  and  shall  trust  in  the  Lord.'h  And  when  God's  people  have  been  greatly 
dejected  under  the  troubles  they  have  met  with,  he  has  overruled  their  sufferings 
for  the  restoring  of  comforts  to  them,  and  for  enabling  them  to  comfort  others  in 

z  Exod.  xxxii.  2,  3.  a  Chap.  xxxv.  21 — 29,  and  xxxvi.  5,  6.  b  Hag.  i.  9. 

c  Mai.  i.  10,  et  seq.  d  Zech.  v.  7— 11.  e  Hos.  iii.  4.  f  Acts  viii.  1—5. 

g  Psal.  lxxvi.  10.  h  Psal.  xl.  2  3. 


THE  FIRST  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  617 

similar  afflictions.  Accordingly,  the  event,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  '  redounds 
to  their  consolation  and  salvation.' '  Thus  concerning  the  first  petition  of  the  Lord's 
prayer,  as  it  is  explained  in  the  Answer  before  us. 

We  shall  now  consider  how  this  petition  may  be  reduced  into  practice,  that  we 
may  be  directed  in  our  addressing  ourselves  to  God  in  those  things  which  concern  the 
glory  of  his  name.  Accordingly,  it  is  as  if  we  said,  "  We  adore  thee,  0  our  God,  that 
thou  hast  been  pleased  to  make  such  discoveries  of  thyself  to  thy  people,  as  thou 
hast  uo^b  in  all  ages.  In  particular  we  give  thanks  at  the  rem  nubianr...  <  thine 
holiness.  Thou  mightest,  indeed,  have  glorified  thy  name  in  the  everlasting  de- 
struction of  the  whole  race  of  fallen  man  ;  but  thou  hast  sanctified  thy  name,  and 
advanced  thy  perfections  in  bringing  about  the  work  of  our  redemption  by  a  Medi- 
ator, in  which  justice  and  mercy  are  met  together,  righteousness  and  peace  have 
embraced  each  other  ;  and  thou  hast  hereby  a  greater  revenue  of  glory  redounding 
to  thy  name  than  by  all  thine  other  works,  or  than  could  have  been  brought  to 
thee  by  the  united  services  of  the  most  excellent  creatures.  We  also  bless  thee 
that  thou  hast  been  ploased  to  make  such  bright  discoveries  of  thyself  in  thy  word, 
which  thou  hast  magnified  above  all  thy  name  ;  that  thou  hast  given  us  thy  gospel, 
and  all  the  ordinances  and  means  of  grace,  that  hereby  thou  mayest  gather  -to  thy- 
self a  people  out  of  the  world,  who  might  be  holy  in  all  conversation,  as  thou  who 
hast  called  them  art  holy.  We  confess  that  we  have  not  sanctified  thy  name  as 
we  ought  ;  nor  attended  on  thine  ordinances  with  that  reverence  and  holy  fear 
which  is  due  to  thy  divine  majesty,  for  which  thou  hast  testified  thy  displeasure 
against  us,  in  withdrawing  thy  presence  from  thine  own  institutions.  We  acknow- 
ledge that  herein  thou  art  righteous,  and  hast  punished  us  less  than  our  iniquities 
have  deserved  ;  for  thou  mightest  have  removed  thy  candlestick  out  of  its  place, 
or  taken  thine  ordinances  from  us,  as  thou  hast  done  from  many,  who  once  wor- 
shipped thee,  as  we  do  at  this  day,  but  are  now  wholly  estranged  from  thee.  Re- 
vive thy  work,  0  Lord,  we  beseech  thee,  and  hereby  sanctify  thy  great  name.  Let 
thy  word  have  free  course  and  be  glorified.  Set  up  thy  standard  against  every 
thing  which  opposes  thine  interest  in  the  world.  Send  forth  thy  light  and  thy 
truth,  whereby  the  ignorant  may  be  instructed  in  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ. 
Give  a  check  to  that  atheism,  profaneness,  and  irreligion  that  abounds  among  a 
professing  people  ;  and  let  all  the  dispensations  of  thy  providence  have  a  tendency 
to  bring  about  the  work  of  reformation,  that  thereby  thou  mayest  be  glorified,  and 
thy  people  enabled,  more  and  more,  to  sanctify  thee  in  every  thing  whereby  thou 
makest  thyself  known." 


THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Question  CXCI.  What  do  we  pray  for  in  the  second  petition  ? 

Answer.  In  the  second  petition,  which  is,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  acknowledging  ourselves, 
and  all  mankind,  to  be,  by  nature,  under  the  dominion  of  sin  and  Satan,  we  pray  that  the  kingdom 
of  sin  and  Satan  may  be  destroyed,  the  gospel  propagated  throughout  the  world,  the  Jews  called, 
the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  brought,  in,  the  church  furnished  with  all  gospel  officers  and  ordinances, 
pureed  from  corruption,  countenanced  and  maintained  by  the  civil  magistrate,  that  the  ordinances 
of  Christ  may  be  purely  dispensed  and  made  effectual  to  the  converting  of  those  that  are  yet  in 
their  sins,  and  the  confirming,  comforting,  and  building  up  of  those  that  are  already  converted; 
that  Christ  would  rule  in  our  hearts  here,  and  hasten  the  time  of  his  second  coming,  and  our  reign- 
ing with  him  for  ever;  and  that  he  would  be  pleased  so  to  exercise  the  kingdom  of  his  power  in 
all  the  world,  as  may  best  conduce  to  these  ends. 

In  this  petition  there  are,  first,  some  things  supposed,  relating  to  the  sovereignty 
and  dominion  of  God  over  men,  and  the  opposition  which  it  meets  with, — which, 
how  great  soever  it  be,  shall  not  hinder  its  advancement  in  the  world.  Secondly, 
there  are  several  things  which  we  are  directed  to  pray  for,  in  reference  to  these 
things  which  are  supposed. 

i  2  Cor.  i.  6. 
n.  4  I 


618  THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


What  is  supposed  in  the  Second  Petition. 

I.  One  thing  supposed  in  this  petition,  is,  that  God  is  a  great  and  glorious  King. 
This  is  the  necessary  result  of  his  being  the  Creator  of  all  things.  From  that 
character  arises  an  universal  propriety  in  all  things,  and  a  right  to  dispose  of  them 
at  his  pleasure,  in  the  methods  of  his  providence  ;  so  that  he  can  no  more  lose  his 
right  to  govern  the  world,  than  he  can  cease  to  be  God.  It  may  be  farther  ob- 
served, that  the  subjects  governed  are  intelligent  creatures  ;  for,  though  all  other 
things  are  upheld  by  him,  and  made  use  of  to  fulfil  his  pleasure,  yet  they  cannot 
be  said  to  be  under  a  law,  or  the  subjects  of  moral  government.  Hence,  God  is 
more  especially  related  to  angels  and  men  as  their  King.  As  to  that  branch  of  his 
government  which  is  exercised  in  this  lower  world,  it  principally  respects  men. 
Now  when  God  is  said  to  be  their  King,  the  exercise  of  his  dominion  is  variously 
considered,  according  to  the  different  circumstances  in  which  they  are. 

1.  As  men,  they  are  the  subjects  of  his  providential  kingdom.  Tn  this  respect, 
they  are  the  objects  of  his  care  and  common  goodness,  which  extends  itself,  as  the 
psalmist  says,  to  'all  his  works, 'k  or  to  his  'giving  to  all,  life,  and  breath,  and  all 
things.'1  Moreover,  whatever  he  does  in  the  world,  is,  in  some  way  or  other,  de- 
signed for  their  use  or  advantage,  either  as  subservient  to  their  happiness,  or  as 
objects  in  which  they  behold  the  glory  of  his  divine  perfections  shining  forth.  In 
this  respect,  as  the  God  of  nature,  he  is  King  over  the  whole  world,  whose  glory 
infinitely  surpasses  that  of  the  greatest  monarch  on  earth.  When  men  are  said  to 
have  dominion,  they  derive  it  from  his  will  and  providence.  It  is  also  limited  ; 
while  his  is  universal.  They  are  likewise  accountable  to  him  for  the  administration 
of  that  authority  which  he  commits  to  them ;  but  he  giveth  no  account  of  his  mat- 
ters to  any  one,  inasmuch  as  there  is  none  superior  to  him.  There  are  also  many 
flaws  and  imperfections  in  the  government  of  the  best  kings  on  earth,  because  their 
wisdom,  holiness,  power,  and  justice  are  imperfect ;  and  sometimes  the  most  de- 
sirable ends  are  not  attained.  But  the  divine  government  is  such  as  tends  to  set 
fortli  God's  glorious  perfections,  and  answer  the  highest  ends,  namely,  the  advance- 
ment of  his  own  name,  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  his  creatures.  We  may  also 
observe  that,  not  only  are  the  greatest  potentates  on  earth  mortal,  but  their  govern- 
ment is  often  subject  to  change,  and  liable  to  be  resisted  and  controlled  by  other 
kings  like  themselves.  But  God,  on  the  contrary,  has  none  equal  with  him,  so 
that  his  government  cannot  be  controlled  ;  and  being  all-sufficient,  he  cannot  be 
destitute  of  what  is  necessary  to  fulfil  his  purpose,  or  advance  his  glory.  Again, 
none  but  God  has  a  right  to  give  laws  to  the  consciences  of  men.  Indeed,  no 
government  is  properly  spiritual,  and  such  as  reaches  the  heart,  like  his ;  nor  does 
the  honour  which  is  due  to  any  other,  include  the  least  right  to  divine  worship  or 
adoration,  which  belongs  only  to  him. 

2.  As  God  has  a  peculiar  people  in  the  world,  who  are  the  objects  of  his  grace, 
these  are  the  subjects  of  Christ's  mediatorial  kingdom,  in  which  respect  he  is 
styled,  King  of  saints.  This  is  not  only  a  divine  honour  which  we  ascribe  to  him, 
but  it  belongs  to  him  in  particular  as  our  Redeemer ;  and  so  it  is  to  be  understood 
whenever  he  is  called  a  King  in  scripture,  as  denoting  that  kingdom  which  he  has 
received  from  the  Father.  His  governing  the  world,  on  the  other  hand,  which  is 
styled  his  providential  kingdom,  necessarily  belongs  to  him  as  God,  and  is  no  more 
conferred  upon  him  by  the  will  of  the  Father,  than  his  divine  nature,  or  personality. 
We  do  not  therefore  pray  in  this  petition,  that  he  would  govern  the  world  ;  for  we 
may  as  well  address  ourselves  to  him,  that  he  would  be  an  infinite  Sovereign,  and 
act  agreeably  to  his  divine  nature,  which  he  cannot  but  be  and  do.  But  the  king- 
dom which  is  here  intended,  to  which  we  have  a  more  immediate  regard,  as  the 
subject  of  this  petition,  is  that  which  belongs  to  him  as  Mediator,  which  he  received 
from  the  Father;  who  is  said,  in  respect  to  it,  to  have  'set  him'  as  his  'King  upon 
his  holy  hill  of  Zion,'m  and  concerning  which  it  was  foretold,  that '  the  government' 
should  be  'upon  his  shoulder.'11    This  is  therefore  not  only  an  honour,  but  an  office 

k  Pial.  cxlv.  9.  1  Acts  xvii.  25.  m  Psal.  ii.  6.  n  Isa.  ix.  6. 


THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  619 

which  he  is  invested  with,  having  received  a  conlmission  from  the  Father  to  exe- 
cute it.  And  whenever  he  is  said  to  do  any  thing  in  the  methods  of  his  providence, 
which  have  an  immediate  reference  to  the  salvation  of  his  people,  what  he  does  is 
an  exercise  of  this  dominion,  or  is  a  branch  of  the  glory  of  his  mediatorial  kingdom  ; 
and  this  is  what  we  have  a  peculiar  regard  to,  when  we  desire  that  his  kingdom 
may  come.  In  this  respect,  we  pray  that  all  the  dispensations  of  his  providence 
may  tend  to  the  application  of  that  redemption  which  is  purchased  for  his  people  ; 
and  in  particular,  that  he  would  subdue  them  to  himself,  take  possession  of  their 
hearts,  govern  them  by  his  laws,  defend  them  by  his  power,  restrain  and  conquer 
aril  their  enemies,  and  at  last,  admit  them  to  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  them 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

In  the  New  Testament,  Christ's  kingdom  is  generally  taken  for  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation. He  is  represented  as  sitting  on  a  throne  of  grace  ;  and  sinners  are  in- 
vited to  come  and  bow  down  before  him,  and  receive  the  blessings  which  he  encour- 
ages them  to  expect,  as  their  merciful  Sovereign.  This  kingdom  of  grace  shall 
not  cease  to  be  administered  by  him,  till  all  his  redeemed  ones  are  made  willing, 
in  the  day  of  his  power,  and  eventually  brought  into  a  better  world  ;  and  then  it 
will  receive  another  denomination,  and  be  called  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  It  is  true, 
the  gospel  dispensation  is  often  so  called  in  the  New  Testament,  as  it  respects  the 
administration  of  his  gracious  government  begun  and  carried  on  in  this  world. 
But,  in  heaven,  that  government  will  be  administered  in  a  most  glorious  manner, 
agreeably  to  the  state  of  perfection  to  which  his  saints  shall  there  be  brought.  As, 
however,  these  things  have  been  particularly  insisted  on  under  a  former  Answer, 
in  which  Christ's  kingly  office  was  explained  ;°  we  shall  pass  them  over  at  present, 
and  proceed  to  consider  another  thing  supposed  in  this  petition. 

II.  Though  God  is  the  only  supreme  and  lawful  Sovereign,  yet  there  are  somo 
who  pretend  to  stand  in  competition  with  him,  and  usurp  that  dominion  which  be- 
longs only  to  him.  Man  no  sooner  rebelled  against  him,  than  he  was  under  the 
dominion  of  sin,  and  was  inclined  to  serve  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  and  willingly 
gave  himself  over  as  a  vassal  to  Satan,  who  from  that  time  was  styled  'the  prince,' 
or  god,  *  of  this  world,  the  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 'p 
We  must  not  suppose  that  he  has  the  least  right  to  this  kingdom,  or  dominion,  in 
which  he  sets  himself  against  the  divine  government ;  yet  sinners  who  rebel  against 
God,  are  said  to  be  Satan's  subjects.  Where  the  gospel  is  not  preached,  he  reigns 
without  control ;  and  liaise  churches  which  oppose  the  faith  contained  in  the  gospel, 
are  called  'synagogues  of  Satan. '9  Indeed,  in  all  those  places  to  which  Christ's 
kingdom  of  grace  has  not  been  extended,  persons  are  said  to  be  subjects  of  Satan's 
kingdom  ;  which  is  opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  These  two  kingdoms  divide 
the  world.  Hence,  when  we  pray  that  Christ's  kingdom  may  be  advanced,  we  ex- 
press an  earnest  desire  that  whatsoever  has  a  tendency  to  oppose  it  may  be  ruined 
and  destroyed. 

What  is  prayed  for  in  the  Second  Petition. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  we  are  to  pray  for  in  this  petition.  Now,  we 
are  not  to  pray  that  God  would  govern  the  world,  or  exercise  his  providential  king- 
dom ;  for  that  he  cannot  but  do.  Nor  are  we  to  pray  that  Christ's  kingdom  may 
come,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  church  prayed  for  its  coming  before  the  gos- 
pel dispensation,  which  is  called  his  kingdom,  was  erected  ;  for  to  do  so  would  be, 
in  effect,  to  deny  that  there  is  such  a  kingdom,  or  that  our  Saviour  has  a  church 
in  which  he  exercises  his  government  in  the  world.  We  are  to  pray,  however,  that 
God  would  eminently  display  his  perfections  for  the  good  of  his  people,  in  his  pro- 
vidential government  of  the  world,  and  overrule  all  the  dispensations  of  that  gov- 
ernment for  the  advancement  of  his  own  name,  and  the  happiness  of  his  church  and 
people.  And  though,  as  we  have  just  observed,  we  are  not  to  pray  that  the  gospel 
dispensation  may  be  erected  ;  yet  we  are  to  pray  that  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom 
may  be  farther  extended,  that  subjects  may  be  daily  brought  into  it,  and  that  the 

o  See  Quest,  xlv.  p  John  xii.  31 ;  2  Cor.  iv.  4;  Ephei.  ii.  2.  q  Rev.  ii.  9. 


620  THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER. 

blessed  fruits  and  effects,  of  it,  which  tend  to  promote  his  own  glory  and  his  people's 
happiness,  may  be  abundantly  experienced  by  them. 

I.  In  particular,  when  we  say,  *  Thy  kingdom  come,'  we  express  our  desire  that 
the  kingdom  of  sin  and  Satan  may  be  destroyed.  This  kingdom  Christ  will  cer- 
tainly destroy  in  his  own  time,  inasmuch  as  it  is  directly  opposite  to  his  own  king- 
dom. The  devil's  chief  design  is  to  draw  Christ's  subjects  off  from  their  allegiance 
to  him.  Hence,  Christ  will  certainly  plead  his  own  cause,  that  his  enemies  may 
not  take  occasion  to  insult  him,  as  though  they  had  gained  a  victory  over  the  Al- 
mighty. Moreover  his  holiness  and  justice  oblige  him  to  do  this  ;  for  as  Satan's 
kingdom  is  supported  by  sin  gaining  strength,  and  as  its  being  so  supported  tends 
to  cast  a  reproach  on  the  divine  perfections,  it  must  be  destroyed.  We  may  add, 
that  every  one  who  is  converted,  is,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  delivered  from  the  power 
of  darkness,  and  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son.'r  Hence,  wo 
pray  that  Christ's  interest  may  flourish  in  the  world  ;  and  so  we  express  a  desire 
that  whatsoever  is  contrary  to  it  may  be  thrown  down.  There  are  various  steps 
and  degrees  whereby  Satan's  kingdom  has  been,  and  sjiall  be,  weakened,  till  it  shall 
be  at  last  wholly  destroyed. 

1.  It  met  with  a  great  shock  when  the  first  gospel  promise  was  given  to  Adam 
in  paradise,  relating  to  'the  seed  of  the  woman  bruising  the  serpent's  head,'8  or 
Christ's  coming  to  defeat  Satan's  deep  laid  design  against  the  interest  of  God  in 
the  world,  by  giving  the  deceiver  a  total  defeat.  Till  this  promise  was  given,  there 
could  not  be  the  least  hope  of  salvation  for  fallen  man.  His  condition  was  not  only 
deplorable  but  desperate,  and,  in  all  appearance,  remediless.  But  by  this  first  dis- 
play of  divine  grace,  a  door  of  hope  was  opened,  and  Satan's  kingdom  began  to  be 
broken  and  demolished. 

2.  It  met  with  a  farther  shock,  when  men  began  to  lay  hold  of  this  promise,  and 
take  encouragement  from  it ;  when  public  worship  was  set  up  in  the  world  ;  and 
when  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  who  was  expected  to  appear  in  our  nature,  and  in 
the  fulness  of  time  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,  was  farther  made  known  to 
the  church,  and  clearer  intimations  given  of  the  glory  of  his  Person,  and  the  offices 
he  was  to  execute,  so  that  he  was  regarded  as  the  object  of  faith  by  those  who  wait- 
ed for  and  earnestly  desired  the  gospel  day,  when  all  the  types  and  prophecies  re- 
lating to  his  coming  should  have  their  accomplishment. 

3.  Satan's  kingdom  met  with  a  very  great  defeat,  when  Christ,  who  was  the  de- 
sire of  all  nations,  took  our  nature,  and  dwelt  among  us,  and,  in  the  whole  course 
of  his  ministry,  discovered  the  way  of  salvation  to  his  people  more  clearly  than  it 
had  been  in  former  ages  ;  when  he  finished  the  work  of  redemption  in  his  death, 
whereby  he  paid  to  divine  justice  an  infinite  price  for  his  elect,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  'destroyed  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,'1  or,  as  it  is 
expressed  elsewhere,  '  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  openly  triumphing  over 
them  in  his  cross. 'u  In  particular,  when  he  was  raised  from  the  dead,  and  the  work 
which  he  came  to  perform  was  brought  to  perfection,  Satan's  kingdom  was  so  effec- 
tually destroyed,  that  he  shall  not  be  able  to  maintain  that  dominion  which  he  had 
over  those  who  previously  were  his  vassals,  but  are  now  become  Christ's  subjects 
by  right  of  redemption. 

4.  The  success  of  the  gospel  in  the  various  ages  since  our  Saviour  was  on  earth  ; 
his  gathering  and  building  up  his  church,  and  defeating  all  the  attempts  of  his 
enemies  who  have  threatened  its  ruin,  so  that  the  gates  of  hell  have  not  been  able 
to  prevail  against  it ;  and  its  having  been  favoured  with  his  special  presence,  and 
the  bestowal  and  continuance  of  the  means  of  grace,  together  with  the  various  in- 
stances of  success  which  have  attended  them ;  have  all  had  a  tendency  to  weaken 
and  destroy  Satan's  kingdom. 

5.  All  the  victories  which  believers  are  enabled  to  obtain  over  sin  and  Satan's 
temptations,  and  all  the  graces  which  they  exercise,  and  comforts  which  they 
experience,  are  a  gradual  weakening  of  Satan's  kingdom.  It  is  true,  the  victory 
over  him  is  at  present  not  complete,  inasmuch  as  he  has  too  great  an  interest  in 
the  hearts  of  God's  people  through  the  remains  of  corruption ;  yet  they  shall  at 

i  Co..  i.  13.  ■  Jer.  iii.  15.  t  Heb.  ii.  14.  u  Col.  ii.  15. 


THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  G21 

last  be  made  more  than  conquerors  over  him,  and  the  fruits  and  consequences  of 
the  victory  which  Christ  has  obtained  over  him  shall  be  perfectly  applied. 

II.  In  desiring  that  Christ's  kingdom  may  come,  we  pray  that  the  gospel  mavbe 
propagated  throughout  the  world,  the  Jews  called,  and  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
brought  in.  When  the  gospel  dispensation,  which  is  Christ's  kingdom,  was  first 
erected,  the  apostles,  who  were  employed  in  the  important  work,  were  to  fulfil  the 
commission  which  he  gave  them,  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  all  nations.  This  they 
accordingly  did ;  and,  by  the  extraordinary  hand  of  God  attending  their  ministry, 
the  gospel  was  spread,  in  a  short  space  of  time,  through  a  considerable  part  of  the 
world.  Many  of  the  Jews  were  called, — among  whom  all  that  were  ordained 
to  eternal  life  believed :  and  as  for  the  Gentiles,  who  formerly  were  unacquainted 
with  the  way  of  salvation,  they  had  Christ  preached  to  them,  and  many  churches 
were  gathered  from  among  them.  Thus  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  advanced  ;  and 
a  foundation  was  laid  for  the  propagation  and  flourishing  state  of  the  gospel  in  all 
succeeding  ages,  the  effects  of  which  are  experienced  at  this  day.  Hence,  when 
the  petition  relating  to  the  coming  of  Christ's  kingdom  was  used  by  the  first  disci- 
ples, that  which  was  principally  intended  by  it,  was  that  Christ  might  be  preached 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  believed  on  in  the  world, — that  the  vail,  or  the  face  of  the 
covering  which  was  spread  over  all  nations,  might  be  taken  away, — and  that  the 
way  of  salvation  might  be  known  by  those  who  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of 
death.  When,  however,  it  is  used  by  us,  we  signify  our  desire  that  the  invaluable 
blessing  of  the  gospel  may  be  still  continued,  and  that  the  promises  relating  to  the 
greater  success  of  it  may  have  a  more  full  accomplishment.  The  apostles,  indeed, 
in  executing  their  commission,  are  said  to  have  preached  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  that 
is,  to  a  very  considerable  part  of  the  heathen  world.  It  does  not  appear,  however, 
that  every  individual  nation  in  the  world  has  yet  been  favoured  with  this  privilege  ; 
so  that  what  was  foretold  concerning  the  earth  being  '  lull  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,'x  and  other  predictions  to  the  same  purpose,  do 
not  seem  hitherto  to  have  had  their  full  accomplishment.*  It  is  very  evident,  too, 
that  many  nations,  who  had  the  gospel  preached  to  them  by  the  apostles,  are  now 
wholly  destitute  of  it.  And,  though  it  is  true  a  considerable  number  of  the  Jews 
at  first  believed  in  Christ ;  yet  the  greatest  part  of  that  people  were  cast  off,  and 
all  remain,  at  this  day,  strangers  and  enemies  to  him.  Hence,  we  cannot  but  sup- 
pose that  those  prophecies  which  respect  their  conversion,  in  the  latter  day,  together 
with  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  being  brought  m,  .-hall  be  more  eminently  accom- 
plished than  they  have  hitherto  been.  This,  therefore,  is  what  we  are  to  pray  for 
when  we  say,  '  Thy  kingdom  come.' 

1.  We  are  to  be  importunate  with  God,  that  his  interest  may  be  still  maintained 
in  the  church  ;  that  the  glory  may  not  depart  from  it ;  that  it  may  still  enjoy  the 
ordinances  of  his  grace,  and  those  privileges  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from  the 
world,  notwithstanding  all  the  attempts  of  hell  and  persecuting  powers  to  under- 
mine and  overthrow  it ;  and,  though  it  be  brought  to  a  very  low  ebb  at  this  day, 
that  he  would  revive  his  work  in  the  midst  of  the  years,  till  he  shall  be  pleased  to 
cause  that  glorious  day  to  dawn  which  his  people  are  now  desiring,  waiting  and 
hoping  for. 

2.  We  are  to  pray  that  there  may  be  a  more  plentiful  effusion  of  the  Spirit.  This 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom,  a  farther  reforma- 
tion of  the  church,  and  a  greater  spread  of  the  gospel  in  those  nations  where  it  is 
not  at  present  known. 

3.  We  are  to  pray  that  the  church  may  be  furnished,  with  all  gospel  officers  and 
ordinances  necessary  to  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  We  are  not  to  pray,  indeed, 
that  new  ordinances  may  be  instituted,  which  at  present  are  not  known,  and  which 
we  have  no  warrant  from  scripture  to  expect.  But  we  are  to  pray  that  God,  by 
the  good  hand  of  his  providence,  would  send  his  ordinances,  namely,  the  word, 
sacraments,  and  prayer,  which  are  his  outward  and  ordinary  means  of  salvation, 
into  those,  parts  of  the  world  which  are  at  present  strangers  to  them.  In  particu- 
lar, we  are  to  pray  that  wherever  God  has  a  people  who  thirst  after  the  word,  but 

x  Isa.  xi.  9.  y  See  Sect.  *  The  Millennial  Reign  of  Christ,'  under  Quest,  xlv. 


622  THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE  LORI)'s  PRAYER. 

enjoy  not  the  preaching  of  it,  especially  with  such  zeal  and  clearness  as  is  neces- 
sary to  their  spiritual  advantage  and  edification  in  Clirist,  he  would  send  faithful 
labourers  among  them,  that  their  souls  may  not  pine,  starve,  and  be  in  danger  of 
perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge.  Again,  we  are  to  pray  that  where  the  word  of 
God  has  been  preached  with  success,  so  that  many  believe  in  Clirist,  who,  never- 
theless, have  not  the  advantage  of  walking  together  for  their  mutual  edification  in 
a  church  relation,  God  would  so  overrule  and  order  matters  that  they  who  have 
given  up  themselves  to  the  Lord,  may  encourage  and  strengthen  the  hands  of  one 
another,  by  joining  together  in  religious  societies,  owning  Christ's  kingly  govern- 
ment, and  worshipping  him  in  all  those  ordinances  which  he  has  given  to  his 
churches.  We  are  to  pray  also  that,  in  such  circumstance's,  there  may  be  proper 
officers  spirited,  qualified,  and  raised  up,  so  that  there  may  be  a  constant  supply  of 
'  pastors  according  to  his  heart,  which  shall  feed  them  with  knowledge  and  under- 
standing.'2 These  are  necessary  to  the  well-being  of  a  church.  And  though  ex- 
traordinary gifts  are  not  to  be  expected,  as  when  God  was  pleased  to  bestow  them 
on  his  apostles  at  the  planting  of  the  gospel ;  yet  there  are  some  gifts  which  Christ 
has  purchased,  and  we  are  to  pray  for,  which  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  fur- 
nishing of  those  who  are  called  to  minister  as  officers  in  his  churches,  for  the  pro- 
moting of  his  cause  and  interest,  and  the  advancing  of  his  spiritual  kingdom. 

4.  We  are  to  pray  that  the  church  may  be  purged  from  those  corruptions  which 
tend  to  defile  it,  and  which  are  a  great  reproach  to  it,  and  very  unbecoming  the  re- 
lation which  it  stands  in  to  Christ.  It  is  not,  indeed,  to  be  supposed  that  any 
church  in  the  world  is  so  pure  that  there  are  no  corruptions  in  it,  which  appear  to 
the  eye  of  the  heart-searching  God.  Some,  however,  are  visible  to  the  world,  be- 
ing notorious,  and  inconsistent,  not  only  with  the  purity,  but,  if  allowed  of,  with 
the  very  being  of  a  church  of  Christ.  These  are  matter  of  lamentation  to  the 
godly,  a  reproach  to  those  who  are  chargeable  with  them,  and,  as  the  apostle  styles 
them,  '  a  root  of  bitterness,  springing  up  and  troubling  '  them,  '  whereby  many  are 
defiled. 'a  These  corruptions  are  such  as  respect  either  the  faith  or  the  conversation 
of  professors. — First,  there  are  corruptions  in  matters  of  faith.  These  consist  in 
denying  the  most  important  doctrines,  which  are  necessary  to  be  known  and  believed 
in  order  to  our  salvation.  With  respect  to  them,  we  are  to  pray  that  Christians 
may  not  depart  from  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  being 
'  carried  about  with  divers  and  strange  doctrines, 'b  or  as  it  is  said  elsewhere,  'soon 
removed  from  him  that  called  them  into  the  grace  of  Christ  unto  another  gospel.' : 
We  are  also  to  pray  that  he  would  root  out  those  errors  and  heresies  which  are  in 
consistent  with  the  church's  purity  ;  and  which  have  a  greater  tendency  to  bring 
about  its  ruin  than  all  the  persecutions  it  can  meet  with  from  its  most  enraged 
enemies. — Again,  there  are  corruptions  which  more  especially  respect  the  con- 
versation of  those  who  are  called  Christians,  who  walk  not  as  becomes  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  so  that  as  regards  them  there  is  no  visible  difference  between  the  church 
and  the  world.  Thus  the  apostle  tells  the  church  at  Corinth, d  that  some  of  them 
were  '  carnal,  and  walked  as  men  ;'  that  is,  notwithstanding  the  profession  of  re- 
ligion which  they  made,  they  differed  little  in  their  conversation  from  the  men  of 
the  world.  He  also  speaks  of  others  who  *  profess  that  they  know  God,  but  in 
works  deny  him,  being  abominable,  disobedient,  and  unto  every  good  work  repro- 
bate.'6 Now,  with  respect  to  these,  we  are  to  pray  that  their  profession  may  be 
adorned  by  a  holy  life  ;  that  none  may  cast  a  stumblingblock  in  the  way  of  those 
who  watch  for  their  haltings,  and  are  glad  to  take  all  opportunities  to  improve  the 
falls  and  miscarriages  of  Christians  against  them ;  and  that  God,  by  his  providence, 
or  rather  by  his  Spirit,  poured  out  from  on  high,  would  refine  and  purify  his  church, 
and,  as  the  prophet  expresses  it,  'purge  away  the  dross,  and  take  away  all  the  tin.'f 

5.  We  are  to  pray  that  the  ordinances  of  Christ  may  be  administered  without  any 
mixture  of  human  inventions,  which  tend  to  debase  them,  and  are  far  from  adding 
any  beauty  or  glory  to  them.  It  is  natural,  indeed,  for  man  to  be  fond  of,  and 
pleased  with,  those  ordinances  which  take  their  rise  from  himself ;  but  God,  who  is 

z  Jer.  iii.  15.  a  Heb.  xii.  15.  b  Chap.  xiii.  9.  c  Gal.  i.  6. 

d  1  Cor.  iii.  3.  e  Tit.  i.  16.  f  Isa.  i.  25. 


THE  SECOND  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  623 

jealous  for  the  purity  of  his  own  worship,  can  in  no  wise  approve  of  them  ;  and 
they  are  so  far  from  advancing  Christ's  kingdom,  that  God  reckons  the  introduc- 
ing of  them  no  other  than  '  setting  our  threshold  by  his  thresholds,'  and  '  our  post 
by  his,'  and  calls  it  'a  defiling  his  holy  name,  by  the  abominations  which  are  com- 
mitted,' and  denounces  it  as  the  ground  and  reason  of  his  'consuming'  men  'in  his 
a  tiger. 's  Hence,  we  are  to  pray  that  whatever  intrudes  itself  into  any  branch  of 
the  worship  of  God,  without  receiving  any  warrant  or  sanction  from  himself,  may 
be  removed  out  of  the  way,  that  so  his  church  may  be  reformed,  and  its  destruction 
prevented. 

6.  We  are  to  pray  that  the  church  may  be  encouraged  by  civil  magistrates ;  that 
their  government  may  be  subservient  to  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom  ;  that,  accord- 
ing to  God's  promise,  '  kings  may  be  '  its  ■  nursing  fathers,  and  their  queens  '  its 
'nursing  mothers  ;'h  that  by  this  means  the  church  may  have  peace  and  safety, 
and  not  be  exposed,  as  it  has  often  been,  to  the  rage  and  fury  of  persecuting  powers  ; 
and  also  that  magistrates  may  be  guardians,  not  only  of  the  civil,  but  of  the  reli- 
gious liberties  of  their  subjects,  which  are  necessary  to  complete  the  happiness  of  a 
nation,  and  bring  down  many  blessings  from  God  upon  it.  We  are  also  to  pray 
that  God  would  not  only  incline  magistrates  to  advance  religion,  by  rendering  the 
administration  of  civil  government  subservient  to  that  purpose,  but  that  by  a  steady 
adherence  to  it  themselves,  they  may  strengthen  the  hands  of  the  faithful,  and  en- 
courage many  others  to  embrace  it.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  are  disposed  to 
exercise  their  power  in  such  a  way  as  tends  to  the  discountenancing  of  religion, 
and  the  weakening  of  the  hands  of  those  who  profess  it ;  we  are  to  pray  that  God 
would  overrule  their  counsels,  and  incline  them  to  deal  favourably  with  those  who 
desire  steadfastly  to  adhere  to  it. 

7.  We  are  to  pray  that  the  means  of  grace  may  be  made  effectual  to  the  con- 
verting of  sinners,  and  to  the  confirming,  comforting,  and  building  up  of  believers ; 
that  a  great  and  effectual  door  may  be  opened  for  the  success  of  the  gospel ;  that  it 
may  '  come,  not  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power  ;'!  that  by  this  means  the  Lord 
would  be  pleased  to  add  to  the  church  daily  such  as  shall  be  saved  ;  and  that 
thus  Christ's  government,  or  spiritual  kingdom,  may  be  promoted  in  the  hearts  of 
his  people,  and  they  be  enabled  to  testify  a  ready  and  willing  subjection  to  his 
authority,  and  to  yield  obedience  to  him  with  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  their 
souls. 

8.  We  are  to  pray  for  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom,  at  his  second  and  glo- 
rious coming ;  when  the  work  of  grace  shall  be  brought  to  its  utmost  perfection,  and 
all  the  elect,  who  shall  have  lived  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  time,  shall  be 
gathered  together  and  brought  into  Christ's  kingdom  of  glory,  as  they  have  for- 
merly been  into  his  kingdom  of  grace  ;  and  when  the  highest  honours  shall  be  con- 
ferred upon  them,  and  they  shall  reign  with  him  for  ever  and  ever.  As  the  church 
under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation  prayed  that  Christ's  kingdom  of  grace 
might  come,  that  is,  that  it  might  be  administered,  as  it  has  been,  and  now  is, 
under  the  gospel  dispensation, — or,  as  the  scripture  expresses  it,  that  Christ  would 
be  '  like  a  roe,  or  like  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  Bether,'k  or,  that  'the 
Desire  of  all  nations  would  fill  his  house  with  glory  ;  so  the  New  Testament 
church  is  represented  as  praying  that  Christ  would  'come  quickly,'  according 
to  his  promise,1  and  put  a  final  period  to  every  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to 
detract  from  the  glory  of  his  kingdom,  or  the  happiness  of  his  subjects.  Hence, 
we  must  pray  that  the  elect  who  are  Christ's  mystical  body,  may  be  gathered 
and  brought  in  to  him  ;  and  then  we  may  be  sure  that  he  will  hasten  his  coming. 
Till  this  is  done,  we  are  to  wait  patiently,  as  '  the  husbandman  waiteth  for  the  pre 
cious  fruit'of  the  earth,'  in  the  desired  harvest  ;m  and,  in  the  meantime,  we  are  to 
pray  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  exert  his  power,  and  make  the  dispensations  of 
his  providence  in  the  world  conducive  to  the  ends  desired,  and  more  particularly 
with  respect  to  ourselves.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  have,  not  only 
an  habitual,  but  an  actual  meetness  for  his  heavenly  kingdom ;  that  when  our 


I 


Ezek.  xliii.  8.  b  Isa.  xlix.  23.  l  1  Thess.  i.  5. 

Cant.  ii.  17*  1  Rev.  xxii.  20.  m  James  v.  7. 


624  THE  SECOND  PETITION   DF  THE  LOKD's  PRAYER. 

Lord  shall  come,  we  may  not  be  like  those  'virgins'  mentioned  in  the  parable,  who 
'  all  slumbered  and  slept,'"  but  that,  upon  the  first  alarm,  we  may  go  out  to  meet 
him  with  joy  and  triumph  ;  that,  as  an  evidence  of  our  meetness  for  his  coming, 
we  may  be  enabled  to  walk  as  '  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,'  or  as  those 
who  '  desire  a  better  country,  that  is,  an  heavenly  ;'°  that  we  may  keep  up  an  in- 
tercourse with  Christ,  and  be  ready  to  entertain  him  with  delight  and  pleasure 
whenever  he  comes,  so  that  when  he  who  is  our  life,  our  hope,  and  Saviour,  as 
well  as  our  King,  shall  appear,  we  may  appear  with  him  in  glory. 

We  have  thus  considered  the  administration  of  Christ's  kingly  government,  as 
the  subject  of  this  petition.  That  we  may  be  further  assisted  in  directing  our 
prayers  to  God  agreeably  to  the  petition,  we  may  consider  his  children  as  address- 
ing themselves  to  him  to  this  effect :  "  We  adore  and  magnify  thee,  0  God  our 
Saviour,  as  the  Governor  of  the  world  ;  who  dost  according  to  thy  will  in  the  armies 
of  heaven,  and  amongst  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  Thy  power  is  irresistible, 
and  thy  works  wonderful.  But  it  is  matter  of  the  highest  astonishment,  that  thou 
shouldst  exercise  that  gracious  government  in  which  thou  condescendest  to  be  called 
the  King  of  saints.  What  is  man  that  thou  shouldest  thus  magnify  him,  and  set  thine 
heart  upon  him ;  that  they  whom  thou  mightest  have  dealt  with  as  traitors,  and  enemies 
to  thy  government,  and,  as  such,  have  ruled  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  broken 
them  in  pieces,  like  a  potter's  vessel,  should  be  admitted  to  partake  of  the  privileges 
which  thou  art  pleased  to  bestow  on  thy  servants  and  subjects !  Thou  hast  often 
invited  us,  by  holding  forth  thy  sceptre  of  grace,  to  come  and  acknowledge  thee  to 
be  our  Lord  and  Sovereign  ;  but  our  hearts  have  been  filled  with  rebellion  against 
thee.  We  have  served  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  and  been  in  confederacy  with 
hell  and  death,  yielding  ourselves  slaves  to  Satan,  thine  avowed  enemy.  But  now 
we  desire  to  cast  ourselves  down  before  thy  footstool ;  and,  while  we  stand  amazed 
at  thy  clemency,  we,  with  the  greatest  thankfulness,  accept  of  the  overture  of  a 
pardon  which  thou  hast  made  in  the  gospel,  accounting  it  our  highest  pri- 
vilege, as  well  as  our  indispensable  duty,  to  be  thy  subjects.  Write  thy  law,  we 
beseech  thee,  in  our  hearts  ;  bring  down  every  high  thought  and  imagination, 
which  sets  itself  against  thine  interest ;  and  make  us  entirely  willing  to  be  thy  ser- 
vants, devoted  to  thy  fear.  We  also  beg  that  thou  wouldst  take  to  thyself  thy 
great  power  and  reign.  Let  Satan's  kingdom  be  destroyed,  and  thy  gospel  propa- 
gated throughout  the  world.  May  thine  ancient  people,  the  Jews,  who  now  refuse 
that  thou  shouldest  reign  over  them,  be  called  and  inclined  to  own  thee  as  their 
King ;  and  may  the  dark  parts  of  the  earth  see  thy  salvation.  Reform  thy 
churches  ;  let  them  be  constantly  supplied  with  those  who  shall  go  in  and  out  be- 
fore them,  and  shall  feed  them  with  knowledge  and  understanding.  May  they  be 
purged  from  those  corruptions  which  are  a  reproach  to  thy  government.  Let  not 
the  commandments  of  men  be  received,  instead  of  thine  holy  institutions.  May 
thine  ordinances  be  purely  dispensed,  that  thy  people  may  have  ground  to  hope  for 
thy  presence  in  them ;  and  may  they  be  made  effectual  for  the  converting  of  sin- 
ners, and  the  establishing  of  thy  saints  in  their  holy  faith.  And  let  all  the  dispen- 
sations of  thy  providence  in  the  world  have  a  tendency  to  advance  thy  kingdom  of 
grace,  that,  as  thou  hast  in  all  ages  appeared  in  behalf  of  thy  church,  so  it  may  be 
preserved  and  carried  through  all  the  difficulties  which  it  meets  with,  and  be 
secured  from  the  attempts  of  thine  enemies  against  it,  till  they  who  rejoice  in  thy 
government  here  shall  be  received  into  thy  heavenly  kingdom  hereafter." 

n  Matt.  xx».  4.  c  Hti.  ju  IE, !  \ 


THE  THIRD  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  C25 


THE  THIRD  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Question  CXCII.  What  do  we  pray  for  in  the  third  petition  f 

Answer.  In  the  third  petition,  which  is,  "  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,"  acknow- 
ledging that,  by  nature,  we,  and  all  men,  are  not  only  utterly  unable  and  unwilling  to  know  and  to 
do  the  will  of  God,  but  prone  to  rebel  against  his  word,  to  repine  and  murmur  against  his  provi- 
dence, and  wholly  inclined  to  do  the  will  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  devil ;  we  pray  that  God  would, 
b\  his  Spirit,  take  away  from  ourselves  and  others,  all  blindness,  weakness,  iudisposedness,  and 
perverseness  of  heart,  and  by  his  grace,  make  us  able  and  willing  to  know,  do,  and  submit  to  his 
will  in  all  things,  with  the  like  humility,  cheerfulness,  faithfulness,  diligence,  zeal,  sincerity,  and 
constancy,  as  the  angels  do  in  heaven. 

The  Meaning  of  Doing  the  Will  of  God. 

To  understand  this  petition,  we  must  inquire  what  is  meant  by  the  will  of  God, 
and  how  it  is  said  to  be  done  by  us.  We  considered,p  under  a  former  Answer,  that 
the  will  of  God  is  distinguished  into  his  secret  and  revealed  will ;  and  we  showed 
that,  as  the  former  of  these  is  the  reason  of  his  own  actings,  and  determines  the 
event  of  things,  so  the  latter  is  what  we  are  more  especially  concerned  about,  as  it 
is  a  rule  of  duty  to  us.  The  will  of  God  is  also  farther  distinguished  into  his  pre- 
ceptive and  providential  will.  The  former  of  these  we  are  to  obey ;  the  latter  we 
are  to  admire,  submit  to,  and  be  well-pleased  with.  Accordingly,  when  we  pray, 
4  Thy  will  be  done,'  we  desire  that  his  laws  might  be  obeyed,  and  his  universal 
dominion  and  right  to  govern  the  world  practically  acknowledged  ;  and  that,  by 
this  means,  sin  might  be  prevented,  and  this  earth  might  not  become  so  much  like 
hell  as  it  would  be  if  this  method  which  God  has  taken  to  direct  our  actions  and 
give  a  check  to  our  corruptions,  were  wholly  disregarded  by  us.  When  we  consider 
God  as  the  Creator  of  man,  the  next  idea  we  have  of  him  is,  that  he  exercises  his 
dominion  and  sovereignty  in  giving  laws  to  him.  Now,  these  laws  man  is  under  a 
natural  obligation  to  obey  ;  otherwise  he  disowns  himself  to  be  a  creature,  or  a 
subject  ;  and  his  doing  this  is  the  highest  affront  which  can  be  offered  to  the  divine^ 
Majesty,  and  exposes  him  to'that  punishment  which  is  due  to  those  who  are  found 
in  open  rebellion  against  him.  This  is  what  we  are  to  pray  against  in  this  petition. 
Now,  here  there  is  something  supposed ;  it  is  supposed  that  the  will  of  God  must 
be  known  by  us,  otherwise  it  cannot  be  obeyed.  Hence,  his  law  has  been  pro- 
mulged  ;  particularly  as  it  was  written  by  God  on  the  heart  of  man  at  first,  in  such 
legible  characters  that  our  apostasy  from  him  has  not  wholly  erased  it.i  But  be- 
sides this,  there  must  be  an  internal  impression  made  on  the  minds  and  consciences 
of  men,  whereby  they  may  be  brought  to  see  the  excellency  and  glory  of  the  law, 
and  their  indispensable  obligation  to  yield  obedience  to  it.  Again,  it  is  supposed 
that  the  will  of  man  is  naturally  averse  and  disinclined  to  obey  the  divine  com- 
mands. This  aversion  is  the  result  of  our  fall  and  apostasy  from  God  ;  and, 
through  the  corruption  of  our  nature,  we  are  prone  to  say,  'Who  is  lord  over  us?'* 
and,  '  What  is  the  Almighty,  that  we  should  serve  him?  's  This  is  the  source  of  all 
that  opposition  which  the  heart  of  man  expresses  against  the  laws  of  God  ;  while 
sinners  entertain  a  fixed  resolution  to  give  laws  to  themselves,  and  are  wholly  in- 
clined to  do  the  will  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  devil.  Such  conduct  the  apostle  calls 
'  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  ; '  and  '  walking  according  to  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence.'1 This  will  of  the  flesh  is  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  Satan,  by  whom  it  is 
contented  to  be  kept  in  perpetual  bondage  ;  and  his  suggestions  are  agreeable  to  the 
corruption  of  nature.  On  the  other  hand,  the  commands  of  God,  being  contrary  to 
it,  as  containing  the  signatures  of  his  holiness,  are  grievous  and  burdensome  to 
fallen  man.  The  law  is  spiritual,  and  therefore  cannot  be  agreeable  to  those  who 
are  carnal,  and,  as  it  were,  sold  under  sin.  Accordingly,  sinful  man  is  determined 
to  do,  not  what  is  lawful,  but  what  is  pleasing  to  himself.     He  considers,  not  what 

p  See  Sect.  '  The  Eternity  &c.  of  the  purpose  of  Election,'  under  Quest,  xii.  q  See  Sect. 

*  Proofs  that  Election  respects  only  a  pait  of  mankind,'  under  Quest  xii.  r  Psal.  xii.  4 

s  Job  xxi.  15  t  Eph.  ii.  2,  3. 

U.  4  K 


b2G  THE  THIRD  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

he  ought  to  do,  as  being  accountable  to  God,  the  Judge  of  all,  for  his  behaviour  in 
this  world  ;  but  whether  any  action  is  agreeable  to  his  own  inclinations,  and  affords 
some  present  delight  to  his  carnal  appetite.  As  for  Satan,  he  uses  his  utmost  en- 
deavours to  strengthen  our  sinful  resolutions,  and  increase  the  depravity  and  corrup- 
tion of  our  nature.  With  this  view,  he  daily  presents  objects  to  our  imaginations 
which  are  agreeable  to  the  desires  of  the  flesh ;  and  these  are  received  with  plea- 
sure and  delight.  Thus  a  snare  is  laid  for  the  ruin  of  the  soul,  so  that  it  becomes 
more  and  more  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  and  not  only  indifferent  as  to  mat- 
ters of  religion,  but  utterly  averse  to  them.  This  is  the  reason  of  all  the  dishon- 
our which  is  brought  to  God  in  the  world  ;  whereby  it  appears,  that  his  will  is  not 
done  in  it  as  it  ought  to  be. 

Moreover,  as  the  will  of  man  sets  itself  against  the  commanding  will  of  God,  so 
it  expresses  the  same  aversion  to  his  providential  will.  This  will,  indeed,  is  not 
said  to  be  '  done  ;'  but  it  ought  to  be  submitted  to  by  us.  Yet,  we  are  as  much 
inclined  to  find  fault  with  what  God  does  in  the  world,  as  we  are  to  rebel  against 
his  law.  We  are  discontented  and  uneasy,  for  example,  with  the  allotments  of 
providence,  especially  when  we  are  under  the  afflicting  hand  of  God  ;  and  are  apt 
to  charge  him  as  dealing  hardly  with  us,  because  we  have  not  the  opportunities 
which  we  desire  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  or  because  some  check  is  given  to 
our  corrupt  appetites  or  inclinations.  How  ready  are  we  to  complain  of  injuries 
done  us,  as  though  God  were  obliged  to  give  us  whatever  we  would  have,  how  con- 
trary soever  it  may  be  to  our  real  good  and  advantage,  as  well  as  his  own  glory ! 
Of  this  we  have  many  instances,  in  the  perverse  behaviour  of  the  children  of  Israel 
in  the  wilderness.  They  frequently  complained  of  the  hardships  they  endured  ; 
and,  by  their  murmuring  against  God,  provoked  him  to  send  those  terrible  judg- 
ments which,  as  they  might  have  foreseen,  would  be  the  consequence  of  their  con- 
duct. Such  behaviour  as  theirs  is  most  unreasonable  towards  him  who  has  a  right 
to  do  what  he  will  with  his  own,  and  directly  contrary  to  that  temper  of  mind 
which  the  gospel  suggests  ;  for  we  are  there  taught,  in  whatsoever  state  or  condi- 
tion of  life  we  are,  therewith  to  be  contented.  Now,  it  is  in  respect,  both  to  our 
^obeying  the  divine  commands,  and  to  our  being  contented  with  the  divine  appoint- 
ments, that  we  are  instructed,  in  this  petition,  to  pray  that  '  the  will  of  the  Lord ' 
may  'be  done.' 

What  is  prayed  for  in  the  Third  Petition. 

We  are  now  led  to  consider  what  we  are  taught  to  pray  for  in  this  petition,  when 
we  say,  '  Thy  will  be  done.' 

1.  With  respect  to  God's  commanding  will,  we  are  to  pray  that  he  would  incline 
and  enable  us  to  yield  obedience  to  it.  We  are  to  be  earnest  with  him,  that  he 
would  remove  the  ignorance  and  blindness  of  our  minds,  that  we  may  see  a  beauty 
and  glory  in  every  thing  which  he  commands  ;  for,  next  to  the  sovereignty  of  God, 
which  is  the  first  motive  to  our  doing  the  divine  will,  the  excellency  of  what  he  com- 
mands is  to  be  considered  as  an  inducement  to  obedience.  Hence,  we  are  to  be 
convinced  that  his  '  law  is  holy,'  his  'commandment  holy,  just,  and  good,'"  or  that 
duty  and  interest  are  inseparably  connected,  so  that  the  one  can  never  be  secured 
without  the  other.  To  convince  us  of  this  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  when 
he  directs  and  leads  us  in  the  way  in  which  we  ought  to  walk. 

Again,  we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  take  away  the  obstinacy  and  perverseness 
ef  our  wills,  that  our  obedience  may  be  matter  of  choice,  and  performed  with  de- 
light, otherwise  it  cannot  be  pleasing  to  him.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  pray  that 
our  obedience  may  be  performed  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  as  approving  ourselves 
not  to  men,  but  God,  who  searcheth  the  heart ;  and  that  it  may  proceed  from  a 
principle  of  spiritual  life  and  grace,  and  be  done  with  a  single  eye  to  his  glory, 
whose  we  are  and  whom  we  desire  to  serve.  We  are  also  to  pray  that  our  obe- 
dience may  arise  from  a  filial  fear  of  God,  and  a  love  to  him,  and  not  merely  from 
a  dread  of  punishment,  or  fear  of  his  wrath,  as  the  consequence  of  our  rebellion 

u  Kom.  vii.  12, 


THE  THIRD  PETITION  OF  THE  LORIi's  PRAYER.  627 

against  liim,  or  from  a  mercenary  frame  of  spirit  which  looks  at  nothing  farther 
than  some  advantages  which  we  expect  to  receive  from  him  ;  and  that  it  may  also 
proceed  from  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  the  many  benefits  which  we  receive  from  liim, 
whereby  we  are,  as  it  were,  constrained  to  do  his  will.  We  are  to  pray  likewise  that 
our  obedience  may  be  universal,  with  respect  to  the  matter  of  it,  and  constant  with 
respect  to  our  perseverance  in  it.  We  are  not  to  choose  to  obey  some  of  the  divine 
commands,  and  refuse  others  ;  or  to  perform  those  duties  which  are  most  easy, 
and  reject  those  which  are  difficult ;  or  to  obey  the  will  of  God,  so  far  as  it  com- 
ports with  our  secular  interest,  and  plead  with  him  to  be  excused  as  to  things  which 
are  inconsistent  with  it.  But  We  must  leave  it  to  him  alone  to  prescribe  the 
matter  of  duty,  and  express  an  entire  compliance  with  whatsoever  he  requires. 
Thus  the  psalmist  says,  *  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed  when  I  have  respect  unto 
all  thy  commandments.'*  Moreover,  we  are  to  pray  that  our  obedience  may  be 
constant,  without  our  growing  cold  and  indifferent  in  it,  or  desisting  from  it,  accord- 
ing as  our  condition  in  the  world  is  altered;  as  though  we  had  nothing  to  do  with 
God  and  religion  but  when  we  are  under  some  pressing  difficulties  ;  for  to  act  so  is 
to  set  our  faces  heavenward  for  a  time,  and  afterwards  to  draw  back  unto  perdition. 
2.  We  are  to  pray  that  God  would  enable  us  to  submit  to  his  disposing  will,  as 
being  satisfied  that  all  the  dispensations  of  his  providence  are  right.  According- 
ly, we  are  to  say  with  David,  4  Here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto 
him.'y  Now,  our  submission  consists  in  maintaining  a  quiet,  easy,  composed  frame 
of  spirit,  fitted  for  the  exercise  of  religious  duties,  though  under  trying  dispensa- 
tions of  providence.  It  consists  also  in  our  justifying  God,  and  laying  the  blame 
on  ourselves,  whatever  afflictions  we  are  exercised  with.  Thus  when  the  psalmist 
speaks  of  himself  as  deserted,  and  of  God  as  '  far  from  helping  him,'  he  acknow- 
ledges the  equity  of  his  dispensations,  and  says,  •  Thou  art  holy,  0  thou  that  in- 
habitest  the  praises  of  Israel  ;'z  or,  as  he  elsewhere  expresses  himself,  '  The  Lord 
is  upright,  he  is  my  rock,  and  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him.'a  Moreover, 
our  submission  consists  in  our  being  disposed  to  bless  God  when  he  takes  away 
outward  mercies,  as  well  as  when  he  gives  them.  Thus  Job,  when  he  was  stripped 
at  once  of  all  he  had,  says,  '  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away ; 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.'b 

How  the  Will  of  God  is  to  be  done. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  manner  in  which  the  will  of  God  is  to  be  done.  We 
are  taught  to  pray  that  it  may  be  '  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.'  We  are  not 
to  suppose,  indeed,  that  the  best  saints  can  arrive,  while  in  this  world,  at  the  per- 
fection of  the  heavenly  state  ;  so  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  do  the  will  of  God 
in  the  same  manner  or  degree  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.  The  particle  '  as '  respects 
similitude,  rather  than  equality  ;  and  all  that  we  can  infer  from  the  use  of  it  in  the 
petition  is,  that  there  is  some  analogy  or  resemblance  between  the  obedience  of  the 
saints  here,  and  that  of  the  inhabitants  of  heaven. 

In  particular,  the  expression,  '  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,'  im- 
plies that  the  will  of  God  may  be  done  with  great  humility  and  reverence.  Thus 
the  angels  are  represented,  in  the  emblem  or  vision  which  the  prophet  Isaiah  saw  of 
'  the  Lord  sitting  on  a  throne  'c  and  the  seraphim  attending  him,  as  having  their 
•  faces  covered  with  their  wings,'  in  token  of  reverence  and  humility.  And  others 
are  described  as  '  casting  their  crowns  before  the  throne, 'd  intimating  that  all  the 
glory  which  they  enjoy  is  derived  from  him  who  sits  on  the  throne,  and  that  their 
honour  is  not  to  be  regarded  or  mentioned,  when  compared  with  him  who  is  the 
fountain  of  it. — Again,  this  expression  implies  a  desire  to  do  the  will  of  God  with  all 
cheerfulness.  Some  think  that  the  doing  of  the  divine  will  in  this  manner  is  inti- 
mated in  the  vision  which  John  saw  concerning  the  seven  angels,  wdio  were  employed 
to  inflict  the  seven  last  plagues  on  the  church's  enemies  ;  they  are  represented  as 
inflicting  these  plagues  with  'harps  in  their  hands,'6  and,  at  the  same  time,  as  sing- 
ing the  praises  of  God. — Again,  we  are  said  to  do  the  will  of  God  on  earth,  as  it  is 

x  Psal.  cxix.  6.  y  2  Sam.  xv.  26.  z  Psal.  xxii.  1,3.  a  Psal.  xcii.  15. 

b  Job  i.  21.  c  Isa.  vi.  1,2.  d  Rev.  vi.  10.  e  Rev.  xv.  1—3. 


628  THE  THIRD  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

done  by  the  angels  in  heaven,  when  we  do  it  with  faithfulness.  Thus  when  they 
are  represented  as  ministering  to  God's  people,  and  as  having  charge  over  them  to 
keep  them  in  all  their  ways,  they  are  spoken  of  as  performing  their  ministry  faith- 
fully. Accordingly,  it  is  said,  '  They  shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands,  lest  thou 
dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. 'f — Further,  the  angels  are  represented  as  a  pattern  of 
diligence  in  doing  the  will  of  God.  Thus  it  is  said  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  that  when 
the  word  of  command  was  given  him  to  carry  a  message  to  Daniel,  he  'flew  swiftly,' 
being  expeditious  in  fulfilling  the  work  about  which  he  was  employed,  s — Further, 
the  angels  are  said  to  do  the  will  of  God  with  zeal  and  fervency.  For  this  reasui, 
some  think  they  are  called,  in  the  scripture  just  mentioned,  '  seraphim,'  or,  as 
they  are  elsewhere  styled,  a  'flaming  fire.'h — Again,  the  angels  are  said  to  do  the 
will  of  God  sincerely.  Thus  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  are  represented  as  having 
*  no  guile  found  in  their  mouths,'  and  as  being  '  without  fault  before  the  throne  of 
God.'1 — Finally,  they  are  said  to  do  the  will  of  God  with  constancy.  We  read  of 
them  as  '  serving  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple. 'k  And  the  angels,  who  are  min- 
istering spirits  sent  forth  to  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  are  said  '  always  to 
behold  the  face  of  God  in  heaven  j'1  that  is,  they  never  give  up  or  are  weary  of 
his  service. 

We  have  thus  an  excellent  example  set  before  us,  in  the  obedience  of  the  angels ; 
and  are  exhorted  to  pray  that,  in  our  measure,  we  may  yield  similar  obedience  to  God, 
though  we  fall  very  short  of  doing  it  as  they  do  who  are  in  a  perfect  state.  We 
are  therefore  taught,  in  this  petition,  to  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God  in  a  way  of  ado- 
ration, confession,  and  supplication,  as  if  we  should  say,  "  We  acknowledge,  0  Lord, 
that  thou  hast  a  right  to  the  obedience  of  all  creatures,  and  hast  been  pleased  to 
give  them  thy  law  as  the  rule  of  it.  It  is  our  glory,  as  well  as  our  happiness,  to  be 
thy  servants  ;  for  thy  law  is  holy,  thy  commandment  holy,  just,  and  good.  But 
we  acknowledge  and  confess  before  thee,  that  we  have  rebelled  against  thee,  and 
have  refused  to  yield  obedience  to  thy  commands.  And  when  we  behold  tlje  uni- 
versal corruption  of  human  nature,  we  blush  and  are  ashamed  to  think  how  little 
glory  is  brought  to  thy  name,  by  the  service  and  obedience  of  thy  creatures  here 
below.  In  heaven  thy  will  is  done  perfectly,  by  those  who  serve  thee  with  the 
greatest  delight  and  pleasure  ;  but  on  earth  thou  hast  but  little  glory.  It  is  an 
instance  of  condescending  goodness  that  thou  hast  not,  long  since,  abandoned  our 
world,  and  thereby  rendered  it  like  hell.  But  we  beseech  thee,  take  to  thyself  thy 
great  power  and  reign  in  the  hearts  of  men  ;  subdue  their  wills  to  thyself,  that 
they  may  cheerfully  and  constantly  obey  thy  commanding  will,  and  submit  to  thy 
providential  will,  as  being  satisfied  that  all  thy  dispensations  are  right,  and  shall 
tend  to  thy  glory,  and  the  welfare  of  all  that  fear  thy  name." 


THE  FOURTH  PETITION.  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Question  CXCIII.  What  do  we  pray  for  in  the  fourth  petition? 

Answer.  In  the  fourth  petition,  which  is,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  acknowledging 
that  in  Adam,  and  by  our  sin,  we  have  forfeited  Our  right  to  all  the  outward  blessings  of  this  life, 
and  deserve  to  be  wholly  deprived  of  them  by  God,  and  to  have  them  cursed  to  us  in  the  use  of 
them  ;  and,  that  neither  they  of  themselves  are  able  to  sustain  us,  nor  we  to  merit,  or  by  our  own 
industry,  to  procure  them,  but  prone  to  desire,  get,  and  use  them  unlawfully  ;  we  pray  for  ourselves 
and  others,  that  both  they  and  we,  waiting  upon  the  providence  of  God  from  day  to  day,  in  the  use 
of  lawful  means,  may,  of  bis  free  gift,  and,  as  to  his  fatherly  wisdom  shall  seem  best,  enjoy  a  com- 
petent portion  of  them,  and  have  the  same  continued  and  blessed  unto  us  in  our  holy  and  comfort- 
able use  of  them,  and  contentment  in  them,  and  be  kept  from  all  things  that  are  contrary  to  our 
temporal  support  and  comfort.  . 

The  Meaning  of  the  Word  '  Bread  '  in  the  Fourth  Petition. 

In  order  to  our  understanding  this  petition,  we  must  first  consider  what  is  meant 
by  '  bread.'    Some  have  thought  that  our  Saviour  hereby  intends  spiritual  mercies, 

f  Psal.  xci.  11,  12.  g  Dan.  ix.  21.  h  Psal.  civ.  4. 

i  Rev.  xiv.  5.  k  Chap.  rii.  15.  1  Matt,  xviii.  la 


THE  FOURTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER  €20 

or  that  bread  which  is  suited  to  the  necessities  of  our  souls  ;  and  particularly,  an 
interest  in  Christ,  who  is  called  '  the  bread  of  lif'e,'m  '  the  living  bread  which  came 
down  from  heaven.  'n  It  must  be  allowed,  indeed,  that  this  is  a  blessing  exceeding 
all  those  which  are  of  a  temporal  nature",  as  much  as  the  happiness  of  the  soul  is  pre- 
ferable to  that  of  the  body  ;  and  it  is,  doubtless,  to  be  made  the  subject  of  our  daily 
and  importunate  requests  to  God,  as  if  we  should  say,  Give  me  an  interest  in  Christ, 
else  I  can  have  no  delight  or  pleasure  in  any  of  the  enjoyments  of  life.  Yet  this 
does  not  seem  to  be  intended  by  our  Saviour  in  this  petition.  The  bread  which 
we  pray  for  has  a  more  immediate  respect  to  the  blessings  of  this  life,  which,  ac- 
cording to  the  scripture  mode  of  speaking,  are  often  set  forth  by  the  word  '  bread.' 
Thus  God  tells  Adam,  after  his  fall,  '  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat 
bread  ;'°  by  which  we  are  to  understand,  that  he  should  take  a  great  deal  of  pains 
to  provide  for  himself  the  necessaries  of  life.  So  when  God  promises  outward  bless- 
ings to  his  people,  he  tells  them  that '  bread  shall  be  given  '  them,  and  their  '  water 
shall  be  sure.'?  And  elsewhere",  he  says,  '  I  will  abundantly  bless  her  provision  ; 
I  will  satisfy  her  poor  with  bread.'"*  The  blessings  of  the  present  life,  then,  are 
the  bread  which  we  are  taught  to  pray  for  in  this  petition. 

What  is  supposed  in  the  Fourth  Petition. 

1.  It  is  supposed,  in  this  petition,  that,  by  our  sins,  we  have  forfeited  a  right  to 
the  outward  blessings  of  the  present  life.  This  was  the  consequence  of  the  forfeit- 
ure of  life  itself,  and  a  part  of  the  curse  to  which  we  are  exposed  by  our  rebellion 
against  God  and  apostacy  from  him.  If  he  should  deprive  us  of  all  the  conveniencies 
of  life,  and  so  embitter  it  to  us  that  we  should  be  almost  inclined  to  make  the  un- 
happy choice  which  Job  did  of  'strangling  and  death,  rather  than  life;'1"  there 
would  be  no  reason  to  say  that  there  is  unrighteousness  with  God. 

2.  It  is  farther  supposed  that  outward  blessings  are  God's  free  gift  to  us. 
Whether  we  have  a  greater  or  a  smaller  portion  of  these,  they  are  to  be  acknow- 
ledged as  the  fruits  of  divine  bounty.  It  is  God  who  spreads  a  table  for  us.  To 
some  he  gives  a  smaller  and  to  others  a  larger  share  of  temporal  good  things  ;  but, 
whatever  we  enjoy,  it  is  to  be  owned  as  the  effect  of  his  providential  goodness.  We 
are  not  excluded,  indeed,  from  the  use  of  those  means  which  are  ordained  for 
the  preserving  of  life,  and  our  obtaining  the  good  things  of  it ;  but  we  must,  while 
using  these  means,  acknowledge  that  all  the  wisdom,  industry,  and  success  which 
attend  our  endeavours  are  from  God.  It  is  he  who  'giveth  power  to  get  wealth.'* 
Or,  as  is  elsewhere  said,  '  The  rich  and  poor  meet  together  ;'  that  is,  they  agree 
in  this,  that  'the  Lord  is  the  Maker  of  them  all,'*  or  that,  whatever  be  their  cir- 
cumstances in  the  world,  it  is  he  who  provides  for  them  what  they  have.  And  if 
what  we  enjoy  is  sweetened  and  sanctified  to  us  for  our  good,  so  that  we  have  not 
only  the  conveniences  of  life,  but  a  blessing  with  them,  and  are  enabled  to  make  a 
right  use  and  improvement  of  them,  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  advantage  of  our- 
selves and  others  ;  we  must  reckon  our  enjoyments  an  instance  of  divine  favour,  or 
the  gift  of  God. 

3.  It  is  farther  supposed  that  temporal  good  things  may  lawfully  be  prayed  for. 
As  the  providence  of  God  does  not,  as  was  formerly  observed,  exclude  the  use  of 
means  ;  so  it  is  not  inconsistent  with  prayer,  but  is  rather  an  inducement  to  it.  In- 
deed, prayer  is  an  ascribing  of  glory  to  God,  as  the  fountain  of  all  we  enjoy  ;  and 
\f  thout  this,  it  would  be  an  affront  to  the  divine  Majesty  to  expect  any  blessing 
from  him.  This  remark  is  applicable  to  prayer  in  general,  and,  in  particular,  to 
our  making  supplication  for  outward  blessings. 

What  is  prayed  for  in  the  Fourth  Petition. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  subject  of  the  petition,  or  what  we  are  to  understand 
when  we  say,  '  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.' 

fli  John  vi.  35.  n  Verse  51.  o  Gen.  iii.  19.  p  Isa.  xxxiii.  16. 

q  Psal.  cxxxii.  15.  r  Job  vii.  15.  e  Deut.  viii.  18.  t  Prov.  xxii.  2. 


C30  THE  FOURTH  PETITION   OF  THE   LOIlD's  PRAYER. 

1.  The  tiling  prayed  for  is  bread  ;  whereby  our  Saviour  intimates,  that  we  are 
to  set  due  bounds  to  our  desires,  when  we  are  pressing  after  outward  blessing-;. 
He  does  not  order  us  to  be  importunate  with  God  for  the  great  things  of  this  life  ; 
but  rather  for  those  things  wThich  are  necessary, — in  the  enjoyment  of  which  we 
may  be  better  enabled  to  glorify  him.  He  does  not  put  his  followers  upon  asking 
crowns  and  sceptres,  as  though  his  kingdom  were  of  this  world.  Some,  indeed,  who 
were  influenced  by  carnal  motives,  fondly  imagined  that  his  kingdom  was  of  an 
earthly  kind,  and  were  ready  to  expect  that  many  worldly  advantages  would  accrue 
from  their  adhering  to  him  ;  and,  when  they  found  themselves  mistaken,  they 
shamefully  deserted  his  cause,  and  relinquished  the  profession  which  they  once 
made  of  him.  But  Christ  never  gave  his  people  ground  to  expect  that  their  secu- 
lar interest  should  be  promoted  by  embracing  the  gospel.  Accordingly,  when  any 
oae  seemed  desirous  of  being  his  disciple,  he  generally  put  the  trying  question  to 
him,  Whether  was  he  content  to  leave  all,  and  follow  him,  or  to  lead  a  mean  life 
in  the  world,  and  be  hated  of  all  men  for  his  name's  sake  ?  His  disciples,  indeed,  were 
sometimes  filled  with  too  great  solicitude  about  their  future  circumstances  in  life. 
But  he  encourages  them  to  hope  ior  necessary  provisions,  when  he  says,  '  Your 
heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  things.'"  It  is  always 
found,  too,  that  where  there  is  the  greatest  degree  of  faith,  it  tends  to  moderate  our 
affections  as  to  the  things  of  this  wi.rld  ;  and  if  at  any  time  they  are  apt  to  exceed 
their  due  bounds,  it  gives  a  check  to  them,  as  the  prophet  says  to  Baruch:  '  Seek- 
est  thou  great  things  for  thyself?  seek  them  not.'x  We  have  an  admirable  instance 
of  this  in  Jacob.  When  he  was  in  a  most  destitute  condition,  fleeing  from  his  fa- 
ther's house  to  Padan-aram,  not  knowing  what  entertainment  he  should  meet  with 
there ;  the  principal  thing  which  he  desires,  together  with  the  divine  presence  and 
protection,  is  that  he  might  have  *  bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on.'?  He  does 
not  ask  that  people  and  nations  might  bow  down  to  him,  or  that  God  would  take 
away  the  life  of  his  brother  Esau,  whose  malicious  design  against  him  occasioned  his 
present  hazardous  journey  ;  he  is  not  anxiously  concerned  for  the  great  things  of 
this  world,  but  only  desires  that  he  may  have  the  necessaries  of  life.  And  Agar's 
prayer  is  not  unlike  this  ;  he  says,  '  Give  me  neither  poverty  nor  riches  ;  feed  me 
with  food  convenient  for  me.'1  Such  a  frame  of  spirit  our  Saviour  supposes  those 
to  have  who  address  themselves  to  God  in  prayer  for  bread,  or  the  outward  ac- 
commodations of  life. 

2.  What  we  pray  for  is  called  •  our  bread.'  The  meaning  of  this,  is,  that  there 
is  a  distinct  property  which  every  one  has,  by  the  allotment  of  providence,  in  those 
outward  blessings  which  God  has  given  him,  whatever  be  the  measure  or  propor- 
tion of  them.  This  we  are  taught  to  acknowledge  with  thankfulness,  as  if  we  should 
say,  '  Thou  didst  not  design  that  one  man  should  take  possession  of  the  whole 
world,  or  engross  to  himself  all  its  stores ;  and  that  the  rest  should  starve  and  per- 
ish for  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  In  the  arrangement  thou  hast  made,  thy  wisdom 
and  sovereignty  appear  ;  and  to  this  it  is  owing  that  there  are  some  things  which  we 
have  a  right  to,  distinct  from  others, — not  without  thy  providence,  but  by  its  gift  aud 
blessing.'  Hence,  whatever  God  thinks  fit  that  we  should  receive,  we  call  our  own, 
and  as  such,  pray  for  it.  But  whatever  God  does  not  think  fit  that  we  should  re- 
ceive, we  are  not  in  the  least  to  desire  or  covet ;  inasmuch  as  we  are  taught  to  pray 
for  that  only  which  we  may  call  ours,  as  having  a  natural  or  civil  right  to  it,  which 
we  have  not  to  that  which  belongs  to  another.  Now  there  are  two  ways,  more 
especially  included  in  this  petition,  by  which  we  are  said  to  receive,  from  the  hand 
of  God,  outward  blessings  which  we  may  call  our  own. 

God,  by  his  distinguishing  hand,  gives  us  that  measure  of  outward  blessings  which 
he  sees  convenient  for  us  ;  and  he  does  this  either  by  giving  success  to  our  endea- 
vours, or  by  supplying  our  wants  in  some  way  which  was  altogether  unexpected  by 
us,  and  thereby  making  provision  for  the  comfort  of  our  lives.  There  is  sometimes 
a  chain  of  providences  leading  to  this  result.  Thus  God  speaks  of  his  '  hearing  the 
heavens;'3  that,  when  they  want  store  of  water,  he  may  furnish  them  with  it,  and 
1  they  may  hear  the  earth,'  so  as  to  moisten  it  with  showers,  when  parched,  and  be- 

u  Matt.  vi.  32.        x  Jer.  xlv  5  y  Gen.  xxviii.  20.        z  Prov.  xxx.  8.       a  Hos.  ii.  21,  22. 


THE  FOURTH   PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  031 

coming  unfruitful  ;  and  '  that  the  earth  may  hear  the  corn,  and  the  wine,  and  the 
oil,'  so  as  to  produce  them  ;  and  that  '  these  may  hear,'  that  is,  may  be  distributed 
among  God's  people,  as  he  sees  they  want  them.  And  the  psalmist  saj's,  '  He 
watereth  the  hills  from  his  chambers.  The  earth  is  satisfied  with  the  fruit  of  thy 
works.  He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle,  and  herb  for  the  service  of 
man,  that  he  may  bring  forth  fruit  out  of  the  earth,  and  wine  that  maketh  glad 
the  heart  of  man,  and  oil  to  make  his  face  to  shine  ;  and  bread  which  strengthened 
man's  heart.'b  Hence,  there  are  various  causes  and  effects  subservient  to  one  an- 
other, which  are  all  owing  to  the  blessing  of  providence,  whereby  we  come  to  possess 
that  portion  of  the  good  things  of  this  life  which  is  allotted  for  us. 

Again,  the  outward  blessings  of  this  life  may  be  called  ours,  when  God  is  pleased 
to  make  them  blessings  to  us,  and  give  us  the  enjoyment  of  them.  He  must  add 
his  blessing  to  all  the  mercies  he  bestows,  else  they  will  not  conduce  to  our  happi- 
ness, or  answer  the  general  end  designed  by  .them.  Without  the  divine  blessing, 
the  bread  we  eat  would  no  more  nourish  us  than  husks  or  chaff;  our  garments 
could  no  more  contribute  to  our  being  warm,  than  if  they  were  put  upon  a  statue  ; 
and  the  air  we  breathe  would  rather  stifle  than  refresh  us.  Thus  it  is  said,  '  Man 
doth  not  live  by  bread  only,  but  by  every  word  which  prpceedeth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  God  ;'c  that  is,  it  is  not  merely  by  second  causes,  or  the  use  of  means,  but  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  or  his  power  and  providence,  that  life  and  health  are  sustained. 
Moreover,  it  is  God  alone  who  can  give  us  the  comfortable  enjoyment  of  the  things 
of  this  life.  This  all  have  not.  Their  tables  are  plentifully  furnished,  but  they 
want  that  measure  of  health  which  is  necessary  for  their  receiving  advantage  from 
them.  Thus  it  is  said  of  the  sick  man,  that  '  his  life  abhorreth  bread,  and  his  soul 
dainty  meat.'d  Such  do,  as  it  were,  starve  in  the  midst  of  plenty.  And  there  are 
others  who,  though  they  have  a  great  deal  of  the  world,  and  are  not  hindered  from 
the  enjoyment  of  it  by  the  weakness  or  decays  of  nature,  yet  are  made  unhappy  by 
the  temper  of  their  own  minds.  There  are  some,  for  example,  who  abound  iu 
riches,  who  may,  nevertheless,  be  said  to  be  poor  ;  because  they  want  an  heart  to 
use  what  they  have,  which  is  God's  peculiar  blessing.  Accordingly,  the  wise  man 
says,  '  Every  man  to  whom  God  hath  given  riches  and  wealth,  and  hath  given  him 
power  to  eat  thereof,  and  to  take  his  portion,  and  to  rejoice  in  his  labour,  this  is 
the  gift  of  God.'e  For  the  lawful  things  of  this  life,  then,  and  the  divine  blessing 
upon  them,  we  are  dependent  on  God  ;  and  the  asking  of  them  is  what  we  mean, 
when  we  pray  that  God  would  'give  us  our  bread.' 

3.  We  are  farther  taught  to  pray,  that  God  would  give  us  our  bread  '  this  day ;' 
thereby  denoting  that  we  are  to  desire  to  have  our  present  necessities  supplied,  as 
those  who  cannot  be  certain  that  we  shall  live  till  to-morrow.  How  often  does  God 
break  the  thread  of  our  lives  in  an  instant,  without  giving  us  any  notice  beforehand! 
We  may  truly  say  that  in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death  ;  and  we  are  advised 
to  take  no  thought  for  the  morrow,  but  to  leave  that  entirely  to  the  providence  of 
God.  Food  nourishes  but  for  a  day  ;  so  that  what  we  now  receive  will  not  suffice 
us  to-morrow.  Nature  is  always  craving  supplies  ;  and  therefore  we  are  taught  to 
have  a  continual  recourse  to  God  by  prayer  for  them.  If  we  look  farther  than  the 
present  time,  we  are  to  do  so  with  the  condition  that  the  Lord  has  determined  to 
prolong  our  lives,  and  has  rendered  it  necessary  for  us  to  pray  for  those  things 
which  will  be  needful  for  the  support  of  it.  Our  praying  on  this  condition  seems 
to  be  the  meaning  of  that  variation  of  expression  which  occurs  in  the  evangelist 
Luke,  '  Give  us  day  by  day  our  daily  bread  ;'f  and  it  may  obviate  an  inference 
which  will  be  drawn  by  some,  that  if  we  are  not  to  pray  for  what  respects  our  future 
condition  in  this  world,  we  are  not  to  make  provision  for  it.  But  not  to  make  pro- 
vision for  the  future  is  contrary  to  what  we  are  exhorted  to  do,  when  we  are  called  to 
consider  the  provision  which  the  smallest  insects  make  for  their  subsistence:  'The 
ant  provideth  her  meat  in  the  summer,  and  gatliereth  her  food  in  the  harvest.'? 
And  the  apostle  says,  '  If  any  provide  not  for  his  own,  and  specially  for  those  of 
his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel. 'h    We  hence 

b  Psal.  civ.  13—15.  c  Deut.  viii.  3  d  Job  xxxiii.  20.  e  Eccl.  v.  19. 

f  Luke  xi.  3.  g  Pro  v.  vi.  8.  h  1  Tim.  v.  8. 


632  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

ought  to  make  provision  for  our  future  wants.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  pray  that. 
God  would  give  success  to  our  lawful  endeavours,  in  order  to  the  attainment  of  this 
end.  We  must  pray  thus,  however,  with  the  limitation  of  our  maintaining  a  con- 
stant sense  that  our  times  are  in  his  hand.  Hence,  whether  he  should  be  pleased 
to  grant  us  a  longer  or  a  shorter  lease  of  our  lives,  which  to  us  is  altogether  uncer- 
tain, we  are  to  beg  of  him  that  we  may  never  be  destitute  of  what  is  necessary  for 
our  glorifying  him  while  on  earth. 

4.  This  petition  is  to  be  considered  as  having  reference  to  others  as  well  as  to 
ourselves.  By  the  words,  'Give  us,'  &c,  we  express  a  concern  for  their  advantage, 
in  what  respects  the  good  things  of  this  life.  The  blessings  of  providence  flow  from 
an  inexhaustible  fountain ;  and  therefore  we  are  not  to  think  that,  by  desiring  that 
others  may  have  a  supply  of  their  wants,  there  will  not  be  enough  remaining  for  us. 
Now,  our  being  bound  to  pray  for  the  good  of  others,  should  always  teach  us  to  bear 
our  part  in  relieving  them,  that  they  may  not,  through  our  neglect,  perish  for  want 
of  the  necessaries  of  this  life.  Thus  we  are  exhorted  '  to  deal  our  bread  to  the 
hungry,  to  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast  out  to  our  houses ;  and  when  we  see  the  na- 
ked, to  cover  them,  and  not  to  hide  ourselves  from  our  own  flesh.'1  Job  having  been 
severely  accused  by  his  friends,  as  though  all  the  afflictions  which  befell  him  were 
in  judgment  for  his  having  oppressed  and  'forsaken  the  poor,'  and  'violently  taken 
away  an  house  which  he  builded  not,'  as  Zophar  insinuates,15  vindicates  himself 
from  the  charge  in  the  strongest  terms,  when  he  says,  '  I  have  not  withheld  the 
poor  from  their  desire,  nor  caused  the  eyes  of  the  widow  to  fail ;  nor  eaten  my 
morsel  myself  alone,  so  that  the  fatherless  hath  not  eaten  thereof ;  nor  seen  any 
perish  for  want  of  clothing,  or  any  poor  without  covering.'1  This  is  not  only  to 
pray  that  God  would  give  others  their  daily  bread,  but  to  help  them,  so  far  as  it  is 
in  our  power ;  and  thus  to  help  them  is  very  agreeable  to  what  we  pray  for  in  their 
behalf,  as  well  as  our  own,  when  we  say,  as  in  this  petition,  '  Give  us  this  day  our 
daily  bread.' 

Thus  concerning  the  matter  of  the  petition,  as  explained  in  this  Answer.  We 
shall  give  a  summary  account  of  it  in  the  following  meditation,  which  may  be  of 
use  for  the  reducing  of  our  Saviour's  direction  into  practice  : — "  Our  eyes  wait  on 
thee,  0  thou  Preserver  of  men,  who  givest  to  all  their  meat  in  due  season.  We 
are  poor,  indigent  creatures,  whose  necessities  oblige  us  to  request  a  daily  supply 
for  our  outward  as  well  as  our  spiritual  wants.  Thou  hast  granted  us  life  and 
favour  ;  and,  having  obtained  help  from  thee,  we  continue  unto  this  day.  Thou 
preparest  a  table  for  us  ;  our  cup  runneth  over  ;  we  have  never  been  wholly  desti- 
tute of  those  outward  blessings  which  tend  to  make  our  pilgrimage  through  this 
world  easy  and  comfortable.  We  therefore  adore  thee  for  the  care  and  goodness 
of  thy  providence,  which  continues  to  us  forfeited  blessings.  We  have,  by  our  sins, 
deserved  to  be  deprived  of  all  the  good  things  we  enjoy  ;  which  we  have  not  used 
to  thy  glory  as  we  ought  to  have  done.  We  acknowledge  ourselves  less  than  the 
least  of  all  thy  mercies  ;  yet  thou  hast  encouraged  us  to  pray  and  hope  for  the 
continuance  of  them.  We  leave  it  to  thine  infinite  wisdom,  to  choose  that  condi- 
tion of  life  which  thou  seest  best  for  us.  It  is  not  the  great  things  of  this  world 
that  we  are  solicitous  about,  but  that  portion  of  it  which  is  necessary  to  our  glori- 
fying thee  in  life.  We  desire,  agreeably  to  what  thou  hast  enjoined  as  our  duty, 
to  use  that  industry  which  is  necessary  to  attain  a  comfortable  subsistence  in  the 
world  ;  yet  we  are  sensible  that  the  success  of  our  endeavours  is  wholly  owing  to 
thy  blessing.  We  therefore  beg  that  thou  wouldst  prosper  our  undertakings  ;  since 
it  is  thy  blessing  alone  that  maketh  rich,  and  addeth  no  sorrow.  Keep  our  desires 
after  the  world  within  their  due  bounds ;  and  enable  us  to  be  content  with  what 
thou  art  pleased  to  allot  for  us,  that  our  hearts  may  not  be  turned  aside  from  an 
earnest  pursuit  after  that  bread  which  perisheth  not,  but  endureth  to  everlasting 
life.  If  thou  art  pleased  to  give  us  the  riches  of  this  world,  let  not  our  hearts  be 
set  upon  them.  But  if  thou  hast  ordained  that  we  should  be  in  low  circumstances, 
may  the  frame  of  our  spirits  be  suited  to  them ;  and  may  they  be  so  sanctified  that 
it  may  appear  that  we  are  not  too  low  to  be  the  objects  of  thy  special  regard  and 

i  Isa.  lviii.  7.  k  Job  xx.  19.  1  Chap.  xxxi.  16—19. 


THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  633 

discriminating  grace, — that,  having  nothing,  we  may  really  possess  all  things,  in 
having  an  interest  in  thy  love.  As  to  our  future  condition  in  this  world,  though 
thou  hast  made  it  our  duty  to  use  a  provident  care  that  we  may  not  be  reduced  to 
those  straits  which  would  render  the  last  stage  of  life  uncomfortable  ;  yet  we  would 
do  this  with  a  constant  sense  of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  since  our  times  are  in  thy 
hand,  our  circumstances  in  the  world  at  thy  disposal, — and  we  rejoice  that  they 
are  so.  Therefore  we  earnestly  beg  that,  if  it  be  thy  sovereign  will  to  call  us  soon 
out  of  it,  we  may  be  as  well  pleased  to  leave,  as  ever  we  were  to  enjoy  it,  as  being 
blessed  with  a  well-grounded  hope  of  a  better  life.  And,  if  it  be  consistent  with 
thy  will  that  our  lives  be  prolonged  in  the  world,  '  Give  us  day  by  day  our  daily 
bread,'  that  we  may,  at  all  times,  experience  that  thou  dost  abundantly  bless  our 
provision,  and  satisfy  us  with  those  things  which  thou  seest  needful  for  us,  till  we 
come  to  our  journey's  end,  and  are  possessed  of  that  perfect  blessedness  which  thou 
hast  reserved  for  thy  saints  in  a  better  world." 


THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Qijfstion  CXCIV.  What  do  we  pray  for  in  the  fifth  petition? 

Answkk.  In  i he  fifth  petition,  which  is,  "  Forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors,"  ac- 
knowledging ihat  we,  and  all  others,  are  guilty  both  of  original  and  actual  sin,  and  thereby  become 
debtors  to  the  justice  of  God  ;  and  that  neither  we,  nor  any  other  creature,  can  make  the  least 
satisfaction  lor  that  debt ;  we  pray  lor  ourselves  and  others,  that  God  of  his  free  grace  would, 
through  the  oheoienee  and  satisfaction  of  Christ,  apprehended  and  applied  by  faith,  acquit  us  both 
from  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  sin,  accept  us  iti  his  Beloved,  continue  his  favour  and  grace  to  us, 
pardon  our  daily  failings,  and  fill  us  with  peace  and  joy,  in  giving  us  daily  more  and  more  assurance 
of  forgiveness,  which  we. are  the  rather  emboldened  to  ask,  and  encouraged  to  expect,  when  we 
have  this  testimony  in  ourselves,  that  we,  from  the  heart,  forgive  others  their  offences. 

Having  been  directed,  in  the  former  petition,  to  pray  for  outward  blessings,  we  are 
now  led  to  ask  for  forgiveness  of  sin.  It  is  with  very  good  reason  that  these  two 
petitions  are  joined  together  ;  inasmuch  as  we  cannot  expect  that  God  should  give 
us  the  good  things  of  this  life,  which  are  all  forfeited  by  us,  much  less  that  we 
should  have  them  bestowed  on  us  in  mercy  and  for  our  good,  unless  he  is  pleased 
to  forgive  those  sins  whereby  we  provoke  him  to  withhold  them  from  us.  Nor  can 
we  take  comfort  in  any  outward  blessings,  while  our  consciences  are  burdened  with 
a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  we  have  nothing  to  expect,  as  the  consequence  of  it, 
but  to  be  separated  from  his  presence.  Hence,  we  are  taught  to  pray  that  God 
would  '  forgive  us  our  sins,'  as  one  evangelist  expresses  it,  or  our  '  debts,'  as  it  is  in 
the  other. 

It  may  be  here  observed,  in  general,  that  sin  is  a  debt.  As  contrary  to  the  holi- 
ness of  God,  it  is  a  stain  and  blemish,  a  dishonour  and  reproach  to  us  ;  as  a  viola- 
tion of  his  law,  it  is  a  crime ;  and  as  involving  us  in  guilt,  it  is  called  'a  debt.'  This  is 
the  principal  thing  considered  in  this  petition.  There  was  a  debt  of  obedience  de- 
manded from  us  as  creatures ;  and  in  case  of  the  failure  of  it,  or  of  our  committing 
any  other  sin,  there  was  a  threatening  denounced  in  terms  of  the  sanction  of  the 
law,  whence  arises  a  debt  of  punishment.  Now,  it  is  in  the  latter  respect  that  we 
are  directed,  more  especially,  in  this  petition,  to  pray  for  forgiveness.  There  are 
several  tilings  regarding  the  nature  of  forgiveness,  as  founded  on  the  satisfaction 
given  by  Christ,  as  our  surety,  which  have  been  largely  insisted  on  under  some 
former  Answers."1  Hence,  in  considering  the  subject  of  this  petition,  we  shall,  first, 
take  a  view  of  sinful  man  as  charged  with  guilt,  and  rendered  uneasy  under  a  sense 
of  it ;  secondly,  we  shall  consider  how  he  is  to  address  himself  to  God  by  faith  and 
prayer  for  forgiveness  ;  and  thirdly,  we  shall  show  the  encouragement  which  he  has 
to  hope  that  his  prayer  will  be  answered.  Under  this  last  head  we  shall  take  oc- 
casion to  consider  how  far  that  disposition  which  we  have  to  forgive  others,  is  an 
evidence  of  our  prayer  for  forgiveness  having  been  heard. 

m  See  Sect.  '  The  Reality  of  the  Atonement,'  under  Quest,  xliv.  See  also  Quest,  lxx,  bud. 
II.  4  L 


634  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  Lord's  PRAYER. 


Mans  Uneasiness  under  a  Sense  of  Guilt. 

We  are  first  to  consider  the  charge  of  guilt  which  is  upon  us,  and  that  uneasi- 
ness which  is  the  consequence  of  it.     Here  we  view  the  sinner  as  apprehended  and 
standing  before  God,  the  Judge  of  all.     An  accusation  is  brought  in  against  him  ; 
he  is  charged  with  apostacy  and  rebellion  against  his  rightful  Lord  and  Sovereign ; 
his  nature  is,  in  consequence,  represented  as  vitiated  and  depraved,  his  heart  de- 
ceitful above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked  ;  whence  proceed  all  actual  trans- 
gressions, with  their  respective  aggravations,  which,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the 
law  of  God,  deserve  his  wrath  and  curse,  both  in  this  life,  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come.  n     This  charge  is  made  good  against  him  by  such  convincing  evidence,  that 
he  must  be  very  much  unacquainted  with  himself,  and  a  stranger  to  the  law  of  God, 
if  he  does  not  see  its  truth.     But  if  we  suppose  him  stupid,  and  persisting  in  his 
own  vindication,  through  the  blindness  of  his  mind,  and  hardness  of  his  heart,  and 
ready  to  say  with  Ephraim,  '  In  all  my  labours  they  shall  find  none  iniquity  in  me 
that  were  sin  ;'°  the  charge  will,  notwithstanding,  appear  to  be  just,  his  mouth 
shall  be  stopped,  and  he  shall  be  forced  to  confess  himself  guilty  before  God.     His 
conscience  is  now  awakened,  and  he  trembles  at  the  thoughts  of  falling  into  the 
hands  of  an  absolute  God,  who  appears  no  otherwise  to  him  than  as  a  consuming 
fire.    His  terrors  set  themselves  in  array  against  him,  and  cannot  but  fill  him  with  the 
greatest  anguish,  especially  as  there  is  no  method  which  he  can  find  out  to  free 
himself  from  the  misery  which  he  dreads.     If  he  pretends  to  extenuate  his  crimes, 
his  excuses  will  not  avail  him  ;  and  if  his  own  conscience  does  not  come  in  as  a 
witness  against  him,  as  having  been  a  party  concerned  in  the  rebellion,  its  being 
silent  is  an  evidence  of  its  having  been  rendered  stupid  by  a  continuance  in  sin. 
Nothing  which  it  can  allege  in  its  own  vindication,  will  be  regarded  in  the  court  of 
heaven,  but  will  rather  tend  to  add  weight  to  the  guilt  he  has  contracted  ;  for  the 
omniscience  of  God  will  bring  in  an  unanswerable  charge  against  him,  as  a  transgressor 
of  his  law,  and  liable- to  condemnation,  and  then  vindictive  justice  will  demand  satis- 
faction.   If  the  sinner  make  an  overture  to  pay  the  debt,  he  must  either  yield  sinless 
obedience,  which  is  impossible  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  or  bear  the  stroke  of 
justice,  and  suffer  the  punishment  due  to  him  ;  and  if  he  is  content  to  do  the  lat- 
ter, he  knows  not  what  it  is  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,  or  to  be  plunged 
into  an  abyss  of  endless  misery.     If  he  think  that  he  shall  be  secure  by  fleeing 
from  justice,  he  will  find  every  attempt  to  flee  from  it  vain  ;  tor  God  is  omnipresent, 
and  '  there  is  no  darkness  nor  shadow  of  death,  wheie  lie  workers  of  iniquity  may 
hide  themselves.' p     Nothing  therefore  remains  but  that  he  make  supplication  to 
his  Judge,  that  he  would  pass  by  the  crimes  he  hascon.nntted,  without  demanding 
satisfaction.     But  to  do  this  is  to  desire  that  he  would  act  contrary  to  the  holiness 
of  his  nature  ;  which  would  be  such  a  blemish  on  his  perfections,  that  he  is  obliged 
to  reject  the  suit,  or  else  must  cease  to  be  God.     What  would  his  pardoning  crime 
without  satisfaction  be,  but  to  relinquish  his  throne,  deny  his  sovereignty,  and  act 
contrary  to  his  own  law,  which  is  the  rule  of  his  government  ?  Sinners,  besides,  would 
take  occasion  to  transgress,  expecting  that  they  may  do  with  so  impunity.    But,  is 
there  no  intercessor  who  will  plead  the  sinner's  cause,  or  appear  for  him  in  the  court  of 
heaven  ?    There  can  be  no  such  intercessor  but  one  who  is  able  to  make  an  atonement, 
and  thereby  secure  the  glory  of  divine  justice,  by  having  the  debt  transferred  or  placed 
to  his  account,  and  giving  a  full  satisfaction  for  it.    But  this  work  belongs  to  none  but 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  obtained  l-edemption  and  forgiveness  through  his  blood. 
Now,  no  one  can  take  encouragement  from  what  he  has  done  but  he  who  addresses 
himself  to  God  by  faith.     But  we  are  now  considering  the  sinner  as  destitute  of 
faith,  and  therefore  the  charge  of  guilt  remains  upon  him.     And  it  is  certain  that 
the  consequence  is  such  as  tends  to  fill  him  with  the  greatest  uneasiness  under  the 
burden  which  lies  on  his  conscience ;  so  that  he  has  a  perpetual  dread  of  the  execu- 
tion of  the  sentence  which  is  in  force  against  him.    His  spirit  is  wounded  ;  and  it  is 
impossible  for  any  one  to  apply  to  him  healing  medicines,  but  by  directing  him,  ac- 

n  Quest,  clii.  o  Hog.  xii.  8.  p  Job  xxxiv.  22. 


THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  635 

cording  to  the  prescription  contained  in  the  gospel,  to  seek  forgiveness  in  that  way 
in  which  God  applies  it  in  and  through  a  Mediator. 

How  a  Sinner  is  to  ask  Forgiveness. 

We  are  now  to  consider  how  a  person  is  to  address  himself  to  God  by  faith  and 
prayer  for  forgiveness.  This  is  the  principal  topic  exhibited  in  this  petition.  Here 
it  is  to  be  acknowledged  that,  when  we  draw  nigh  to  God,  we  do  so  with  a  sense  of 
guilt,  and,  it  may  be,  with  great  distress  of  conscience  arising  from  it.  Yet  this 
sense  of  guilt  differs  very  much  from  what  was  observed  under  the  last  Head,  when 
we  considered  a  sinner  as  standing  before  an  absolute  God,  without  any  hope 
of  obtaining  forgiveness.  What  such  a  person  suffers  is  dread  and  horror  ;  but  his 
drawing  near  to  God  under  the  sense  of  guilt  of  which  we  now  speak,  is  an  expe- 
dient for  his  obtaining  a  settled  peace  of  conscience.  Indeed,  there  is  nothing  of 
greater  importance,  than  our  performing  this  duty  in  a  right  manner. 

1.  Let  it  be  considered,  then,  that  when  we  pray  for  forgiveness  of  sin,  it  is  sup- 
posed that  none  can  bestow  this  blessing  upon  us  but  God.  No  one  has  a  right  to 
forgive  an  offence,  but  he  against  whom  it  is  committed.  Sin  is  a  neglect  or  re- 
fusal to  pay  the  debt  of  obedience  which  is  due  from  us  to  God  ;  and  consequently 
it  would  be  an  invading  of  his  right,  for  any  one  who  had  no  power  to  demand  pay- 
ment of  that  debt  to  pretend  to  give  a  discharge  to  the  sinner,  as  an  insolvent  debtor. 
This  would  be  to  act  like  the  person  mentioned  in  the  parable,  who  was  appointed, 
indeed,  to  receive  his  lord's  debts,  but  not  to  cancel  them  ;  and  therefore  our  Sa- 
viour calls  him  '  an  unjust  steward  ;'  and  he  is  said  to  have  '  wasted  his  lord's  goods,' 
by  compounding  without  his  order,  the  debts  which  were  owing  to  him.q  Now,  as 
obedience  is  a  religious  duty,  it  is  due  to  God  alone.  It  is  only  he  who  can  give  a 
discharge  to  those  who  have  not  performed  it.  As  it  belongs  to  him  as  a  Judge 
and  Lawgiver  to  punish  offenders,  it  would  be  the  highest  affront  to  him  for  a  crea- 
ture to  pretend  to  this  prerogative.  Hence,  God  appropriates  it  to  himself,  when 
he  says,  •  I,  even  I  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake  ;'r 
an  expression  which  is  to  be  understood  of  him  exclusive  of  all  others.  Accord- 
ingly, when  the  Jews  charged  our  Saviour  with  blasphemy  on  his  forgiving  sins, 
and  said,  'Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only?'8  the  proposition  was  true,  how 
false  soever  the  inference  was  which  they  deduced  from  it  to  disprove  his  Deity. 

2.  We  shall  now  consider  that  all  ought  to  pray  for  forgiveness,  and  in  what 
sense  they  are  to  do  so.  That  all  ought  to  pray  for  forgiveness,  one  would  think  is  so 
evident,  so  agreeable  to  the  condition  of  fallen  man,  so  obviously  founded  on  many 
scriptures,  and  expressly  commanded  in  the  petition  which  we  are  explaining,  that 
it  is  needless  to  give  a  farther  proof  of  it.  Yet,  some  have  asserted  that  a  justified 
person  ought  not  to  pray  for  pardon  of  sin,  since  he  already  enjoys  it.  This  is  an 
inference  from  what  they  advance  as  to  actual  justification  being  from  eternity. 
They  hence  suppose  that  it  is  as  absurd  for  a  justified  person  to  pray  that  God 
would  forgive  him,  as  it  is  to  pray  that  he  would  choose  him  to  eternal  life,  or  that 
Christ  would  satisfy  the  divine  justice  for  the  sins  of  his  people,  which  he  has 
already  done.  It  is,  indeed,  not  very  easy  to  understand  what  some  persons  mean, 
when  they  insist  on  this  subject ;  for  they  lay  down  propositions,  without  sufficient- 
ly explaining  them.  And  while  they  allege  in  their  own  vindication  that  they  intend 
nothing  but  what  is  agreeable  to  the  sentiments  of  the  reformed  churches,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  they  advance  several  things,  or,  at  least,  make  use  of  unguarded  expres- 
sions, which  are  altogether  disowned  by  these  churches  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  they 
give  occasion  to  some  to  run  into  the  contrary  extreme,  who,  for  fear  of  being 
thought  to  assert  eternal  justification,  deny  the  eternal  purpose  of  God  relating  to 
it. — But  whatever  they  intend,  when  they  say  that  a  justified  person  ought  not  to 
pray  for  pardon  of  sin ;  the  contrary  to  this  opinion  is  sufficiently  evident  from 
scripture.  For,  as  every  believer  is  a  justified  person,  any  instances  which  we  have 
of  believers  praying  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  sufficiently  confute  the  absurd  notion. 
which  we  are  opposing.     Now,  that  many  have  prayed  for  pardon  of  sin,  who  have, 

q  Luke  xvi.  1.  et  scq.  r  Isa.  xliii.  25.  s  Mark  ii.  7. 


€?.(')  THE   FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

f9t  t!;o  sntne  time,  been  true  believers,  is  evident  from  David's  praying  for  the  par- 
don of  sin,  as  he  often  does.  Thus  he  says,  '  For  thy  name's  sake,  0  Lord,  par- 
don mine  iniquity,  for  it  is  great  ;"*  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he  expresses  him- 
self like  a  justified  person,  '  0  my  God,  I  trust  in  thee,'u  and,  '  Thou  art  the  God 
of  my  salvation.'1  Again,  he  prays,  '  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant, 
for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified  ;"*  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he  ap- 
pears to  be  a  believer ;  for  he  speaks  of  his  '  trusting  in  God, '  and  '  lifting  up  his 
soul  to  him,'2  and  '  fleeing  to  him,'  that  he  would  '  hide  him,'a  which  are  all  acts 
of  justifying  faith.  Again,  he  prays, '  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  God,  according  to 
thy  loving-kindness  ;  according  to  the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies,  blot  out  my 
transgressions  ;'b  'hide  thy  face  from  my  sins,  and  blot  out  all  mine  iniquities.'0 
Yet  he  had  had  a  previous  intimation  from  God,  that  he  had  pardoned  his  sin.d 
This  appears  from  the  preface  to  the  psalm  in  which  this  prayer  occurs  ;  so  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  put  words  into  his  mouth,  and  taught  him,  notwithstanding  the 
assurance  he  had  had  from  him  of  his  having  obtained  forgiveness,  to  pray  tor  it. 
Moreover,  the  apostle  Paul  was  in  a  justified  state,  when  he  expressed  his  earnest 
desire  of  being  '  found  in  Christ,  not  having  his  own  righteousness,  but  that  which 
is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith. 'e  Be- 
sides, that  justified  persons  ought  to  pray  for  forgiveness,  might  be  argued  from  all 
those  scriptures  which  represent  believers  as  praying  for  salvation  ;  for  they  can- 
not pray  for  salvation  without  praying  for  forgiveness  of  sin,  as  being  inseparably 
connected  with  it.  I  shall  therefore  add  no  more  concerning  the  obligation  which 
all  are  under,  to  pray  for  the  pardon  of  sin. 

I  now  proceed  to  consider  in  what  sense  we  are  to  pray  for  forgiveness.  This 
may  without  much  difficulty  be  determined,  if  we  rightly  state  the  doctrine  of 
justification.  If  justification  be  considered  as  an  immanent  act  in  God,  or  as  the 
eternal  purpose  of  his  will  not  to  impute  sin,  which  is  what  divines  call  decretive 
justification,  it  is  to  be  allowed  that  it  is  no  more  to  be  prayed  for  than  eternal 
election.  Nor  are  we  to  pray  that  Christ  may  be  constituted  the  Head  and  Surety 
of  his  elect,  or  that  he  might  finish  transgressions,  make  an  end  of  sin,  and  bring 
in  everlasting  righteousness,  for  that  is  already  done.  But  the  scripture  often 
speaks  of  justification  as  consisting  in  the  application  of  Christ's  righteousness,  or 
in  the  right  which  we  have  to  lay  claim  to  it.  This  is  styled  justification  by  faith, 
and  is  the  only  foundation  on  which  we  build  our  hope,  that  we  have  an  interest 
in  what  Christ  did  and  suffered,  and  are  thereby  discharged  from  guilt  and  con- 
demnation. But  this  justification  cannot  take  place  before  we  believe  ;  and  in  this 
sense  we  pray  that  God  would  justify  us.  Now,  as  forgiveness  of  sin  is  a  branch 
of  justification,  it  is  in  this  sense  that  we  pray  for  the  pardon  of  sin.  [See  Note 
2  D,  page  643.] 

In  praying  for  forgiveness,  we  express  an  earnest  desire  that  God  would  not  lay 
those  sins  to  our  charge  which  we  daily  commit,  or  that  he  would  not,  as  the  psal- 
mist says,  '  enter  into  judgment  with  us,'f  and,  in  consequence,  that  he  would  not 
punish  us  as  our  iniquities  deserve.  We  thus  pray  for  the  application  of  Christ's 
righteousness,  as  the  ground  and  foundation  of  our  claim  to  forgiveness.  Again, 
we  are  to  pray  for  the  comfortable  fruits  and  effects  of  forgiveness,  that  *  being 
justified  by  faith,  we  may  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  access,  by  faith,  into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand  ;'s  or  that  we  may  be  able 
to  conclude  that  our  persons  and  services  are  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  and  that 
Christ  hath  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood.  Further,  we 
are  to  pray  for  the  assurance  or  comfortable  sense  of  forgiveness,  so  that  we  may 
rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  And,  inasmuch  as  we  daily  contract  guilt, 
we  are  to  pray  that  this  blessing  may  be  daily  applied  to  us,  and  that,  both  living 
and  dying,  we  may  be  dealt  with  as  those  who  are  interested  in  Christ's  righteous- 
ness as  our  Surety  and  Redeemer. 

It  may  be  objected  that  these  blessings  are  what  every  believer  has  ;  and  that 

t  Pnal.  xxv.  11.  u  Verse  2.  x  Verse  5.  y  Psal.  cxliii.  2. 

z  Psal.  cxli  i.  8.  a  Verse  9.  b  Psal.  li.  1.  c  Verse  9. 

d  2  Sam.  xii.  13.  e  Phil.  iii.  9.  f  Psal.  cxliii.  2.  g  Rom.  v.  1,  2. 


THE   FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'.S  PRAYER.  637 

therefore  he  ought  not  to  pray  for  them.  I  answer,  that  there  are  many  privileges 
which  God  does  or  certainly  will  bestow  upon  his  people,  which  they  are,  neverthe- 
less, to  pray  for  ;  otherwise  they  who  are  in  a  state  01  grace,  are  not  to  pray  for  per- 
severance in  grace,  because  they  are  assured  that  it  shall  be  maintained  unto  sal- 
vation, according  to  God's  promise.  Indeed,  whatever  promises  are  contained  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  a  believer  ought  not,  according  to  this  objection,  to  pray 
that  God  would  apply  them  to  him,  and  so  glorify  his  faithfulness  in  accomplish- 
ing them,  since  he  is  certainly  persuaded  that  he  will  do  it.  Yet,  all  allow  that 
we  are  to  pray  for  the  fulfilment  to  us  of  these  promises.  Hence,  even  if  we  have 
a  full  assurance  that  God  has  forgiven  our  sins,  yet,  as  we  daily  contract  guilt,  we 
are  daily  to  pray  that  he  would  not  lay  it  to  our  charge,  or  deal  with  us  as  our 
iniquities  deserve. 

3.  We  shall  now  consider  how  we  are  to  address  ourselves  to  God,  or  what  views 
we  are  to  have  of  him  when  we  pray  for  forgiveness  of  sin.  This  depends  on  the 
idea  we  have  of  those  perfections  which  he  glorifies  in  bestowing  this  privilege. 
These  are,  more  especially,  his  mercy,  grace,  and  faithfulness,  in  accomplishing 
what  he  has  promised  in  the  covenant  of  grace.  As  for  his  justice,  it  is  considered, 
as  will  be  observed  under  a  following  Head,  as  having  received  full  satisfaction. 
It  is  concerned,  however,  in  the  purchase,  not  in  the  application  of  forgiveness. 
God,  indeed,  appears,  in  respect  to  it,  with  the  glory  of  a  Judge  resolving  to  make 
no  abatements  of  the  debt  which  was  contracted,  that  so  he  may  express  his  utmost 
detestation  of  the  sins  committed.  In  this  sense,  forgiveness  is  not  to  be  obtained 
by  entreaty  ;  for  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  a  Judge,  to  be  moved  by 
entreaty,  and  contrary  to  the  demands  of  law  and  justice.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
when  we  draw  nigh  to  him,  we  consider  him  as  a  Father  who  delights  in  mercy,  as 
is  particularly  intimated  in  the  preface  to  this  prayer ;  and  therefore  we  do  not 
come  before  him  as  summoned  to  stand  at  his  tribunal,  and  to  be  weighed  in  the 
balance  by  him.  Were  we  in  this  position,  we  should  be  found  wanting ;  and,  if 
our  iniquities  should  be  marked  by  him,  we  could  not  stand.  But  we  consider  our- 
selves as  invited  to  come  into  his  presence,  in  hope  of  obtaining  forgiveness  ;  and 
we  consider  him  as  he  has  revealed  himself  in  the  gospel,  in  which  we  are  told  that 
there  is  forgiveness  with  him,  that  he  may  be  feared,  not  as  the  criminal  fears  his 
judge,  who  is  ready  to  pass  sentence  upon  him,  but  as  a  child  comes  into  his 
father's  presence  with  such  a  fear  as  proceeds  from  love,  and  is  the  result  of  the 
encouragement  which  is  given  him  that  he  shall  be  accepted  in  his  sight.  The 
great  inducement  to  our  thus  approaching  God,  is  the  intimation  he  has  given  of 
his  love,  in  the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  particularly  in  those  which  re- 
spect forgiveness.  There  he  has  discovered  himself  as  a  God  ready  to  pardon, 
'gracious  and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness  ;'h  with  whom  is 
4  plenteous  redemption.' *  He  also  styles  himself,  '  Our  God,  who  will  abundantly 
pardon,'  inasmuch  as  '  his  thoughts  and  ways  are  above  ours,  as  the  heavens  are 
higher  than  the  earth.' k  He  has  likewise  promised  that  he  will  '  cast  all  the  sins' 
of  his  people  'into  the  depths  of  the  sea.'  Hence,  we  consider  him,  in  forgiving 
our  sins,  not  only  as  glorifying  his  mercy,  but  as  '  performing  his  truth,'  and  act- 
ing agreeably  to  his  faithfulness.1  And  all  this  depends  entirely  on  the  discoveries 
he  has  made  of  himself  to  us  through  a  Mediator.  • 

4.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  way  in  which  God  bestows  forgiveness,  and 
in  which  we  are  to  seek  it  at  his  hand  by  laith  and  prayer.  We  formerly  observed 
that  it  would  be  an  affront  to  the  divine  Majesty,  to  suppose  that  he  will  extend 
mercy  to  guilty  sinners,  without  securing  the  glory  of  his  vindictive  justice ;  and 
the  securing  of  this  depends  wholly  on  the  satisfaction  which  was  given  by  Christ. 
Hence,  we  are  to  beg  forgiveness  for  his  sake,  whom  God  has  '  set  forth  to  be  a 
propitiation  for  sin,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth 
iu  Jesus.'  Accordingly,  we  are  first  considered  as  having  his  righteousness  im- 
puted to  us  ;  and  then  this  blessing  which  we  pray  for  is  applied  to  us.  In  this 
method  of  praying  for  forgiveness,  we  take  occasion  to  adore  the  wisdom  of  God, 
which  has  found  out  this  expedient  to  hallow  or  sanctify  his  own  name,  as  well  as 

h  Neh.  ix.  17.  Psal.  exxx.  7.  k  Isa.  lv.  7—9.  1  Micah  vii.  19,  20. 


C38  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

\o  secure  to  us  an  interest  in  his  love  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  we  express  the  high 
esteem  we  have  for  the  person  of  Christ,  who  has  procured  it  for  us,  and  also  our 
sense  of  the  infinite  value  of  the  price  he  paid  in  order  to  procure  it.  We  refer 
our  cause  to  him,  that,  as  our  Advocate,  he  would  appear  on  our  hehalf,  in  the 
merit  of  his  obedience  and  sufferings  ;  that  our  petition  may  be  granted  in  such  a 
way,  that  God  may  have  the  highest  revenue  of  glory  redounding  to  himself,  and 
that  we  may  receive  the  consequent  blessings. 

We  are  now  to  consider  the  frame  of  spirit  with  which  we  are  to  pray  for  forgive- 
ness. There  is  no  grace  but  what  is  to  be  exercised  in  prayer,  agreeably  to  the 
subject  of  it.  In  particular,  it  is  evident,  from  the  nature  of  the  thing,  that  when 
we  pray  for  forgiveness,  it  ought  to  be  with  a  penitent  frame  of  spirit.  Accord- 
ingly, repentance  and  forgiveness  of  sins  are  often  connected  in  scripture.  Thus 
it  is  said,  '  Repent  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out.'m  We  are 
not  to  suppose,  indeed,  that  repentance,  or  any  other  grace,  is  the  cause  of  God's 
secret  purpose  or  determination  to  forgive  sin,  or  that  he  accepts  of  it  as  any  part 
of  that  atonement  or  satisfaction  which  his  justice  requires  to  be  made  for  it ;  for 
to  suppose  this  is  to  ascribe  that  to  repentance  which  belongs  entirely  to  Christ's 
righteousness.  Repentance,  however,  is  so  far  necessary  to  forgiveness,  that  it 
would  be  a  very  preposterous  thing  for  any  one  to  ask  this  favour  either  of  God  or 
of  man  without  it.  Not  to  repent  of  a  crime  committed,  is,  in  effect,  a  pleading 
for  it,  and  a  tacit  resolution  to  persist  in  it,  and,  in  consequence,  disqualifies  us  from 
pleading  for  a  pardon.  Besides,  it  would  be  contrary  to  the  divine  perfections  for 
God  to  give  pardon  to  those  who,  in  this  manner  do,  as  it  were,  practically  disown 
their  need  of  it.  Moreover,  the  necessity  of  repentance,  in  those  who  are  praying 
and  hoping  for  forgiveness,  appears  from  the  connection  which  there  is  between  it 
and  all  other  graces.  These,  though  distinguished,  are  not  separated  from  it ;  and 
they  are  all  necessary  to  salvation, — which  we  can,  by  no  means  attain,  without 
being  forgiven. 

The  Connexion  between  forgiving  others  and  enjoying  forgiveness  from  God. 

We  proceed  to  consider  the  encouragement  that  they,  who  plead  for  forgiveness, 
with  the  exercise  of  faith,  repentance,  and  other  graces,  have  to  expect,  that  they 
shall  be  heard  and  answered  ;  and,  more  particularly,  how  far  the  disposition 
which  we  have  to  forgive  others,  is  an  evidence  of  our  having  obtained  forgiveness 
from  God. 

Grace  exercised,  is  an  evidence  of  forgiveness.  That  it  is  so  appears  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  a  work  and  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  a  branch  of  sanctification,  and  an  ear- 
nest of  eternal  life.  In  this  respect,  that  good  work  may  be  truly  said  to  be  begun, 
which  God  will  certainly  carry  on,  and  perfect  in  glory.  Every  grace,  I  say,  pro- 
vided it  be  true  and  genuine,  is  an  evidence  of  our  right  to  forgiveness,  or  justifi- 
cation. Accordingly  the  apostle  says,  '  Whom  he  called,  them  he  justified  ;  and 
whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.'11 

We  are  now  to  consider  how  far,  or  in  what  respect,  our  exercising  forgiveness 
towards  others,  is  an  evidence  of  our  having  obtained  forgiveness  from  God  ;  which 
is  the  sense  given  in  this  Answer,  of  those  words,  'as  we  forgive  our  debtors.'  We 
may  here  observe  the  variation  of  the  expression  in  Matthew  and  Luke.  In  the 
former  it  is,  '  Forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors  ;'  and  in  the  latter, 
'  Forgive  us  our  sins  ;  for  we  also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us.'  There 
is  a  little  difficulty  contained  in  the  sense  of  the  particles  'as'  and  'for  ;'  and  these 
must  be  so  explained  that  the  sense  of  the  petition,  in  both  evangelists,  may  appear 
to  be  the  same..  When  Matthew  says,  '  Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debt- 
ors,' the  particle  '  as'  is  a  note,  not  of  equality,  but  of  similitude.  Accordingly, 
it  signifies  that  we  are  to  forgive  others,  even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  has  for- 
given us,  or  as  we  hope  to  obtain  forgiveness  from  him.  If,  indeed,  we  compare  our 
forgiveness  of  others  with  God's  forgiveness  of  us,  there  is  an  infinite  disproportion 
between  them,  as  to  the  injuries  forgiven,  and  the  circumstances  attending  the  act 

m  Acts  iii.  19.  n  Rom.  viii.  30. 


THE    FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  639 

of  forgiveness.  The  injuries  done  to  us  are  very  small,  if  compared  with  the  crimes 
which  we  commit  against  God  ;  and  when  we  are  said  to  forgive  them,  there  is  no 
comparison  between  our  forgiveness  and  that  which  we  desire  from  the  hand  of 
God.  God's  forgiving  us  is,  indeed,  a  motive  to  us  to  forgive  others ;  but  the  one  is 
not  the  measure  or  standard  of  the  other.  Hence,  the  petition  implies  that,  while 
we  ask  for  forgiveness,  we  ought  to  do  so  with  a  becoming  frame  of  spirit,  as 
those  who  are  inclined  to  forgive  others,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  bless  God  that 
he  has  wrought  this  disposition  in  us.  So  far  as  we  make  use  of  our  forgiving  others 
as  an  argument  in  prayer,  the  meaning  is,  that  as  God  has  made  it  our  duty  to  for- 
give others,  and  we  trust  has  also  given  us  grace  to  do  so,  we  hope  that  he  will,  in 
like  manner,  *  forgive  us  our  trespasses.'  The  petition  as  laid  down  by  the  evangelist 
Luke,  '  Forgive  us  our  sins  ;  for  we  also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us,' 
is,  in  substance,  the  same  as  laid  down  in  Matthew,  and  as  now  explained.  The 
particle  •  for'  is  not  causal,  but  demonstrative.  Hence,  we  are  not  to  understand 
it  as  though  our  forgiving  others  were  the  ground  and  reason  of  God's  forgiving  us ; 
for  to  do  this  would  be  to  put  it  in  the  room  of  Christ's  righteousness.  But  the  mean- 
ing is,  that  we  are  encouraged  to  hope  that  he  will  forgive  us,  from  the  demonstrative 
evidence  he  has  afforded  us  of  his  disposition  to  forgive',  in  his  having  bestowed 
upon  us  that  grace  which  inclines  and  disposes  us  to  forgive  others.  For  from  his 
having  given  us  that  grace,  we  have  ground  to  conclude  that  we  shall  obtain  the 
blessing  for  which  we  pray.  We  are  thus  led  to  consider  the  nature  and  extent  of 
forgiveness,  as  exercised  by  us,  and  our  obligation  to  perform  this  duty  ;  and 
when  our  performing  it  may  be  said  to  be  an  evidence  of  our  obtaining  forgiveness 
from  God. 

1.  As  to  the  nature. and  extent  of  forgiveness,  there  are  some  things  to  be  pre- 
mised. The  injuries  which  are  done  us,  are  to  be  considered  as  either  an  invasion 
or  a  denial  of  those  rights  which  belong  to  us,  agreeably  to  the  station  and  con- 
dition in  life  in  which  the  providence  of  God  has  fixed  us.  Any  such  invasion  must 
be  reckoned  an  injury,  because  it  is  detrimental  to  us,  and  an  act  of  injustice.  It 
may  also  be  considered  as  a  crime  committed  against  God,  inasmuch  as  it  in- 
fers a  violation  of  the  law  of  nature,  which  is  stamped  with  his  authority.  By  this 
law,  the  rights  of  every  particular  person  are  determined  ;  and  to  deprive  us  of 
them,  is  a  sin  against  God,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  sins  immediately  committed 
against  men  are  said  to  be  committed  against  him. — Again,  injuries  are  to  be  for- 
given by  us,  only  as  they  are  against  ourselves.  God  alone  can  forgive  them  as 
they  are  against  him.  The  reason  is,  that  no  one  can  dispense  with  that  punish- 
ment which  is  due  for  the  violation  of  a  law  but  he  who  gave  it.  The  precept 
which  is  to  be  obeyed,  and  the  sanction  which  binds  over  the  offender  to  suffer  for 
his  violation  of  it,  must  be  established  by  the  same  authority.  Hence,  as  the  crea- 
ture cannot  demand  that  obedience  which  is  due  to  God.  alone  ;  so,  for  the  same  rea- 
son, he  cannot  remit  that  debt  of  punishment  which  belongs  only  to  God  to  inflict. 
We  are  to  desire,  however,  that  God  would  pardon,  rather  than  punish,  those  who 
have  injured  us.  Our  doing  this  is  the  only  sense  in  which  we  may  be  said  to  for- 
give others  those  crimes  that  are  committed-  against  God  ;  if,  indeed,  our  doing  it 
may  be  called  forgiveness.  But  so  far  as  any  injury  respects  ourselves,  as  being 
detrimental  to  us,  it  is  our  duty  to  forgive  it,  and  not  to  exercise  that  private  re- 
venge which  is  inconsistent  with  the  scope  of  this  petition. — Again,  so  far  as  an  in- 
jury which  more  especially  respects  ourselves,  includes  a  violation  of  human  laws, 
so  that  the  offender  has  rendered  himself  obnoxious  to  a  capital  punishment ;  it 
does  not  belong  to  us,  as  private  persons,  to  forgive  the  criminal,  so  as  to  obstruct 
the  course  of  justice.  This  matter  does  not  concern  us,  as  we  have  not  the  ex- 
ecutive part  of  human  laws  in  our  power.  To  pretend  to  this  executive  power, 
would  be  not  only  to  violate  the  laws  of  men,  but  to  commit  an  offence  against 
God,  who  has  established  the  just  rights  of  civil  government.  Hence,  that  for- 
giveness which  we  are  obliged  to  exercise  towards  others,  does  not  extend  to  inju- 
ries which  violate  human  laws.  Nor  are  we  obliged,  when  we  forgive  those  who 
have  injured  us,  to  be  unconcerned  about  doing  justice  to  ourselves,  when  it  is  pos- 
sible, or  at  least  easy,  for  us  to  have  redress  in  the  course  of  law  or  equity  ;  espe- 
cially if  the  damage  we  sustain  be,  in  a  very  great  degree,  prejudicial  to  ourselves 


640  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  L3RL>'s  PItAYER. 

or  families.  If  an  injury  affect  our  good  name  in  the  world,  the  forgiving  of  it  is 
not  inconsistent  with  our  using  endeavours  to  vindicate  our  own  reputation  ;  though, 
it  may  be,  we  can  hardly  do  this  without  exposing  him  who  has  done  us  the  injury, 
to  suffer  that  shame  which  he  has  brought  on  himself  by  his  calumnies. 

These  things  being  premised,  we  proceed  to  consider  the  nature  and  extent  of 
forgiveness,  as  it  is  to  be  exercised  by  us,  so  far  as  the  injury  committed  respects 
ourselves.  This  forgiveness  is  opposed  to  our  bearing  the  least  degree  of  malice 
against  the  offender,  or  carrying  our  .resentments  too  far,  by  magnifying  lesser  in- 
juries, and  meditating  revenge.  Nor  ought  we  to  be  so  partial  in  our  own  cause, 
as  to  deny  or  altogether  overlook  those  things  which  are,  in  other  respects,  com-, 
mendable  in  him  ;  as  though  a  crime  committed  against  us  were  altogether  incon- 
sistent with  the  least  degree  of  virtue  or  goodness  in  him  who  has  committed  it. 
His  having  done  injustice  to  us,  does  not  excuse  any  act  of  injustice  to  his  person 
or  character  in  instances  which  have  not  an  immediate  relation  to  ourselves. 
To  look  at  him  in  his  other  conduct  in  the  light  of  his  injury  against  us,  is  to  see 
things  through  a  false  medium,  or  to  infer  consequences  which  cannot  fairly  be 
deduced  from  any  thing  which  he  has  done,  how  injurious  soever  it  may  have  been 
to  us.  Moreover,  we  are  not  to  take  occasion,  from  the  ill  treatment  we  have  met 
with  from  any  one,  to  endeavour  to  ruin  him,  as  to  his  estate  or  character  in  the 
world.  For  to  act  thus  is  not  a  proper  expedient,  either  to  do  justice  to  ourselves, 
or  to  bring  him  who  has  done  us  the  injury  to  repentance. 

Here  we  may  take  occasion  to  inquire,  how  far  a  person  who  is  injured  by  an- 
other may  demand  satisfaction  ;  and  whether  it  is  our  duty  to  forgive  him,  though 
it  be  neither  in  his  power  nor  in  his  inclination  to  make  satisfaction.  The  answer 
which  I  would  give  is,  that  the  law  of  God  and  nature  does  not  prohibit  us  from 
demanding  satisfaction  in  proportion  to  the  injury  received  ;  satisfaction  being  a 
debt  which  we  ought  to  claim,  in  justice  to  ourselves  and  our  character  in  the 
world.  It  may  sometimes,  however,  be  out  of  the  offender's  power  to  make  full 
satisfaction.  In  this  case  we  must  be  content,  and  forgive  the  injury,  without  it ; 
and  we  are  to  deal  with  him,  as  we  are  obliged  to  do  with  those  who  are  insolvent 
in  pecuniary  debts.  On  the  other  hand,  the  person  who  has  injured  us  may  be 
able,  at  least,  in  some  measure  to  make  satisfaction ;  but  he  is  so  far  from  being 
willing  to  do  so,  that  he  refuses  to  acknowledge  his  crime,  and,  what  is  still  worse, 
seems  inclined,  as  occasion  may  offer,  to  commit  it  again.  This  is  the  worst  of 
tempers  ;  especially  if  the  injury  be  not  merely  supposed,  but  real.  Yet  the  tem- 
per of  the  offender  is  no  rule  for  us  to  proceed  by,  in  forgiving  injuries.  For  un- 
derstanding this,  let  it  be  considered  that  satisfaction  for  injuries  committed,  con- 
sists either  in  making  a  compensation  in  proportion  to  the  damage  sustained,  or  in 
a  mere  acknowledgment  of  the  fault  committed.  The  former  we  may,  in  justice, 
insist  on  ;  though  in  most  cases,  where  the  injury  respects  only  ourselves,  it  may 
be  dispensed  with  or  demanded  at  pleasure.  But  whether  it  be  given  or  not,  ft  is 
so  far  our  duty  to  pass  it  by,  as  not  to  bear  the  least  degree  of  malice  against  him 
who  has  injured  us.  In  the  latter  kind  of  satisfaction,  no  more  is  demanded  than  a 
mere  acknowledgment  of  the  offence  committed,  which  cannot  be  supposed  to  be, 
out  of  the  power  of  the  offender  ;  but  he  is  resolved  that  he  will  not  make  it,  he 
persists  in  his  own  vindication,  and  determines  to  do  the  same  injury  as  occasion 
offers.  Now,  we  are  to  let  him  know  that  he  sins,  not  only  against  us,  but  against 
God,  and  to  exhort  him  to  confess  his  crime  before  him  ;  and  therefore  we  pity  his 
obstinacy,  while  we  express  our  readiness  to  pass  by  the  injury  he  has  done  us. 
Yet  out  of  a  principle  of  self-preservation,  such  an  one  is  not  to  be  chosen  by  us 
as  an  intimate  friend  or  associate,  that  he  may  not  be  in  a  capacity  to  injure  us 
for  the  future,  which  his  obstinacy  discovers  him  to  be  inclined  to  do.  Thus  con- 
cerning the  nature  and  extent  of  the  duty  of  forgiving  injuries. 

2.  We  proceed  to  consider  the  indispensable  obligation  we  are  under  to  forgive 
injuries.  Without  practising  this  duty,  we  could  not  make  that  appeal  to  God 
which  is  contained  in  the  petition  we  are  considering,  or  take  encouragement  to 
hope  that  we  shall  obtain  forgiveness  from  him.  To  induce  us  to  perform  it,  let  us 
consider  that  if  God  should  deal  with  us  as  we  do  with  our  fellow-creatures,  when 
we  refuse  to  forgive  them,  we  should  be  for  ever  miserable.     This  our  Saviour 


THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE   LOllD's  PRAYER.  641 

illustrates  by  the  parable  of  the  debtor  and  creditor.0  There  a  person  is  repre- 
sented as  'owing  ten  thousand  talents;'  and  'his  lord,'  upon  his  entreaty,  'forgave 
him  the  debt.'  Afterwards  the  person  dealt  severely  with  one  who  owed  him  but 
'an  hundred  pence  ;'  and  by  doing  so  he  provoked  his  lord  to  '  deliver  him  to  the 
tormentors,  till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  unto  him.'  Though  this  parable 
does  not  argue  the  least  mutability  in  the  divine  purpose  relating  to  forgiveness  ; 
yet  we  may  infer  from  it  how  inconsiderable  the  injuries  which  are  done  us  are, 
when  compared  with  those  which  we  have  done  against  God ;  and  how  little  ground 
we  have  to  expect  forgiveness  from  him,  if  we  are  not  disposed  to  forgive  others. — 
Again,  an  implacable  spirit  meditating  revenge  for  injuries  done  against  us,  wiU 
render  us  altogether  unfit  for  the  performance  of  any  holy  duty,  and  particularly 
lor  imploring  forgiveness  from  God.  It  also  exposes  us  to  many  temptations.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  apostle  speaks  of  anger  retained  in  our  breasts,  or  *  letting  the  sun 
go  down  upon  our  wrath,'  as  that  which  'gives  place  to  the  devil.  'p — Again,  malice 
and  fury  tend  to  exasperate  an  enemy ;  while  forgiveness  melts  him  into  friendship, 
and  very  much  recommends  the  gospel,  which  obliges  us  to  do  acts  of  brotherly 
kindness,  even  where  they  are  least  deserved. — Further,  we  have  many  bright  ex- 
amples for  our  imitation,  of  the  best  men,  who  have  been  highly  injured,  and  yet 
have  expressed  a  forgiving  spirit.  Thus  Joseph  forgave  the  injuries  done  against 
him  by  his  brethren.  After  his  father's  death,  they  were  jealous  that  he  would 
hate  them,  and  requite  them  all  the  evil  which  they  had  done  to  him ;  but  he  not 
only  comforted  them  and  spake  kindly  to  them,  but  made  very  liberal  provision  for 
the  subsisting  of  them  and  their  families.  °>  Moses,  when  Miriam  was  smitten  with 
leprosy  for  speaking  against  him,  prayed  for  her  recovery. r  When  the  Syrian  host 
was  sent  on  purpose  to  destroy  the  prophet  Elisha,  and  when  God  delivered  them 
into  his  hand  in  the  midst  of  Samaria,  and  the  king  of  Israel  was  ready  to  smite 
them,  had  he  desired  it ;  he  was  so  far  from  wishing  them  to  be  destroyed,  that  he 
said  to  the  king,  '  Thou  shalt  not  smite  them.  Wouldest  thou  smite  those  whom 
thou  hast  taken  captive  with  thy  sword,  and  with  thy  bow  ?  Set  bread  and  water 
before  them,  that  they  may  eat  and  drink,  and  go  to  their  master. 's  In  the  New 
Testament,  we  have  an  instance  of  a  forgiving  spirit  in  Stephen,  when,  in  the  very 
agonies  of  death,  having  been  before  insulted,  and  now  stoned  by  his  enraged 
enemies,  '  he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to 
their  charge.'*  But  the  highest  instance  which  can  be  given  of  the  exercise  of  this 
grace  we  have  in  our  Saviour,  who  prayed  for  those  who  crucified  him,  '  Father, 
iorgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do.'u  These  examples  are  worthy  of 
our  imitation  ;  and  therefore  we  should  reckon  ourselves  obliged  to  forgive  those 
who  have  injured  us. 

It  will  be  objected  by  some,  that  the  injuries  done  them  are  so  very  great,  that 
they  are  not  to  be  borne  ;  'that  it  would  be  dishonourable  for  them  not  to  take  any 
notice  of  them ;  or  perhaps  that  the  ingratitude  expressed  in  them,  is  such  as 
deserves  the  highest  resentment ;  and  that  to  pass  over  the  injuries,  might  be 
reckoned  a  tacit  approbation  of  them,  and  give  occasion  to  the  offenders  to 
despise  and  injure  them  for  the  future.  But  if  the  injury  be  great,  it  will  be 
much  more  commendable,  and  a  greater  instance  of  virtue  and  grace,  to  forgive  than 
to  resent  it.  In  this  case,  a  man  overcomes  himself,  subdues  his  own  passions, 
and  so  lets  his  enemy  know  that  he  has  a  due  gense  of  the  divine  command  relat- 
ing to  forgiveness,  and  that  his  spirit  is  sanctified  and  calmed  by  the  power  of  divine  - 
grace.  To  act  thus  is  reckoned  one  of  the  greatest  victories.  Accordingly,  it  is 
said,  '  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty  ;  and  he  that  ruleth  his 
spirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city.'1  As  for  our  honour,  which  is  pretended  to  be 
concerned  in  our  forgiving  injuries,  they  who  allege  it  are  very  much  mistaken  in 
their  sentiments  about  true  honour.  For  it  is  said,  '  The  discretion  of  a  man  de- 
ferreth  his  anger  ;  and  it  is  his  glory  to  pass  over  a  transgression.  '*  Again,  the 
forgiveness  of  injuries  does  not,  in  the  least,  argue  that  the  person  who  forgives,  ap- 

o  Matt,  xviii.  24,  et  seq.  p  Eph.  iv.  26,  27.  q  Gen.  1.  15—21.  r  Numb.  xii.  13. 

s  2  Kings  vi.  22.  t  Acts  vii.  60.  u  Luke  xxiii.  34.  x  Prov,  xvi.  32, 

y  Prov.  xix.  11. 

II.  I   v 


642  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

proves  of  his  crime  who  has  injured  him.  For  our  forgiving  an  offender  is  not  incon- 
sistent with  our  charging  his  sin  on  his  conscience,  and  endeavouring  to  bring  him 
under  a  sense  of  guilt,  as  having  not  only  injured  us,  but  done  that  which  is  highly 
displeasing  to  God.  He  may  also  be  given  to  understand  that  he  has  wronged  his  own 
soul  more  than  us,  and  therefore  has  great  reason  to  be  humbled  before  God,  and  re- 
pent of  his  sin  committed  against  us,  which,  as  it  is  committed  against  God,  he  only 
can  forgive  ;  though  we  let  him  know,  that  we  are  disposed  to  forgive  him,  so  far 
as  the  crime  is  directed  against  us.  As  to  the  pretence  that  the  forgiving  of  in- 
juries will  make  those  who  have  done  them  grow  bold,  and  be  more  hardened  in 
their  crimes,  and  that  they  will  take  occasion  from  it  to  insult  and  injure  us  for 
the  future,  such  a  result  very  seldom  follows.  But  if  it  should,  we  must  consider 
that  the  ungrateful  abuse  of  a  kind  and  generous  action,  is  no  sufficient  excuse  for 
our  not  performing  it.  If,  however,  there  be  the  least  ingenuousness  of  temper, 
or  if  it  pleases  God,  by  his  grace,  to  bless  our  kind  behaviour  towards  them  for 
their  good,  our  forgiveness  of  their  injuries  will  have  a  far  different  effect.  Ac- 
cordingly, it  is  observed,  ■  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath,  but  grievous  words 
stir  up  anger.' z  Thus  concerning  the  obligation  we  are  under  to  forgive  the  inju- 
ries which  are  committed  against  us. 

3.  We  are  now  to  consider  how  our  forgiveness  of  injuries  is  an  evidence,  or  may 
afford  us  ground  of  hope,  that  we  shall  obtain  forgiveness  from  God,  when  we  are 
praying  for  it.  Here  let  it  be  observed,  that  the  forgiving  of  injuries  may  be  con- 
sidered merely  as  a  virtue,  proceeding  from  a  goodness  of  temper,  or  from  a  sense 
of  the  equality  and  reasonableness  of  the  duty,  and  from  other  motives  which  the 
light  of  nature  may  suggest,  or,  as  it  is  recommended  by  Seneca,  Epictetus,  and 
other  heathen  moralists.  Now,  while  the  forgiving  of  injuries  from  such  must  be 
reckoned  a  very  commendable  quality,  and  a  convincing  evidence  that  a  person  is, 
in  a  great  degree,  master  of  his  own  passions  ;  we  cannot  conclude  from  it  that  a 
person  is  in  a  state  of  grace  ;  and  nothing  short  of  that  can  be  an  evidence  of  our 
right  to  forgiveness.  Hence,  we  must  consider  the  disposition  to  forgive  injuries 
as  a  Christian  virtue,  or  as  containing  some  ingredients  which  manifest  it  to  be  a 
grace  wrought  in  us  by  the  Spirit,  and  a  branch  of  sanctification,  and,  as  such, 
having  several  other  graces  connected  with  it.  Accordingly,  when  our  forgiving 
injuries  is  an  evidence  of  our  having  obtained  forgiveness,  we  must  practise  forgive- 
ness out  of  an  humble  sense  of  the  many  crimes  which  we  have  committed  against 
God.  The  disposition,  therefore,  is  joined  with  the  grace  of  repentance,  and  flows 
from  it.  Moreover,  it  contains  several  acts  of  faith.  In  forgiving  injuries,  we,  in 
effect,  acknowledge  that  all  we  have  is  in  God's  hand,  who  has  a  right  to  take  it 
away  when  he  pleases.  If  we  are  deprived  of  our  reputation  and  usefulness  in  the 
world,  or  of  our  wealth  and  outward  well-being  by  the  injurious  treatment  we  meet 
with  from  those  who,  without  cause,  are  our  enemies,  we  are  sensible  that  what  we 
suffer  could  not  come  upon  us  without  God's  permissive  providence  ;  and  in  this  we 
entirely  acquiesce.  We  wholly  lay  the  injury  or  injustice  done  us  to  the  charge 
of  those  who  hate  us  ;  yet,  in  obedience  to  our  Saviour's  command,  we  desire  to 
express  our  love  to  them  in  the  most  valuable  acts,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  ac- 
knowledge and  adore  the  sovereignty  and  justice  of  God  in  suffering  us  to  be  thus 
dealt  with  by  men,  and  hoping  and  trusting  that  he  will  overrule  this  and  all  other 
afflictive  providences  for  our  good.  Thus  David  says  when  he  speaks  of  God's  suf- 
fering Shimei  to  curse  him  :  '  It  may  be  that  the  Lord  will  look  on  mine  affliction, 
and  that  the  Lord  will  requite  me  good  for  his  cursing  this  day.'a  Further,  when 
we  forgive  those  who  have  injured  us,  we  do  so  with  an  earnest  desire  that  God 
would  give  them  repentance  ;  so  that  his  name  may  be  glorified,  and  his  interest 
promoted,  whatever  becomes  of  our  name  and  usefulness  in  the  world.  When  we 
are  enabled  to  exercise  such  a  frame  of  spirit  as  this  in  forgiving  those  who  have 
injured  us,  we  have  ground  to  hope  that,  when  we  pray  for  forgiveness,  the  great 
God,  who  is  the  Author  of  all  that  grace  which  we  exercise  in  forgiving  others,  will 
grant  us  the  invaluable  privilege  which  we  desire. 

Having  explained  this  petition,  we  shall  now  consider  it  as  a  directory,  agree- 

z  Prov.  xr.  1.  a  2  Sam.  xvi.  12. 


THE  FIFTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  (>4f? 

ably  to  which  we  may  put  up  our  requests  to  God.  Accordingly,  we  are  to  cast 
ourselves  before  his  footstool,  with  humble  confession  of  sin,  and  imploring  forg.ve- 
ness  from  him,  to  this  effect: — "  We  adore  thee,  0  Lord,  as  a  God  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity.  Thou  hast  commanded  us  to  keep  thy  precepts,  and  hast 
revealed  thy  wrath  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness,  and  unrighteousness  of 
men.  We  acknowledge  that  we  have,  by  our  transgressions,  become  debtors  to  thy 
justice.  Our  iniquities  are  increased  over  our  head,  and  our  trespasses  grown  up 
unto  the  heavens  ;  and  thereby  we  have  deserved  to  be  banished  out  of  thy  sight, 
and  cast  into  the  prison  of  hell,  without  hope  of  being  released  thence.  We  are 
not  able  to  stand  in  judgment,  and  therefore  we  dread  the  thoughts  of  appearing 
before  thine  awful  tribunal,  as  an  absolute  God.  If  thou  shouldst  contend  with 
us,  we  cannot  answer  for  the  least  sin  that  we  have  committed  ;  and  it  would  be 
an  injury  to  thy  justice,  and  an  increasing  of  our  guilt,  to  expect  or  de'sire  that  thou 
shouldst  pardon  our  sins  without  receiving  satisfaction  for  them,  which  we  are  sen- 
sible that  we  are  not,  nor  ever  shall  be  able  to  give  thee.  But  we  bless  thy  name 
that  thou  hast  sent  thy  well-beloved  Son  into  the  world,  who  gave  his  life  a  ran- 
som for  thy  people  ;  by  which  means  thy  justice  is  satisfied,  thy  law  fulfilled,  and 
all  thy  perfections  infinitely  glorified.  He  hath  finished  transgression,  made  an  end 
of  sin,  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness  ; 
which  is  to  and  upon  all  them  that  believe.  Thou  hast  therefore  given  us  leave 
and  encouragement  to  come  to  thee  by  faith,  to  plead  with  thee  for  redemption  and 
forgiveness  through  his  blood,  according  to  the  riches  of  thy  grace.  In  him  thou 
art  a  God  pardoning  the  iniquity,  and  passing  by  the  transgressions  of  the  rem- 
nant of  thine  heritage.  We  pray  for  this  invaluable  privilege  as  those  who  hum- 
bly hope  and  trust  that  we  have  those  graces  wrought  in  us,  which  are  an  evidence 
of  our  having  Christ's  righteousness  imputed  to  us,  for  which  we  bless  thee.  In 
particular,  we  bless  thee  that  thou  hast  enabled  us  to  forgive  all  the  injuries  which 
are  done  us  by  our  fellow-creatures ;  which  are  very  small  and  inconsiderable, 
when  compared  with  those  affronts  which  we  daily  offer  to  thy  Majesty.  We  be- 
seech thee,  grant  that  this  and  all  other  graces  may  more  and  more  abound  in  us, 
that  thereby  our  evidences  of  an  interest  in  Christ's  righteousness  may  be  more 
strong  and  clear  ;  that  though  we  daily  contract  guilt  by  our  transgressions,  we 
may  be  enabled  to  conclude  for  our  comfort,  that  there  is  no  condemnation  to 
us,  and  that  iniquity  shall  not  be  our  ruin." 

[Note  2  D.  Prayer  for  Pardon. — Prayer  for  justification,  in  any  just  or  scriptural  sense  what- 
ever of  justification  before  God,  is  essentially  of  the  same  nature  as  prayer  for  regeneration;  and 
either  must  be  regarded  as  formal  and  unbelieving,  or  presupposes  the. possession  of  spiritual  life, — 
a  justified  condition  and  a  regenerated  heart.  The  remarks  made  in  a  former  note  (See  Note 
headed  "  Are  unconverted  persons  to  be  exhorted  to  pray?"  appended  to  Sect.  "  How  the  word  is 
to  be  preached,"  under  Quest,  clx.)  on  prayer  as  a  means  of  conversion,  apply  in  all  their  force  to 
prayer  as  an  antecedent  to  justification.  To  exhort  a  person,  therefore,  to  pray  that  he  may  be 
justified,  will  as  much  tend  to  obscure  in  his  view  the  gospel's  invitation  to  him  to  believe  and 
live,  as  to  exhort  him  to  pray  in  order  that  he  may  be  converted. 

Prayer  for  pardon  appears  to  me  to  derive  its  distinctive  character  from  a  very  different  source 
than  the  fact  that  justification  includes  the  pardon  of  all  past  iniquity.  Pardon  is  very  often  spoken 
of  in  scripture  quite  apart  from  justification ;  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  is  always  so  spoken  of  when 
represented  as  a  blessing  to  be  asked  by  prayer.  Viewed  as  included  in  justification,  it  is  the  re- 
moval of  guilt  as  entirely  forfeiting  the  divine  complacency,  and  placing  the  sinner  under  unqualified 
condemnation;  but  viewed  apart  from  justification,  it  is  the  pardon  of  particular  offences,  the  for> 
giveness  of  sin  committed  by  persons  partially  sanctified,  the  removal  of  guilt  which,  while  it 
entails  chastisement  and  stripes,  does  not  occasion  the  withdrawal  of  God's  covenant  or  promises 
of  saving  mercy.  In  the  one  view,  it  is  a  blessing  once  bestowed,  ever  complete,  and  conferred  on 
the  spiritually  dead  when  they  are  made  alive  to  God ;  in  the  other,  it  is  a  blessing  daily  needed, 
often  received,  and  properly  or  exclusively  bestowed  upon  erring  and  delinquent  believers, — per- 
sons who,  while  justified  and  regenerated,  are  still  so  far  under  the  influence  of  remaining  corrup- 
tion as  in  many  things  to  transgress  the  divine  law.  In  the  former  case,  it  is  a  result  of  Christ's 
atonement,  or  of  the  offering  once  for  all  which  he  made  for  taking  away  the  sin  of  the  world ;  in 
the  latter,  it  is  a  result  of  his  intercession, — of  his  continuing  in  the  presence  of  God  on  behalf  of 
his  people,  and  ever  living  to  plead  the  merits  of  his  blood,  that  he  may  save  on  to  the  last  point 
those  who  have  come  unto  God  by  him.  See  Heb.  vii.  25;  iv.  15,  16;  ix.  23,  24;  Rom.  viii.  33, 
34.  The  parties,  therefore,  who  pray,  '  Forgive  us  our  trespasses,'  are  '  disciples '  who  say,  '  Our 
Father  who  art  in  heaven,' — heirs  of  God  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ,  who  have  the  Spirit  of  adop- 
tion in  their  hearts,  crying,  '  Abba,  Father;'  and  they  who  'come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace, 


G44  THE  SIXTH  PETITION   OF  THE   LORD'S  l'RAYER.. 

that  they  may  obtain  mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need,'  are  those  who  'have  a  p-eat 
High  Priest  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,'  and  who  are  exhorted  to  '  noli 
fast  their  profession,'  Heb.  iv.  16,  compared  with  verse  14 — Ed.] 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Question  CXCY.  What  do  we  pray  for  in  the  sixth  petition  f 

Answer.  In  the  sixth  petition,  which  is,  "And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from 
evil,"  acknowledging  that  the  most  wise,  righteous,  and  gracious  God.  for  divers  holy  and  just  ends, 
may  so  order  things,  that  we  may  be  assaulted,  foiled,  and,  for  a  time,  led  captive  by  tempta- 
tion, that  Satan,  the  world,  and  the  flesh,  are  ready,  powerfully  to  draw  us  aside  and  ensnare  us  ; 
and  that  we,  even"  after  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  by  reason  of  our  corruption,  weakness,  and  want  of 
watchfulness,  are  not  only  subject  to  be  tempted,  and  forward  to  expose  ourselves  unto  tempta- 
tions;  but  also,  of  ourselves,  unable  and  unwilling  to  resist  them,  to  recover  out  of  them,  and  to 
improve  them,  and  worthy  to  he  left  under  the  power  of  them  ;  we  pray,  that  God  would  so  over- 
rule the  world,  and  all  in  it ;  subdue  the  flesh,  and  restrain  Satan  ;  order  all  things,  bestow  and 
bless  all  means  of  grace,  and  quicken  us  to  watchfulness  in  the  use  of  them,  that  we,  and  all  his 
peoph',  may,  by  his  providence,  be  kept  from  being  tempted  to  sin  ;  or,  if  tempted,  that,  by  his 
Spirit,  we  may  be  powerfully  supported  and  enabled  to  stand  in  the  hour  of  temptation,  or,  when 
fallen,  raised  again  and  recovered  out  of  it,  and  have  a  sa'nctifird  use  and  improvement  thereof; 
that  our  sanctification  and  salvation  may  be  perfected,  Satan  trodden  under  our  feet,  and  we  fully 
freed  from  sin,  temptation,  and  all  evil  for  ever. 

The  Meaning  of  the  Word  '  Temptation.' 

Our  Saviour  having,  in  the  preceding  petition,  exhorted  us  to  pray  for  forgiveness 
of  sins,  whereby  the  guilt  of  past  crimes  may  be  removed,  advises  us  in  this  to  pray 
against  temptation,  lest,  being  overcome  by  it,  we  should  contract  fresh  guilt,  and 
walk  unbecoming  those  who  hope  for  or  have  obtained  forgiveness  from  God.  In 
order  to  our  understanding  this  petition,  it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  premise 
something  tending  to  explain  the  word  '  temptation.'  This  word  may  be  taken  in 
a  good  sense.  Thus  God  himself  is  sometimes  said  to  '  tempt,'  or  rather,  which  is 
all  one,  to  '  try '  his  people.  This  he  does  by  the  various  dispensations  of  his  pro- 
vidence, whether  prosperous  or  adverse.  Sometimes  also  he  does  it  by  his  com- 
mands, when  he  puts  us  upon  the  performance  of  difficult  duties,  that  he  may 
prove  us,  whether  his  fear  is  before  us.  In  this  respect  he  is  said  to  have  tempted 
Abraham,  proved  his  faith,  and  discovered  his  readiness  to  obey  his  command  in 
offering  Isaac  ;  and,  after  he  had  tried  his  faith,  he  commends  him,  when  he  says, 
'  Now  I  know  that  thou  fearest  God.'b  Sometimes  likewise  he  is  said  to  tempt 
or  '  allure '  to  what  is  good,0  to  invite  his  people  to  do  those  things  which  redound 
to  his  glory  and  their  real  interest.  In  this  sense  we  may  and  ought  to  tempt 
others,  or  persuade,  and,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  engage  their  affections  to  the 
performance  of  what  is  good.  Thus  the  apostle  advises  us  to  'consider  one  another 
to  provoke  unto  love  and  to  good  works.' d  We  are  not,  however,  to  understand 
the  word  '  temptation '  in  these  senses  in  this  petition.  Here  it  is  to  be  understood 
of  our  being  tempted  to  sin.  In  this  respect  God  never  tempts  any  one.  Thus 
the  apostle  says,  '  Let  no  man  say,  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God;  for 
God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man.'e  Nor  ought  we, 
in  this  sen«e,  to  tempt  one  another.  These  things  being  premised,  we  come  more 
immediately  to  explain  this  petition.  In  doing  this,  we  shall  consider  some  things 
which  are  supposed,  and  also  the  subject  of  the  petition. 

What  is  supposed  in  the  Sixth  Petition. 

1.  When  we  are  taught  to  pray,  '  Lead  us  not  into  temptation,'  it  is  supposed 
that  man,  in  this  imperfect  state,  is  very  much  exposed  to  temptations.  The  world 
is  always  ready  to  present  its  lures  which  are  suited  to  the  corruption  of  our  nature, 
and  therefore  too  easily  complied  with.    The  influence  of  these  lures  is  farther  pro- 

b  Gen.  xxii,  1,  12.  c  Hos.  ii.  14  d  Heb.  x.  24.  e  James  i.  13. 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  645 

moted  by  Satan's  suggestions,  who  is  daily  endeavouring  to  entangle  us  in  the  snare 
which  is  laid  for  us. 

2.  As  we  are  daily  tempted  to  sin,  so  we  are  in  great  danger  of  being  overcome 
by  temptation.  This  danger  arises  not  only  from  the  methods  used  to  draw  us  aside 
from  God,  and  the  many  secret  snares  laid  for  us  which  are  not  easily  discerned, 
but  principally  from  the  treachery  of  our  own  hearts,  ^hich  are  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  very  apt  to  incline  us  to  commit  those  sins  which  involve  a  great  deal 
of  guilt.  It  also  proceeds  sometimes  from  a  want  of  watchfulness  ;  in  consequence 
of  which  the  enemy  comes  upon  us  undiscovered,  and  we  are  overcome  before  we 
are  aware.  The  temptation  offers  itself,  and  we  are  not  only  unable,  but  unwilling, 
to  resist  it ;  and  if  we  have  fallen  by  temptation,  our  fall  tends  still  more  to  weaken 
us,  so  that  we  cannot  recover  ourselves  from  the  pit  into  which  we  are  plunged. 
We  also  find  it  very  difficult,  if  God  is  pleased,  at  any  time,  to  suffer  us  to  fall  by 
temptations,  to  improve  our  falls  aright  to  his  glory  and  our  own  good. 

3.  It  is  farther  supposed,  that  God  may  suffer  his  people,  though  their  sins  are 
pardoned,  and  their  souls  sanctified,  to  be  tempted,  and  sometimes  even  foiled  and 
led  captive  for  a  time.  Here  let  us  consider  in  what  sense  he  may  be  said  to  tempt 
his  people,  or  lead  them  into  temptation.  This  he  does,  without  being  the  author 
of  sin  ;  and  he  does  it  either  objectively  or  permissively.  He  does  it  objectively, 
when  his  providential  dispensations,  which  in  themselves  are  holy,  just,  and  good, 
offer  occasions  of  sin.  These  occasions  of  sin,  however,  would  not  follow  the  dis- 
pensations, did  not  our  corrupt  natures  lay  hold  on  them  as  such,  and  abuse  them. 
Thus  all  God's  works  of  providence  or  grace  may  prove  temptations  to  men.  The 
psalmist,  speaking  of  'the  prosperity  of  the  wicked,'  intimates  that  it  raised  his 
envy.f  Elsewhere  also  he  considers  the  blessings  of  common  providence  as  proving 
a  temptation  to  carnal  security  and  indifference  in  religion.  Accordingly,  it  is  said 
concerning  some,  '  Because  they  have  no  changes,  therefore  they  fear  not  God.'s 
On  the  other  hand,  afflictive  providences  sometimes  prove  temptations  to  us  to  mur- 
mur and  entertain  hard  thoughts  of  God.  Moreover,  his  threatenings  are  often 
abused,  and  made  the  occasion  of  thinking  him  severe  and  unmerciful.  Others 
complain  of  his  commandments  as  grievous,  because  he  does  not  give  them  those 
indulgences  to  sin  which  their  corrupt  natures  desire.  In  these  respects  God  may 
be  said  to  lead  into  temptation.  Yet  we  are  not  to  pray  that  he  would  alter  the 
methods  of  his  providence,  or  make  abatements  as  to  the  duties  which  he  commands 
us  to  perform  :  we  are  rather  to  pray  that  he  would  not  suffer  us  to  make  a  wrong 
use  of  them.  Again,  God  leads  into  temptation  permissively.  This  he  does  when 
he  does  not  restrain  the  tempter,  which  he  is  not  obliged  to  do,  but  suffers  us  to 
be  assaulted  by  him,  and,  at  the  same  time,  denies  the  aids  and  assistance  of  his 
grace,  to  prevent  our  compliance  with  his  temptations.  Hence,  when  we  pray  that 
he  would  'not  lead  us  into  temptation,'  we  desire  that  he  would  prevent  the  assault, 
or  fortify  us  against  it,  that,  through  the  weakness  of  our  grace,  or  the  prevalency 
of  corruption,  we  may  not  comply  with  the  temptation. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  reason  why  God  thus  leads  his  people  into  temptation, 
or  suffers  them  to  be  tempted  ;  or  what  are  those  holy,  wise,  just,  and  gracious 
ends  which  he  designs  by  doing  so.  Now,  it  cannot  be  expected  but  that  he  should 
thus  deal  with  us,  when  we  choose  to  go  in  the  way  of  temptation,  or  indulge  those 
corruptions  whereby  we  are  inclined  to  yield  to  it.  In  this  case  God's  judicial  hand 
appears  ;  as  he  punishes  for  one  sin,  by  suffering  us  to  be  tempted  to  another. 
Again,  God  hereby  gives  us  occasion  to  see  our  own  weakness,  and  the  deceitful-1 
ness  of  our  hearts,  and  the  need  we  have  of  his  grace  to  prevent  cur  falling  by 
temptation.  Thus  when  Hezekiahh  sinned  in  showing  the  ambassadors  of  the  king 
of  Babylon  the  treasures  which  he  had  in  his  house,  and  so  discovered  too  much 
pride,  while  he  would  have  done  better  to  have  shown  them  the  bed  he  lay  on  when 
he  was  nigh  death,  and  taken  occasion  thence  to  give  God  the  glory  of  his  mira- 
culous recovery,  which  was  the  reason  of  their  being  sent  to  compliment  him,  it  is 
said,  'God  left  him  to  try  him,  that  he  might  know  all  that  was  in  his  heart.' 
Again,  God  acts  thus  that,  when  we  experience  the  superior  force  of  our  spiritual 

f  Psal.  lxxiii.  3.  g  Psal.  lv.  19.  b  2  Chron.  xxxii.  31,  compared  with  2  Kings  xx.  15. 


646  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

enemies,  we  may,  by  faith  and  prayer,  have  recourse  to  his  almighty  power  ana 
grace.  Thus  when  the  apostle  Paul  was  in  danger  of  being  '  exalted  ahove  mea- 
sure,' through  Satan's  temptations,  he  says,  'For  this,  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice, 
that  it  might  depart  from  me.'1  Further,  he  acts  thus  that  we  may  have  an  evi- 
dence of  the  imperfection  of  the  present  state,  and  be  induced  to  press  after  and 
long  for  that  state  of  perfect  freedom,  not  only  from  sin,  but  from  temptation,  which 
is  reserved  for  us  in  heaven.  Again,  we  are  led  into  temptation,  that  we  may  see 
the  necessity  of  making  use  of  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  we  may  be  able  to 
stand  our  ground.  As  the  soldier  will  not  put  on  his  armour  except  when  he  is 
going  to  engage  the  enemy  ;  so  God  has  ordained  that  our  life  should  be  a  per- 
petual warfare,  and  that  we  should  be  continually  exposed  to  the  assaults  of  our 
spiritual  enemies,  that  we  may  always  be  prepared  for  them,  having  '  the  girdle  of 
truth,  the  breastplate  of  righteousness,  the  shield  of  faith,  the  helmet  of  salvation, 
and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God.'k  He  has  ordered  matters 
thus  also,  that  we  may,  in  the  end,  know  what  it  is  to  conquer,  that  we  may  have 
the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  arising  thence,  and  that  he  may  have  the  glory  of  the 
victory.  Again,  God  suffers  us  to  be  tempted,  that  he  may  cure  our  sloth,  and  ex- 
cite us  to  greater  watchfulness,  as  those  who  are  never  wholly  out  of  danger.  Thus 
the  apostle  says,  '  Be  sober,  be  vigilant ;  because  your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a 
roaring  lion,  walketh  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour  ;M  and  our  Saviour  ad- 
vises his  disciples  to  'watch  and  pray,  that  they  enter  not  into  temptation. 'm  Fi- 
nally, God  suffers  us  to  be  tempted  that  we  may  know  the  depths  of  Satan,  which ' 
we  should  be  otherwise  unapprized  of ;  and  that,  in  consequence,  we  may  be  more 
prepared  to  make  resistance,  and  when  we  are  enabled  to  overcome,  may  be  better 
furnished  to  direct  others  who  are  liable  to  similar  temptations,  how  they  should 
behave  themselves  under  them,  and  to  encourage  them  to  hope  that  they  shall  be 
delivered  as  we  have  been. 

4.  It  is  farther  observed  that,  though  God  suffers  his  people  to  be  tempted,  and 
even  foiled  and  led  captive,  yet  he  suffers  this  only  for  a  time.  In  this  respect, 
the  temptations  of  believers  differ  from  those  of  the  unregenerate.  The  latter,  it 
is  said,  are  'taken  captive  by  Satan  at  his  will;'n  but  concerning  the  believer,  it  is 
said,  that  '  only  for  a  season,  if  need  be,  he  is  in  heaviness  through  manifold  temp- 
tations.'0 

Temptations,  and  Prayer  for  Deliverance  from  them. 

"We  now  come  to  consider  what  is  meant  by  our  praying  that  God  would  '  not 
lead  us  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil.'  The  only  difficulty  in  laying 
down  the  method  in  which  this  is  to  be  insisted  on,  arises  from  the  indeterminateness 
of  the  word  '  evil.'  Various  senses  are  given  of  it  by  those  who  explain  the  Lord's 
prayer.  Some  understand  by  it,  the  evil  one,  or  the  devil.  According  to  this 
sense  of  the  word,  one  part  ot  the  petition  may  be  considered  as  exegetical  of  the 
other.  Hence,  not  to  be  led  into  temptation,  is  the  same  as  to  be  delivered  from 
the  assaults  of  Satan,  the  evil  one,  that  we  may  not  be  brought  under  his  power, 
or  become  vassals  to  him,  as  complying  with  his  temptations.  Others,  however, 
understand  the  word  in  a  more  large  sense.  They  view  the  petition  as  an  intima- 
tion of  our  desiring  to  be  delivered  from  evil  of  all  kinds, — either  from  the  evil  of 
sin,  or  from  the  evil  of  afflictions,  which  are  the  consequence  of  sin.  But  as  de- 
liverance from  the  evil  of  sin  respects  deliverance  from  its  guilt,  and  from  the 
punishment  which  is  due  to  it  ;  the  petition,  if  understood  to  refer  to  this,  differs 
little  or  nothing  from  the  preceding  one,  in  which  we  pray  that  God  would  '  for- 
give us  our  sins.'  Or  if  deliverance  from  the  evil  of  sin  be  understood  as  including 
a  part  of  sanctification,  that  is,  deliverance  from  the  dominion  and  slavery  of  sin, 
the  petition,  in  this  case  also,  is  well  connected  with  the  preceding  one  ;  for  when 
we  pray  for  pardon  of  sin,  we  ought  also  to  pray  for  deliverance  from  its  reiguing 
power.     To  pray  for  this  is  very  well  connected  with  our  praying  against  tempta- 

i  2  Cor.  xii.  8.  k  Eph.  vi.  14—17.  1  1  Pet.  v.  8.  m  Matt.  xxvi.  41 

n  2  Tim.  ii.  26.  o  1  Pet.  i.  6. 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  647 

tion  ;  for  it  is,  in  effect,  to  desire  either  that  we  may  not  be  assaulted  by  the  tempter, 
or  that  we  may  not  be  drawn  aside  by  his  assaults  to  sin  against  God.  As  for  the 
evil  of  affliction,  I  cannot  think  that  is  intended  by  the  word  '  evil'  in  this  petition  ; 
because  the  opposition  between  deliverance  from  it  and  deliverance  from  tempta- 
tion would  not  appear  to  be  so  just  as  we  must  suppose  it  is,  unless  we  take  tempta- 
tion itself  to  be  an  affliction.  In  the  latter  case,  the  petition  is  as  if  we  should  say, 
'Deliver  us  from  temptation,  that  we  may  not  be  afflicted  with  it;'  for  we  must 
suppose  ourselves  to  be  afflicted  by  it,  on  account  of  the  danger  we  are  in  of  falling 
by  it.  But  passing  by  these  critical  remarks  on  the  sense  of  the  words,  '  De- 
liver us  from  evil,'  we  shall  consider  the  subject  of  this  petition  under  two  general 
Heads.  First,  we  shall  inquire  what  are  the  temptations  to  which  we  are  exposed. 
Secondly,  we  shall  consider  how  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  not  be  led  into  tempta- 
tions, or,  if  led  into  them,  how  we  may  be  delivered  from  the  evil  consequences  of 
our  compliance  with  them. 

I.  We  shall  first  inquire  what  those  temptations  are  to  which  we  are  exposed. 
These  are  of  various  kinds  ;  and  all  take  their  rise  from  either  the  world,  the  flesh, 
or  the  devil.  Their  manner  of  acting,  indeed,  is  different ;  yet  they  are  very  often 
united  in  their  assaults, — whence  we  are  in  perpetual  danger  of  being  overcome,  if 
God,  by  his  grace,  is  not  pleased  to  interpose. 

1.  We  shall  consider  the  temptations  which  we  meet  with  from  the  world.  One 
class  of  these  are  such  as  arise  from  the  solicitations  of  those  whom  we  converse 
with,  who,  under  a  pretence  of  friendship,  persuade  us  to  sin.  Thus  we  read  of 
some  who  '  entice  others  to  lie  in  wait  for  blood,'  and  desire  those  whom  they  would 
ensnare  into  this  crime  to  '  cast  in  their  lot  among  them.'P  But  we  are  advised 
not  to  consent  to  their  enticements,  or  to  be  confederate  with  them. — Another  class 
of  temptations  from  the  world  are  such  as  arise  from  things  which  present  them- 
selves to  us,  and  are  allurements  to  sin  in  an  objective  way.  These  things  are  not 
so  much  the  cause  as  the  occasion  of  sin  ;  and,  in  many  instances,  the  use  of  them 
is  lawful,  while  the  abuse  alone  proves,  hurtful.  Temptations  of  this  latter  class 
are  what  we  shall  principally  consider  at  present ;  and  we  shall  show  how  the  good 
and  evil  things  of  the  world,  or  the  various  conditions  in  which  we  are,  whether 
prosperous  or  adverse,  prove  temptations  to  us. 

The  good  things  of  the  world,  namely,  its  riches,  honours,  and  pleasures,  are 
sometimes  a  snare  to  us  or  an  occasion  of  sin.  Thus  our  Saviour  speaks  i  of  '  the 
care  of  this  world,'  that  is,  the  care  either  of  gaining  or  of  increasing  it,  and  '  the 
deceitfulness  of  riches,'  as  '  choking  the  word,'  so  that  we  receive  no  advantage  by 
our  attendance  on  it.  The  apostle  speaks  of  some  who  had  '  forsaken  the  right 
way,  following  the  way  of  Balaam,  who  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness,' r  or 
acted  contrary  to  his  conscience  for  gain.  Felix  perverted  justice  for  want  of  a 
bribe,  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  '  He  hoped  that  money  should  have  been  given 
him  of  Paul,  that  he  might  loose  him.'s  We  read  of  others  who  'will  be  rich,' 
that  is,  who  immoderately  pursue  the  gain  of  the  world,  and  who,  in  consequence, 
'  fall  into  temptation,  and  a  snare,  and  many  hurtful  lusts.'  * — Moreover,  the  hon- 
ours of  the  world  are  a  temptation  to  many.  Thus  our  Saviour  says,  '  How  can 
ye  believe,  which  receive  honour  one  of  another?'"  Others,  again,  are  ensnared 
by  the  pleasures  of  the  world ;  and  are  styled  '  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than 
lovers  of  God.'  x  Indeed,  we  often  find'  that  the  necessary  duties  or  enjoyments 
of  life,  such  as  eating,  drinking,  and  recreation,  and  the  various  relations  we 
stand  in  to  others,  prove  a  temptation  to  us.  Many  things  are  temptations,  as 
they  are  used  unseasonably,  immoderately,  and  without  a  due  regard  to  the 
glory  of  God,  which  ought  to  be  our  highest  end  in  all  worldly  enjoyments. 
In  fact,  whatever  has  a  tendency  to  draw  forth  our  corruption,  may  be  said 
to  be  a  temptation  to  us.  Sometimes  the  prosperous  condition  of  others  has 
this  effect  upon  us.  Thus  Cain,  beholding  Abel  to  have  a  more  visible  token  of  the 
divine  regard  to  his  person  and  ottering  than  he  had,  hated  and  'slew  him. 'J  Jo- 
seph's being  a  favourite  in  his  father's  house,  and  honoured  by  God  in  having  divine 

p  Prov.  i.  10—14.  q  Matt.  xiii.  22.  r  2  Pet.  ii.  15.  g  Acts  xxiv.  26. 

t  1  Tim.  vi.  9.  u  John  v.  44.  x  2  Tim.  iii.  4.  y  Gen.  iv.  5,  8. 


648  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THIS  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

dreams,  gave  occasion  to  his  brethren  to  envy  him  ;  who  first  designed  to  slay  him, 
and  afterwards,  out  of  malice,  sold  him  into  Egypt.  When  Joshua  saw  Eldad  and 
Medad  prophesying,  supposing  that  the  gift  of  prophecy  was  possessed  only  by 
Moses,  and  that  it  only  was  a  lessening  of  his  honour  for  them  to  pretend  to  it, 
he  desired  that  they  might  be  '  forbid.'  But  he  was  plainly  under  the  influence  of 
a  temptation  ;  for  Moses  gave  him  a  check,  intimating  that  he  did  not  do  well  in 
'  envying  '  them  '  for  his  sake.'2 — Moreover,  we  often  find  that  our  own  condition 
in  the  world,  when  we  enjoy  the  outward  blessings  of  providence,  proves  a  tempta- 
tion. Some  are  like  the  vessel  which  is  in  danger  of  being  overset  by  having  too 
much  sail,  and  no  ballast  to  keep  it  steady.  The  abundance  of  this  world,  without 
the  grace  of  God  to  sanctify  and  set  bounds  to  our  affections,  will  often  prove  a  snare 
to  us.  Some  are  hereby  tempted  to  covetousness,  than  which  nothing  is  more  prepos- 
terous, yet  nothing  more  common.  The  psalmist's  advice,  '  If  riches  increase,  set  not 
your  heart  upon  them,'a  is  an  intimation  that  our  desires  often  increase  with  our  sub- 
stance, so  that  the  more  we  have,  the  more  we  want,  and  are  less  disposed  to  contribute 
to  the  necessities  of  others.  We  have  an  instance  of  this  in  Nabal,  when  David  sent 
him  an  obliging  message,  and  instructed  his  messengers  to  '  say  to  him  that  liveth  in 
prosperity,  Peace  be  botli  to  thee,  and  peace  be  to  thine  house,  and  peace  be  unto  all 
that  thou  hast.  Give,  I  pray  thee,  whatsoever  cometh  to  thine  hand,  unto  thy  ser- 
vants, and  to  thy  son  David. 'b  Nabal's  refusal  to  comply  with  David's  request 
showed  that  he  was  of  a  churlish  disposition,  that  his  prosperous  circumstances  in 
the  world  were  a  temptation  to  his  corruptions,  and  that  he  had  no  sense  of  grati- 
tude for  the  favours  which  he  had  received  from  David  and  his  men,  while  they 
resided  in  the  wilderness,  and  were  conversant  with  those  who  kept  his  flocks  there. 
It  would  have  been  a  more  plausible  excuse,  had  he  alleged  the  danger  which  might 
accrue  from  his  compliance  with  David's  request,  that  it  was  possible  that  Saul 
might  hear  of  it,  and  deal  with  him  as  he  had  done  with  Ahimelech  and  the  other 
priests  at  Nob  for  the  small  respect  which  Ahimelech  had  shown  to  David.  He, 
however,  takes  no  notice  of  any  such  danger,  but  treats  David  morosely,  when  he 
says,  '  Shall  I  take  my  bread,  and  my  water,  and  my  flesh,  that  I  have  killed  for 
my  shearers,  and  give  it  unto  men  whom  I  know  not  whence  they  be  V  This 
reply  manifested  him  to  be  '  a  man  of  Belial,'  as  Abigail  confesses,  when  she  says, 
'  Nabal  is  his  name,  and  folly  is  with  him.'c — Again,  we  sometimes  find  that  a 
prosperous  condition  in  the  world  is  a  temptation  to  God's  people  to  presumption 
and  carnal  security.  Thus  the  psalmist  says,  '  In  my  prosperity  I  said,  I  shall 
never  be  moved. 'd  The  wicked  also  are  hereby  tempted  to  obstinacy  and  disobe- 
dience. Thus  God  says  by  the  prophet,  to  the  Israelites,  '  I  spake  unto  thee  in 
thy  prosperity  ;  but  thou  saidst,  I  will  not  hear.  This  hath  been  thy  manner 
from  thy  youth,  that  thou  obeyedst  not  my  voice.'6  Sometimes,  likewise,  pros- 
perity tempts  to  pride,  haughtiness,  and  oppression.  Thus  the  psalmist  speaks  of 
some  who  were  '  not  in  trouble,  neither  plagued  like  other  men  ;  therefore,'  says 
he,  •  pride  compasseth  them  about  as  a  chain,  violence  covereth  them  as  a  gar- 
ment.^ We  are  not,  indeed,  to  suppose  that  this  is  the  necessary  result  of  a  pros- 
perous state  in  the  world  ;  since  that  temptation  which  is  only  objective,  may  be 
guarded  against.  The  pernicious  tendency  of  prosperity  arises  from  the  depravity 
of  our  nature,  and  its  proneness  to  abuse  the  blessings  of  providence ;  whence  some 
take  occasion  to  cast  off  fear,  and  put  the  evil  day  far  from  them.  When,  there- 
fore, we  pray  that  the  world  may  not  prove  a  temptation  to  us,  we  desire  that  God 
would  keep  us  from  using  any  indirect  means,  either  to  get  or  increase  our  worldly 
substance,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  enable  us  to  improve  what  we  have  to  his  glory. 
We  pray  also  that  our  affections  may  not  be  so  much  set  upon  it  as  to  alienate 
them  from  him ;  but  that  we  may  make  it  the  matter  of  our  deliberate  choice  rather 
to  be  deprived  of  outward  blessings,  than  to  receive  them  as  our  only  portion,  and, 
by  having  our  hearts  set  too  much  upon  them,  forfeit  and  be  denied  an  interest  in 
his  special  and  distinguishing  love. 

We  now  observe,  that  the  evil  things  in  the  world  often  prove  a  temptation  to  us. 

z  Numb.  xi.  29.  a  Psal.  lxii.  10.  b  1  Sam.  xxv.  6,  8,  11.  c  Ver.  25 

d  Psal.  xxx.  6.  e  Jer.  xxii.  21.  f  Psal.  lxxiii.  5,  6- 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE   LORD'S  TRAYER.  640 

By  'evil  things,'  we  mean  afflictive  providences  These  are  inseparable,  from  the 
present  state  ;  for  'man  is  born  unto  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upwards. '&  They  are 
either  personal  or  relative.  Some  are  more  immediately  from  God  ;  others  from 
men,  as  instruments  in  his  hand.  Some  arise  from  the  experience  we  have  of  afflic- 
tion ;  others  from  our  expectation  or  fear  of  future  troubles.  All  these  sometimes 
prove  temptations  to  us,  unless  God  is  pleased  to  interpose  in  a  way  of  preventing 
grace  and  make  them  conducive  to  our  spiritual  advantage.  They  prove  tempta- 
tions to  us,  when  we  are  discontented  and  uneasy  under  the  hand  of  God,  com- 
plaining of  the  burdens  which  he  is  pleased  to  lay  on  us,  as  though  they  were  in- 
supportable, and  it  were  impossible  for  us  to  bear  up  under  them  ;  or  when  we  are 
ready  to  conclude  that  no  affliction  is  like  ours,  and  are  apt  to  insinuate  that  God, 
in  subjecting  us  to  it,  deals  hardly  with  us.  Again,  afflictions  prove  temptations 
to  us  when  they  disturb  or  disorder  our  thoughts,  weaken  our  faith,  and  unfit  us 
for  spiritual  meditations,  or  attending  aright  on  the  ordinances,  of  God  ;  or  when 
we  are  more  concerned  about  our  afflictions  than  about  sin,  the  cause  of  them. 
Further,  afflictions  are  temptations  to  us  when  we  have  unbelieving  apprehensions 
concerning  the  event  of  them,  concluding  that  they  will  certainly  end  in  our  ruin, 
notwithstanding  the  promises  which  God  has  made  of  their  working  together  for 
good  to  those  who  love  him.  David  felt  affliction  working  in  this  way  when  he 
said,  '  I  shall  now  perish  one  day  by  the  hand  of  Saul  ;'h  for  what  he  experienced 
was  an  ungrounded  fear,  especially  considering  the  promises  which  God  had  given 
him,  and  the  many  instances  he  had  of  his  being  a  help  to  him  in  the  time  of 
trouble.  Again,  afflictions  are  temptations  to  us,  when  we  take  occasion  from  them 
to  question  God's  fatherly  love,  or  to  conclude  that  they  are  sent  in  wrath,  and 
are  intimations  that  we  are  cast  off  by  him,  when  we  have  no  reason  to  think  so 
from  any  thing  in  the  nature  of  the  affliction  itself ;  also  when  we  are  hindered 
from  applying  those  suitable  promises  which  God  has  made  to  his  people  under 
affliction,  for  their  comfort  and  support.  Now,  when  we  pray  that  God  would  '  not 
lead  us  into  temptation,'  as  afflictive  providences  expose  us  to  it,  we  are  to  pray 
against  them  with  submission  to  the  divine  will.  We  are  not  indeed  to  pray  against 
them  as  if  the  removal  of  them  were  of  as  much  importance,  or  as  necessary  to  our 
happiness,  as  the  taking  away  of  the  guilt  or  power  of  sin  ;  but  we  are  to  pray 
that  they  may  be  sanctified  to  us,  that  corrupt  nature  may  not  take  occasion  from 
them  to  have  unbecoming  thoughts  of  God,  and  that  we  may  be  led  by  them  nearer 
to  himself,  so  that  they  may  not  prove  a  temptation  to  us,  or  at  least  that,  with  the 
temptation,  he  would  make  a  way  for  our  escape. 

2.  Another  sort  of  temptations  proceed  from  the  flesh.  These  are  the  greatest 
and  most  dangerous  of  all.  The  apostle  speaks  of  them  as  if  they  were  the  only 
temptations,  when  he  says,  '  Every  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his 
own  lust,  and  enticed.'1  All  other  temptations  might,  without  much  difficulty,  be 
resisted  and  overcome,  were  there  not  a  corrupt  disposition  in  our  nature,  which 
the  apostle  calls  'lust,'  which  inclines  us  to  adhere  to  them  and  comply  with  them. 
This  corrupt  disposition  of  our  nature  consists  in  the  irregularity  and  disorder  of  our 
passions,  which,  as  the  result  of  our  fallen  state,  are  not  only  prone  to  rebel  against 
God,  but  to  act  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  our  own  consciences.  The  temptations 
are  often  various,  according  to  the  prevailing  bias  of  our  natural  temper.  A  mel- 
ancholy constitution  sometimes  inclines  us  to  slavish  fears,  or  distrust  of  God's 
providence  ;  or  to  have  such  black  and  dismal  apprehensions  of  our  spiritual  con- 
cerns, that  we  are  led  even  to  the  very  brink  of  despair.  A  choleric  tempei 
prompts  us  to  revenge,  injustice,  and  oppression,  and  puts  us  upon  magnifying  small 
offences,  and  expressing  a  furious  resentment  without  ground.  A  sanguine  and 
airy  constitution  often  proves  a  temptation  to  cast  off  all  serious  thoughts  about 
God  and  another  world,  to  count  religion  a  needless,  melancholy,  and  distasteful 
thing,  and  to  make  a  jest  of  what  is  sacred  and  ought  to  be  treated  with  the  utmost 
reverence.  This  temper  frequently  exposes  persons  to  the  pernicious  influence  of  bad 
company,  and  induces  them  to  be  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God. 
Again,  a  stupid,  phlegmatic,  and  heavy  constitution,  often  proves  a  temptation  to 

g  Job  v.  7.  ii  i  Sam.  xxvii.  1.  i  James  i.  14. 

H.  4  N 


650  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD  S  PRAYER. 

negligence  in  our  civil  and  religious  affairs,  and  not  to  make  provision  for  a  time  of  trial. 
Herein'  persons  are  oiten  tempted  to  neglect  holy  duties,  especially  such  as  are 
difficult ;  or  to  perform  them  in  a  careless  manner,  and  so  rest  in  a  form  of  godliness 
without  its  power.  This  difference  of  natural  tempers  is  the  reason  why  we  behold 
lust  appearing  indifferent  shapes  ;  so  that  the  same  temptation,  presenting  itself  from 
without,  suits  the  natural  disposition  of  one  who  eagerly  embraces  it,  while  it  does 
not  greatly  move  another.  Now,  when  we  pray  against  those  temptations  which 
arise  from  the  flesh,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  we  expect  to  be  perfectly  freed  from 
them  in  this  world  ;  for  while  here,  as  has  been  elsewhere  observed, k  there  are  the 
remnants  of  sin  abiding  in  every  part,  and  the  perpetual  lustings  of  the  flesh  against 
the  spirit,  even  in  those  who  are  sanctified.  What  we  pray  for  is,  that  God  would 
restrain  and  prevent  the  irregularity  and  pernicious  tendency  of  our  natural  tem- 
per ;  or  that  he  would  keep  us  from  those  sins  which  more  easily  beset  us,  by  rea- 
son of  the  propensity  of  our  nature  to  commit  them.  We  pray  also  that  he  would 
sanctify  our  affections,  and  bring  them  under  the  powerful  influence  of  a  principle 
of  grace,  which  may  maintain  a  perpetual  opposition  to  those  habits  of  sin  which 
are  daily  leading  us  to  turn  aside  from  God ;  so  that  whatever  temptations  we  meet 
with  from  objects  without  us,  our  souls  may  be  internally  fortified  against  them, 
and  disposed  to  hate  and  avoid  every  thing  which  is  contrary  to  his  holy  law,  in- 
tends to  his  dishonour. 

3.  We  shall  now  consider  those  temptations  which  arise  from  Satan.  He  is 
called  '  the  tempter  ;'*  and  he  is  also  said  to  '  enter  into'™  sinners,  and  '  fill  their 
hearts.'11  As  for  the  unregenerate,  they  are  wholly  under  his  power.  Hence,  con- 
version is  called  a  'turning  them  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God.'°  There 
are  some,  indeed,  who  deny  that  Satan  has  any  hand  in  those  temptations  to  which 
we  are  exposed.  In  this  opinion  they  are  too  much  disposed  to  adopt  the  error  of 
the  Sadducees  of  old.  If  they  do  not  expressly  deny  the  existence  of  spirits,  yet 
they  will  not  allow  that  they  have  any  thing  to  do  in  this  world.  Indeed,  they 
think  it  impossible  for  the  devil  to  give  us  any  disturbance,  seeing  he  is  shut  up  in 
chains  of  darkness,  reserved  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.  As  to  those  things 
which  we  read  in  scripture  of  his  doing  against  men  in  this  world,  they  suppose 
that  they  are  to  be  understood  in  a  metaphorical  sense,  and  that  nothing  else  is 
intended  by  them  but  the  temptations  we  meet  with  from  men  or  from  our  own 
lusts.  These,  according  to  them,  are  the  only  devils  that  we  need  to  fear.  This 
error  they  are  led  into  under  a  pretence  of  avoiding  the  contrary  extreme  of  those 
who  seem  to  lay  all  the  sins  they  commit  to  the  devil's  charge,  rather  than  their 
own ;  when,  probably,  he  has  nothing  to  do  with  them,  and  they  wholly  proceed 
from  their  own  corruptions.  The  middle  way  between  these  extremes,  is,  as  I  con- 
ceive, much  more  consonant  to  scripture  and  experience,  and  rather  to  be  ac- 
quiesced in.  We  shall,  therefore,  endeavour  to  prove  that  we  are  often  tempted 
by  Satan  as  well  as  by  our  own  lusts. 

It  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  spirits  may  so  far  have  access  to  our  souls, 
as  to  suggest  good  or  bad  thoughts.  Being  reasonable  creatures,  it  is  beyond  dis- 
pute that  they  are  able  to  converse  with  one  another ;  and  if  so,  there  is  no  absurdity 
in  supposing,  that  they  may,  some  way  or  other,  have  conversation  with  the  souls 
of  men,  which  are  capable  of  having  things  internally  suggested  to  them,  as  well  as 
of  receiving  ideas  from  sensible  objects  by  means  of  the  bodies  to  which  they  are 
united.  As  to  the  manner  in  which  this  is  done,  we  pretend  not  to  determine  it ; 
it  being  sufficient  to  our  present  purpose  to  make  it  appear  that  we  are  exposed 
to  temptations  from  Satan,  as  well  as  from  ourselves.  Again,  it  is  obvious  from 
scripture  that  the  devil  and  his  angels  are  conversant  in  this  lower  world.  Accord- 
ingly, he  is  styled,  'the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.'P  'the  god  of  this  world ;*-« 
and  elsewhere  he  is  said  to  'walk  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.'1"  It  is 
objected,  indeed,  that  his  being  conversant  in  this  world  is  inconsistent  with  his 
being  shut  up  in  hell.  But  this  may  respect  principally  his  state,  as  being  un- 
changeably separated  and  banished  from  God's  favourable  and  comfortable  presence. 

k  See  Quest,  lxxviii.  1  Matt,  iv  3  ;   I  Thess.  iii.  5.       m  Luke  xxii.  3.  n  Acts  v.  3. 

o  Acts  xxvi.  18.  p  Eph.  ii.  2.  q  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  r  1  Pet.  v.  8. 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  651 

Now,  notwithstanding  this,  God  may  suffer  him  to  attempt  many  things  against 
men  in  this  world,  for  the  trial  of  the  graces  of  his  people,  and  the  punishing  of  his 
3nemies.  There  is,  indeed,  a  place  of  misery  allotted  for  devils,  though  they  may 
not  be  at  present  confined  to  it.  That  there  is  such  a  place  seems  to  be  implied  in 
the  request  they  made  to  our  Saviour,  that  he  would  not  command  them  to  '  go  into 
the  deep  ;'s  by  which  it  is  probable,  the  place  of  torment  is  intended,  in  which  the} 
expect  to  be  for  ever  shut  up  after  the  day  of  judgment.  Hence,  they  are  represented 
elsewhere,  as  '  crying  out,  Art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time  ?'* 
Again,  our  first  parent,  in  innocency,  was  tempted  by  the  devil,  who,  as  has  been 
proved  elsewhere,'11  made  use  of  the  serpent  to  '  speak  to  Eve. x  Our  Saviour  also 
was  tempted  by  him,  when  led  by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  for  that  purpose.  J 
But  neither  of  these  could  be  said  to  be  tempted  by  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  ;  for  their 
being  so  was  inconsistent  with  Adam's  sinless  state,  before  he  fell,  and  with  the 
sinlessness  of  our  Saviour's  nature.  It  is  certain,  too,  that  the  temptation  offered 
to  each  was  more  than  objective  ;  for  there  were  words  spoken,  and  a  perverse 
method  of  reasoning  made  use  of  to  ensnare  them.  Nor  could  they  be  tempted  by 
men,  for  in  this  respect  they  were  alone.  It  therefore  follows  that  Satan  was  the 
tempter  of  each.  Moreover,  there  are  several  other  scriptures  which  expressly 
prove  that  Satan  has  sometimes  tempted  persons  to  sin.  Thus  we  read  that  '  he 
stood  up  against  Israel,  and  provoked  David  to  number  them.'2  Elsewhere  our 
Saviour  tells  the  Jews,  '  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your 
father  ye  will  do  ;'  that  is,  you  eagerly  commit  those  sins  to  which  he  tempts  you. 
It  is  farther  said,  that  he  was  '  a  murderer  from  the  beginning  ;'  which  cannot  be 
understood  otherwise  than  of  his  murdering  man,  by  tempting  him  to  sin,  and  pre- 
vailing. It  is  also  said,  that  '  he  abode  not  in  the  truth,'  and  is  '  a  liar,  and  the 
father  of  it  ;'a  that  is,  he  deceives  us  by  his  suggestions,  and  prevails  on  us,  when 
we  comply  with  them,  to  deceive  ourselves. 

We  may  here  take  occasion  to  inquire,  how  we  may  distinguish  those  temptations 
which  take  their  rise  from  Satan,  from  others  which  proceed  from  ourselves.  This 
question  is  very  difficult  to  be  resolved,  for  our  corrupt  nature,  for  the  most  part, 
tempts  us  to  the  same  sins  which  Satan  tempts  us  to  do.  Now,  where  there  are 
two  causes  of  the  same  action,  it  is  hard  to  distinguish  one  from  the  other  ;  just  as 
when  two  candles  are  set  up  in  the  same  room,  we  cannot  distinguish  the  light  of 
the  one  from  the  other.  If,  indeed,  the  sins  to  which  we  are  tempted  by  our  lusts  on 
the  one  hand,  and  by  Satan  on  the  other,  had  been  described  as  of  different  kinds,  we 
might  more  easily  determine  the  difference  which  there  is  between  them.  Or  if  we 
had  not  the  least  inclination  to  comply  with  the  temptation,  and  were  able  to  say,  as 
our  Saviour  did,  '  The  prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  inme,'b  we  might 
easily  know  where  to  fasten  the  charge  of  guilt ;  and  it  would  be  no  injustice  to  ex- 
culpate ourselves,  and  lay  the  blame  wholly  on  the  devil.  But  it  is  far  otherwise  with 
us,  by  reason  of  the  corruption  of  our  nature  ;  which  would  render  ust  prone  to  sin, 
though  Satan  did  not  tempt  us  to  it.  Hence,  as  we  often  contract  guflt  by  comply- 
ing with  his  temptations,  just  as  he  does  by  offering  them ;  it  is  necessary  that  some- 
thing be  said  in  order  to  our  knowing,  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  determine  the  matter, 
when  the  temptation  is  to  be  laid  at  our  own  door,  and  when  at  Satan's.  We  ob- 
serve, then,  that  when  we  are  tempted  to  those  sins  which  we  cannot  think  of  but 
with  the  utmost  abhorrence  ;  when  we  are  so  far  from  entertaining  any  pleasure  in 
the  thing  to  which  we  are  tempted,  that  we  take  occasion  to  express  the  greatest 
aversion  to  it,  and  would  not  comply  with  the  temptation  for  ten  thousand  worlds  ; 
when  we  count  the  suggestion  an  invasion  on  our  souls,  an  affliction  grievous  to  be 
borne  ;  and  when,  instead  of  complying  with  it,  we  are  led  to  the  exercise  of  those 
graces  which  are  opposite  to  it ;  in  such  cases,  I  humbly  conceive,  we  do  not  incur 
guilt  by  being  tempted,  and  the  sin  is  wholly  to  be  charged  on  Satan.  On  the 
contrary,  when  we  are  pleased  with  the  temptation,  frequently  meditate  on  the 
subject  of  it,  and  either  commit  the  sin  to  which  it  tempts  us,  or  if  we  abstain  from 

s  Luke  viii.  31.  t  Matt.  viii.  29.  u  See  Sect.  •  The  Temptation,'  under  Quest  xxi. 

x  Gen.  iii.  1.  et  seq.  y  Matt.  iv.  1.  z  1  Chron.  xxi.  1. 

u  John  viii.  44.  b  Chap.  xiv.  30. 


652  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

the  commission  of  it,  do  so  only  out  of  fear  or  shame  ;  and  when  the  propensity  of 
our  nature  leads  us,  at  other  times,  to  those  sins  which  bear  some  resemblance  to 
it,  then  our  own  lusts,  as  well  as  Satan,  are  causes  of  the  sins  which  follow. 

These  things  being  considered,  we  shall  proceed  to  speak  more  particularly  concern- 
ing Satan's  temptations.  Here  we  shall  lay  down,  by  way  of  premisal,  some  things 
which  relate  to  this  matter  ;  and  afterwards  we  shall  consider  the  method  in  which 
ho  manages  his  temptations.  Let  it  be  observed,  then,  that,  though  Satan  may 
tempt  to  sin,  yet  he  cannot  force  the  will  ;  for  then  the  guilt  would  devolve  wholly 
on  himself,  and  not  on  us.  Our  condition  would  certainly  be  very  miserable,  were 
it  impossible  for  us  to  resist  his  temptations  ;  for  we  should  then  lie  at  the  mercy  of 
one  who  would  have  more  power  to  destroy  us  than  we  would  have  to  withstand  him. 
Besides,  this  would  be  to  extend  the  servitude  of  the  will  of  man  beyond  its  due 
bounds  ;  for,  though  it  is  not  free  to  what  is  spiritually  or  supernaturally  good,  we  do 
not  deny  that  it  is  free  as  to  its  having  a  power  to  avoid  many  sins,  into  which,  on 
this  supposition,  it  would  be  inevitably  hurried.  It  would,  moreover,  be  a  reflection 
on  the  providence  of  God,  so  far  to  leave  man  in  the  hands  of  Satan  that  he  should 
be  laid  under  a  necessity  of  sinning  and  perishing  without  the  choice  and  consent  of 
his  own  will,  so  that  his  destruction  could  not  be  said  to  be  of  himself.  Again,  Satan's 
power  is  not  equal  to  his  malice ;  for  he  is  under  divine  restraints,  and,  indeed,  can 
do  nothing  against  believers  but  by  God's  permission.  This  may  be  argued  from 
our  being  obliged  to  desire  that  God  would  keep  us  from  being  tempted,  that  is, 
restrain  the  tempter,  as  well  as  enable  us  to  resist  him.  If  it  were  otherwise,  no  one 
could  be  saved  ;  for  Satan's  malice  is  boundless,  though  he  is  not  suffered  to  do  that 
to  which  it  prompts  him.  This  is  a  very  great  blessing  to  God's  people  ;  as  it  is  a 
comfortable  thing  to  consider  that  they  are  in  his  hands  who  is  a  merciful  Father, 
and  not  in  Satan's  power,  who  breathes  forth  nothing  btit  revenge  and  cruelty. 
Again,  as  it  is  not  a  sin  to  be  tempted,  since  our  Saviour  is  said  to  have  been  '  in 
all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin  ;'c  so,  on  the  other  hand,  when 
we  are  pleased  and  comply  with  the  temptation,  it  will  be  no.  sufficient  excuse  for 
us  to  allege  that  Satan  had  a  great  hand  in  it,  since,  as  we  already  observed,  he 
can  only  tempt,  but  force  the  will.  How  formidable  soever  he  may  be,  by  reason 
of  the  greatness  of  his  power  and  malice  ;  yet  we  have  the  expedient  to  make  use 
of,#that  we  can  say,  '  The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  Satan.'  Further,  there  is  a  vast  dif- 
ference between  the  condition  of  those  who  are  converted,  and  that  of  those  who 
are  in  an  unregenerate  state,  as  to  the  event  and  consequence  of  Satan's  tempta- 
tions. The  former,  indeed,  by  reason  of  the  remains  of  corruption  in  them,  are 
often  foiled  and  overcome  by  these  temptations.  Yet  they  shall  not  be  wholly  de- 
stroyed ;  but  God  will  find  out  a  way  for  their  recovery  out  of  the  snare  in  which 
they  may  at  any  time  be  entangled.  The  latter,  however,  are  wholly  under  Satan's 
power,  by  their  own  choice  and  consent,  and  will  remain  so,  till,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  they  are  delivered  from  the  dominion  of  darkness,  and  translated  into  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  method  in  which  Satan  manages  his  tempta- 
tions, in  order  to  his  inducing  men  to  sin.  Sometimes  he  endeavours  to  en- 
snare and  deceive  us  by  his  subtilty.  On  this  account  he  is  called  '  that  old 
5erpent,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world. 'd  Elsewhere  we  read  of  '  the  depths  of 
Satan,'6  that  is,  his  deep-laid  designs;  and  of  his  '  wiles, 'f  which  it  is  an  hard 
matter  to  withstand.  He  is  also  sometimes  said  to  be  '  transformed  into  an  angel 
of  light, 's  when  he  tempts  to  sin  under  a  pretence  of  our  bringing  glory  to  God,  as 
well  as  good  to  ourselves  and  others.  There  are  likewise  other  methods  of  tempta- 
tion in  which,  though  he  manages  them  with  equal  subtilty,  he  appears,  not  as  an 
angel  of  light,  pretending  to  help  us  in  the  way  to  heaven,  but  as  a  roaring  lion,  ren- 
dering himself  formidable,  and  not  concealing  his  design  to  devour  us,  or  make  a 
prey  of  us,  and  to  fill  us  with  that  distress  of  conscience  which  brings  us  to  the  very 
brink  of  despair.  These,  it  is  probable,  the  apostle  intends  by  his  '  fiery  darts,'  as 
distinguished  from  his  '  wiles.'  In  the  former,  he  shows  himself  a  tempter;  in  the 
latter,  an  accuser.  These  are  the  usual  methods  which  he  takes  in  managing  his 
temptations.     We  shall  consider  them  under  four  Heads  ; — first,  his  endeavouring 

c  Heb.  iv.  15.       d  Rev.  xx.  2.  and  xii.  9.       e  Chap.  ii.  24.      f  Eph.  vi.  11.        g  2  Cor.  xi.  14. 


THE   SIXTH   PETITION    OF  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER.  653 

to  produce  and  strengthen  the  habits  of  sin  ;  secondly,  what  lie  does  to  prevent 
conviction  of  sin,  or  to  hinder  the  efficacy  of  conviction  ;  thirdly,  his  discouraging 
those  who  are  under  convictions  from  closing  with  Christ  by  faith  ;  and  lastly, 
his  injecting  blasphemous  and  atheistical  thoughts  into  the  mind  of  men,  and  using 
endeavours  to  drive  them  to  despair. 

(1.)  Satan  endeavours  to  produce  and  strengthen  the  habits  of  sin.  These  are  gen- 
erally attained  by  frequent  acts,  or  by  making  a  progress  in  sin,  by  which  the  heart 
is  hardened.  It  is  with  greater  difficulty  that  those  who  contract  these  habits  are  re- 
claimed from  them.  Of  such  the  prophet  speaks,  when  he  says,  '  Can  the  Ethiopian 
change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ?  then  may  ye  also  do  good,  that  are 
accustomed  to  do  evil.'h  We  may  observe  that  Satan  does  not  usually  tempt,  at 
first,  to  the  vilest  and  most  notorious  acts  of  sin,  especially  where  he  has  ground 
to  suspect  that  his  temptations  will  not  be  readily  entertained  or  adhered  to  ;  as  in 
the  case  of  those  who  retain  some  impressions  of  a  religious  education,  or  are,  at 
present,  under  the  influence  of  restraining  graee.  These  are  first  tempted  to  com- 
mit lesser  sins  before  they  proceed  to  greater.  He  generally  begins  with  tempting 
to  sins  of  omission,  or  to  formality  and  indifference  in  the  performance  of  religious 
duties,  or  by  pretending  that  God  gives  us  some  indulgences  or  allowance  to  com- 
mit those  to  which  our  natural  constitution  most  inclines  us,  that  we  have  been 
mistaken  when  we  have  thought  that  religion  is  so  difficult  a  matter  as  some  have 
pretended  it  to  be,  that  we  may  safely  follow  a  multitude,  though  it  be  in  doing 
that  which  is  in  itself  sinful, — that  we  are  not  to  take  an  estimate  of  religion  from 
the  apprehensions  which  some  melancholy  persons  entertain  of  it, — that  strictness 
in  religion  is  being  righteous  overmuch,  and  striving  against  the  stream  is  a  need- 
less precaution, — that  therefore  we  may  consult  our  own  honour  and  reputation  in 
the  world,  and  adopt  tha't  scheme  of  religion  which  is  uppermost,  and  that  denying 
ourselves,  taking  up  the  cross  and  following  Christ,  though  it  may  be  reckoned  a 
safe  way  to  heaven,  yet  is  not  the  only  one.  The  habits  of  sin  are  thus  strengthened, 
the  heart  hardened,  and  persons  proceed  from  one  degree  of  impiety  to  another,  till 
at  last  they  abandon  themselves  to  every  thing  vile  and  profligate,  and  run  with 
others  in  all  excess  of  riot. 

That  his  design  may  be  more  effectually  carried  on,  he  suits  his  temptations  to 
every  age  and  condition  of  life.  As  to  those  who  are  in  the  prime  and  flower-  of 
their  age,  he  endeavours  to  persuade  them  that  it  is  time  enough  for  them  to  think 
of  being  religious  hereafter  ;  and  that  religion  is  too  austere  and  melancholy  a 
thing  for  them  to  pretend  to  at  present,  and  is  inconsistent  with  those  pleasures 
and  youthful  lusts  which  are  agreeable  to  their  age  and  condition  of  life.  If  they 
are  children,  he  suggests  t;o  them  that  they  have  time  enough  before  them ;  that 
when  they  are  more  advanced  in  years,  they  will  have  a  greater  degree  of  under- 
standing, and  be  better  able  to  perceive  the  force  of  the  arguments  which  are 
usually  brought  to  induce  persons  to  lead  a  religious  life  ;  and  that  then  they  may 
make  choice  of  it  out  of  judgment.  If  they  are  servants,  he  persuades  them  that 
they  have  other  business  on  their  hands  ;  that  they  had  better  stay  till  they  are 
free  from  the  engagements  which  they  are,  at  present,  under  to  their  masters  ;  and 
that  when  they  are  at  their  own  disposal,  it  will  be  the  fittest  time  for  them  to  em- 
brace the  ways  of  God.  This  temptation  carries  in  it  the  highest  instance  of  pre- 
sumption, tends  greatly  to  harden  the  heart  in  sin,  and  has  been  the  ruin  of  mul- 
titudes. 

When  persons  are  come  to  years  of  maturity,  being  no  longer  children  or  ser- 
vants, but  about  to  engage  in  those  secular  employments  to  which  they  are  called 
in  the  world,  he  has  temptations  of  another  nature  to  offer  to  them.  He  has  hitherto 
kept  possession  of  their  hearts,  and  desired  them  only  to  wait  for  this  age  of  life, 
pretending  that  then  they  would  have  a  more  convenient  season  to  lead  a  religious 
life  ;  but  this  convenient  season  has  not  yet  come,  for  there  are  other  stratagems 
of  which  he  now  makes  use  to  keep  them  in  subjection  to  him.  Youthful  lusts  are 
now  grown  to  a  greater  height,  and  the  impressions  of  a  religious  education,  if  they 
were  favoured  with  it,  almost  worn  out ;  and  it  is  no  difficult  matter  for  him  to  per 

h  Jer.  xiii.  23. 


654  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD  S  PRAYER. 

suade  them,  that  the  principal  thing  they  are  to  he  concerned  ahout  is  their  living" 
comfortably  in  the  world,  that  they  have  now  an  opportunity  to  increase  their  sub- 
stance and  make  provision  for  their  future  happiness  on  earth,  and  that  therefore 
they  ought  to  converse  with  those  who  are  in  the  same  station  of  life  with  them- 
selves. And  he  generally  points  out  and  tempts  them  to  make  choice  of  such  as- 
sociates as  may  be  a  snare  to  them,  whose  conversation  is  very  remote  from  any 
thing  tending  to  promote  religion  and  godliness.  Sometimes  he  endeavours  to 
make  them  ashamed  of  the  ways  of  God,  as  though  to  walk  in  these  were  inconsis- 
tent with  their  reputation  in  the  world,  especially  with  their  present  situation  or 
condition.  On  the  other  hand,  if  persons  are  poor  and  low  in  the  world,  and  find 
it  difficult  to  maintain  themselves  or  families,  he  persuades  them  that  religion  is 
not  the  business  in  which  they  are  called  to  engage,  that  they  must  rather  take 
pains  to  live, — that  God  does  not  require  more  than  he" gives,  or  expect  that  those 
should  spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in  religious  duties  who  have  none  to  spare  from 
that  business  which  is  necessary  for  their  getting  a  livelihood  in  the  world, — and 
that  therefore  religion  belongs,  not  so  much  to  them,  as  to  others. 

If  persons  have  arrived  at  old  age,  the  last  stage  of  life,  and  have,  as  it  were, 
their  latter  end  in  view,  being  not  far  from  it,  according  to  the  course  of  nature  ; 
they  are  now  at  that  age  of  life  which  was  formerly  pretended  by  Satan  to  be  the 
most  fit  and  proper  season  for  entertaining  thoughts  of  religion  ;  and  it  was  in  ex- 
pectation of  it  that,  when  they  were  formerly  under  any  convictions,  they  generally 
stifled  them  by  resolving  that  they  would  apply  themselves  to  a  religious  life  in  old 
age.  Thus  has  the  tempter  hitherto  beguiled  them.  But  now  he  has  other  temp- 
tations to  present  to  them,  which  are  suited  to  old  age  ;  and  he  insinuates  that  the 
weakness  and  infirmities  of  the  decline  of  life  render  them  unfit  for  religious  duties. 
Indeed,  their  hearts  have  contracted  such  a  degree  of  hardness,  by  a  long  continu- 
ance in  sin,  that  it  is  difficult  for  anything  to  make  an  impression  on  them.  Yet 
Satan  endeavours  to  persuade  them,  that,  notwithstanding  all  the  wickedness  of 
their  former  life,  and  their  present  impenitency  for  it,  they  may  hope  for  salvation 
from  the  mercy  of  God,  though  they  continue  still  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy  ;  and 
he  thus  entices  them  to  soul-destructive  presumption.  Or  he  tempts  them  utterly 
to  despair  of  the  mercy  of  God,  and  tells  them  that  it  is  too  late  for  them  to  begin 
that  work  which  they  have  put  off  to  the  extremity  of  life.  By  either  of  these 
methods  he  effectually  brings  about  their  ruin.  Thus  concerning  Satan's  suiting 
his  temptations  to  the  several  ages  and  conditions  of  life. 

But  we  may  observe  that  he  also  uses  methods  of  temptation  which  are  agreeable 
to  the  temper  and  disposition  of  those,  whom  he  assaults,  in  order  that  he  may  not 
shoot  his  arrows  at  random,  without  answering  the  end  he  designs.  By  this  con- 
duct his  subtilty  farther  appears.  Thus  he  observes  those  times  for  tempting  men 
to  sin  in  which  it  is  most  likely  that  his  temptations  will  take  effect.  Hence  his 
assaults  are  generally  most  violent  when  they  are  least  upon  their  guard,  and  give 
way  to  sloth  and  indolence.  Or  when  the  Spirit  of  God  withdraws  his  influences, 
and  when,  in  consequence,  their  faith  is  weak,  and  they  are  not  able  to  make  great 
resistance  against  his  temptations,  he  crowds  in  a  great  multitude  of  them  at  once, 
and  so  lays  hold  on  the  opportunity  to  improve  the  success  which  he  has  gained 
against  them.  If  they  are  afraid  of  the  consequences  of  a  compliance  with  his 
temptations,  he  endeavours  to  stupify  their  souls,  that  they  may  have  no  present 
apprehensions  of  the  evil  which  would  follow.  Again,  he  often  takes  occasion  to 
raise  in  our  minds  some  doubts  about  the  matter  of  sin  or  duty  ;  whether  what  he 
is  about  to  tempt  us  to  be  lawful  or  unlawful ;  or  how  far  a  person  may  venture 
to  go  in  the  way  of  temptation,  and  yet  maintain  his  integrity.  This  is  generally 
the  first  step  towards  the  commission  of  those  sins  to  which  we  are  tempted.  Again, 
if  shame  or  fear  are  like  to  hinder  the  success  of  fche  temptation,  he  undertakes  to 
find  out  some  mode  of  secrecy,  whereby  public  scandal  may  be  avoided.  Thus 
Joseph's  mistress  tempted  him  to  sin  when  Potiphar  was  absent,  and  '  there  was 
none  of  the  men  of  the  house  there  within  ;'*  so  that  he  had  no  occasion  to  fear 
that  his  crime  would  be  detected.     Sometimes  he  proceeds  so  far  as  to  insinuate, 

i  Gen.  xxxix.  11. 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD's  PRAYER.  655 

that  the}'  may  even  hide  themselves  from  the  all-seeing  eye  of  God,  and  tempts 
them  to  say,  'How  doth  God  know?  Can  he  judge  through  the  dark  cloud  ?  Thick 
clouds  are  a  covering  to  him,  that  he  seeth  not,  and  he  walketh  in  the  circuit  of 
heaven. 'k  Thus  the  prophet  Isaiah  denounces  a  woe  against  them  that  'seek  deep 
to  hide  their  counsel  from  the  Lord,  and  their  works  are  in  the  dark,  and  they  say, 
Who  seeth  us?  and  who  knoweth  us?'1  This  method  seldom  fails  of  answering 
his  end.  '  Further,  if  conscience  he  awakened,  and  deters  them  from  adhering  to 
the  temptation  from  a  sense  of  the  guilt  which  they  will  contract,  Satan  is  some- 
times content  to  take  the  hlame  upon  himself,  that  they  may  think  that  they  are 
to  be  excused,  by  reason  of  the  violence  of  the  temptation,  which  they  could  not 
well  withstand.  Again,  he  sometimes  persuades  them  to  throw  the  blame  on  pro- 
vidence, as  being  the  occasion  of  sin,  or  rendering  it  necessary  or  unavoidable  from 
our  condition  or  circumstances  in  the  world.  This  is  the  highest  injury  which  can 
be  offered  to  the  divine  Majesty.  Thus  Adam  tacitly  reproaches  God,  when  he 
says,  '  The  woman,  whom  thou  gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and 
I  did  eat.'m  Finally,  he  often  tempts  men  to  presume  on  the  mercy  of  God,  and 
to  hope  that,  though  they  continue  in  sin,  they  shall  obtain  a  pardon  from  him. 
Or,  since  pardon  is  not  be  expected  without  sincere  repentance,  he  tempts  them  to 
presume  that  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  they  shall  have  the  grace  of  re- 
pentance hereafter,  whereby  their  perishing  in  their  iniquities  may  be  prevented. 
Thus  concerning  the  methods  which  Satan  takes  to  produce  and  strengthen  the 
habits  of  sin. 

(2.)  We  proceed  to  consider  how  he  endeavours  to  prevent  our  being  brought  under 
conviction  of  sin,  or,  if  we  are  convinced  of  it,  to  hinder  its  making  any  deep  or  last- 
ing impression  on  us.  This  he  does  various  ways.  One  way  is  by  dissuading  others, 
who  ought  to  deal  faithfully  with  us,  from  reproving  sin  committed  by  us.  Thus 
Ezekiel,  speaking  concerning  the  false  prophets,  says,  that  they  '  strengthened  the 
hands  of  the  wicked,  that  he  should  not  return  from  his  wicked  way,  by  promising  him 
life.'n  Sometimes  he  improves  the  consideration  of  our  circumstances  in  the  world 
to  dissuade  us  from  reproving  sin  in  others,  especially  if  they  are  our  superiors,  or 
those  on  whom  we  are  dependent,  or  from  whom  we  have  some  expectations,  lest  we 
should  make  them  our  enemies,  and  lose  some  advantages  which  we  hope  to  receive 
from  them.  Others  he  does  not  wholly  dissuade  from  reproving  sin  ;  but  there  are 
some  circumstances  attending  the  reproof,  or  the  person  who  gives  it,  which  he 
makes  use  of  to  hinder  it  from  taking  effect,  so  that  his  end  is  no  less  answered 
than  if  sin  had  not  been  reproved  at  all.  Thus,  when  we  reprove  with  too  much 
lenity,  those  who  are  notorious  offenders,  and  who  ought  to  be  treated  with  a  greater 
degree  of  sharpness,  and  when  we  speak  to  them  of  their  offence  as  if  it  were  only 
a  sin  of  infirmity,  they  are  only  hardened  in  the  commission  of  it.  This  was  Eli's 
fault  in  dealing  with  his  sons,  when  he  said  to  them, '  Why  do  ye  such  things  ?  for 
I  hear  of  your  evil  dealings  by  all  this  people.  Nay,  my  sons,  for  it  is  no  good  re- 
port that  I  hear;  ye  make  the  Lord's  people  to  transgress.'0  Instead  of  reprov- 
ing them  in  this  way,  he  ought  to  have  restrained  them  by  those  actsjof  severity 
which  the  nature  of  their  crime  demanded.  Satan  often  prevents  the  reproof  from 
taking  effect,  also  by  inclining  the  reprover  to  use  indecent  behaviour,  or  to  express 
haughtiness  of  temper,  as  if  there  were  no  respect  due  to  superiors,  as  such,  because 
they  are  worthy  of  reproof.  Or  he  inclines  the  reprover  to  express  a  kind  of  hatred 
against  the  person  reproved ;  while  hatred  ought  to  be  directed  principally  against 
the  crime  he  has  committed,  and  care  ought  to  be  used  to  convince  the  person  re- 
proved that  it  is  love  to  him,  as  well  as  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  which  moves  us 
to  reprove  him.  Satan  often  hinders  reproof  from  taking  effect,  likewise,  by  tempt- 
ing those  to  give  it  to  commit  the  sin  they  reprove,  or,  at  least,  by  persuading  those 
against  whom  the  reproof  is  directed,  that  there  are  other  sins  equally  great  with 
which  the  reprovers  are  chargeable,  and  that  therefore  they  ought  to  look  to  them- 
selves, rather  than  take  notice  of  what  is  done  by  others. 

Again,  Satan  hinders  the  work  of  conviction,  by  endeavouring  to  suppress  the 

k  Job  xxii.  13,  14.  1  Isa.  xxix.  15.  m  Gen.  iii.  12. 

n  Ezek.  xiii.  22.  O  1  Sam.  ii.  23,  24. 


C5G  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

preaching  of  the  word,  or  to  prevent  the  success  of  it  when  preached.  The  preaching 
of  the  word  is  God's  ordinary  way  for  convincing  of  sin;  and  Satan  sometimes  stirs 
up  those  who  are  under  his  power  and  influence  to  persecute  or  suppress  it.  Thus 
the  apostles  were  '  commanded  by  the  Jews,  not  to  speak  at  all,  nor  teach  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  ;'p  and  when  they  refused  to  obey  this  command,  they  were  '  put  in 
prison. 'i  This  method  has  been  taken,  in  all  ages,  by  Satan's  instigation,  with  a 
design  to  hinder  the  spreading  of  Christ's  interest  in  the  world.  But  as,  in  spite 
of  it,  the  gospel  has,  by  the  blessing  of  providence,  continued  to  this  day,  there 
are  other  methods  which  Satan  make  use  of  to  hinder  the  success  of  the  word. 
Sometimes  he  perverts  those  who  preach  it ;  so  that  they  endeavour  to  corrupt 
the  word  of  God,  and  turn  aside  the  minds  of  men  from  that  simplicity  which 
is  in  Christ.  At  other  times  he  tempts  them  to  be  very  sparing  in  reproving  sin, 
or  to  reprove  it  in  a  general  way,  as  though  their  only  design  were  to  let  their 
hearers  know  that  there  are  some  sinners  in  the  world,  and  not  that  they  should 
be  brought  under  conviction  of  sin  themselves.  This  is  done  sometimes  in  compli- 
ance with  the  corruptions  of  those  whom  they  do  not  care  to  disoblige ;  and  others 
shun  to  declare  some  of  the  most  important  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  affect  a  method 
of  preaching  as  has  not  such  a  tendency  to  bring  real  advantage  to  the  souls  of 
men,  as  when  it  is  delivered  with  more  zeal  and  faithfulness.  Again,  Satan  en- 
deavours to  hinder  the  success  of  the  word,  by  stirring  up  the  corruptions  of  those 
who  attend  upon  it.  For  this  reason  he  is  represented,  by  our  Saviour  in  the  par- 
able of  'the  seed  which  fell  by  the  way  side,'  and  which  '  the  fowls  came  and  de- 
voured,' as  '  catching  away  '  the  word.1"  Hearers  of  the  word  are,  in  consequence, 
not  much  affected  with  it,  and  do  not  endeavour  to  retain  it  in  their  memories. 
Sometimes  also  Satan  injects  vain  thoughts  under  the  word  preached.  According- 
ly, our  Saviour,  in  the  parable  just-mentioned,  speaks  of  the  '  seed  that  fell  among 
thorns,'  and  explains  it  of  '  the  care  of  this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches 
choking  the  word.'s  Sometimes,  likewise,  Satan  endeavours  to  raise  prejudices 
in  the  minds  of  men,  against  what  is  delivered  ;  so  that  plainness  of  expression, 
when  addressed  to  the  consciences  of  men,  in  such  away  as  has  a  tendency  to  bring 
them  under  conviction,  is  contemned,  and  called  a  low,  mean  way  of  address,  and 
disliked  because  destitute  of  that  elegance  of  style,  or  ingenious  turn  of  thought, 
which  is  adapted  rather  to  please  the  ear  than  to  affect  the  heart. 

By  these  methods  Satan  endeavours  to  hinder  persons  from  being  brought  under 
conviction.  But  if  their  consciences  are,  notwithstanding,  awakened  under  the 
word,  or  by  some  providences  which  God  often  makes  use  of  for  that  end  ;  there 
are  methods  of  another  kind,  which  Satan  uses,  to  prevent  convictions  from  mak- 
ing any  deep  or  lasting  impression.  Thus  he  endeavours  to  make  the  soul  easy, 
from  the  consideration  of  the  universal  depravity  of  human  nature.  He  accord- 
ingly insinuates,"  that  all  have  reason  to  accuse  themselves  of  sins  which  would  tend 
to  their  disquietude,  if  they  made  a  narrow  search  into  their  hearts,  or  had  such  for- 
midable thoughts  of  the  consequences  of  sin.  Here  he  produces  many  examples  of 
persons  who  have  been  quiet  and  easy  in  their  own  minds,  though  they  had  as  much 
ground  to  perplex  and  torment  themselves  with  melancholy  thoughts  as  those  who 
are  awakened  have  ;  but  who,  nevertheless,  go  on  in  a  course  of  sin,  without  any 
checks  of  conscience,  and,  as  Job  says,  '  spend  their  days  in  wealth,'  or,  as  it  is  in 
the  margin,  in  mirth,  'and  in  a  moment  go  down  to  the  grave,'*  being  resolved  to 
give  way  to  nothing  that  shall  disturb  their  peace,  or  render  their  lives  uncomfort- 
able. If  this  stratagem  will  not  take  effect,  inasmuch  as  the  persons  awakened  are 
sensible,  that  while  they  remain  in  an  unconverted  state  they  can  have  no  solid 
foundation  for  peace,  then  Satan  endeavours  to  persuade  them  that  the  work  of  con- 
version is  over,  and  that  conviction  of  sin,  though  unaccompanied  by  faith,  is  true 
repentance,  or  that  a  partial  reformation,  and  abstaining  from  some  gross  and  scan- 
dalous sins,  or  engaging  in  the  external  duties  of  religion,  especially  with  some  de- 
gree of  raised  affections,  is  a  sufficient  ground  for  them  to  conclude  that  they  are 
in  a  state  of  grace.  If  they  resolve  to  go  on  in  this  way,  he  puts  them  upon  de- 
pending and  relying  on  their  own  righteousness,  and  expecting  to  be  justified  by  it, 

P  Acts  iv.  18.  q  Chap.  v.  18.  r  Matt.  xiii.  4,  19.        s  Verses  7,  22.  t  Job  xxi.  13. 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  657 

without  seeing  a,  necessity  of  laying  hold  on  what  Christ  has  done  and  suffered,  in 
order  to  the  removing  of  the  guilt  of  sin  ;  and,  so  long  as  they  continue  in  this  way, 
they  shall  meet  with  no  disturbance  from  Satan,  this  not  being  the  method  which 
God  has  prescribed  for  our  attaining  justification,  or  that  peace  which  flows  from 
it.  Again,  Satan  puts  them  upon  making  vows  and  resolutions  in  their  own. 
strength,  that  they  will  perform  several  religious  duties  with  the  greatest  exactness, 
and  abstain  from  those  sins  which  he  is  sensible  they  will  commit,  if  not  prevented  by 
the  grace  of  God,  that  so,  by  too  great  confidence  in  their  own  strength,  they  may 
provoke  him  to  leave  them  to  themselves.  They,  in  consequence,  soon  break  their 
resolutions,  and  bring  themselves  under  greater  perplexities  than  they  were  in  be- 
fore. Then  to  make  them  easy,  he  endeavours  to  persuade  them  that  God  does 
not  require  them  to  lead  so  strict  a  life  as  they  seemed  determined  to  do,  but  has 
allowed  them  some  innocent-  liberties,  as  he  calls  them,  in  giving  way  to  those  sins 
which  their  condition  in  life  renders  necessary.  As  he  had  before  tempted  them 
to  rely  on  their  own  strength,  he  now  tempts  them  to  carnal  security,  and  a  sloth- 
ful, stupid  frame  of  spirit,  whereby  they  will  be  rendered  more  receptive  of  those 
temptations  he  has  to  offer,  to  turn  them  aside  from  that  strictness  in  religion 
which  they  before  resolved  to  maintain.  Further,  Satan  dazzles  their  eyes  with 
the  glittering  vanities  of  this  world,  that  he  may  divert  their  minds  from  serious 
thoughts  or  any  concern  about  a  better.  If  their  secular  callings  are  attended  with 
some  encumbrances,  through  the  multiplicity  of  business,  or  the  constant  care  they 
are  obliged  to  take  to  live  in  the  world  ;  he  alleges  how  inconsistent  it  will  be  to 
give  way  to  convictions  of  sin  which  will  be  an  hinderance  to  the  necessary  busi- 
ness of  life.  Thus  concerning  the  method  which  Satan  uses  to  prevent  conviction 
of  sin,  or  to  hinder  its  efficacy.  But  as  this  does  not  always  take  effect,  especially 
when  convictions  make  a  deep  impression  upon  us, 

(3.)  We  proceed  to  consider  those  methods  which  are  used  by  Satan  to  hinder 
persons  from  closing  with  Christ,  and  believing  in  him.  Thus  he  endeavours  to 
keep  them  in  ignorance  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  to  turn  them  aside 
to  embrace  those  errors  which  are  inconsistent  with  faith  in  Christ.  He  suggests, 
that  to  press  after  the  knowledge  of  the  sense  of  scripture  belongs  not  to  them, 
but  to  persons  of  learning,  or  to  those  who  are  called  to  preach  or  defend  the  truth ; 
and  that  it  is  enough  for  them  to  have  some  general  notions  of  the  doctrines  of  re- 
ligion, whereby  they  may  be  induced  to  practice  those  moral  virtues  to  which  their 
station  in  life  engages  them,  while  they  leave  the  more  abstruse  parts  of  Christian 
doctrine  to  those  who  are  inclined  to  study  them.  Moreover,  he  improves  the  differ- 
ent sentiments  of  men  about  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  to  answer  this  end ;  and 
infers  that,  as  one  asserts  one  thing  for  truth,  and  another  the  contrary,  there  is 
nothing  certain  in  religion  ;  so  that  they  are  safest  who  keep  clear  of  all  contro- 
verted matters,  among  which  he  includes  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in 
Christ.  This  method  of  temptation  leads  men  to  scepticism,  and,  if  complied  with, 
is  inconsistent  with  faith  in  Christ.  They,  in  consequence  of  it,  imbibe  those  doc- 
trines which  tend  to  sap  the  very  foundation  of  revealed  religion.  If  they  pretend 
to  adhere  to  any  scheme  of  doctrine,  it  is  generally  such  as  has  a  tendency  to  strike 
at  the  divinity  and  glory  of  Christ,  the  necessity  of  his  satisfaction,  or  of  our  justi- 
fication by  his  imputed  righteousness,  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  need 
we  have  of  his  powerful  operations  in  the  w^rk  of  regeneration,  conversion,  and 
sanctification.  These  are  the  doctrines  on  which  our  faith  is  built.  Hence,  to 
deny  them,  as  it  is  the  result  of  the  alienation  of  our  minds  from  God,  is  not  only 
inconsistent  with  our  closing  with  Christ,  but  is  agreeable  to  the  working  of  Satan 
in  the  children  of  disobedience,  whereby  he  answers  his  character,  as  a  deceiver, 
as  well  as  a  tempter. 

Satan  further  endeavours  to  hinder  men  from  believing  in  Christ,  by  persuading  ' 
them  to  hope  for  salvation  from  the  mercy  of  God,  without  any  regard  to  the  dis- 
play of  this  attribute  in  Christ,  as  our  Mediator,  or  faith  in  him,  without  which  we 
have  no  ground  to  conclude  that  we  shall  obtain  mercy.  Or  as  faith  is  necessary 
to  salvation,  he  persuades  them  to  be  content  with  such  a  faith  as  consists 
only  in  a  general  assent  to  some  things  contained  in  scripture,  without  the 
exercise  of  other  graces  which  are  inseparably  connected  with  and  flow  from  true 
ii.  4  o 


658  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

faith.  If  they  are  satisfied  with  such  a  faith,  it  is  no  wonder  that  Satan,  by  his 
false  reasoning,  carries  on  the  temptation  jet  farther,  and  persuades  them  that  faith 
is  in  their  own  power,  and  that  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  believe  ;  and  their  being  per- 
suaded of  this  is  a  certain  indication  that  they  are  destitute  of  saving  faith.  Thus 
we  have  considered  Satan  as  endeavouring  to  strengthen  the  habits  of  sin,  as  en- 
deavouring to  hinder  the  work  of  conviction  or  to  prevent  its  taking  effect,  and  as 
using  methods  to  keep  those  who  are  under  convictions,  from  closing  with  Christ 
by  faith. 

(4.)  We  now  proceed  to  consider  Satan's  injecting  atheistical  and  blasphemous 
thoughts  into  the  minds  of  men,  and  using  his  utmost  endeavours  to  drive  them 
to  despair.  He  sometimes  injects  atheistical  and  blasphemous  thoughts  into  the 
minds  of  men.  His  nature  inclines  him  to  hate  and  oppose  God  ;  and  his  malice 
breaks  forth  in  tempting  men  to  blaspheme  his  perfections.  Thus  some  are  repre- 
sented as  '  opening  their  mouths  in  blasphemy  against  God,  to  blaspheme  his  name 
and  his  tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven  ;'u  and  this  they  do  by  the  in- 
stigation of  Satan.  There .  is,  however,  a  vast  difference  between  those  blasphe- 
mous thoughts  which  are  injected  into  the  minds  of  wicked  men,  and  those  which 
are  often  complained  of  by  the  believer.  The  devil  stamps  his  own  image  upon  the 
former ;  and  they  are  like  a  spark  falling  into  combustible  matter,  which  imme- 
diately sets  it  on  fire.  The  latter  are  like  a  flash  of  fire  that  lights  upon  water, 
without  doing  any  execution.  We  read  of  some  who  are  entirely  under  his  domi- 
nion, who  '  blaspheme  the  God  of  heaven,  because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores, 
and  repent  not  of  their  deeds.'*  But  there  are  others  into  whom  he  injects  blas- 
phemous thoughts,  to  whom  they  are  a  grief  and  burden.  Some  are  tempted  to 
deny  the  being  or  providence  of  God  ;  and  others  to  have  unworthy  and  injurious 
thoughts  of  the  divine  perfections.  Such  thoughts  cannot  be  reckoned  any  other 
than  blasphemy  ;  and  so  far  as  they  proceed  from  us,  bring  with  them  a  very  great 
degree  of  guilt.  That  believers  themselves  have  been  sometimes  guilty  of  them, 
appears  from  what  the  psalmist  utters  in  words,  when  he  says,  '  Is  his  mercy  clean 
gone  for  ever?  Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious ?'y  Indeed,  it  is  no  uncom- 
mon thing  for  believers  to  complain  of  their  having  injurious  and  unworthy  thoughts 
of  the  divine  perfections,  which  they  dare  not  utter  in  words,  and  which  fill  them 
with  the  greatest  uneasiness.  It  is  therefore  necessary  for  us  to  inquire,  when 
these  blasphemous  suggestions  take  their  rise  from  ourselves,  and  when  from  Satan. 
It  is  certain  that  sometimes  they  proceed  from  ourselves.  Thus  our  Saviour  says, 
'  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  blasphemies  that  defile  a  man.'*  We  have  reason  to 
charge  ourselves  with  them,  when  they  arise  from  or  are  accompanied  with  other 
presumptuous  sins  ;  or  when  we  do  not  strive  against  them,  but  rather  give  way  to 
them,  as  well  as  to  other  suggestions  of  Satan,  and,  in  consequence,  dishonour  God, 
grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  defile  our  own  consciences.  On  the  other  hand,  we 
may  humbly  hope  and  trust  that  they  are  to  be  charged  on  Satan  rather  than  our- 
selves, when  they  are  the  result  of  some  bodily  distemper,  as  in  those  who  are 
under  the  prevailing  power  of  melancholy.  In  such  persons  it  may  be  observed 
that  when,  by  the  use  of  natural  means,  the  distemper  is  abated,  and  the  constitu- 
tion mended,  the  blasphemous  suggestions  cease.  Again,  blasphemous  thoughts 
are  to  be  charged  on  Satan,  when  our  souls  tremble  at  the  temptation  they  suggest, 
and  oppose  it  with  the  utmost  abhorrence,  as  our  Saviour,  when  the  devil  tempted 
him  to  *  fall  down  and  worship  him,'  immediately  replied  to  him,  •  Get  thee  hence, 
Satan.'8  Further,  any  unholy  suggestion  is  from  the  tempter,  when  we  can  appeal 
to  the  heart-searching  God,  that  so  far  from  having  any  inclination  to  comply  with 
it,  that  nothing  is  more  grievous  to  us,  than  to  be  assaulted  with  it ;  and  especially 
when  we  take  occasion  from  it  to  exercise  that  reverential  fear  of  the  divine 
Majesty  which  is  opposite  to  it. 

As  Satan  gives  disturbance  by  blasphemous  suggestions,  so  he  uses  endeavours 
to  drive  persons  to  despair.  We  observed  under  a  former  Head,  that  so  long  as  he 
can  persuade  any  one  to  take  up  with  a  false  peace,  and  fancy  himself  secure, 

u  Rev.  xiii.  6.  x  Chap.  xvi.  11.  y  Psal.  lxxnl.  8,  9. 

*  Matt.  xv.  19.  a  Chap.  iv.  9,  10. 


THE  SIXTH  TETITION  OF  THE   LORD  S  PRAYER*  659 

though  going  on  in  a  course  of  rebellion  against  God,  he  gives  him  but  little  un- 
easiness, endeavouring  rather  to  increase  his  stupidity  than  to  awaken  his  iears. 
He  previously  attempted  to  bring  ruin  upon  him,  by  suggesting  those  temptations 
which  led  to  presumption,  and  by  pretending  to  him  that  all  tilings  were  well,  when 
the  ground  was  sinking  under  him,  and  his  hope  built  on  a  sandy  foundation.  But, 
when  the  frame  of  his  spirit  is  somewhat  altered,  and  he  is  brought  to  a  sense  of 
his  miserable  condition,  so  that  none  of  those  stupifying  medicines  which  have  been 
used  will  heal  the  wound  ;  Satan  endeavours  to  persuade  him  that  his  condition  is 
hopeless,  or  that  there  is  no  help  for  him  in  God.  To  this  temptation  believers,  as 
well  as  the  unregenerate,  are  sometimes  liable.  Of  this  we  have  many  instances 
in  scripture,  besides  those  which  are  matter  of  daily  experience.  But  it  may  be 
observed,  that  there  is  this  difference  between  the  despairing  thoughts  of  believers 
and  those  of  the  unregenerate,  that  we  scarcely  ever  read  of  a  believer's  despair  with- 
out finding  that  it  either  argued  his  faith  in  God,  or  that  there  was  a  mixture  of 
hope  which  was  like  a  beam  of  light  shining  in  darkness.  Thus  the  psalmist,  in 
the  eighty-eighth  psalm,  expresses  himself  like  one  in  the  depths  of  despair  ;  yet  it 
may  be  observed  that  he  addresses  himself  to  God  as  '  the  Lord  God  of  his  salva- 
tion.' When  the  church  is  represented  as  saying,  ■  My  hope  is  perished  from  the 
Lord  ;'b  she  is  considered  afterwards  as  encouraging  herself  in  him:  '  The  Lord  is 
my  portion,  saith  my  soul,  therefore  will  I  hope  in  him.  'c  '  For  the  Lord  will  not  cast 
off  for  ever.'d  On  the  other  hand,  the  despair  of  unbelievers  is  attended  with  an  ob- 
stinate resolution  to  go  on  in  a  course  of  sin,  and  a  total  withdrawing  of  themselves 
from  the  ordinances,  or  instituted  means  of  grace.  Thus  when  Cain  complained 
that  his  '  punishment  was  greater  than  he  could  bear,'  •  he  went  out  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord.'6  In  this  case  despair,  especially  if  it  does  not  proceed  from  a 
bodily  distemper,  as  it  sometimes  does,  is  a  sad  mark  of  a  person's  being  under  the 
dominion  of  Satan ;  who  was  before  a  tempter,  but  now  proves  a  tormentor. 

Here  we  may  take  occasion  to  consider  how  Satan  proceeds  against  men  in  tempt- 
ing them  to  despair.  He  takes  the  fittest  opportunity,  when  we  are  most  likely 
to  be  overcome  by  his  temptation.  He  observes  our  constitution  when  most  ad- 
dicted to  melancholy,  and  therefore  more  easily  led  to  despair.  He  also  takes  no- 
tice of  some  circumstances  of  providence  under  which  we  are  brought,  which  are 
more  than  ordinarily  afflictive,  and  tend  to  deject  and  render  us  more  receptive  of 
temptation  to  despair ;  and  he  endeavours  to  add  weight  to  our  burden,  and  depress 
our  spirits  under  our  afflictions.  He  also  lays  hold,  more  especially,  on  times  when 
we  are  under  divine  desertion,  and  when,  in  consequence,  our  faith  is  weak,  and 
we  are  very  much  indisposed  to  seek  help  from  God.  Moreover,  he  often  takes 
occasion,  from  some  great  fall  and  miscarriage  of  which  we  have  been  guilty,  and 
by  which  we  have  grieved  the  Holy  Spirit  and  wounded  our  own  consciences,  so  far 
to  aggravate  our  crime  that  we  may  conclude  our  state  to  be  altogether  hopeless. 
Again,  he  endeavours  to  stop  all  the  springs  of  comfort  which  might  fortify  us 
against  temptation  to  despair,  or  afford  us  any  relief  under  it.  Accordingly,  he 
turns  our  thoughts  from  the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  persuades  the 
soul  to  conclude  that  they  are  not  made  to  him,  and  that  therefore  he  ought  not  to 
apply  them  to  himself  for  hi%  comfort.  He  also  persuades  him  to  determine  per- 
emptorily against  himself,  that  he  is  not  elected  to  salvation ;  not  from  any  marks 
of  reprobation  which  he  finds  in  himself,  but  by  entering  into  God's  secret  counsels, 
and  pretending  to  search  the  records  of  heaven,  into  which  he  has  no  warrant  to 
look.  In  acting  thus,  despair  includes  a  mixture  of  sinful  presumption.  At  the 
same  time,  the  person  tempted  has  a  secret  aversion  to  converse  with  those  who  are 
able  to  speak  a  word  in  season  to  him.  If  any  endeavours  are  used  to -convince 
him  that  the  mercy  of  God  is  infinite,  that  his  thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts,  and 
that  the  merit  of  Christ  extends  itself  to  the  chief  of  sinners,  they  are  all  to  no  pur- 
pose ;  for  his  general  reply  to  all  such  arguments  is,  that  the  mercy  of  God  belongs 
not  to  him,  or  that  his  iniquities  have  excluded  him  from  the  divine  favour. 
Further,  Satan  endeavours  to  hinder  a  soul,  at  this  time,  from  waiting  on  God  in 
ordinances.     As  for  the  Lord's  supper,  he  not  only  dissuades  him  from  attending 

b  Lam.  ui.  18.  c  Ver.  24.  d  Ver.  31.  e  Gen.  iv.  18,  16. 


660  THE  SIXTH  PETITION   OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

on  it,  but  endeavours  to  insinuate  that,  in  partaking  of  it  in  times  past,  he  has  'eat 
and  drank'  his  own  '  damnation.'  He  thus  gives  a  perverse  sense  of  the  passage 
in  Corinthians  ;f  which,  as  appears  from  the  context,  is  to  he  applied,  not  to  weak 
believers,  but  to  such  as  engage  in  this  ordinance  in  a  profane  and  irreverent  man- 
ner, as  though  it  were  not  a  divine  institution,  and  without  any  desire  of  obtaining 
spiritual  mercies  from  God  while  observing  it.  The  word  which  we  render  'dam- 
nation' ought  to  be  rendered  'judgment,'  denoting  that  they  expose  themselves  to 
temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  judgments  in  this  world  for  this  wickedness,  and  not 
that  they  are  to  conclude  that  their  eternal  damnation  will  unavoidably  follow.  Hence, 
the  design  of  this  scripture  is  to  lead  to  repentance,  and  not  to  despair.  As  for  the 
word  preached,  the  person  tempted  concludes  that  every  thing  which  is  delivered  in 
it  contains  an  indictment  against  him ;  and  therefore  he  cannot  endure  to  hear  it. 
As  for  prayer,  Satan  discourages  him  from  it,  by  pretending  that  he  is  not  in  a 
right  frame  for  the  performance  of  the  duty,  and  by  giving  a  false  sense  of  such 
scriptures  as  these :  '  He  that  turneth  away  his  ear  from  hearing  the  law,  even 
his  prayer  shall  be  abomination. 's  '  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  abomination.'11 
But  the  meaning  is  not  that  the  duty  itself  is  sinful  because  performed  by-  sinners, 
or  that  God  hates  them  the  more  for  praying;  but  it  is  that  he  hates  the  hypo- 
crisy, formality,  and  other  sins  committed  by  them,  when  engaged  in  it.  Hence, 
they  should  rather  strive  and  pray  against  this  unbecoming  frame  of  spirit,  than 
lay  aside  the  duty  itself,  as  they  are  tempted  to  do.  Again,  Satan  makes  use  of 
false  reasonings,  by  which  he  endeavours  to  tempt  persons  to  despair.  He  puts 
them  upon  concluding  that,  because  they  have  no  grace,  they  never  shall  have  it. 
This  reasoning,  if  it  were  just,  must  be  applied  to  all  unregenerate  sinners  ;  and 
then  we  must  conclude  that  the  whole  work  of  conversion  in  this  world  is  at  an 
end.  But,  blessed  be  God,  it  is  not.  He  farther  argues  that,  because  they  have 
lived  a  great  while  in  a  course  of  sin,  and  their  hearts  are  very  much  hardened  by 
it,  they  cannot  be  brought  to  repentance  ;  or  their  wound  is  incurable,  and  there 
are  no  healing  medicines.  This  is  to  set  limits  to  the  almighty  power  and  grace  of 
God.  Satan  farther  induces  them  to  conclude  that  there  is  something  uncommon 
in  their  case,  that  they  are  greater  sinners  than  ever  obtained  mercy.  This, 
however,  is  more  than  it  is  possible  for  them  to  know.  Yet  they  are  tempted  to 
apply  the  presumptuous  and  discouraging  suggestion  to  themselves  to  heighten 
their  despair,  and  to  hinder  the  force  of  any  argument  which  may  be  brought  to 
the  contrary.  But  the  most  common  argument  which  Satan  uses  to  induce  per- 
sons to  despair,  is  that  they  have  sinned  against  light  and  the  convictions  of  their 
own  consciences,  that  they  have  grieved  and  quenched  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  that 
therefore  they  have  probably  committed  the  unpardonable  sin.  This  is  often 
alleged  by  persons  against  themselves,  though,  at  the  same  time,  they  know  not 
what  this  sin  is,  and  regard  not  any  thing  which  is  said  to  convince  them  that  they 
have  no  reason  to  qonclude  that  they  have  committed  it.  Indeed,  their  very  fears, 
and  the  desires  they  express  that  it  were  otherwise  with  them,  are  an  undeniable 
argument  that  they  are  mistaken  in  the  judgment  which  they  pass  on  themselves, 
by  adhering  to  Satan's  suggestions,  leading  them  to  despair.1  Thus  we  have 
given  some  account  of  the  great  variety  of  temptations  to  which  we  are  exposed 
from  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 

II.  We  are  now  to  consider  how  we  are  to  pray  that  we  may  not  be  led  into 
temptation,  or,  if  led  into  it,  by  what  means  we  may  be  delivered  from  the  evil 
consequences  which  will  arise  from  our  compliance  with  it.  An  hour  of  tempta- 
tion is  not  only  afflictive,  but  dangerous,  by  reason  of  the  united  assaults  of  the 
enemies  with  whom  we  have  to  deal.  The  world  continually  presents  objects  which 
are  agreeable  to  corrupt  nature  ;  and  Satan  is  unwearied  in  his  endeavours  to  turn 
us  aside  from  God  by  means  of  these  objects,  in  order  that  he  may  have  us  in  his 
own  power,  and  drive  us  from  one  degree  of  impiety  to  another.  Hence,  though 
it  is  not  impossible  to  be  tempted  without  sin,  yet  it  is  exceedingly  difficult.     As, 

f  1  Cor.  xi.  29.  g  Prov.  xxviii  9.  h  Chap.  xxi.  27- 

i  See  a  particular  account  what  this  sin  is,  and  when  a  person  may  certainly  ponclude  that  he 
has  not  committed  it,  Sect.  'For  whom  Prayer  is  not  to  be  made,'  under  Quest,  clxxxlv. 


THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE   LORD'S  PRAYER.  (JG1 

therefore,  we  are  to  take  heed  that  we  do  not  go  in  the  way  of  temptation  ;  so  wo 
are  to  address  ourselves  to  God,  that  he  would  keep  us  from  it,  if  it  be  his  will. 
We  are  not,  indeed,  absolutely  to  pray  against  it,  as  we  are  to  pray  against  sin  ; 
for,  while  it  is  not  possible  for  us  to  commit  sin  without  contracting  guilt,  we  may 
be  tempted  to  sin,  and  yet  come  off  conquerors  over  it.  But  as  the  enterprise 
itself  is  hazardous,  the  conflict  difficult,  and  the  event,  with  respect  to  us,  uncer- 
tain, we  should  rather  desire  that,  if  God  has  not  some  gracious  ends  to  answer,  by 
our  being  subjected  to  temptation,  which  ar§,  at  present,  unknown  to  us,  he  would 
be  pleased  to  prevent  it.  The  case  is  the  same  as  if  we  were  apprehensive  of  an 
infectious  distemper  raging  among  us.  This  we  are  to  pray  against  ;  though 
God  could,  by  his  power,  preserve  us,  in  particular,  from  its  evil  consequences.  Or 
if  we  were  informed  that  an  enemy  lay  in  wait  secretly  for  our  lives,  it  is  possible 
for  God  to  deliver  us  out  of  his  hand  ;  yet  if  the  matter  were  referred  to  our  own 
choice,  we  would  rather  desire  that  he  may  not  be  suffered  to  assault  us.  Thus 
we  are  to  pray  that  God  would  keep  us  from  temptation.  We  are  not,  however, 
to  question  his  power,  or  distrust  his  providence,  as  though  he  could  not  carry  us 
safely  through  it;  and  we  are  to  hope  that  he  will  do  so,  if  he  suffers  us  to  be 
tempted.  Nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  we  can  be  altogether  free  from  those 
temptations  which  arise  from  the  imperfection  of  the  present  state  ;  in  which  we 
must  expect  to  be  subject  to  the  perpetual  lustings  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit. 
Hence,  we  are  to  direct  our  prayers  to  God  principally  that  he  would  keep  us  from 
falling  by  temptation,  or  that  he  would  recover  us  when  fallen,  prevent  the  evils 
which  would  otherwise  follow,  and  overrule  our  sinful  compliance  to  his  own  glory 
and  our  future  advantage. 

1.  We  are  to  pray  that  he  would  keep  us  from  falling  by  temptation,  that  it  may 
be  like  a  wave  dashing  against  a  rock,  which  remains  unmoved,  or  like  a  dart  shot 
against  a  breastplate  of  steel,  which  only  blunts  its  point,  and  returns  it  back  with- 
out receiving  injury.  Now  God  prevents  our  falling  by  temptation,  either  by  his 
restraining  or  by  his  renewing  grace.  The  former  is  common  to  the  regenerate 
and  the  unregenerate  ;  and,  when  it  is  unaccompanied  with  any  higher  grace,  it 
consists  chiefly  in  some  alteration  made  in  the  natural  temper  or  present  inclina- 
tions of  men,  so  that  sin,  though  it  remains  unmortified,  is  abstained  from,  just  as 
a  river  is  kept  from  overflowing  a  country,  not  by  ceasing  to  be  fluid  in  its  nature, 
but  by  being  contained  within  its  proper  banks.  These  restraints,  in  some,  proceed 
from  the  change  which  providence  makes  in  their  outward  condition  **•  circum- 
stances in  the  world  ;  so  that  temptations  which  formerly  they  were  ready  to  com- 
ply with,  are  either  discontinued  or  offered  without  success.  Thus  when  a  person 
is  bowed  down  with  some  affliction,  it  gives  a  different  turn  to  his  passions ;  so  that, 
as  Job  says,  '  the  heart  is  made  soft,'k  in  a  natural  way,  by  those  troubles  which 
tend  to  depress  the  spirits.  Sometimes  a  person  is  unexpectedly  surprised  with  a 
fit  of  sickness,  which  gives  him  a  near  view  of  death  and  another  world  ;  and  then 
the  violence  of  any  temptation  with  which  he  is  assailed,  for  the  present,  ceases,  or 
at  least,  he  is  deterred  from  complying  with  it.  Or  it  may  be,  his  spirits  are  de- 
cayed, his  constitution  weakened,  and  his  natural  vigour  abated  by  affliction,  so 
that  he  has  no  inclination  to  commit  some  sins  to  which  he  was  formerly  addicted. 
Others  want  leisure  to  pursue  those  lusts  to  which  they  are  habitually  prone,  being 
engaged  in  a  hurry  of  business,  or  conflicting  with  many  difficulties  for  the  sub- 
sisting of  themselves  and  families.  These  are  not  exposed  to  the  temptations  which 
often  attend  a  slothful  and  indolent  way  of  living.  Or  it  may  be,  they  are  sepa- 
rated from  their  former  associates,  who  have  been  partners  with  them  in  sin,  and 
tempters  to  it.  Sometimes,  too,  there  is  a  sudden  thought  injected  into  their  minds, 
which  fills  them  with  an  inward  fear  and  dread  of  the  consequence  of  committing 
sins  which  are  more  gross  and  notorious.  This  is  the  result  of  an  awakened  con- 
science ;  whereby  persons  are  kept  from  the  commission  of  many  sins,  by  the  re- 
straints of  common  providence,  though  they  are,  notwithstanding,  in  a  state  of  un- 
regeneracy,  and  sin  in  general  remains  unmortified. — On  the  other  hand,  the  be- 
liever is  preserved  by  the  power  of  sanctifying  grace,  whereby  an  habitual  inclina- 

k  Job  xxiii.  16. 


662  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

tion  is  wrought  in  him  to  detest  the  sin  to  which  he  is  tempted.  The  Spirit  of 
God,  by  his  immediate  interposition,  internally  disposes  him  to  exercise  the  con- 
trary graces ;  which  proceed  from  a  principle  of  filial  fear  and  love  to  God,  together 
with  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  all  the  benefits  which  he  has  received  from  him. 
Hence,  in  repelling  a  temptation,  he  says,  with  Joseph,  '  How  can  I  do  this  great 
wickedness,  and  sin  against  God?'1 

2.  We  are  also  to  pray  that  God  woujd  prevent  the  evil  consequences  which  very 
often  follow  temptations,  that  our  hearts  may  not  be  hardened  through  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  sin  ;  that  we  may  not  willingly  yield  ourselves  bond-slaves  to  Satan,  or 
take  pleasure  in  those  sins  which  we  have  been  tempted  to  commit ;  and  that  we  may 
not  be  exposed  to  divine  desertion,  how  much  soever  we  have  deserved  it. 

3.  We  are  likewise  to  pray  that  God  would  recover  us,  or  bring  us  out  of  the  pit 
into  which  we  are  fallen  ;  so  that  Satan  may  not  take  occasion,  after  he  has  overcome 
us,  to  insult  us  ;  that  we  may  not  be  given  up  to  a  perpetual  backsliding,  but  that  our 
souls  may  be  '  restored,'  and  '  led  in  the  paths  of  righteousness  for  his  name's  sake.'™ 

4.  If  we  have  fallen  by  a  temptation,  we  are  farther  to  pray  that  God  would 
overrule  it  to  his  own  glory  and  our  spiritual  advantage.  Though  there  is  nothing 
good  in  sin,  yet  God  can  bring  good  out  of  it.  This  he  does  when  he  humbles  the 
sinner  for  it,  makes  him  afraid  of  going  near  the  brink  of  the  pit  into  which  he  fell, 
and  inclines  him  to  be  more  watchful,  that  he  may  not,  by  indulging  some  sins,  lay 
himself  open  to  temptations  which  would  lead  him  to  the  commission  of  many 
others.  God's  overruling  a  believer's  fall  for  his  good,  will  also  induce  him  to  de- 
pend on  Christ  by  faith,  sensible  of  his  inability  to  resist  the  least  temptation  with- 
out him.  It  will  likewise  excite  in  him  the  greatest  thankfulness  to  God,  who  has 
found  a  way  for  his  escape  out  of  the  snare  in  which  he  was  entangled  ;  so  that  he 
will  receive  abundant  advantage,  and  God  will  be  greatly  glorified. 

Thus  we  have  considered  God's  people  as  exposed  to  various  temptations,  and 
how,  in  reference  to  them,  they  are  to  direct  their  prayers  to  God,  agreeably  to 
what  our  Saviour  has  taught  us  in  this  petition.  That  we  may  farther  enlarge 
upon  the  subject  in  our  meditations,  we  may  express  ourselves  to  God  in  prayer  to 
this  effect: — "  We  draw  nigh  to  thee,  O  our  God  and  Father,  as  those  who  are 
exposed  to  many  difficulties,  by  reason  of  the  snares  and  temptations  which  attend 
us.  We  find  it  hard  to  pass  through  the  world  without  being  allured  and  drawn 
aside  from  thee  by  its  vanities,  or  discouraged  and  made  uneasy  by  those  afflictions 
which  are  inseparable  from  the  present  state.  But  that  which  gives  us  the  greatest 
ground  of  distress  and  trouble,  and  makes  us  an  easy  prey  to  our  spiritual  enemies, 
is  the  deceitfulness  and  treachery  of  our  own  hearts,  whereby  we  are  prone  to  yield 
ourselves  the  servants  of  sin  and  Satan.  Every  age  and  condition  of  life  has  been 
filled  with  temptations,  by  which  we  have  been  very  often  overcome.  We  therefore 
implore  the  powerful  aids  of  thy  grace,  that  we  may  be  kept  in  the  hour  of  tempta- 
tion. Enable  us  to  overcome  the  world,  to  mortify  and  subdue  our  corrupt  inclina- 
tions, and  to  stand  against  all  the  wiles  and  fiery  darts  of  the  devil.  Let  us  not  be 
tempted  to  presume  that  we  shall  be  happy  without  holiness,  or  that  we  shall  enjoy 
the  benefits  which  are  purchased  by  Christ,  without  faith  in  him.  May  we  also  be 
freed  from  all  unbecoming  thoughts  of  thy  divine  perfections,  and  not  give  way  to 
any  temptations  which  may  lead  us  ^p  despair  of  thy  mercy,  which  thou  art  pleased 
to  extend  to  the  chief  of  sinners.  We  farther  beg,  though  with  submission  to  thy 
will,  that  we  may  be  kept  from  the  temptations  of  our  grand  adversary,  because 
we  are  sensible  of  our  own  weakness  and  inability  to  resist  him.  Yet  we  are  con- 
fident that  we  can  do  all  things  by  thine  assistance.  If,  therefore,  thou  sufferest 
us  to  be  tempted,  appear  in  our  behalf,  that  we  may  be  made  more  than  conquerors ; 
and  when  we  fall  by  temptation,  let  us  not  be  utterly  cast  down,  but  let  us  be  up- 
held with  thine  hand,  and  let  thy  strength  be  made  perfect  in  our  weakness.  And 
in  the  end,  bring  us  safely  to  that  happy  state  where  there  is  neither  sin  nor  temp- 
tation ;  when  we  shall  be  delivered  from  all  the  evils  of  the  present  state,  that 
thou  mayest  have  the'  glory,  and  that  we  may  praise  thee  throughout  the  ages  of 
eternity." 

1  Gen,  xxxix.  9.  m  Psal.  xxiii.  3, 


THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRATER.  663 


THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Question  CXCVI.  What  doth  the  conclusion  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  teach  us  9 
Answer.  The  conclusion  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which  is,  "For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power, 
and  the  glory,  for  ever,  Amen,"  teacheth  us  to  enforce  our  petitions  with  arguments,  which  are  to 
be  taken,  not  from  any  worthiness  in  ourselves,  or  in  any  other  creature,  but  from  God ;  and  with 
our  prayers,  to  join  praises,  ascribing  to  God  alone  eternal  sovereignty,  omnipotency,  and  glorious 
excellency ;  in  regard  whereof,  as  he  is  able  and  willing  to  help  us,  so  we  by  faith  are  emboldened 
to  plead  with  him  that  he  would,  and  quietly  to  rely  upoti  him  that  he  will  fulfil  our  requests,  and 
to  testify  this  our  desire  and  assurance,  we  say,  "  Amen." 

As  we  are  taught  to  begin  our  prayers  with  -those  expressions  of  reverence  which 
become  the  majesty  of  God  when  we  draw  nigh  to  him ;  so  we  are  to  conclude  them 
with  a  doxology,  or  an  ascription  of  that  glory  which  is  due  to  his  name.  Thus 
praise  is  joined  with  prayer  ;  and  we  are  encouraged  to  hope  that  he  will  hear  and 
answer  our  petitions.  In  the  conclusion  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  we  are  directed  to 
ascribe  to  God  '  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever,'  and  to  sum  up  all 
with  the  comprehensive  word,  '  Amen.'  This  doxology  may  be  considered  in  two 
respects, — as  we  express  by  it  the  due  regard  we  have  to  the  divine  perfections ; 
.  and  as  we  improve  or  make  use  of  the  clauses  of  it  as  so  many  arguments  or  pleas 
in  prayer. 

I.  We  shall  consider  the  doxology  as  expressing  the  sense  we  have  of  the  divine 
perfections. 

1.  We  say,  '  Thine  is  the  kingdom.'  Here  God's  sovereignty  and  his  universal 
dominion  over  all  creatures  are  acknowledged,  as  he  has  a  right  to  every  thing  to 
which  he  gave  being.  As  this  is  more  especially  a  branch  of  his  relative  glory,  since 
the  idea  of  a  king  implies  subjects  over  whom  his  dominion  is  exercised  ;  so  it  sup- 
poses in  us  an  humble  expression  of  subjection  to  him,  and  dependence  on  him  for 
all  things  which  we  enjoy  or  hope  for.  We  also  consider  him  as  having  a  right  to 
make  use  of  all  creatures  at  his  pleasure  ;  inasmuch  as  the  earth  is  his,  and  the 
fulness  thereof.  As  we  are  intelligent  creatures,  we  profess  our  obligation  to  yield 
obedience  to  his  revealed  will,  and  our  fear  of  incurring  his  displeasure  by  rebelling 
against  him,  with  whom  is  terrible  majesty.  And  when  we  take  a  view  of  him  as 
seated  on  a  throne  of  grace,  and  of  his  government  as  extended  to  his  church,  on 
which  account  he  is  adored  as  '  King  of  saints,'  n  we  hope  for  his  safe  protection, 
and  for  all  the  blessings,  which  he  bestows  on  those  whom  he  governs  in  a  way  sub- 
servient to  their  everlasting  salvation. 

2.  We  adore  him  as  a  God  of.  infinite  power,  '  Thine  is  the  power.'  Dominion 
without  power  will  not  be  sufficient  to  maintain  its  rights.  Hence,  as  God  is  de- 
scribed as  having  the  kingdom  belonging  to  him,  or  as  being  the  Governor  among 
the  nations,  his  attribute  of  power  ought  to  be  next  considered  ;  whereby  he  can, 
without  the  least  difficulty,  secure  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  his  subjects,  and 
bring  to  nought  the  designs  of  his  enemies ;  or  as  it  is  elegantly  expressed,  '  look 
on  every  one  that  is  proud,  and  bring  him  low,  and  tread  down  the  wicked  in  their 
place,  hide  them  in  the  dust  together,  and  bind  their  faces  in  secret.'0 

3.  It  is  added,  '  Thine  is  the  glory.'  This  expression  may  be  understood  in  two 
senses.  The  '  glory  '  may  be  viewed  as  including  all  his  perfections,  whereby  he  is 
rendered  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  angels  and  men  ;  so  that  there  is  nothing  which 
we  esteem  beautiful  or  excellent  in  the  whole  system  of  created  beings,  but  what  is 
deformed,  and,  as  it  were,  vanishes  and  sinks  into  nothing,  when  compared  with 
him.  Or  the  meaning  of  the  expression  is,  that  all  the  praise  which  arises  from 
every  thing  done  in  the  world  which  appears  great  and  excellent,  or  which  has  a 
tendency  to  raise  our  esteem  and  admiration,  is  to  be  ascribed  to  him.  In  ascrib-. 
mg  to  him  this  praise,  we  disclaim  the  least  shadow  or  appearance  of  divine  honour ; 
which  we  are  ready,  on  all  occasions,  to  acknowledge  to  be  due  to  him  alone.  Thus 
we  adore  him  as  having  all  divine  perfections,  when  we  say,  '  Thine  is  the  king- 
dom, the  power,  and  the  glory.' 

4.  It  is  farther  added,  that  they  belong  to  him  '  for  ever  and  ever.'  By  this  ex- 
pression, it  is  intimated  that,  whatever  changes  there  may  be  in  the  nature  or  con. 

n  Rev.  xv.  3.  o  Job  xl.  12, 13. 


664  THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  LORD  S  PRAYER. 

dition  of  created  beings,  he  is  unchangeably  the  same  ;  and  therefore  will  remain 
glorious  in  himself,  and  be  for  ever  admired  and  adored  by  all  his  saints,  whose 
happiness  depends  upon  his  immutability. 

II.  We  shall  consider  these  divine  perfections,  as  they  afford  us  so  many  argu- 
ments or  pleas  in  prayer,  whence  we  take  encouragement  to  expect  a  gracious 
answer  from  him.  That  they  are  to  be  viewed  in  this  light,  appears  from  the  illa- 
tive particle  '  for, '  which  is  prefixed  to  the  doxology.  We  may  hence  consider  the 
doxology  as  subjoined  to  the  petitions,  as  the  strongest  motive  to  induce  us  to  hope 
that  the  blessings  we  pray  for  shall  be  granted  us.  Accordingly,  we  disclaim  all 
worthiness  in  ourselves,  and  desire  that  our  name  or  righteousness  should  not  be 
mentioned,  but  that  the  whole  revenue  of  glory  may  redound  to  God,  as  all  our  ex- 
pectation is  from  him.  We  might  here  apply  the  several  arguments  or  pleas  con- 
tained in  the  doxology  to  every  one  of  the  petitions  ;  and,  if  thus  applied,  they 
would  tend  very  much  to  enforce  them,  and  afford  matter  for  enlargement  in  prayer. 
But  I  choose  rather  to  reduce  the  subject  of  them  to  the.  two  general  Heads,  under 
which  they  are  contained.  Accordingly,  I  shall  show  how  we  may  make  use  of  them  in 
Our  praying  for  those  things  which  concern  his  glory,  agreeably  to  what  we  are 
directed  to  ask  for  in  the  three  first  petitions  ;  and  how  we  may  make  use  of  them  in 
our  praying  for  temporal  or  spiritual  advantage,  agreeably  to  what  we  are  directed 
to  ask  in  the  three  last. 

1.  As  to  the  glory  of  God  in  the  world,  that  his  name  maybe  hallowed,  his  king- 
dom advanced,  and  his  will  be  done,  we  pray  that,  as  he  is  a  great  King,  the 
blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the  Governor  of  the  world  and  the  church,  he  would 
sanctify  his  glorious  name  ;  that  his  interest  may  be  maintained,  and  prevail  against 
every  thing  which  opposes  it ;  and  that  he  would  take  to  himself  his  great  power 
and  reign.  And,  as  the  success  of  the  gospel,  and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom 
of  grace,  is  a  work  surpassing  finite  power,  and  there  are  many  endeavours  used  to 
weaken  and  overthrow  it ;  we  trust,  we  hope,  we  plead  with  him,  for  the  glory  of 
his  name,  that  he  would  check  and  defeat  the  designs  of  his  and  our  enemies,  that 
the  enlargement  of  his  kingdom  may  not  be  obstructed,  nor  his  subjects  disheart- 
ened, while  Satan's  kingdom,  which  is  set  in  opposition  to  it,  makes  such  sensible 
advances  and  prevails  so  much  against  it.  Moreover,  in  order  that  his  name  may 
be  sanctified  by  his  people,  and  his  kingdom  advanced  in  the  world,  we  pray  that 
his  subjects  may  be  inclined  to  obey  him  and  submit  to  his  will  in  all  things,  or 
that  his  will  may  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Hence,  when  we  ascribe  the 
kingdom,  power,  and  glory  to  him,  we  in  effect,  say : — "  Lord,  what  would  become 
■or  this  wretched  world,  if  it  were  not  under  thy  gracious  government,  which 
is  its  glory  and  defence !  Thou  sittest  on  the  throne  of  thy  holiness,  which  thou 
hast  established  of  old.  We  are,  therefore,  encouraged  to  hope  that  thou  wilt  not 
forsake  thy  people,  who  are  called  by  thy  name,  nor  suffer  thine  interest  to  be 
trampled  on,  or  thy  name  to  be  profaned  by  those  who  say,  '  Who  is  the  Lord, 
that  we  should  obey  him  V  Thine  arm  is  not  shortened,  that  thou  canst  not  save  ; 
for  thine  is  the  power,  and  therefore  nothing  is  too  hard  for  thee.  Thou  hast 
given  us  ground  to  expect  that  thou  wilt  show  thy  people  marvellous  things  ;  and 
thou  hast  promised  that  all  nations  shall  bow  down  before  thee  and  serve  thee,  and 
that  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the  kingdoms  of  Christ.  This  thou 
sanst  easily  accomplish  by  thine  almighty  power,  though  it  be  too  hard  for  man. 
Thou  art  neyer  at  a  loss  for  instruments  to  fulfil  thy  pleasure  ;  for  all  things  are 
in  thy  hand.  Nor,  indeed,  dost  thou  need  them  ;  for  by  thy  powerful  word,  thou 
canst  cause  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  and  revive  thy  work  in  the  midst  of  the 
years,  that  thy  people  may  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  thy  salvation.  Take  the  work, 
therefore,  into  thine  own  hand,  and,  thereby,  give  us  occasion  to  admire  and  ascribe 
to  thee  the  glory  which  is  due  to  thy  name." 

2.  We  are  to  consider  how  we  may  plead  for  temporal  or  spiritual  blessings,  as 
making  use  of  the  argument  that  the  kingdom,  power,  and  glory  belong  to  God. 
Accordingly,  we  pray  that  he  would  give  us  that  portion  of  the  good  things  of  this 
life  which  he  sees  necessary  for  us,  and  that  we  may  enjoy  his  blessing  with  it,  in 
order  to  our  being  prepared  for  a  better.  We  say,  in  effect: — "Give  us  daily 
bread ;  for  the  earth  is  thine,  and  the  fulness  thereof.  Thou  hast  subdued  us  to 
thyself,  and  hast  told  us  that  thou  wilt  surely  do  us  good,  and  bring  us  at  last  to 


THE  CONCLUSION  qF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.  665 

thy  heavenly  kingdom.  We  therefore  humbly  wait  upon  thee,  that  we  may  not  he 
suiiered  to  faint  by  the  way,  or  be  destitute  of  those  blessings  which  are  needful 
for  us  in  our  present  condition.  Thou  art  able  to  supply  all  our  wants.  We  have 
hitherto  been  upheld  by  thy  power,  and  thou  hast  sometimes  done  great  things  for 
us,  which  we  looked  not  for,  and  hast  been  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present 
help  in  every  time  of  trouble.  Thou  hast  granted  us  life  and  favour ;  and  thy 
visitations  have  preserved  our  spirits.  What  thou  hast  given  us  we  have  gathered ; 
thou  hast  opened  thy  hand,  and  filled  us  with  good.  And,  as  the  treasures  of  thy 
bounty  are  not  exhausted,  nor  thy  power  diminished  ;  so  we  desire  to  exercise  a 
constant  dependence  on  thee,  and  to  hope  in  thy  mercy,  that,  as  thou  hast  given 
us  those  better  things  which  accompany  salvation,  thou  wilt  also  bestow  upon  us 
what  thou  seest  needful  for  us  in  our  way  to  it.  Grant  us,  0  Lord,  the  mercies 
which  we  need,  that  the  bestowal  of  them  may  redound,  not  only  to  our  comfort, 
but  to  thy  glory,  who  givest  food  to  all  flesh  ;  for  thy  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 

We  also  encourage  ourselves  to  hope  for  those  spiritual  blessings  which  we  stand  in 
need  of.  Accordingly,  when  we  pray  for  forgiveness  of  sin,  we  consider  God  as  sitting 
upon  a  throne  of  grace,  and  inviting  us  to  come  and  receive  a  pardon  from  his  hand. 
Hence,  we  say,  "  Lord,  thou  art  ready  to  forgive,  and  thereby  to  lay  eternal  obli- 
gations on  thy  subjects,  to  love  and  fear  thee.  If  thou  shouldst  resolve  to  display 
thy  vindictive  justice,  in  punishing  sin  according  to  its  demerit,  thy  kingdom  of 
grace  would  be  at  an  end  ;  but  thou  encouragest  us  to  hope  for  forgiveness,  that 
hereby  grace  may  reign  through  righteousness  unto  life  eternal.  And,  as  thou  art 
a  God  of  infinite  power,  we  beg  that  thou  wouldst  work  in  us  those  graces  which 
flow  from,  and  are  the  evidences  of,  our  having  obtained  forgiveness,  that  being 
delivered  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  we  may  walk  before  thee  in  newness  of  life.  We 
also  ask  this  privilege,  as  what  thou  bestowest  for  Christ's  sake,  that  hereby  he  may 
be  glorified  as  the  purchaser  of  this  blessing,  and  we  laid  under  the  highest  obliga- 
tions to  love  him,  being  constrained  by  his  love,  expressed  to  us  in  washing  us  from 
Our  sins  in  his  own  blood." 

When  we  pray  to  be  kept  from  temptation,  or  to  be  recovered  when  fallen,  we 
consider  ourselves  as  the  subjects  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  his  enemies  as  endea- 
vouring to  draw  us  aside  from  our  allegiance  to  him ;  and  dreading  the  consequence 
of  their  seductions,  we  address  ourselves  to  him,  to  secure  us  from  the  danger  we  are 
exposed  to  from  them.  Accordingly,  when  we  say,  '  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  the 
power,  and  the  glory,'  we  are  furnished  with  arguments  adapted  to  our  present  exi- 
gencies ;  and  we  pray  to  this  effect: — "  The  power  of  our  spiritual  enemies  is  great, 
and  is  specially  formidable  on  account  of  the  treachery  of  our  own  hearts  ;  yet  we 
are  encouraged  to  implore  thine  assistance  against  them,  0  our  God  and  King, 
that  we  may  be.  kept  in  the  hour  of  temptation ;  inasmuch  as  all  the  attempts  which 
are  made  against  us  include  an  invasion  on  thy  sovereignty  and  dominion  over  us. 
We  desire  always  to  ^ommit  ourselves  to  thy  protection,  and  hope  to  find  it.  For 
there  are  no  snares  laid  for  us  but  thou  art  able  to  detect  them,  and  prevent  our 
being  entangled  by  them.  Thou  canst  also  bruise  our  enemies  under  our  feet ;  and 
if  we  are  at  any  time  overcome  by  them,  thou  canst  recover  us  from  the  paths  of 
the  destroyer.  Do  this  for  us,  we  beseech  thee,  that  thou  mayest  have  all  the  glory. 
We  have  no  might ;  but  our  eyes  are  toward  thee,  who  art  able  to  keep  us  from  fall- 
ing, and  to  present  us  faultless  before  the  presence  of  thy  glory  with  exceeding  joy." 

The  word  '  Amen,'  with  which  our  Saviour  concludes  this  prayer,  is  of  Hebrew 
origin.  It  is  sometimes  prefixed  to  what  is  asserted  with  a  vehemency  of  expression, 
and  is  designed  not  only  to  confirm  what  is  said,  but  to  bespeak  for  it  the  utmost 
attention,  as  being  a  matter  of  very  great  importance.  In  this  case  it  is  rendered 
by  the  word  'verily.'  It  is  also  sometimes  repeated  in  order  to  add  greater  force  to 
the  confirmation.  Thus  when  our  Saviour  asserts  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  he 
says,  '  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God.'P  Elsewhere,  also,  he  says,  *  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  whatso- 
ever ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you.'  ^ — Again,  it  is  placed 
at  the  close  of  each  of  the  evangelists,  to  denote,  that  whatever  is  contained  in  the 
narrative  is  to  be  depended  on  as  of  infallible  verity.     Almost  all  the  epistles  also 

p  John  iii.  3.  q  Chap.  xvi.  23. 

II.  4  P 


666  THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

are  concluded  with  it.  In  the  book  of  Revelation,  it  is  placed  after  a  short  prayer 
or  doxology  ;  and,  in  that  position,  it  signifies  that  what  is  requested  of  God  is  ear- 
nestly desired,  and  that  the  petition  is  summed  up  and  ratified  by  it ;  or  that  the 
glory  which  is  ascribed  is  again  acknowledged  to  belong  to  God,  and  that  we  re- 
joice in  the  discovery  of  it  which  is  made  to  us. — Again,  the  word  is  sometimes 
not  only  used,  but  at  the  same  time  explained,  as  containing  a  summary  account  of 
what  we  ask  for.  Thus  when  Benaiah  preferred  a  petition  to  David  in  behalf  of  Solo- 
mon, and  had  a  grant  from  him  that  he  should  reign  in  his  stead  ;  it  is  said,  '  H6 
answered  the  king,  and  said,  Amen ;  the  Lord  God  of  my  lord  the  king  say  so  too. '  * 

Thus,  then,  the  word  '  Amen,'  with  which  this  and  other  prayers  are  to  be  con- 
cluded, signifies,  *  so  it  is,'  '  so  let  it  be,'  or,  '  so  it  shall  be.'  In  all  these  signifi- 
cations it  is  to  be  used  in  reference  to  the  subject  of  our  prayers.  As  it  respects 
sins  confessed,  or  the  glory  which  we  ascribe  to  God  for  mercies  received,  it  de- 
notes, •  so  it  is.'  As  it  refers  to  the  promises  which  we  plead  and  take  encourage- 
ment from,  or  the  blessings  which  we  desire,  it  signifies,  '  so  it  shall  be,'  and  '  so 
let  it  be.'  Thus  it  is  to  be  applied  in  the  Lord's  prayer.  In  particular,  as  it  is  im- 
mediately subjoined  to  the  doxology,  '  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  the 
glory,  for  ever  and  ever,'  it  is  an  expression  of  our  faith,  as  well  as  of  our  adora- 
tion of  the  divine  perfections. — Moreover,  there  are  some  prayers,  or  doxologies,  in 
which  the  glory  of  Christ  and  the  gospel  state  is  described,  which  are  concluded  with 
the  repetition  of  the  word.  Thus  >vhen  the  psalmist  had  been  enlarging  on  this 
subject,  he  concludes  with,  ■  Blessed  be  his  glorious  name  for  ever  ;  and  let  the 
whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory,  Amen,  and  Amen  ;'  that  is,  God  has  deter- 
mined that  it  shall  be  so,  and  the  whole  church  is  obliged  to  express  their  faith, 
and  say,  '  Amen,  so  let  it  be.' 

Some  have  thought  it  expedient  in  social  prayer,  that  the  whole  assembly,  to- 
gether with  him  who  leads  the  devotions,  should  say  '  Amen,'  with  a  loud  voice,  and 
thereby  signify  their  consent  to  the  prayer,  and  their  concern  in  its  petitions.  This 
appears  to  have  been  the  practice  of  the  church  in  the  early  ages.  Justin  Martyr 
observes  that  the  practice  was  followed  in  his  time  ;s  and  it  was  afterwards  ob- 
served in  Jerome's  time,  who  compares  the  sound  which  the  assembly  made  with 
their  united  voices  to  that  of  thunder.  *  But  though  this  practice  was  followed 
with  a  pious  design,  and  was  not  in  the  least  to  be  blamed,  yet  it  is  not  to  be  insisted 
on  as  necessary  ;  for  all  who  are  present  professedly  join  in  every  part  of  the 
prayer,  as  much  as  if  they  repeated  the  words  with  an  audible  voice.  It  is  suf- 
ficient for  every  one,  when  prayer  is  publicly  concluded  with  this  comprehensive 
word,  to  lift  up  his  heart  to  God,  and  thereby  express  the  part  he  bears  in  the 
devotion.  As  to  the  contrary  extreme,  when  one,  whose  office  was  altogether  un- 
known to  the  primitive  church,  is  appointed  to  say  •  Amen  '  in  the  name  ot  the 
whole  congregation,  it  is,  I  think,  altogether  unwarrantable.  Several  Popish  com- 
mentators, indeed,  defend  it  from  the  apostle's  words,  where  he  speaks  of  him  who 
'occupieth  the  room  of  the  unlearned,'  as  'saying  Amen,  at"the  giving  of  thanks. 'u 
Here,  however,  by  'the  unlearned,'  is  meant,  not  the  clerk  of  a  congregation,1  but 
one  who  understands  not  the  prayer,  which  the  apostle  supposes  to  be  put  up  to 
God  in  an  unknown  tongue.  All  therefore  which  can  be  inferred  from  the  apostle's 
words  is,  that  we  ought  to  pray  to  God  with  understanding  and  faith,  and  so  may 
be  able  to  sum  up  our  requests,  and  glorify  him  by  saying,  '  Amen.' 

r  1  Kings  i.  36. 

8  Vid.  Justin  Martyr,  Apol.  ii.  pro  Christ.  He  intimates  that,  when  public  prayer  and  giving  of 
thanks  was  ended,  the  whole  congregation  testified  their  approbation  by  saying,  '  Amen.'  n«t  i 
■Txgav  Xtcat  iTivtpnp.fi  Xiyaiv  ctftnr. 

t  Vid.  Hieron.  in  lib.  ii.  Comment,  ad  Galat.  in  Proem.  Ad  similitudinem  eaelestis  tonitrus  reboat, 
[scil.  Ecclesia]  Amen.  u  1  Cor.  xiv.  16.  x  Vid.  Whitby  in  loc. 


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